Is it true that models only sell (on average) about a couple times a year?

In recent months my models have started to sell much more frequently, it is really cool honestly, I think engaging in the community is the best way to do so

I've commented on one your posts and the same points have be made to you before. Render on a plain BG was one of them and I've just looked at your Cyberpunk bike fella!!! I'm not trying to have-a-pile-on here but improving you models is the best way to sell them. It can take me weeks to build, texture and render a model! Its taken me years to perfect my craft and I don't have all the answers and I still make mistakes!
Perhaps this isn't a place for people to have their ego's massaged my friend! I'm not saying you are but a good start for you may be to look at Arrimus 3d's YouTube channel. He's modelling guru in Max and Blender!

I'm on the opposite side. If you want to sell models on here and have this be a source of income for you, then follow the previous members advice. If you want to design what you like to design because its fun doing it, and if you make a few dollars on the side by sharing your work, then that is what works for you.

I'm on here just for fun. I design what I like, and if members like it and buy it, great. If not, that's fine too. My lifestyle isn't dependent on the revenue I get from here.

I agree with @jaguarbeastproduction and @LemonadeCG

To answer your question:
Yes sometimes some products are sold 4 times per year, sometimes 40. Depends on the market demand and quality.

Here is some technical with your models:
- Renders with noise
- Uv/texture scale & fidelity
- Lighting/shading. A standard white ramp photographic style background looks nice usually always.
- Complexity. We are trying to save an artists time by providing something of value, thus the price reflects how long it takes. So if you can save the artist 5 hours at an average of $50 per artist hour, then $80 sounds like a good deal! (for both of you if its a good product and return sales).
- Provide Value. Pretty much explained in my previous point but it is a point of its own.

Renders with noise shows that you do not care enough about the product to spend the time finishing the image. If you were in a fruit shop would you buy the apple with the bruise or the perfect looking apple? Your product's appearance is important.

3D Model Descriptions are short, whats the materials used, where are they sourced, pbr/photogrammetry? What texture formats are delivered roughness or specular workflow? Whats the dimensions of the object, What is unique about this purchase? Why is there no native file format? 3dsmax, blender maya? (if you look at the statistics you can get a good idea of what formats are highly requested). What software/render engines is it compatible with?

Most importantly, how are you saving people time and effort? Have you researched your market and asked people what things they need on a daily basis or how you can speed up their workflow? It might be worth a Direct Message or two.

In addition,
https://www.cgtrader.com/3d-models/character/sci-fi/robot-ad4b9fe5-b060-4c4a-a462-f7407bfc68be
https://www.cgtrader.com/3d-models/character/sci-fi/space-marine-robot
https://www.cgtrader.com/3d-models/character/sci-fi/evil-machine-game-character-pbr-ready

This is the skills level you need to reach so that you no longer have the question of how many models are needed for successful sales.

BTW, answering your original question, no that's not true. Good model can and will be sold many times throughout its lifetime. I myself have several models that have been sold more than hundred times and my models are not that very good, complex, or in high demand, there are many sellers that are doing much better job at this.

As jaguarbeastproduction already said, your models are too simple. Professional customers are looking for complex, high quality models, that they have no time to make for themselves. Your models are destined to gather dust, because no one needs simple models that can be made in few minutes, even if they're dirty cheap. You can get few accidental sales once in a while, but expected income will be very low and sporadic, unless you'll invest many hours inlearning your tools and start making more complex models. Market is oversaturated with very high quality models for extremely low price, there's no place for someone who just learned the basics and hoping to get rich. That's the sad truth.

Your models and renders are too simple to be commercially successful.

Need to improve your skills in modeling and rendering.

You have chosen a good theme (sci-fi), the name of the account is also not bad, so with diligence everything will certainly be fine.

Good luck!

Don't take it as offence, but looking at your models i think you'll be lucky to sell them twice per year.

Wow thank you so much! I learned a lot from those!

Hi,

Explore these articles:

https://www.cgtrader.com/blog/find-out-why-these-3d-collections-stand-out-2018-09
https://www.cgtrader.com/blog/infographic-best-selling-3d-models-and-practices
https://www.cgtrader.com/blog/infographic-exclusive-data-on-how-to-sell-3d-models
https://www.cgtrader.com/blog/infographic-exclusive-tips-on-maximizing-your-income-from-3d-print-models

Regards