Distributor fees though opted out of distribution scheme.

[Brizbee]

Just logged in and found I'd made 5 sales yesterday. Way-hey I thought.

I then spotted the value of the sales - $1. Okaaaaay?

I then dug down into the sales report and found the actual sales value was $0.50 - $0.10 each, bulk discount, flat rate.

But then I noticed the deduction applied to each picture - $0.08, leaving me with a measly $0.02 for each image, a total of $0.10 or only 20% of an admittedly dire total.

Now, I opted out of the distribution scheme on 18th May and was assured it was a clean break, but obviously it can't be.

 

Any thoughts?

[meanderingemu]

10 minutes ago, Brizbee said:

Just logged in and found I'd made 5 sales yesterday. Way-hey I thought.

I then spotted the value of the sales - $1. Okaaaaay?

I then dug down into the sales report and found the actual sales value was $0.50 - $0.10 each, bulk discount, flat rate.

But then I noticed the deduction applied to each picture - $0.08, leaving me with a measly $0.02 for each image, a total of $0.10 or only 20% of an admittedly dire total.

Now, I opted out of the distribution scheme on 18th May and was assured it was a clean break, but obviously it can't be.

 

Any thoughts?

if Alamy claims the sale is today,  and it seems so based on commission,  they would be in breach of your agreement it seems, download date is not contractual.  only issue is they never put in writing that opt out before was reopening due to the change,  so they will be able to use the "April clause" 

[Brizbee]

Thanks for your reply. So would a quick e-mail to customer services be advisable to get to the bottom of it?

[meanderingemu]

2 hours ago, Brizbee said:

Thanks for your reply. So would a quick e-mail to customer services be advisable to get to the bottom of it?

they will tell you.

 

1- it was downloaded before you closed off

2-we will still reported as sales today even if it potentially contradicts our agreement with you 

3-thanks for being a valuable partner, don't spend all you 10 cents in one place 

 

 

(there is another similar thread and this was their final word)  

[Sally]

On 28/07/2021 at 00:00, meanderingemu said:

they will tell you.

 

1- it was downloaded before you closed off

2-we will still reported as sales today even if it potentially contradicts our agreement with you 

3-thanks for being a valuable partner, don't spend all you 10 cents in one place 

 

 

(there is another similar thread and this was their final word)  

I just got a distributor sale despite opting out of all in May and the new contract now being in force. Of $34 I get $8. I will be contacting Alamy but I expect I’ll get that kind of answer, despite the sale being, it would seem, technically in breach of the contract. 

[meanderingemu]

4 minutes ago, Sally said:

I just got a distributor sale despite opting out of all in May and the new contract now being in force. Of $34 I get $8. I will be contacting Alamy but I expect I’ll get that kind of answer, despite the sale being, it would seem, technically in breach of the contract. 

yeah.  i know I have one coming (found the usage), but i think mine will fall into the multiple head-office of the distributor and one of them in country i wasn't decided until last minute to eliminate.  so i'll get my 60 cents based on prior sales.  

[Sally]

15 hours ago, Sally said:

I just got a distributor sale despite opting out of all in May and the new contract now being in force. Of $34 I get $8. I will be contacting Alamy but I expect I’ll get that kind of answer, despite the sale being, it would seem, technically in breach of the contract. 

Alamy have confirmed that this was a download error and given me 100% commission. Was worth getting in touch.

[meanderingemu]

3 hours ago, Sally said:

Alamy have confirmed that this was a download error and given me 100% commission. Was worth getting in touch.

 

i happily stand corrected. 

[woofit]

I have just had 4 piddly single figure Distributor sales on the 5th August, even though I had opted out on the 21st May this year. Alamy in their response said that these files had been downloaded before I had opted out....what 2.5 months earlier!! Come on Alamy thats stretching things a little !!!

[meanderingemu]

1 hour ago, woofit said:

I have just had 4 piddly single figure Distributor sales on the 5th August, even though I had opted out on the 21st May this year. Alamy in their response said that these files had been downloaded before I had opted out....what 2.5 months earlier!! Come on Alamy thats stretching things a little !!!

 

 

so Alamy said Sales date is based on Download date?  So they need to provide this info on every sales so we can confirm commission schedule. 

[M.Chapman]

I suggest Alamy need to clarify this. What date is used for calculating our commission? Date of invoice? Date of download (which we can only guess at). Date of publication?

If sales are being reported on images which were removed from sale (either deleted or restrictions changed) before the new contract came into force, then the terms of the previous contract (e.g. commission rate) should surely apply?

 

Mark

[meanderingemu]

21 minutes ago, M.Chapman said:

I suggest Alamy need to clarify this. What date is used for calculating our commission? Date of invoice? Date of download (which we can only guess at). Date of publication?

If sales are being reported on images which were removed from sale (either deleted or restrictions changed) before the new contract came into force, then the terms of the previous contract (e.g. commission rate) should surely apply?

 

Mark

 

they should  have ONE definition for all cases, not just for special cases, not change based on what suits their argument:

 

for commission basis: Latest date possible- ie when they report it

for allowing client to purchase: Earliest date possible- when client downloaded it

for establishing contributor level: not defined yet. 

