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Agency Based Discussion => Alamy.com => Topic started by: HerMajesty on September 26, 2012, 03:52

Title: Balance carried forward vs. Cleared balance
Post by: HerMajesty on September 26, 2012, 03:52
Why oh why does Alamy use this strange system and there's a 45 day waiting period for all earnings to get 'cleared'? This month in particular I'm way over the payout limit, but probably won't get my money in October since the earnings from August aren't cleared yet. I don't think any other site does that. 
Title: Re: Balance carried forward vs. Cleared balance
Post by: ShadySue on September 26, 2012, 04:13
Why oh why does Alamy use this strange system and there's a 45 day waiting period for all earnings to get 'cleared'? This month in particular I'm way over the payout limit, but probably won't get my money in October since the earnings from August aren't cleared yet. I don't think any other site does that.
A goodly proportion of Alamy customers have an account, hence time to pay. Definitely the UK Newspapers, which corresponds with the way they report to UK tax.

I've never heard of 45 days. I've had less and I've had much, much longer.

It's a PITA, but presumably it's a boon to the accounting of certain customers, and is an advantage of Alamy over, say, the micros.
Title: Re: Balance carried forward vs. Cleared balance
Post by: Perry on September 26, 2012, 05:51
Why oh why does Alamy use this strange system

It's not a "strange system", it's common business practise. It's the "credits" and "subscriptions" that are strange.
Title: Re: Balance carried forward vs. Cleared balance
Post by: HerMajesty on September 26, 2012, 06:03
Why oh why does Alamy use this strange system

It's not a "strange system", it's common business practise. It's the "credits" and "subscriptions" that are strange.
Does Getty or Corbis do that ?
Title: Re: Balance carried forward vs. Cleared balance
Post by: Ploink on September 26, 2012, 06:37
Does Getty or Corbis do that ?
I don't know about Getty or Corbis, but I'm with another midstock agency and they report sales - and pay for them - quarterly...
Title: Re: Balance carried forward vs. Cleared balance
Post by: Perry on September 26, 2012, 06:37
Why oh why does Alamy use this strange system

It's not a "strange system", it's common business practise. It's the "credits" and "subscriptions" that are strange.
Does Getty or Corbis do that ?

I meant a broader perspective, almost every other business-to-business works with billing.
Title: Re: Balance carried forward vs. Cleared balance
Post by: cascoly on September 26, 2012, 18:26
my alamy sales are sporadic - been waiting several months for the additional $0.52 to push me into payout
Title: Re: Balance carried forward vs. Cleared balance
Post by: stockastic on September 26, 2012, 21:02
There's more to it than just waiting to get paid.  During that time, the "buyer" can decide he doesn't want to buy the image after all, and get a refund.  You then see a debit in your account, offsetting the original payment.  So a sale isn't a sale until the money is "cleared".

There was another thread about this a few weeks ago.
Title: Re: Balance carried forward vs. Cleared balance
Post by: fotografer on September 27, 2012, 03:10
How much earnings do you need for a payout?
Title: Re: Balance carried forward vs. Cleared balance
Post by: Anita Potter on September 27, 2012, 19:57
How much earnings do you need for a payout?

$175 is the minimum payout amount.  I probably won't see my payout until November :/
Title: Re: Balance carried forward vs. Cleared balance
Post by: fotografer on September 28, 2012, 06:49
Thanks,  I won't see pay out for a while either.  I have got one sale cleared from the end of May and another from the beginning of June for a total of about 30$ and nothing cleared since then.
Title: Re: Balance carried forward vs. Cleared balance
Post by: HerMajesty on September 29, 2012, 03:35
Looking at the 'Balance of account' page I noticed that in the "Paid" column along side the dates (for the 'cleared' sales) there are also 'x' and 'o' signs. Does anyone know what's the difference ?
My last cleared sale is from 17 July.
Title: Re: Balance carried forward vs. Cleared balance
Post by: Poncke on September 29, 2012, 03:41
Looking at the 'Balance of account' page I noticed that in the "Paid" column along side the dates (for the 'cleared' sales) there are also 'x' and 'o' signs. Does anyone know what's the difference ?
My last cleared sale is from 17 July.

