Distribution

[Kathy deWitt]

I am wondering about contributors' current experience of distribution sales. 

Are you happy with the prices you receive?  Have you had any reasonable fees

in the past year?  I am currently opted out,  considering opting in April.

 

Thank you,

Kathy

[geogphotos]

1 minute ago, Colblimp said:

That's a good number, still not quite convinced, though.

 

 

Just providing information, not trying to convince you. 

[spacecadet]

22 hours ago, geogphotos said:

I've had some good fees eg) Germany

 

 

+1.

Germany does improve things a bit. Prices seem to be holding up there (France too) and 30% of a good fee can beat 50% of a poor one.

[spacecadet]

duplicate

Edited January 19, 2021 by spacecadet

[Sultanpepa]

To my mind there is no assurance of distributors accurately invoicing/accounting. I don't know who they are. Are they reputable? The opportunity is there for misreporting. I'm also not enamoured at 70% being deducted on a $3 sale. I may change my mind someday but for now I remain out. 

[Avpics]

18 minutes ago, Sultanpepa said:

To my mind there is no assurance of distributors accurately invoicing/accounting. 

In my experience the same can be said of the major UK newspaper titles, with higher figures involved. At least if a distro gets away with it then you've only lost a few bucks.

[Sultanpepa]

6 hours ago, Avpics said:

In my experience the same can be said of the major UK newspaper titles, with higher figures involved. At least if a distro gets away with it then you've only lost a few bucks.

 

Not necessarily. What they put it through the books as might not necessarily be what they're charging the customer. I'm not saying this happens but do we know it doesn't? What kind of checks are done? I'm not comfortable with the carve up or the process.

[gvallee]

9 hours ago, Sally R said:

 

Hi Gen, I'm wondering how you go with Australian images and distribution sales, or at least how those images went before you opted out of PU and the distro sales dried up? My images are mostly from Western Australia, a tiny amount from Tasmania and South Australia, several from Bhutan and 4 bird images from NZ.

 

Basically I have imagined distro sales of Australian images would largely be to overseas countries interested in travel/tourism, which is obviously an area with not much happening for the foreseeable future, but I could be wrong in thinking that this is what distro sales are largely about. I guess news stories from Australia may also sell to overseas distributors.

 

Like you I am opted out of PU and reluctant to opt in. If it restricts distro sales it might not be worth it anyway. If I had a portfolio of images from many parts of the world it seems it might be much more likely to be able to sell through distribution. So was just wondering if many of your Oz images have sold as distro?

 

P.S. Don't feel you have to reveal specifics about how many Australian images you've sold via distribution. You might not want to do that. I'm just wondering if there is any point in me opting in for distribution with my geographically limited portfolio?

 

 

Sally, I know that I had 270 distro sales in total but there is no easy way for me to look at what they were. You have started me on an interesting analysis. Yes, one more spreadsheet. I am on the road today but I will get back to you as soon as I can. No problems sharing my data. Bear with me.

[gvallee]

4 hours ago, Sally R said:

 

Thanks Gen! Only go to as much trouble as you want and if it's interesting to find out. Happy travels wherever you are right now. I was really impressed by your long exposure image of the power plant at Biloela. I then realised I watched a program on Biloela not that long ago on the ABC show Back Roads. I don't know if you ever watch that but they go to various lesser known Australian towns and get to know the people and place (something you would be doing on a regular basis!). It can be seen on ABC iView, but I'm guessing you may know about it already.

 

Righto Sally. I've gone back only to 1st Jan. 2016 because it's rather tedious and I'm not sure it proves anything. I do not photograph people, so as such, I am not a high seller. You will probably do much better than me.

 

From 01/01/16 to today:

Total distro sales of Oz images: 56 (out of 95)

Below is sorted by Sold To country

 