 

 

note 1: date of sale is actually Not defined in the contract

Edited August 9, 2021 by meanderingemu

[meanderingemu]

22 minutes ago, M.Chapman said:

I suggest Alamy need to clarify this. What date is used for calculating our commission? Date of invoice? Date of download (which we can only guess at). Date of publication?

If sales are being reported on images which were removed from sale (either deleted or restrictions changed) before the new contract came into force, then the terms of the previous contract (e.g. commission rate) should surely apply?

 

Mark

 

thinking further this likely means people who actually stuck with Alamy are now being treated inferior to those that left.  An early July sale (based on date of download), will be compensated at 50% for someone who left, and 40% for those who stayed.  Nice way to reward your loyal Partners. 

[woofit]

I am awaiting another reply from Alamy, as obviously I queried this and said its stretched the bounds of believability to think that someone could be stiffed 2.5 months after opting out of the distribution scheme. So Yes, they do need to clarify exactly when they are recording sales versus downloads as there does appear to be a discrepancy here.

[woofit]

I have just received a reply from Alamy:

 

Customers can report uses up to 2 years after the initial download, which is why we have to honour these licences.

 

I'm staggered with that statement to be honest, I can find nothing anywhere which says that even if you opt out of distribution, any photos that have been downloaded by the Distributor prior to your opt out, can be used up to 2 years later!! None of us know which photos have been "downloaded" by a Distributor as Alamy is not exactly forthcoming with that information, plus of course you have no idea when they were downloaded in any case.

 

I really don't know what to say to be honest, except that it's not the way I would do business if I want to keep a Supplier happy. It also opens up an awful lot of questions regarding the changing of the contract versus the invoice timing which "meanderingemu" has alluded to in his comments. At the very least Alamy should state before you even enter into the Distribution that this could happen. I feel they have been economical with the truth here at the very least and people should be warned that opting out of distribution does not happen immediately (which I can accept if we are talking about 3 months or so to pull the photos from the various Distributors, but 2 years....Come on!!

[spacecadet]

To be fair we all know that distro sales can take a long time to report.

[meanderingemu]

3 hours ago, woofit said:

I have just received a reply from Alamy:

 

Customers can report uses up to 2 years after the initial download, which is why we have to honour these licences.

 

I'm staggered with that statement to be honest, I can find nothing anywhere which says that even if you opt out of distribution, any photos that have been downloaded by the Distributor prior to your opt out, can be used up to 2 years later!! None of us know which photos have been "downloaded" by a Distributor as Alamy is not exactly forthcoming with that information, plus of course you have no idea when they were downloaded in any case.

 

I really don't know what to say to be honest, except that it's not the way I would do business if I want to keep a Supplier happy. It also opens up an awful lot of questions regarding the changing of the contract versus the invoice timing which "meanderingemu" has alluded to in his comments. At the very least Alamy should state before you even enter into the Distribution that this could happen. I feel they have been economical with the truth here at the very least and people should be warned that opting out of distribution does not happen immediately (which I can accept if we are talking about 3 months or so to pull the photos from the various Distributors, but 2 years....Come on!!

 

 

time delay in reporting of a sale was always a fact, the fact Alamy is not using the date of sale as the date of sale is a big issue.  Sadly they know the amounts involved likely wouldn't justify challenging it.  

 

[Celluloid Hero]

I might be asking the bleedin' obvious but how can I opt out of distributor sales? I had one yesterday where the total commission taken was 76% and I was left with 80 cents. Methinks I can live without this type of sale both financially and for the sake of my blood pressure!

[meanderingemu]

1 hour ago, Celluloid Hero said:

I might be asking the bleedin' obvious but how can I opt out of distributor sales? I had one yesterday where the total commission taken was 76% and I was left with 80 cents. Methinks I can live without this type of sale both financially and for the sake of my blood pressure!

 

 

you can only opt out in April (or when Alamy announces a contract change).  Of course even if you elect the opt out then, it appears that Alamy still continues to allow sales after you opt out, as reported above. 

[Celluloid Hero]

Thanks for that meanderingmu. Just found that out! Have sent a query to find out exactly when in April! Probably some date when the Moon is in alignment with an asteroid making a one time visit from the Horse Head Nebula.

[meanderingemu]

49 minutes ago, Celluloid Hero said:

Thanks for that meanderingmu. Just found that out! Have sent a query to find out exactly when in April! Probably some date when the Moon is in alignment with an asteroid making a one time visit from the Horse Head Nebula.

 

in case they don't answer back, at start of April they open it up.  What happens then, on your dashboard under additional revenue option  (note it appears "Revenue"  is related mainly to Alamy and distributors 🤔) if you go to Distribution, the checkmarks turn to Blue and you can remove all or only some specific markets (i have kept a few where fees have been decent).

 

Of course that doesn't stop sales then, image have to then be removed from each distributor and Alamy will still allows future sales for as long as they get reported using the reporting date as Sales date, though you had opted out. 

[Nodvandigtid]

On 10/08/2021 at 18:03, spacecadet said:

To be fair we all know that distro sales can take a long time to report.

Yes, but surely that is because you have an inadequate reporting system and/or do not push your distributors within a reasonable time period and/or  you simply let your distributors do their own thing.

Maybe it's time PA/Alamy reviewed their distributor contracts ..........