All the answers are on Alamy. Exactly on the same page right above the word paid.

Paid Key - X = Uncleared, O = Cleared, MM/YYYY = Date paid



Title: Re: Balance carried forward vs. Cleared balance
Post by: RacePhoto on October 02, 2012, 13:53
Looking at the 'Balance of account' page I noticed that in the "Paid" column along side the dates (for the 'cleared' sales) there are also 'x' and 'o' signs. Does anyone know what's the difference ?
My last cleared sale is from 17 July.


All the answers are on Alamy. Exactly on the same page right above the word paid.

Paid Key - X = Uncleared, O = Cleared, MM/YYYY = Date paid



Try this, it's the ultimate solution to the X's and O's on Alamy:

(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1b/Tic-tac-toe-game-1.svg/462px-Tic-tac-toe-game-1.svg.png)

When you get three X's in a row, they pay you.  ;)

Title: Re: Balance carried forward vs. Cleared balance
Post by: ClaridgeJ on October 02, 2012, 15:32
I am absoloutely sure that the only reason people stick with Alamy is because they offer a fair percentage and thats even if they dont sell a damned thing, in which case its all too easy to offer a fair percentage.
A friend of mine is with them, he is earning a small fortune every single month with two other Rm/Rf agencies but with Alamy, Zip.
Title: Re: Balance carried forward vs. Cleared balance
Post by: Poncke on October 02, 2012, 17:49
They have a thread over there that says how was your September, someone is reporting 8k$$ for September. Thats not nothing. But then again, also loads of people selling f-all
Title: Re: Balance carried forward vs. Cleared balance
Post by: HerMajesty on October 03, 2012, 01:01
Looking at the 'Balance of account' page I noticed that in the "Paid" column along side the dates (for the 'cleared' sales) there are also 'x' and 'o' signs. Does anyone know what's the difference ?
My last cleared sale is from 17 July.


All the answers are on Alamy. Exactly on the same page right above the word paid.

Paid Key - X = Uncleared, O = Cleared, MM/YYYY = Date paid



Try this, it's the ultimate solution to the X's and O's on Alamy:

([url]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1b/Tic-tac-toe-game-1.svg/462px-Tic-tac-toe-game-1.svg.png[/url])

When you get three X's in a row, they pay you.  ;)


Now that makes more sense actually ;)

@Poncke Thanks. I feel like a total idiot for not seeing this. What's the english phrase? The darkest place is under the candlestick

As for sales ... last 3 months were pretty good. Hope this will continue.
Title: Re: Balance carried forward vs. Cleared balance
Post by: ClaridgeJ on October 03, 2012, 01:08
They have a thread over there that says how was your September, someone is reporting 8k$$ for September. Thats not nothing. But then again, also loads of people selling f-all


Yes and thats Jeff, who has a 12K picture portfolio! with that incredible amount of pictures and in an Rm/Rf agency I would want to earn the same if not twice as much.
Title: Re: Balance carried forward vs. Cleared balance
Post by: RT on October 03, 2012, 04:20
They have a thread over there that says how was your September, someone is reporting 8k$$ for September. Thats not nothing. But then again, also loads of people selling f-all


Yes and thats Jeff, who has a 12K picture portfolio! with that incredible amount of pictures and in an Rm/Rf agency I would want to earn the same if not twice as much.

Actually he has 87,595 images on Alamy for which he quotes an "above average $8k gross" (at best that's only $4.8k nett), it's not something I consider to be spectacular, mind you his 'style' of snap away and upload everything seems to impress some people and you can't deny it proves the statement that "any old cr*p can sell", I once saw somebody mention he was in the top 2 at Alamy, believe me he's nowhere near. Not knocking what he does but he's not someone I'd recommend to anyone as a role model, if Alamy ever closed shop he'd lose his income.
Title: Re: Balance carried forward vs. Cleared balance
Post by: ClaridgeJ on October 03, 2012, 04:40
They have a thread over there that says how was your September, someone is reporting 8k$$ for September. Thats not nothing. But then again, also loads of people selling f-all


Yes and thats Jeff, who has a 12K picture portfolio! with that incredible amount of pictures and in an Rm/Rf agency I would want to earn the same if not twice as much.

