Commission changes to existing invoices.

[aphperspective]

Anybody had any feedback from Alamy on this issue. Newspaper sales can take months to come through, my sales reports have several outstanding and will still be by February, will the new commission charges apply to existing but not paid sales or just new sales after February. ie my "net due" amount suddenly drops by another 10% overnight.

[Sally]

55 minutes ago, aphperspective said:

Anybody had any feedback from Alamy on this issue. Newspaper sales can take months to come through, my sales reports have several outstanding and will still be by February, will the new commission charges apply to existing but not paid sales or just new sales after February. ie my "net due" amount suddenly drops by another 10% overnight.

Yes, I mentioned this in the long original thread early on, but it’s got lost amongst everything else. I suspect that the new commission will be the same for all images, irrespective of the fact that one used by a paper last week, or last month, won’t appear in an account until after the change. This seems unfair since they were uploaded and the sale occurred before the announcement.

[aphperspective]

Sent an Email to Alamy to clear up the issue, I will post the reply when I get it.

[losdemas]

7 minutes ago, aphperspective said:

Sent an Email to Alamy to clear up the issue, I will post the reply when I get it.

Look forward to hearing the answer. 

[aphperspective]

There is some decency after all just had this reply from Alamy.

 

 

"Hi Andrew,

 

Any sale invoiced before February will have 50% commission, this includes uncleared sales. Only images bought in February once the contract is changed will be at 40%."

[aphperspective]

14 hours ago, Sally said:

Yes, I mentioned this in the long original thread early on, but it’s got lost amongst everything else. I suspect that the new commission will be the same for all images, irrespective of the fact that one used by a paper last week, or last month, won’t appear in an account until after the change. This seems unfair since they were uploaded and the sale occurred before the announcement.

Just received from Alamy

Hi Andrew,

 

Any sale invoiced before February will have 50% commission, this includes uncleared sales. Only images bought in February once the contract is changed will be at 40%."

[aphperspective]

13 hours ago, losdemas said:

Look forward to hearing the answer. 

Just received from Alamy

Hi Andrew,

 

Any sale invoiced before February will have 50% commission, this includes uncleared sales. Only images bought in February once the contract is changed will be at 40%."

[spacecadet]

It's clear to me.

Nothing will be invoiced at 40% until whatever date in February, but some self-reporting newspaper users are laggardly in their reporting.

So there are images being downloaded and used now which will end up being invoiced at 40%. Not many, maybe, but some.

[Sally]

2 hours ago, kay said:

mmm, thanks Andrew but I'm not really sure that's a positive reply, unless I'm misunderstanding.  Lots of images being downloaded and used now wont be invoiced til after February, so they'll be at 40%.  I never expected sales that were already invoiced to be suddenly changed from 50 to 40??

 

I've just re-read the reply and am now more confused.  First sentence refers to 'any sale invoiced', second sentence 'images bought' which doesn't seem to clarify things??? 

 

What I would like it to say is:  'Any image bought before February will have 50% commission, this includes uninvoiced and uncleared sales'  But it's not saying that

 

Regardless, whatever will be will be

Not clear at all. But it appears to suggest that only uses reported prior to the cut off date will attract commission at 50%, even if the use occurred before the announcement. 

[spacecadet]

8 minutes ago, Sally said:

Not clear at all. But it appears to suggest that only uses reported prior to the cut off date will attract commission at 50%, even if the use occurred before the announcement. 

I can't see that it could be any clearer.  The only relevant date is the date of invoice- before that we don't have a sale. The publication date has nothing to do with it.

[Sally]

4 minutes ago, spacecadet said:

I can't see that it could be any clearer.  The only relevant date is the date of invoice- before that we don't have a sale. The publication date has nothing to do with it.

And yet...images uploaded and used - but not yet reported - were uploaded in good faith that they would attract 50% commission. I am not stopping uploading though I am reconsidering other options however noone had a choice to decide not to upload something that is now going to earn less than was agreed at the time.

 

I realise it's a bit nitpicking, but there is a principle involved.

[aphperspective]

I agree with Sally it does stick in the throat, I was just trying to establish that the 40% would not be applied retrospectively on all invoices. With newspapers its a good chance that anything uploaded by them back in September will not be reported until after February which annoying to say the least 

[M.Chapman]

Yes I agree (IMHO) images downloaded and published before the new contract comes into force, should provide the contributor with original commission rate, irrespective of when those images are invoiced or paid for.

 

Mark

[Sally]

5 hours ago, M.Chapman said:

Yes I agree (IMHO) images downloaded and published before the new contract comes into force, should provide the contributor with original commission rate, irrespective of when those images are invoiced or paid for.

 

Mark

I suggest that we ignore the usual advice to wait until four months has passed between use and no report.and insist that any known uses prior to the date of announcement are recorded and invoiced prior to the February cutoff.

[aphperspective]

E mail sent to Alamy today.

With respect to mainly newspapers, as you know you ask us to wait for 4 months to report known usage, this would carry to well over February.  I would like to insist that we report usage if known for an invoice to be issued before the February cut of date.

I await a reply.

 

Andy

[aphperspective]

This is the reply I have just got back from Alamy Re my Email regarding reportage of newspaper usage. Not sure if it clears anything up regarding invoicing for reported usage before the usual 4 months or if we report usage early the invoice will still not be raised in time.

Andy

 

"When usages are billed they are done so based on the rate on the date that the invoice is raised. So, if an invoice is raised after the February commission change date, these will reflect the commission rate at that time. If the invoice is raised prior to this change then they will reflect the 50% commission rate.

 

Thanks"