I wonder if Alamy are getting kickbacks for each new account opened at Skrill.....? Kinda like referral payments? A % kickback for all future payments made by Alamy through Skrill? In my previous corporate career I used to have deals like that with my supply chain - spend so much and get rebates or volume discounts. Was an incentive to put business their way rather than a competitors - in this case Paypal. MAy not have been the best up front pricing or terms but I knew at the end of the year I would make my money back in one lump sum. Save 2% on every purchase or get lump sum at end of year of 3% from total spend?

Quote from: noodle on October 16, 2013, 13:36

Quote from: Ron on October 16, 2013, 13:16

Quote from: bhr on October 16, 2013, 12:43
/flounce

I see a lot of bitchin and moaning on this forum but little action. Istock is the next account I am going to close. I know its easier for me because its  not my main income.

Its not flounce either. There are more factors in play to come to my decision.

At I would expect contributors to stick together, at least in the forums. I am getting voted down for taking a stand and taking action. Yes I am upset, but the decision is rational.

I for one dont like to be ridden by agencies.

good for you ! power to the people!

I dont think people should get voted down for expressing their personal discontent - we are free to make those choices and express them
This was your choice and you didnt coerce anyone else to follow

Thanks Noodle, I appreciate that. Thats all that matters to me. No one has to follow my example, but down voting looks like people are agreeing with the agencies.

I just checked with a $ amount transferred in euros and through paypal. I received 1 euro more through direct payment from alamy than with paypal. I lose 4.5 euro on a PP transfer of $259 dollar compared to the realtime conversion rate. I lose 3.5 with direct payment from Alamy on my bankaccount in Europe. Either way you lose but PP takes more.

Slightly OT - after complaining that all my sales the last few months have been well below $100, I now have three very nice sales for October all well over $100. 

Don't know if something has changed in pricing, search order, or I am just very lucky this month.  Either way, I'll take it!

Not bragging here, BTW.  Just trying to present a balanced picture of sales at Alamy because I was slamming them earlier in the thread...

Quote from: Ron on October 16, 2013, 13:45
down voting looks like people are agreeing with the agencies.

No it doesn't. It means they disagree with what you wrote. That's how the voting works for me.

For example I voted you down in the post where you seemed to suggest that Symbiostock offers an effective alternative to Alamy. The reason I voted you down is because I disagree. You are not being realistic or thinking about what Alamy provides customers if you genuinely believe that.

FWIW that is the only one of your posts on this thread which I have voted down.

On other threads I could equally vote you up for saying stuff which I agree with.

... oh no wait! I voted this one down too. Sorry.

Quote from: Ron on October 15, 2013, 17:13
What a rubbish answer. Thanks for the support. Next time you get hit with something I will make sure to stick that in your face too.

ETA: but I also voted down the post you were responding to. So it was equal.

itchy trigger finger

Quote from: bhr on October 16, 2013, 15:59

Quote from: Ron on October 16, 2013, 13:45
down voting looks like people are agreeing with the agencies.

No it doesn't. It means they disagree with what you wrote. That's how the voting works for me.

For example I voted you down in the post where you seemed to suggest that Symbiostock offers an effective alternative to Alamy. The reason I voted you down is because I disagree. You are not being realistic or thinking about what Alamy provides customers if you genuinely believe that.

FWIW that is the only one of your posts on this thread which I have voted down.

On other threads I could equally vote you up for saying stuff which I agree with.

You voted me down over what you think I said, because I never claimed any of that, As for all the other down votes. I am closing my account because I am done with Alamy, and get voted down.

Now if I go and say I close my IS account and I get 23 up votes.

Why is me closing my Alamy account reason to vote me down? Whatever, these people have no clue.  they are all part of the machine.

Pink Floyd - Welcome to the Machine [HD]

Quote from: bhr on October 16, 2013, 16:03
... oh no wait! I voted this one down too. Sorry.

Quote from: Ron on October 15, 2013, 17:13
What a rubbish answer. Thanks for the support. Next time you get hit with something I will make sure to stick that in your face too.

ETA: but I also voted down the post you were responding to. So it was equal.

itchy trigger finger

Yeah, he is giving me wrong information (skrill isnt free) and then tells me he has no sympathy for me, what kind answer is that? It totally unnecessary to say stuff like that. So yes, next time he is upset about something he can get my no sympathy comment as well.

