Unauthorised Distribution Scheme sales

[hotbrightsky]

I recently had a sale reported under the Alamy Distribution Scheme. But I have been opted out of this scheme for months. I checked my account settings and the date of my opt-out has been changed to match the precise date of the image sale. I find this suspicious and alarming. Has anyone else experienced anything similar?

[Paul Mayall]

it will take more than a few months for your work to be totally cleared from the distribution scheme,  Alamy would have notified all it's distributors,  also the image you sold may have been purchased a year ago and has just been cleared.

 

" I checked my account settings and the date of my opt-out has been changed to match the precise date of the image sale"  this i cannot explain, try asking MS.

 

Paul.

[fotoDogue]

I opted out of several countries this Spring but I've had a couple sales trickle in. I presume they were in the works at the time. Member Services said I should contact them if I continue to see sales.

I don't see any sort of opt-out date but those countries  are unchecked. When did you opt-out?

 

Have you contacted Member Services?

[hotbrightsky]

I understand that old sales may filter through later but it is the change of opt-out date which alarms me. But also, the usage period specified only began in June this year so I suspect this is not an old sale at all. Yes, I have contacted Member Services and await their reply.

[Sultanpepa]

It's really no big deal if the date has been changed to reflect your last sale in distribution. I wouldn't get worked up about it. If you remain concerned just contact MS for clarification, they are very helpful.

[hotbrightsky]

I think it certainly is a big deal if Alamy staff change contributors' contractual details without informing us. Which is what they did.

 

The image in question was apparently downloaded by an Alamy distributor more than 2 years ago, and yet they only reported its usage 2 months ago. I do not see why Alamy and their distributor should split 70% of my earnings between themselves for this incompetence.

[Sultanpepa]

I think it certainly is a big deal if Alamy staff change contributors' contractual details without informing us. Which is what they did.

 

The image in question was apparently downloaded by an Alamy distributor more than 2 years ago, and yet they only reported its usage 2 months ago. I do not see why Alamy and their distributor should split 70% of my earnings between themselves for this incompetence.

Well I don't think they've changed the contract but if you want to talk distributors and the possibility to delay or misreport then I'm with you which is why I'm still not in the scheme. I trust Alamy implicitly but I see no reason to trust distributors in foreign countries. I don't like the split either. 50/25/25 would tempt me to bury my distrust though.

[hotbrightsky]

If I opt out of the Distributor Scheme on 1 June 2015, but Alamy later amend that date to 1 June 2016, then they are surely changing the terms of our mutual contract.

[fotoDogue]

Personally I'd rather see sales, after the opt-out date, reported than not see them reported and not get paid.

As photographers we can only speculate the reasons behind this. Perhaps Alamy had to change the date in order to pay you for the sale.

[ChrisC]

I recently had a sale reported under the Alamy Distribution Scheme. But I have been opted out of this scheme for months. I checked my account settings and the date of my opt-out has been changed to match the precise date of the image sale. I find this suspicious and alarming. Has anyone else experienced anything similar?

I've just had my first distributor sale and didn't realise the commission was so high

[Alamy]

Perhaps Alamy had to change the date in order to pay you for the sale.

 

Exactly right in this case.

 

The sale originated from a time when the OP was in the distribution scheme. The sale came through very late (which we appreciate is less than ideal) but the account had to be "opted in" in order for us to process the sale and pay.

 

hotbrightsky: Nothing has changed here other than the date display - your images have not been available during the time from which you originally opted out and they are not available now for any "new" distributor sales. No contractual terms have been changed and we've only had to do this so we can process the sale internally. Looking at the notes in your account, this has also been communicated to you via email over the last two days.

 

We hope this clears up any confusion.

 

Cheers

 

Alamy

[spacecadet]

I think it certainly is a big deal if Alamy staff change contributors' contractual details without informing us. Which is what they did.

 

The image in question was apparently downloaded by an Alamy distributor more than 2 years ago, and yet they only reported its usage 2 months ago. I do not see why Alamy and their distributor should split 70% of my earnings between themselves for this incompetence.

Only fair to wait for an answer from Alamy before coming to the forum, then.

[hotbrightsky]

Alamy staff your reply makes no sense. The date "displayed" is the only date available to contributors from their Alamy account. There is apparently no way to see the original (true) opt-out date and I have subsequently been advised that it cannot be recovered since you have overwritten it in your database.

 

My original question was whether other Alamy contributors have experienced the same thing happen to them. Since these changes were not communicated to me perhaps others are also unaware of it.

 

If this sale had been worth anything I would clearly have less to complain about, but as usual it resulted in single-digit dollars for a multi-year usage deal.