To be or not to be............exclusive?

[Stokie]

I will (hopefully!) be a gold contributor after the contract change. I don't sell images from my website so not bothered about Alamy contacting people who have purchased my images. About 90% of my portfolio is exclusive.

 

My question is, what advantage is there in keeping my images exclusive?

 

I can't see any advantage in the future.

 

John.

[meanderingemu]

4 minutes ago, Stokie said:

I will (hopefully!) be a gold contributor after the contract change. I don't sell images from my website so not bothered about Alamy contacting people who have purchased my images. About 90% of my portfolio is exclusive.

 

My question is, what advantage is there in keeping my images exclusive?

 

I can't see any advantage in the future.

 

John.

 

 

only advantage would be if Alamy ever got serious about pursuing infringement, with appropriate awards and had a fair open and transparent division of proceed process.  of course they have not discussed this or answered any query about it in the multiple locked threads 

 

 

[Steve F]

1 hour ago, Stokie said:

I will (hopefully!) be a gold contributor after the contract change. I don't sell images from my website so not bothered about Alamy contacting people who have purchased my images. About 90% of my portfolio is exclusive.

 

My question is, what advantage is there in keeping my images exclusive?

 

I can't see any advantage in the future.

 

John.

 

One reason  - not competing with yourself for lower fees on micros. Although the fees I've got this month were pretty rubbish...

 

[Steve F]

1 hour ago, meanderingemu said:

 

 

only advantage would be if Alamy ever got serious about pursuing infringement, with appropriate awards and had a fair open and transparent division of proceed process.  of course they have not discussed this or answered any query about it in the multiple locked threads 

 

 

 

I reported an infringement using the 'report an unauthorised use' template on Sunday. Got a reply from Alamy on Monday saying they agreed and were going to invoice for it. Never had such a quick response!

[Marianne]

If you're gold then worth it I'd think. Otherwise not much point. 

[geogphotos]

4 minutes ago, Steve F said:

 

I reported an infringement using the 'report an unauthorised use' template on Sunday. Got a reply from Alamy on Monday saying they agreed and were going to invoice for it. Never had such a quick response!

 

Yes but if you used a third party service they would be after 10x what Alamy will ask for in an invoice - assuming that this is an infringement rather than an oversight. 

[Cal]

16 minutes ago, Steve F said:

 

One reason  - not competing with yourself for lower fees on micros. Although the fees I've got this month were pretty rubbish...

 

 

This argument used to hold up well, even as little as 2 years ago when I first became active, and it was not uncommon to be getting $50+ for most image licences that came in. I went mostly exclusive on the basis that I had no plans to spread my workload elsewhere, but the incentive to do that has died a death. In the last three months, 4 of my 7 sales have been in single figures, two of those below $5. All four of those once cleared will net me an amount barely worth mentioning. Alamy is now increasingly offering what are effectively microstock prices, but without the benefit of very frequent sales. On the whole it doesn't make sense to me to be exclusive anymore, and from now on I will be gradually reversing my decision to be alamy exclusive. The exception to this are certain types of specific editorial stock that still seem to fetch good money here, but for anything that falls outside of the reportage niche I can't see any logical argument for being exclusive here anymore.

Edited June 30, 2021 by Cal

[meanderingemu]

18 minutes ago, Steve F said:

 

I reported an infringement using the 'report an unauthorised use' template on Sunday. Got a reply from Alamy on Monday saying they agreed and were going to invoice for it. Never had such a quick response!

but invoicing at regular price doesn't solve the problem.  There is no penalty to anyone for not reporting, only gains if no one calls them on it. 

[Steve F]

11 minutes ago, meanderingemu said:

but invoicing at regular price doesn't solve the problem.  There is no penalty to anyone for not reporting, only gains if no one calls them on it. 

 

True. I absolutely don't understand why downloads aren't automatically registered by Alamy, it must be very easy technologically to do.

[meanderingemu]

4 minutes ago, Steve F said:

 

True. I absolutely don't understand why downloads aren't automatically registered by Alamy, it must be very easy technologically to do.

 

they probably are, however clients only pay for usage, so there is no link to billing.  The big issue is there is absolutely no penalty for  "forgetting" to report you used it.  

[Steve F]

2 minutes ago, meanderingemu said:

 

they probably are, however clients only pay for usage, so there is no link to billing.  The big issue is there is absolutely no penalty for  "forgetting" to report you used it.  

 

oh..... Can't believe this didn't register with me before! 🤦‍♂️

Couldn't they download with a watermark that's only removed upon payment?? Then you can still plan your publishing. Guess I'm being naive.

[meanderingemu]

2 minutes ago, Steve F said:

 

oh..... Can't believe this didn't register with me before! 🤦‍♂️

Couldn't they download with a watermark that's only removed upon payment?? Then you can still plan your publishing. Guess I'm being naive.

 

i actually was wondering this as i typed my answer.  would love to hear from buyers about that.  

[mickfly]

1 hour ago, meanderingemu said:

 

i actually was wondering this as i typed my answer.  would love to hear from buyers about that.  

You won't hear from buyers about it, they are quite happy to walk in the shop, pick something up and walk out without paying and maybe, just maybe, tell you if they've used it.