Actually he has 87,595 images on Alamy for which he quotes an "above average $8k gross" (at best that's only $4.8k nett), it's not something I consider to be spectacular, mind you his 'style' of snap away and upload everything seems to impress some people and you can't deny it proves the statement that "any old cr*p can sell", I once saw somebody mention he was in the top 2 at Alamy, believe me he's nowhere near. Not knocking what he does but he's not someone I'd recommend to anyone as a role model, if Alamy ever closed shop he'd lose his income.

Hi!  87K images, Youre not kidding are you?  and exclusive to Alamy. Dangerous game to play.
Title: Re: Balance carried forward vs. Cleared balance
Post by: RT on October 03, 2012, 05:44
Hi!  87K images, Youre not kidding are you?  and exclusive to Alamy. Dangerous game to play.

You strike me as someone who's been in traditional stock for a while, check out his portfolio, do you think he has a choice about being exclusive to Alamy!
Title: Re: Balance carried forward vs. Cleared balance
Post by: HerMajesty on October 03, 2012, 07:01
.
Title: Re: Balance carried forward vs. Cleared balance
Post by: RacePhoto on October 04, 2012, 01:41
I suppose the reason he is exclusive on AL is no one else will take his shots? ??? (a joke!)

He's not exclusive on Alamy and has been shooting since 1998, selling other places.

http://www.alamy.com/pressreleases/2011/earn_money_from_your_photos.asp (http://www.alamy.com/pressreleases/2011/earn_money_from_your_photos.asp)

Sept. 2011 article says 79,000

Currently 87,716 on alamy

http://www.alamy.com/search/ImageResults.aspx?st=0&lic=6&lic=1&ns=1&qt=Jeffrey+Greenberg&go=1&a=-1 (http://www.alamy.com/search/ImageResults.aspx?st=0&lic=6&lic=1&ns=1&qt=Jeffrey+Greenberg&go=1&a=-1)

He's listed as Miami Beach, FL.
Title: Re: Balance carried forward vs. Cleared balance
Post by: ShadySue on October 04, 2012, 06:42
They have a thread over there that says how was your September, someone is reporting 8k$$ for September. Thats not nothing. But then again, also loads of people selling f-all


Yes and thats Jeff, who has a 12K picture portfolio! with that incredible amount of pictures and in an Rm/Rf agency I would want to earn the same if not twice as much.

Actually he has 87,595 images on Alamy for which he quotes an "above average $8k gross" (at best that's only $4.8k nett), it's not something I consider to be spectacular, mind you his 'style' of snap away and upload everything seems to impress some people and you can't deny it proves the statement that "any old cr*p can sell", I once saw somebody mention he was in the top 2 at Alamy, believe me he's nowhere near. Not knocking what he does but he's not someone I'd recommend to anyone as a role model, if Alamy ever closed shop he'd lose his income.

Hi!  87K images, Youre not kidding are you?  and exclusive to Alamy. Dangerous game to play.

Are we still talking about Jeff? He's not exclusive to Alamy.
Title: Re: Balance carried forward vs. Cleared balance
Post by: Anita Potter on October 12, 2012, 19:45
So when should I start emailing support about earnings not clearing?  I have a sale from July 18th that hasn't cleared yet.  They really need to make those pages easier to read and deal with.
Title: Re: Balance carried forward vs. Cleared balance
Post by: ShadySue on October 12, 2012, 19:52
So when should I start emailing support about earnings not clearing?  I have a sale from July 18th that hasn't cleared yet.  They really need to make those pages easier to read and deal with.
3 months, probably. Could be longer if it's a distributor sale or a UK Newspaper Scheme sale.
Title: Re: Balance carried forward vs. Cleared balance
Post by: stockastic on October 12, 2012, 19:54
They seem to be bending over backwards - and then some - to satisfy customers.  Since they have no real inventory costs (we stock their shelves for nothing)  and fixed storage costs (the image is on their servers whether it's sold or not) the policy seems to be "pay us - whenever", and at any time a customer can change their mind and decide they don't want the image.  Or maybe I should say, they don't want it any longer. 

