Jump to content

$ 1.27 Sale, perpetual license?


Recommended Posts

Hi all, 

I just got a notification of a $ 1.27 sale, with a perpetual license... Is that normal? I've seen a few single digit sales lately, but never in the $1 range! Is Alamy now playing in the microstock pool? I don't even see where you can buy my image at that price!

 

Any help would be much appreciated!

  • Like 2
  • Dislike 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I got one yesterday.  I think the lowest price I've ever had.

 

Country: Worldwide
Usage: Editorial
Media: Editorial website
Industry sector: Travel & tourism
Image Size: Any size
Start: 10 April 2019
End: 10 April 2024
NU Editorial website and app multiple use, in perpetuity
$ 1.27

 

Taken on holiday in November in Costa Rica - total cost of the trip £3000+.  Return $0.64 = £0.49p.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It seems to me that we are wasting our time to rant at Alamy about the microstock-type prices when such price points are inevitable in a marketplace which is flush with so much near identical imagery. If Alamy didn't make the sale, someone else surely will. The decline in prices has become even more inevitable since so many microstock contributors have simply ported their images to Alamy as well as microstock sites, so the buyer may not even have to shop around - just a quick call to the sales team to point out where they can get identical images more cheaply.

 

The above comments about images being available on microstock may well not apply specifically to the OP's sale, or any of the others referred to above, but as a statement of general principle, it is why we are where we are. The only way to begin to combat the downward trend is to make our Alamy content as unique as possible, both in terms of what we shoot and making sure Alamy is the only place it is available. 

  • Love 2
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Same here. 4 sales this year for the grand total of $19. The latest of these today for a total of $1.27 Novel use in perpetuity. However I keep reassuring myself that Alamy is an elite agency and not a low class microstock agency for second rate photographers.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, domf said:

I sold two today for $1.27 as well, surely this is not sustainable for us the photographers but neither for Alamy?

 

 

It's probably a bulk deal, in which case Alamy wouldn't care how many contributors their income was split between.  Why would they? One deal for them, one payment into their coffers.

 

Alan

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

There is a travel website that is getting these Novel Use images. I had a couple and did not see the use as novel at all so I have opted out of  Novel Use. April is the only month to do it so you might want to get out now.

 

Paulette

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you don't like it... opt out of Novel use. If you had opted out of novel use previously, you presumably wouldn't have got anything (they would have bought someone else's picture on Alamy who is still in NU or gone to microstock). So the decision is do you prefer the £1.27 sale or do you prefer no sale at all? If you prefer no sale at all then opt out of NU.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Cryptoprocta said:

Why?

 

3 hours ago, Futterwithtrees said:

However I keep reassuring myself that Alamy is an elite agency and not a low class microstock agency for second rate photographers.

 

1 hour ago, Cryptoprocta said:

Why?

It was meant as a joke but obviously not made well enough. I sell a lot more on microstock agencies than through Alamy and often get better prices.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had one earlier in the year for $2.18  and thought that was low!  Apparently it was a distribution sale and I thought that was low.  However, I think there is an option also to opt out of distribution sales also so Alamy told me at the Photography Show.   Opt out maybe ?

 

Carol

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, Futterwithtrees said:

However I keep reassuring myself that Alamy is an elite agency and not a low class microstock agency for second rate photographers.

 

I assume you are joking. Alamy have always been a 'pile them high outfit'. There is no barrier to entry. They don't curate content. I don't see how that can be elite.

 

Edit: OK I see you meant it as a joke.

Edited by andremichel
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, NYCat said:

There is a travel website that is getting these Novel Use images. I had a couple and did not see the use as novel at all so I have opted out of  Novel Use. April is the only month to do it so you might want to get out now.

 

Paulette

+1.  I opted out on 1st April having had several such sales to the same travel website!!

 

Pearl

Edited by Pearl
Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 hours ago, Mark Collinson said:

I got one yesterday.  I think the lowest price I've ever had.

 

Country: Worldwide
Usage: Editorial
Media: Editorial website
Industry sector: Travel & tourism
Image Size: Any size
Start: 10 April 2019
End: 10 April 2024
NU Editorial website and app multiple use, in perpetuity
$ 1.27

 

Taken on holiday in November in Costa Rica - total cost of the trip £3000+.  Return $0.64 = £0.49p.

 

 

I got the same yesterday for a shot in China.

NU - five years in perpetuity

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That is really discouraging. I've had 4 sales under $10 in the last 3 months, but the $1.27 was the lowest of them all... The reason I signed up for Alamy was because I expected a higher return. I've closed a bunch of low performing micro stock accounts I had as the effort to submit wasn't worth the payout. If things continue like that with Alamy, with only a few tiny sales a month, I may have to close this account too...

Edited by SvetlanaSF
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I got yo all beat by a full digit. Yes, a full res RF perpetual license below a whole silver dollar. Over 10 years with Alamy, this is my first ever below single digit license. BTW, I am not in any newspaper or Novel scheme. I understand it's for student project. I am glad students are paying for photos instead of lifting them off the web. But com'n, this is fixed to be abused by someone. Can Alamy at least restrict the hi-res files?

 

Country: Worldwide
Usage: Student Projects, For non-commercial use in projects such as dissertations, presentations or essays.
Industry sector: Education
50 MB
5192 x 3392 pixels 
4 MB compressed
Image Size: Any size
Start: 10 April 2019
Duration: In perpetuity

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Futterwithtrees said:

It was meant as a joke but obviously not made well enough. I sell a lot more on microstock agencies than through Alamy and often get better prices.

Indeed.

I'm sorry - I was afraid you were delusional!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 11/04/2019 at 04:30, SvetlanaSF said:

Hi all, 

I just got a notification of a $ 1.27 sale, with a perpetual license... Is that normal? I've seen a few single digit sales lately, but never in the $1 range! Is Alamy now playing in the microstock pool? I don't even see where you can buy my image at that price!

 

Any help would be much appreciated!

I had three of these NU insults yesterday! The in 'perpetuity' is the bit that p***ed me off. Can understand low prices, if they are considered to be 'loss-leaders' but in perpetuity is just giving it away! Strange thing is that I had opted out of NU at the start of April this year but it obviously takes time for this to happen?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.