MicrostockGroup

Agency Based Discussion => Alamy.com => Topic started by: klod on May 17, 2021, 07:34

Title: Commission lowered to 20%
Post by: klod on May 17, 2021, 07:34
I just read the new contributor contract.  The highlight: if you make less that $250 in commission during the fiscal year will, your commission will be lowered to 20%.   
Title: Re: Commission lowered to 20%
Post by: ShadySue on May 17, 2021, 07:51
Check out some of the other clauses too. Not good.
Title: Re: Commission lowered to 20%
Post by: PaulieWalnuts on May 17, 2021, 08:16
Discussion already going at https://www.microstockgroup.com/general-stock-discussion/alamy-revised-contract-more-'good-news'/msg563987/ (https://www.microstockgroup.com/general-stock-discussion/alamy-revised-contract-more-'good-news'/msg563987/)
Title: Re: Commission lowered to 20%
Post by: gnirtS on May 17, 2021, 08:19
Looks like midstock just went microstock.

Just got that email as well and dig around the clauses.

From what i can see, *NEW* accounts after July 1st go to gold (40%) and after a year get reviewed.

For others:
Quote
12.13 if the Alamy Commission is Alamy Silver and your total License Fees, net of any refunds, exceeds $250 at any point during the Revenue Year then the Alamy Commission will automatically revert to Alamy Gold. Should any subsequent refund take your License Fees below the $250 threshold as set out in clause 12.12, the Alamy Commission will revert to Alamy Silver.

So a lot of existing accounts that are relatively low earning will get knocked from 40% to 20%.

A revenue year is July 1 - June 30.
Title: Re: Commission lowered to 20%
Post by: sgoodwin4813 on May 17, 2021, 08:52
Oh that's too bad - they were about the only place I was thinking to keep contributing.  At least that makes it easy to decide where to spend my time in the future.
Title: Re: Commission lowered to 20%
Post by: Dumc on May 17, 2021, 09:05
Kind of hard reaching 250$ mark when you get sales like this:

11/5/2021       RF   0.27   -0.19   0.08
14/5/2021       RF   0.25   -0.15   0.10
17/5/2021       RF   3.45   -2.41   1.04
Title: Re: Commission lowered to 20%
Post by: Zero Talent on May 17, 2021, 09:19
Kind of hard reaching 250$ mark when you get sales like this:

11/5/2021       RF   0.27   -0.19   0.08
14/5/2021       RF   0.25   -0.15   0.10
17/5/2021       RF   3.45   -2.41   1.04

They are talking about the total license fees, not just the net, right?
Title: Re: Commission lowered to 20%
Post by: Dumc on May 17, 2021, 09:24
I think it was net, but not sure, I just quickly went through it, I saw some mentioning of net....
Title: Re: Commission lowered to 20%
Post by: Zero Talent on May 17, 2021, 09:27
I think it was net, but not sure, I just quicly went through it, I saw some mentioning of net....

They say net of any refunds.

At the end of each Revenue Year if your total License Fees for that year, net of any refunds:
are less than $250 then the Alamy Commission for sales of your Content in the following Revenue Year will automatically switch to Alamy Silver as outlined in the Alamy Commission Table; or
are greater than or equal to $250 then the Alamy Commission for sales of your Content in the following Revenue Year will remain on Alamy Gold for that year, as outlined in the Alamy Commission Table.


So I guess, it's the total revenue as reported on the dashboard.

Anyway, I get more than this in a month, so I don't see it as a problem.
Title: Re: Commission lowered to 20%
Post by: gnirtS on May 17, 2021, 17:44
Total revenue minus refunds makes no sense.
Otherwise if someone is on 40% and gets downgraded to 20% it becomes much harder to ever get back up to that 40% level as you've halved each sales income.
Title: Re: Commission lowered to 20%
Post by: Zero Talent on May 17, 2021, 17:49
Total revenue minus refunds makes no sense.
Otherwise if someone is on 40% and gets downgraded to 20% it becomes much harder to ever get back up to that 40% level as you've halved each sales income.