So I don't even look at a sale as a sale unless and until it's cleared.   Seems like a strange way to do business but there it is.

Title: Re: Balance carried forward vs. Cleared balance
Post by: Anita Potter on October 12, 2012, 20:59
It was just a regular sale not novel so I'm not sure if was distrobution or newspaper no idea.  I'll give it until next Friday (a little over 3 months) before I email them.  So if that's the case there goes my payout I thought I was going to get in November.  I'll be lucky if I see it before the first of the year  :-\
Title: Re: Balance carried forward vs. Cleared balance
Post by: Poncke on October 13, 2012, 02:22
So when should I start emailing support about earnings not clearing?  I have a sale from July 18th that hasn't cleared yet.  They really need to make those pages easier to read and deal with.

I asked Alamy the same question and here is their answer

Quote
Alamy have a dedicated Credit Control team working around the world on outstanding payments.  If you have not seen the payment clear we have not given up or forgotten about it, we are still chasing it.  In fact, when it comes to collecting overdue payments our average time is about 30 to 40 days, the industry average is 60 days.
Title: Re: Balance carried forward vs. Cleared balance
Post by: Poncke on October 13, 2012, 02:23
They seem to be bending over backwards - and then some - to satisfy customers.  Since they have no real inventory costs (we stock their shelves for nothing)  and fixed storage costs (the image is on their servers whether it's sold or not) the policy seems to be "pay us - whenever", and at any time a customer can change their mind and decide they don't want the image.  Or maybe I should say, they don't want it any longer. 

So I don't even look at a sale as a sale unless and until it's cleared.   Seems like a strange way to do business but there it is.
  Part in bold +1
Title: Re: Balance carried forward vs. Cleared balance
Post by: stockastic on October 13, 2012, 10:06
The only part that actually annoys me is that they're showing us 'sales' that may not turn out to be sales.  Seeing a big sale show up in your account, then seeing it cancelled weeks later, is frustrating and absolutely pointless.  Why don't they just show us a sale after they've actually been paid?   What they're showing us now is really images downloaded "on approval", not sales.
Title: Re: Balance carried forward vs. Cleared balance
Post by: Ed on October 13, 2012, 10:57
LOL - lots of rumors in this thread.

The person reporting the $8k in sales from the 11th uses the psuedo Arresting Images. He's a crime scene photographer (and he doesn't have an 83,000 image portfolio).

Also should clear up that Jeff Greenberg is not exclusive to Alamy - he is at other agencies....some with the same size portfolio...and some (edited agencies) with a smaller portfolio.

Alamy reports a sale to your account when it is billed to a customer.  When they post the payment received from their customer, your balance "clears" and the money goes into your account.  If you meet the minimum threshold for payout, you can request your funds.
Title: Re: Balance carried forward vs. Cleared balance
Post by: Poncke on October 13, 2012, 11:24
LOL - lots of rumors in this thread.

The person reporting the $8k in sales from the 11th uses the psuedo Arresting Images. He's a crime scene photographer (and he doesn't have an 83,000 image portfolio).


Also should clear up that Jeff Greenberg is not exclusive to Alamy - he is at other agencies....some with the same size portfolio...and some (edited agencies) with a smaller portfolio.

Alamy reports a sale to your account when it is billed to a customer.  When they post the payment received from their customer, your balance "clears" and the money goes into your account.  If you meet the minimum threshold for payout, you can request your funds.

