As a long-time designer on CGTrader, I want to start by expressing my appreciation for the platform's continuous evolution. The effort to improve fairness, encourage quality, and align incentives through a revised payout rate system is both commendable and necessary in today’s rapidly changing 3D marketplace.
However, after reviewing the new payout structure—set to take effect on June 2nd—I believe there are some important considerations that deserve attention before fully transitioning to this model.
The Core Concern: Ignoring Long-Term Reputation
The decision to calculate payout rates based solely on sales performance in the past 12 months introduces a degree of short-termism that may unintentionally disadvantage many dedicated designers who have:
Built a strong reputation through consistent high-quality work.
Maintained positive buyer feedback and reviews over the years.
Participated in and successfully delivered custom project work on the platform.
Contributed to the platform’s growth through long-term collaboration and royalty sharing.
Many of us have invested years of hard work to reach higher royalty levels—not by flooding the marketplace with poor models, but through reliability, professionalism, and creative integrity. Under the new system, a temporary dip in sales (due to personal circumstances, market fluctuations, or seasonal changes) could cause a steep drop in royalty percentage, potentially reducing it from, say, 80% to 68%.
This does not reflect the full value these creators bring to the platform.
Potential Impacts on Designer Motivation
While the system rightly moves away from rewarding the sheer number of uploads (especially in the AI era), it also risks devaluing:
Long-standing trust and reputation, which are harder to build and easier to lose.
Designer loyalty, which takes years to foster.
Cumulative contributions that helped CGTrader become one of the most designer-friendly platforms.
Reducing payout rates solely based on a short-term window may discourage top contributors from further investing in CGTrader as their primary marketplace.
A Suggested Hybrid Model
To create a fairer and more balanced payout system, I propose a hybrid model that combines:
1. Recent Sales Performance (Last 12 Months):
To encourage active engagement and quality uploads.
2. Reputation-Based Metrics:
Including factors like:
Total royalties earned over time.
Number of positive reviews.
Successful delivery of custom projects.
Historical consistency in model quality.
These elements can help maintain a sense of trust and continuity, while still keeping the platform dynamic.
3. Optional Appeal or Grace Period:
Allow designers whose rates drop significantly to:
Submit a performance appeal.
Recover their royalty level by meeting specific short-term sales or quality targets.
Final Thoughts
CGTrader has long stood out for its fair treatment of designers. This legacy is one of the reasons many of us chose it as our creative home. The upcoming changes represent a major shift, and with refinement, they can become even more powerful.
A system that balances performance with long-term contribution will not only feel fairer—it will inspire designers to grow with the platform for years to come.
Let’s continue building a marketplace that rewards not just fast results, but also sustained excellence, loyalty, and professionalism.
Let’s Talk
Fellow designers, I’d love to hear your thoughts. Do you feel the new system reflects your efforts fairly? What would make it better?
Let’s open this discussion to help shape a more inclusive and sustainable model for everyone.