The total revenue on the dashboard is made of your share, Alamy's share, and distro share, all together, minus refunds.
That's what I believe is being used, so it doesn't matter if your share is 20% or 40%, the revenue is the same. That makes sense. Unless I'm wrong.
Title: Re: Commission lowered to 20%
Post by: sgoodwin4813 on May 18, 2021, 21:39
Total revenue minus refunds makes no sense.
Otherwise if someone is on 40% and gets downgraded to 20% it becomes much harder to ever get back up to that 40% level as you've halved each sales income.

The total revenue on the dashboard is made of your share, Alamy's share, and distro share, all together, minus refunds.
That's what I believe is being used, so it doesn't matter if your share is 20% or 40%, the revenue is the same. That makes sense. Unless I'm wrong.

That's how I read it too.
Title: Re: Commission lowered to 20%
Post by: panicAttack on May 19, 2021, 04:43
If I drop there from 40 to 20 will remove my entire portfolio. sick and tired.
Title: Re: Commission lowered to 20%
Post by: kall3bu on May 19, 2021, 06:04
If I drop there from 40 to 20 will remove my entire portfolio. sick and tired.
I asked them today already for that.
Title: Re: Commission lowered to 20%
Post by: ShadySue on May 19, 2021, 06:18
If I drop there from 40 to 20 will remove my entire portfolio. sick and tired.
Are you earning <$250 gross from them in a year?
Title: Re: Commission lowered to 20%
Post by: panicAttack on May 19, 2021, 10:30
If I drop there from 40 to 20 will remove my entire portfolio. sick and tired.
Are you earning <$250 gross from them in a year?

for 2020 total revenue was 331 usd gross (my part was ofcorse lower)
for this year it's 72 gross

the moment I drop from 40 to 20 they will not have right to sell my copyrighted content.
Title: Re: Commission lowered to 20%
Post by: ShadySue on May 19, 2021, 10:36
If they don't revise some of their new clauses in clear, unambiguous wording, I won't be there either.
Title: Re: Commission lowered to 20%
Post by: BigBubba on May 19, 2021, 12:43
Just as I thought 250$ in commission is not a problem for me personally...I had 2 sales for 10 cents each. I never had a 10c sale on Alamy, so maybe 250 will be a challenge after all.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Title: Re: Commission lowered to 20%
Post by: alexandersr on May 19, 2021, 13:09
In this year 2021 i have done in Alamy to now $29, probably i will be screwed with 17% 20%. :(
Title: Re: Commission lowered to 20%
Post by: Zalee on May 19, 2021, 16:23
In the last three years one was just under $250 gross and two were well over. This year will be touch and go. I only have a small portfolio of 1,000 images but only a small percentage are exclusive. I will change that after July to no exclusives.

Some of the wording is a worry also so will reassess next month. They certainly won't care if I'm not there.
Title: Re: Commission lowered to 20%
Post by: gnirtS on May 20, 2021, 19:00
Not sure it matters if i get 40% or 20% the way Alamy is going so far...
Title: Re: Commission lowered to 20%
Post by: trek on May 20, 2021, 20:03
Just as I thought 250$ in commission is not a problem for me personally...I had 2 sales for 10 cents each. I never had a 10c sale on Alamy, so maybe 250 will be a challenge after all.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I have not had any sales for less than $3.  I opted out of novel use along time ago.  Perhaps the penny sales are from that.  Are you opted in for novel use?

Note:  I'm currently opted in for distributor sales (but reconsidering) and will drop exclusivity (specialty items) soon.. since I see no upside to continuing with that.


Title: Re: Commission lowered to 20%
Post by: kall3bu on May 21, 2021, 04:42
As I understand:
Set RM and we can optout that novel or private use, which to often is used from the customers for other use and alamy is not doing anything against that - well, newly they want to start to investigate it for exclusive contributors, which will be soon nearly zero contributors, because they now change all to non exclusvie again because of the new exciting announcement.