LOL, Lots of misreading as well, the 8k mentioned was for September sales, not the 11th of October where Arresting Images sold 41 images on one day for 180 dollar a pop. Which by the way is 7380 dollar and not 8000.
Title: Re: Balance carried forward vs. Cleared balance
Post by: ShadySue on October 13, 2012, 12:22
Alamy reports a sale to your account when it is billed to a customer.  When they post the payment received from their customer, your balance "clears" and the money goes into your account.  If you meet the minimum threshold for payout, you can request your funds.
I've never had to request; it's always been automatic around the beginning of the month after I reach the threshold.
Title: Re: Balance carried forward vs. Cleared balance
Post by: fotografer on October 13, 2012, 13:04
I've just had some clear from the beginning of July.
Title: Re: Balance carried forward vs. Cleared balance
Post by: Anita Potter on October 14, 2012, 13:52
I've just had some clear from the beginning of July.

The maybe there's hope for it.  I'll give it to the end of October if it hasn't cleared I'll email them.
Title: Re: Balance carried forward vs. Cleared balance
Post by: stefano on October 15, 2012, 07:28
So when should I start emailing support about earnings not clearing?  I have a sale from July 18th that hasn't cleared yet.  They really need to make those pages easier to read and deal with.


Depends from what sale you made. British papers' sales are paid normally 2 to 3 months later Alamy noticed a sale on your account.
In April I discovered a photo of mine published on a website and sold through Alamy. A couple of months later, I wrote an email to members service asking for when it would have been paid and still today Alamy doesn't know when!
Title: Re: Balance carried forward vs. Cleared balance
Post by: HerMajesty on October 17, 2012, 02:52
currently my cleared balance: $173.26  ;D so close ... yet so far.
Title: Re: Balance carried forward vs. Cleared balance
Post by: RT on October 17, 2012, 03:33
LOL - lots of rumors in this thread.

The person reporting the $8k in sales from the 11th uses the psuedo Arresting Images. He's a crime scene photographer (and he doesn't have an 83,000 image portfolio).

Also should clear up that Jeff Greenberg is not exclusive to Alamy - he is at other agencies....some with the same size portfolio...and some (edited agencies) with a smaller portfolio.

LOL - No you've read it wrong as someone has already pointed out, as for JG I'm not going to comment as he's not here to defend himself (is he?), other than the 'other' agency you refer to is probably his own site and he has a 'smaller portfolio' on 'edited agencies' most probably for the reasons mentioned, he's not doing anything wrong I was just pointing out that he's nowhere near the top sellers list at Alamy, and that $8k gross from 83,000 images isn't exactly, IMO, something to look up to. You only have to check his portfolio to see that it's quantity not quality, but that's what makes Alamy great and highlights that in the stock photo industry sometimes any image will do from a buyers perspective. Good for him, but I wouldn't encourage others to follow his example and neither I expect would he!
Title: Re: Balance carried forward vs. Cleared balance
Post by: RT on October 17, 2012, 03:42
The maybe there's hope for it.  I'll give it to the end of October if it hasn't cleared I'll email them.

Anita, if you haven't already done so just email them, they have the most friendly support staff of any agency you'll find, you may get a standard reply but at least you will have highlighted it.

My best advice for anybody on Alamy is ignore any figures, the only figure that matters is your 'cleared balance' figure because that's what you're getting.

As for the person that asked why sales are reported before they've paid, it's because many of the images on Alamy are RM, if you have a sale reported that's then cancelled it gives you some knowledge to help manage your RM portfolio and know what, where and how an image has been used legitimately and to follow up on any infringers you may find.

FTR over recent years Alamy have significantly improved their procedures on chasing up payments, it use to be horrendous believe me.
Title: Re: Balance carried forward vs. Cleared balance
Post by: Anita Potter on October 22, 2012, 03:40
I guess I don't have to now RT that sale just got refunded :(  Poopie!
Title: Re: Balance carried forward vs. Cleared balance
Post by: ShadySue on October 22, 2012, 04:04
I guess I don't have to now RT that sale just got refunded :(  Poopie!
:'(