Distribution - Opted Out

[colinp]

I opted out march this year due to the peanuts being paid but find distribution sales are still showing up on my account. Last one in august for $14 !!

I have complained to alamy but am still awaiting their removal from my sales activity and feedback from the distributor(S) concerned.

Its 6 months since I opted out - how much longer till I am PROPERLY opted out ?

[Travelshots]

Shows how long the distributors take to pay up. I opted out as well.

[dov makabaw]

If you buy a lotto ticket you may win £10 or thousands. If you don't buy a ticket you are guaranteed not to win. I've yet to meet anyone who sends back the £10 prizes.

 

What I struggle to understand is why be on alamy and then opt out of sales categories if they are not performing for the moment.

 

dov

[Joe Gaul]

Also opted out but for different reasons. There is no incentive to report and there appears to be little interest in chasing up unreported use; a little more of a Gettyesque attitude would be welcome.

Quite frankly any fee would be welcome at the moment but I do believe that some contributors are a little unrealistic in their expectations, especially as the halcyon days of stock are unfortunately behind us. One of my images sold last week for an all time low of 21 cents (my cut and not on Alamy also the second agency to sell it I got one dollar the last time), although this was a pic that failed Alamy QC.

On the downside since opting out views seem to have fallen off.

[ManWay]

If you buy a lotto ticket you may win £10 or thousands. If you don't buy a ticket you are guaranteed not to win. I've yet to meet anyone who sends back the £10 prizes.

 

What I struggle to understand is why be on alamy and then opt out of sales categories if they are not performing for the moment.

 

dov

I opted out of all distribution scheme options after the Alamy (shall we say 'undemocratic' to be diplomatic but I'm sure more forceful language may be used to describe the theft of another % a while back) new 'arrangements'. Must say I didn't see any change in net income.

However I have just joined distribution scheme (all options) again to see if it really does make any difference. It's hard to tell on any statistical basis as number of images on sale continues to rise. 

 

Would agree with dov though as, for many of us, a quickly shot 'seen image' is often of no consequence financially to us. I don't mean to degrade the quality of our work but I just got a net $445.00 for a pic of an alley in Glasgow which I took whilst have a piss and smoke during a few beers in that city. Never thought it would sell but took it anyway............ thank God for VR, high ISO quality and auto focus!

 

Regards

 

Richard

[fotoDogue]

I opted out of English Language distributers since I've never had any sales through their sites though they still have some of my images on their sites. I also wonder about the reasoning behind North American distributors now that Alamy has a New York office. Im still sticking with non-English language distributors since some of my distribution sales are higher than newspaper sales in the UK. Just because you opt out of some doesn't mean you have drop them all.

[ManWay]

I opted out of English Language distributers since I've never had any sales through their sites though they still have some of my images on their sites. I also wonder about the reasoning behind North American distributors now that Alamy has a New York office. Im still sticking with non-English language distributors since some of my distribution sales are higher than newspaper sales in the UK. Just because you opt out of some doesn't mean you have drop them all.

Hi  fotoDogue,

 

I think you miss the point. By opting out you miss sales............. end of story. I understand that some clients may look at images that are not available to them via distributors but it is important to understand that with Alamy your images are not viewable to clients if you are not on distributor scheme in their particular country. Unless they go direct to Alamy - which many will not do. This is due to language/loyalty issues.

 

It's easy to be too precious about our images - I know that and used to subscribe to the view that my images were somehow sacrosanct. Well, some still are but most are not. With Alamy sell the 'not' for whatever you can get and use the profits to chase those that are.

 

Best

Richard

[fotoDogue]

Hi  fotoDogue,

 

I think you miss the point. By opting out you miss sales............. end of story. I understand that some clients may look at images that are not available to them via distributors but it is important to understand that with Alamy your images are not viewable to clients if you are not on distributor scheme in their particular country. Unless they go direct to Alamy - which many will not do. This is due to language/loyalty issues.

 

Best

Richard

Maybe you misread my post. I opted out of English Language distributors. I presume if they can read English on, say, a Canadian site then they can read English on Alamy. After several years with Alamy I've had 0 sales through North American distributors so I'm probably not missing much either way.

[ManWay]

Say wha' fotoDogue

 

Think they be speakin' da English on picture desks all over the world. 

 

I've sold images to Japan, for example, via Alamy as direct and distributor sales.

 

Best

RW

[dov makabaw]

 

Maybe you misread my post. I opted out of English Language distributors. I presume if they can read English on, say, a Canadian site then they can read English on Alamy. After several years with Alamy I've had 0 sales through North American distributors so I'm probably not missing much either way.

 

Hi fotodogue - have you considered that some researchers have favourite sites and these may be distributor sites. Alamy content is not searchable on the internet, only on the Alamy site itself. Have you also considered whether this may reduce your CTR and, even without sales, effect your ranking as a consequence.

 

I visited a small paper called The Guardian recently and was told that they receive something like 35,000 unsolicited pix on a quiet day, nearer double if anything is going on. Unclear why you want to reduce your visibility in the market place, but you no doubt have a reason.

 

dov

[fotoDogue]

 

Hi fotodogue - have you considered that some researchers have favourite sites and these may be distributor sites. Alamy content is not searchable on the internet, only on the Alamy site itself. Have you also considered whether this may reduce your CTR and, even without sales, effect your ranking as a consequence.

 

 

dov

Dov,

 

Maybe I'm mistaken but I was under the impression that CTR was based on a set number of Alamy clients who are logged into the Alamy server when they search and view photos. Searches by non Alamy clients on other servers wouldn't factor into Alamy stats.

 

Either way, it's something I'm trying this year to see if there's a difference. My CTR tends to run below average as it is but I haven't noticed any significant drops. I have noticed an increase in Alamy sales in North America this year but that may be due to increased efforts on Alamy's part. If I later decide it wasn't the best decision I can always opt back in.

[Paulstw]

> It's easy to be too precious about our images

 

Need dose of depreciousness?  Saw this today:

 

We've sent you this email because you are a registered customer with Alamy

View: Online version | Add to safe senders | Mobile version                         

 

September 2013 We've reduced our RM pricing - up to 70% off

 

Hi (previous Alamy customers)

We’ve reduced our rights managed pricing bundles for some of our most popular licenses by up to 70%.

Buy online, using our simple price calculator for a quick and easy experience.

Need a price for a different license? Get in touch.

 

Getty & microstock are to blame, right?

 

Last time I seen 70% off it was a closing down sale 

[losdemas]

 

> It's easy to be too precious about our images

 

Need dose of depreciousness?  Saw this today:

 

We've sent you this email because you are a registered customer with Alamy

View: Online version | Add to safe senders | Mobile version                         

 

September 2013 We've reduced our RM pricing - up to 70% off

 

Hi (previous Alamy customers)

We’ve reduced our rights managed pricing bundles for some of our most popular licenses by up to 70%.

Buy online, using our simple price calculator for a quick and easy experience.

Need a price for a different license? Get in touch.

 

Getty & microstock are to blame, right?

 

Last time I seen 70% off it was a closing down sale 

 

It's only a discount from (certain) calculator prices (which weren't charged anyway).  A deeper look might reveal other changes from previous prices (and not just down).

[Rolf Adlercreutz]

I opted out because I just get mad when I see those sales for a minimal sum. I don't want my pictures on the market at those terms. I also didn't like that Alamy rised their cut on the distrubutor sales by 50% (from 20 to 30%). But a 50/50 split on the direct sales, that I can live with

[colinp]

rolf...my sentiments exactly! On the plus side I have had one or two requests through distribution since I opted out where I have sucessfully negotiated an acceptable returm.