But for me still left is the question about RM and RF:
When it NOW with the new announcement it will be good to set images to RM instead of RF? alamy even can give them away for free and with RF even we set it for RM.
Is there any sense left for setting RM?
AND:
Lets say we have an image which is great for advertising: Should it not better to set it RF? Otherwise they would not buy it if set to RM?
And images which are not good for advertisment, but just special images because a special flower image, we cannot find anywhere else. But who will buy it for that high price on Alamy? But RM makes sense in this case, isn´t it?

I am totally confused. Pls try to explain for me. Thx.
Title: Re: Commission lowered to 20%
Post by: ShadySue on May 21, 2021, 04:58
Just as I thought 250$ in commission is not a problem for me personally...I had 2 sales for 10 cents each. I never had a 10c sale on Alamy, so maybe 250 will be a challenge after all.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I have not had any sales for less than $3.  I opted out of novel use along time ago.  Perhaps the penny sales are from that.  Are you opted in for novel use?

Note:  I'm currently opted in for distributor sales (but reconsidering) and will drop exclusivity (specialty items) soon.. since I see no upside to continuing with that.

I'm out of NU and always have been, and RM only, and have had sales netting <20c (not as low as 3c, though).
Title: Re: Commission lowered to 20%
Post by: blue on May 21, 2021, 07:14
As I understand:
Set RM and we can optout that novel or private use, which to often is used from the customers for other use and alamy is not doing anything against that
Novel Use is an additional revenue option you can opt in/out for all your port globally, RF or RM.
Private use is an option you can opt in/out for each of your RM images only.
Title: Re: Commission lowered to 20%
Post by: kall3bu on May 21, 2021, 07:51
As I understand:
Set RM and we can optout that novel or private use, which to often is used from the customers for other use and alamy is not doing anything against that
Novel Use is an additional revenue option you can opt in/out for all your port globally, RF or RM.
Private use is an option you can opt in/out for each of your RM images only.

And if I opt out in both cases: RM still makes sense? - If Alamy anyway can sell them for RF and for free?
Well, we do not know how many customer buys via this and the other way. So ´usual´ buyer on Alamy, then RM still makes sense?
Title: Re: Commission lowered to 20%
Post by: blue on May 21, 2021, 09:42
As I understand:
Set RM and we can optout that novel or private use, which to often is used from the customers for other use and alamy is not doing anything against that
Novel Use is an additional revenue option you can opt in/out for all your port globally, RF or RM.
Private use is an option you can opt in/out for each of your RM images only.

And if I opt out in both cases: RM still makes sense? - If Alamy anyway can sell them for RF and for free?
Well, we do not know how many customer buys via this and the other way. So ´usual´ buyer on Alamy, then RM still makes sense?
RM gives you more options (restrictions actually) than RF to manage the way your images can be licensed by Alamy. So yes, RM still makes sense in my opinion.
Title: Re: Commission lowered to 20%
Post by: ShadySue on May 21, 2021, 11:16
For anyone who's interested, there has been a reply from Alamy over on their forum:
https://discussion.alamy.com/topic/14386-contract-change-2021-official-thread/?do=findComment&comment=287609 (https://discussion.alamy.com/topic/14386-contract-change-2021-official-thread/?do=findComment&comment=287609)
Doesn't look like there's any chance of a rethink on commission, but some other issues are addressed to some extent.
Title: Re: Commission lowered to 20%
Post by: Uncle Pete on May 21, 2021, 11:25
For anyone who's interested, there has been a reply from Alamy over on their forum:
https://discussion.alamy.com/topic/14386-contract-change-2021-official-thread/?do=findComment&comment=287609 (https://discussion.alamy.com/topic/14386-contract-change-2021-official-thread/?do=findComment&comment=287609)
Doesn't look like there's any chance of a rethink on commission, but some other issues are addressed to some extent.