Sorry to interrupt the pissing match but news from Alamy:

Alamy photographers ! - Good news, we'll now pay out every time you clear $100!

OK guys, round four, remember don't aim into the wind and have a fair match...  DING   

Quote from: Ron on October 16, 2013, 16:07

Quote from: bhr on October 16, 2013, 16:03
... oh no wait! I voted this one down too. Sorry.

Quote from: Ron on October 15, 2013, 17:13
What a rubbish answer. Thanks for the support. Next time you get hit with something I will make sure to stick that in your face too.

ETA: but I also voted down the post you were responding to. So it was equal.

itchy trigger finger

Yeah, he is giving me wrong information (skrill isnt free) and then tells me he has no sympathy for me, what kind answer is that? It totally unnecessary to say stuff like that. So yes, next time he is upset about something he can get my no sympathy comment as well.

Please show me where alamy have said there's a fee for Skrill?  That is what I was posting about.  There is a small withdrawal fee with Skrill but is that really worth leaving alamy for?  If that really is a problem, you could withdraw once a year for 2.95 euro.

I believe Alamy didn't see my question - Reply #62 on: Today at 03:17?

Quote from: Alamy on October 16, 2013, 10:03
Just to re-iterate:

- If your paypal account is set to USD and you are in the US, the maximum fee you will be charged by paypal is $1.

Perhaps it's just the way you worded this, but where do you get the idea that paypal charges users in the US anything at all?  I have been with paypal for several years and use them across all sites including Alamy.  It's a personal account, not business, and I have never been charged anything.  Transactions from a few dollars to hundreds and thousands with no charge.  There's no way in Hell that I am going to put my bank transfer information on a foreign site that I have no reason to believe can safeguard that information in today's internet environment.  Sorry but your explanations just don't fly.

Quote from: Ariene on October 16, 2013, 18:14
I believe Alamy didn't see my question - Reply #62 on: Today at 03:17?

Sorry Ariene, there is no option to pick a higher payment threshold.

We made the decision to lower the payment threshold because it would unlock money from contributor's accounts and give you the opportunity to be paid more regularly.  The balance between how and when to pay contributors and all of the various fees associated with international money transfers has always been a tricky equation. 

We made the change knowing that for the majority of contributors it is still free to receive money and with Skrill there is a free option for all.

Thanks for response.

I can understand many people want regular payout with $100, but why to make everyone to do the same. I preffer wait for bigger payout, old option was fine for me. And I know I'm not alone with that. People are not happy with that change, as U can see here and there... Photographer should have option to choose.

New doesn't mean better again...

There's one more thing interesting, please let me find it - why other stock agencies let us payout from $50 or $100 without charge and Alamy can't? Where is the different? Thank you for your patience, I really don't get it.

Quote from: Ariene on October 17, 2013, 09:43
There's one more thing interesting, please let me find it - why other stock agencies let us payout from $50 or $100 without charge and Alamy can't? Where is the different? Thank you for your patience, I really don't get it.

We can't speak on behalf of other agencies, but many factors will affect the costs they incur to pay you. It will depend on how many photographers they have to pay and also how much commission they take from sales. The solution we have reached is clearly not ideal for everyone but it works best for the majority of people and we have provided a free option for all.

This will have to be our last post on this subject here. If you've got any other questions, please email [email protected]

Thanks

James A

Quote from: Alamy on October 17, 2013, 09:17

Quote from: Ariene on October 16, 2013, 18:14
I believe Alamy didn't see my question - Reply #62 on: Today at 03:17?

Sorry Ariene, there is no option to pick a higher payment threshold.

We made the decision to lower the payment threshold because it would unlock money from contributor's accounts and give you the opportunity to be paid more regularly.  The balance between how and when to pay contributors and all of the various fees associated with international money transfers has always been a tricky equation. 

We made the change knowing that for the majority of contributors it is still free to receive money and with Skrill there is a free option for all.

many photographers from Eastern Europe have 4%  commission + usual 2.40$ for withdrawal with Skrill - and from time to time 20$ fee for  intermediary bank charges - so Skrill is not free option for all - it is free option for some...

this is a bad taste joke, that is what this is, all top agencies don't have fees (actually almost all agencies beside 3 or 4 very small ones), looking at the poll here Alamy is number 9 so it is about time to include those fees on your expenses and perhaps have less coffee and pizza at the office, simple as that!