Sale Date	Gross	Subject	Sold To	Usage
23/10/2018	20.3	Figtree	Brazil	Book
14/09/2018	20.06	Insect	Brazil	Book
14/07/2017	23.4	River	Brazil	Book
16/09/2016	25.62	Outback	Brazil	Book
13/05/2016	24.87	Lake	Brazil	Book
19/02/2016	23.03	Outback	Brazil	Book
14/01/2019	8.75	Seal	China	Travel Brochures
31/07/2018	113.92	Wave	China	Packaging, boxes and containers
20/01/2020	3.44	Bird	Czech	Editorial website
23/04/2018	3.55	Beach	Czech	General Business Services
22/02/2018	3.52	Plane Wreck	Czech	Media, Design, Publishing
15/09/2017	3.48	Beach	Czech	Media, Design, Publishing
13/04/2018	2.37	Wildlife	Estonia	General Business Services
8/12/2016	4.15	Spider	EU	Media, Design, Publishing
8/12/2016	4.15	Spider	EU	Media, Design, Publishing
15/05/2019	37.53	Mission Beach	Germany	Travel Brochures
15/05/2019	37.53	Kiama	Germany	Travel Brochures
13/03/2019	21.62	Cairns	Germany	Education
8/02/2019	10.98	Sunset	Germany	Magazine
14/01/2019	8.75	Bird	Germany	Travel Brochures
14/01/2019	8.75	Bird	Germany	Travel Brochures
14/01/2019	8.75	Bird	Germany	Travel Brochures
14/01/2019	8.75	Seal	Germany	Travel Brochures
14/01/2019	26.24	Cairns Beach	Germany	Travel Brochures
14/01/2019	26.24	Horizontal Falls	Germany	Travel Brochures
14/01/2019	26.24	Kangaroo Island	Germany	Travel Brochures
8/10/2018	38.87	Rainforest	Germany	Book
8/06/2018	34.1	Bird	Germany	Magazine
8/05/2018	40.33	Outback	Germany	Travel Brochures
4/05/2018	25.98	Bird	Germany	Puzzle
10/04/2018	80.14	Machinery	Germany	Magazine
8/03/2018	82.05	Beach	Germany	Newspaper
15/01/2018	23.88	Outback	Germany	Media, Design, Publishing
8/12/2017	40.62	Croc	Germany	Packaging/software/CD/Music
12/04/2017	26.04	Place of Interest	Germany	Book
12/04/2017	26.04	Place of Interest	Germany	Book
12/04/2017	26.04	RFDS	Germany	Book
12/10/2018	15.46	Beach	Italy	Television
12/04/2018	21.32	Trees	Italy	Magazine
31/07/2018	100.37	Lake	Japan	Banking and Finance
10/05/2018	43.18	Lake	Japan	Book
8/12/2017	33.44	Bird	Japan	Book
9/02/2017	33.03	Ants	Japan	Book
9/02/2017	22.3	Outback	Japan	Book
20/12/2017	26.69	Rock formations	Russia	Magazine
21/07/2020	3.24	Bats	Serbia	Editorial website
20/04/2020	3.14	Outback	Slovenia	Editorial website
23/03/2017	5.16	Spider	Slovenia	Media, Design, Publishing
11/10/2016	31.03	Building	South Africa	Book
19/03/2018	7.13	Beach	Spain	Media, Design, Publishing
19/03/2018	7.13	Beach	Spain	Media, Design, Publishing
19/03/2018	7.13	Beach	Spain	Media, Design, Publishing
23/12/2016	26.4	Beach	Taiwan	Magazine
19/07/2018	7.8	Lord Howe	Turkey	Newspaper
11/04/2018	12.3	Bird	Turkey	Magazine
12/05/2017	10.7	Beach	Turkey	Magazine

 

 

Hope this helps!!

 

[gvallee]

4 hours ago, Sally R said:

ABC show Back Roads. I don't know if you ever watch that but they go to various lesser known Australian towns and get to know the people and place (something you would be doing on a regular basis!). It can be seen on ABC iView, but I'm guessing you may know about it already.

 

It was the only program I used to watch when we lived in a house in Cairns. Loved it. I love everything rural.

[Chuck Nacke]

On 18/01/2021 at 06:52, Kathy deWitt said:

I am wondering about contributors' current experience of distribution sales. 

Are you happy with the prices you receive?  Have you had any reasonable fees

in the past year?  I am currently opted out,  considering opting in April.

 

Thank you,

Kathy

Just my own thoughts based on my experience of over 30 years in the international photo agency / library business.

 

If my agent / library works with a sub distributor, they have checked them out and they trust them, I do 

not work with or allow any agent or library to license my images that I do not trust, I trust Alamy and my opinion 

is that if Alamy trusts them so do I.  Yes I have had distribution licenses to Czech (formerly part of Czechoslovakia)

for $3.00 USD, but they always included other licenses (same image) for better amounts with other distributors and with direct

licenses via Alamy.

 

While I have not agreed with everything that Alamy does,  I do support Alamy and their ability to license my work

world wide.  What is good for Alamy is good for me.

 

Just my opinion, not telling anyone what to do.

 

Chuck (still the original one.)

[Kathy deWitt]

Thanks to everyone who responded to my query.  I will test the waters (again).

Kathy

[Colblimp]

Update:  I've just opted in to Distro and will see how it goes until April when I'll decide whether to stay in or opt out.

[gvallee]

4 hours ago, Colblimp said:

Update:  I've just opted in to Distro and will see how it goes until April when I'll decide whether to stay in or opt out.

 

We're almost end of January. You'll be very lucky if you have distro sales reported by April. Distributors are very slow to report, it's more like 6 months. Sometimes I even have the feeling that some distributors report only once a year.

[Colblimp]

26 minutes ago, gvallee said:

 

We're almost end of January. You'll be very lucky if you have distro sales reported by April. Distributors are very slow to report, it's more like 6 months. Sometimes I even have the feeling that some distributors report only once a year.

If I have no sales by April, I'll stay in Distro 'til next year.