Maybe that answers my question? I can still have exclusive images on Alamy but they won't be paid at 50% anymore. The small benefit, might be, they will search for infringements. Yes, that pretty much removes any incentive for putting anything up on Alamy as exclusive.
Title: Re: Commission lowered to 20%
Post by: blue on May 21, 2021, 11:48
For anyone who's interested, there has been a reply from Alamy over on their forum:
https://discussion.alamy.com/topic/14386-contract-change-2021-official-thread/?do=findComment&comment=287609 (https://discussion.alamy.com/topic/14386-contract-change-2021-official-thread/?do=findComment&comment=287609)
Doesn't look like there's any chance of a rethink on commission, but some other issues are addressed to some extent.
Thanks for sharing. No further information about the distributor's share...
Title: Re: Commission lowered to 20%
Post by: ShadySue on May 21, 2021, 11:52
For anyone who's interested, there has been a reply from Alamy over on their forum:
https://discussion.alamy.com/topic/14386-contract-change-2021-official-thread/?do=findComment&comment=287609 (https://discussion.alamy.com/topic/14386-contract-change-2021-official-thread/?do=findComment&comment=287609)
Doesn't look like there's any chance of a rethink on commission, but some other issues are addressed to some extent.
Thanks for sharing. No further information about the distributor's share...
Well, no concrete information.  ::)
"We work with around 80 different distributors and the rate varies per partner. We always negotiate for the best deal available with each opportunity. We cannot share details of these individual contracts. We are working to add more partners to ensure we can reach as many potential customers around the world as possible. "

I've opted out of all distribution now.
Title: Re: Commission lowered to 20%
Post by: blue on May 21, 2021, 12:53
For anyone who's interested, there has been a reply from Alamy over on their forum:
https://discussion.alamy.com/topic/14386-contract-change-2021-official-thread/?do=findComment&comment=287609 (https://discussion.alamy.com/topic/14386-contract-change-2021-official-thread/?do=findComment&comment=287609)
Doesn't look like there's any chance of a rethink on commission, but some other issues are addressed to some extent.
Thanks for sharing. No further information about the distributor's share...
Well, no concrete information.  ::)
"We work with around 80 different distributors and the rate varies per partner. We always negotiate for the best deal available with each opportunity. We cannot share details of these individual contracts. We are working to add more partners to ensure we can reach as many potential customers around the world as possible. "

I've opted out of all distribution now.
Yes I’ve read it, not much surprising. I stay in with distribution for now and will see in July what the share are.
Title: Re: Commission lowered to 20%
Post by: ShadySue on May 21, 2021, 13:11
Yes I’ve read it, not much surprising. I stay in with distribution for now and will see in July what the share are.
True, you have a point. As I have accepted these sales up to now, I should maybe reconsider.
It's hard to know when we will find out how the new distribution charges will pan out. In July, almost all of our sales will have been made between April and June, when the current distribution breakdown should apply.
Title: Re: Commission lowered to 20%
Post by: Uncle Pete on May 23, 2021, 13:12
For anyone who's interested, there has been a reply from Alamy over on their forum:
https://discussion.alamy.com/topic/14386-contract-change-2021-official-thread/?do=findComment&comment=287609 (https://discussion.alamy.com/topic/14386-contract-change-2021-official-thread/?do=findComment&comment=287609)
Doesn't look like there's any chance of a rethink on commission, but some other issues are addressed to some extent.
Thanks for sharing. No further information about the distributor's share...
Well, no concrete information.  ::)
"We work with around 80 different distributors and the rate varies per partner. We always negotiate for the best deal available with each opportunity. We cannot share details of these individual contracts. We are working to add more partners to ensure we can reach as many potential customers around the world as possible. "

I've opted out of all distribution now.
Yes I’ve read it, not much surprising. I stay in with distribution for now and will see in July what the share are.

The may sound wrong to some people, but I'd rather have a percentage of something from distributors, than 100% of nothing by opting out. If I thought my distributor sales at Alamy, were competition in any way, same markets or buyers, I'd change my view. These are partner sales from countries that I never have a view or sale from Adobe or SS, as far as I know?