Alamy is being completely dishonest in this issue.

From what I've seen, even if we do not pay to receive the money we still have to pay to withdraw it from the services mentioned to our bank accounts contrary to what happens currently where we don't pay in any part of the process.

Even if it's not alamy charging itself, the fact that now we need to pay to a third party, based on a decision made EXCLUSIVELY by alamy puts this responsibility solely on this agency.

More and more alamy is starting to look like the abusing * agencies from micro, and any consideration I still had for them is gone.

The recent track record of anti-contributors decisions made me feel like that.

I propose to alamy that instead of giving 80% of your profits to charity as you announce for so many years, to keep those profits to you so you have money to finance the business and invest in new projects and do not need to cut our commissions to fund them like what happened to the NY office.

Because in the end, if you pass the costs of that "generosity" to others, it's us who are contributing to those charities and not alamy. You're just flaunting other people's money like it's yours!

Quote from: XPTO on October 17, 2013, 13:58
Alamy is being completely dishonest in this issue.

From what I've seen, even if we do not pay to receive the money we still have to pay to withdraw it from the services mentioned to our bank accounts contrary to what happens currently where we don't pay in any part of the process.

Even if it's not alamy charging itself, the fact that now we need to pay to a third party, based on a decision made EXCLUSIVELY by alamy puts this responsibility solely on this agency.

More and more alamy is starting to look like the abusing * agencies from micro, and any consideration I still had for them is gone.

The recent track record of anti-contributors decisions made me feel like that.

I propose to alamy that instead of giving 80% of your profits to charity as you announce for so many years, to keep those profits to you so you have money to finance the business and invest in new projects and do not need to cut our commissions to fund them like what happened to the NY office.

Because in the end, if you pass the costs of that "generosity" to others, it's us who are contributing to those charities and not alamy. You're just flaunting other people's money like it's yours!

http://alamywatch.blogspot.ie/

QuoteAlamy likes to boast about it's good works. In fact, from 2006 - 2010 it says it donated 89% of it's profits to one charity - the Fischer Family Trust, a charity whose address is the same as Alamy's and whose trustee is Alamy co-founder Mike Fischer,  who is CEO James West's uncle!

sweeeeeeet!

Tyler this is becoming absurd, I have given a heart to Ron and the second after some dude add a minus, it's a relevant post with facts, not a rant, are we adults or kids playing around?

if this continues I believe it would be better to see minus and hearts or just remove the all thing

Quote from: Ron on October 17, 2013, 14:22

http://alamywatch.blogspot.ie/

QuoteAlamy likes to boast about it's good works. In fact, from 2006 - 2010 it says it donated 89% of it's profits to one charity - the Fischer Family Trust, a charity whose address is the same as Alamy's and whose trustee is Alamy co-founder Mike Fischer,  who is CEO James West's uncle!

That's not a secret - I knew it before I signed up there. At the time, I thought the idea of running an agency to support a charity rather than fat cats was a positive.

A bit more concerning were some criticisms questioning the effectiveness of the research being done by the Trust in the Alamy forums around the time of the percentage drop, which were neither denied nor explained officially.

NB, it wasn't I who minussed.

Perhaps they chose to ignore people that are just out to cause trouble in their forum?  A bit of research and the charity all seems quite legit.  http://www.fft.org.uk/about-us/fischer-family-trust.aspx
No doubt I'll get -1's for that.  Here's a BBC clip of Mike Fischer in his lab http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-16850185

Quote from: luissantos84 on October 17, 2013, 14:35
Tyler this is becoming absurd, I have given a heart to Ron and the second after some dude add a minus, it's a relevant post with facts, not a rant, are we adults or kids playing around?

if this continues I believe it would be better to see minus and hearts or just remove the all thing

It needs to be removed.  The system is a joke.  I know there's someone giving me a -1 for almost every post right now and I'm giving him a -1 in retaliation.  Come on Ron, hit that down arrow

Quote from: sharpshot on October 17, 2013, 15:16
Perhaps they chose to ignore people that are just out to cause trouble in their forum?  A bit of research and the charity all seems quite legit.  http://www.fft.org.uk/about-us/fischer-family-trust.aspx
No doubt I'll get -1's for that.  Here's a BBC clip of Mike Fischer in his lab http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-16850185

do you think he is paying fees to receive his salary?