I have bought or given a total of 14 shares, I get a .01 upvote so that means 1400 votes to earn the money back. Yet if you look at the automated accounts they have voting their people and accounts get very healthy votes every day.
Sure you get a vote and that is all some people want, votes on every post but the time it will take you to see a gain will be well after steemit is dead.
so let's hope to earn shares from others :P and only gain "profit" :P
It would be more profit if they powered up and voted me one time.