I haven't gotten some of the horrid tiny commissions like others... yet?  ;) I have had some smaller commissions. $10 net isn't too small to make me unhappy.  But I also don't have Microstock on on Alamy, a tiny portion are the same, the majority are either exclusive or different types of images. I don't know why anyone would expect to get a bigger pay for the same Microstock images that they get 15% or 10 cents on other sites?

Title: Re: Commission lowered to 20%
Post by: kall3bu on May 26, 2021, 06:05
Maybe I am wrong, then please correct me!

Did anybody realize this?

Lets say, a new contributor starting to sell on alamy in coming July:

He is lucky, because he got sales in that month for a revenue of 50 Pounds.
How will Alamy calculate his payout? Alamy needs to know, how much he earned in the last 12 month. If above 250, he will get 40% for that sales in July, but has to wait for the decision from alamy another 11 month, right?
And as we know, Alamy often tells us about a sale up to three month later, so to be sure, this contributor has to wait all together 9 month for his payout?

Well, this includes more risk than already suspected for contributors who sometimes reaches a yearly payout of 250 and sometimes not.

Am I missing something?

So, if I am right: In worst case alamy can delay the payout up to 15 month, before alamy has to pay.
Exceptions only if this contributor reaching the 250 minimum before the year passed by.

Title: Re: Commission lowered to 20%
Post by: Microstock Posts on May 26, 2021, 12:59
Alamy have just screwed themselves, in a few years time they will realise it.
Title: Re: Commission lowered to 20%
Post by: marthamarks on May 26, 2021, 14:16

for 2020 total revenue was 331 usd gross (my part was ofcorse lower)
for this year it's 72 gross


That truly is gross!
Title: Re: Commission lowered to 20%
Post by: stockman11 on May 26, 2021, 14:50
And I was thinking about starting to upload to them again. I guess they helped me to decide.
Title: Re: Commission lowered to 20%
Post by: Noedelhap on May 26, 2021, 18:32
If they don't revise some of their new clauses in clear, unambiguous wording, I won't be there either.

Spoiler: they won't.
Title: Re: Commission lowered to 20%
Post by: ShadySue on May 26, 2021, 18:47
If they don't revise some of their new clauses in clear, unambiguous wording, I won't be there either.

Spoiler: they won't.
Mebbes aye, mebbes naw. We shall see.

They have said they will, both in the forum and in emails received from the MD in response to specific questions (I got one).

Maybe their rewrite will add more levels of ambiguity.  ::)
If they don't, there's a mountain of mistrust they'll never flatten.
Levels of suspicion are already very high.
Title: Re: Commission lowered to 20%
Post by: obj owl on May 28, 2021, 14:30
When the shareholders in Alamy are in large part the buyers from Alamy it is only ever going to go one way for contributors.
Title: Re: Commission lowered to 20%
Post by: Uncle Pete on June 01, 2021, 11:22
Alamy have just screwed themselves, in a few years time they will realise it.

I'll guess you have made a correct prediction. Difficult enough for an agency that sells little and is difficult to work with, plus the convoluted pay system, time, little enforcement of who downloads and uses images (as they have self reporting of use). This will be a dagger in the heart of contributor tolerance.

With that, aside from some occasional Editorial, everything is going through WireStock to them in the future. I can't be bothered for the way Alamy operates, slow pay, no pay and now this?
Title: Re: Commission lowered to 20%
Post by: Uncle Pete on August 03, 2021, 13:17
Interesting that Alamy sent out an email asking for more illustrations. "There's a growing demand from our customers for topical illustrations, vectors and mixed media designs."

I wrote back and said, what's the commission? Answer was, can you be more specific? So I wrote them, you used to pay 60%, then you cut to 50% and switched to 40% if images are not exclusive, but now you want to pay me 20% and 17% for partners. How much will I get for these much needed illustrations?

"Thanks for your email, please read the following important information.

For most questions, we encourage you to ask your knowledgeable fellow photographers over on the Alamy forum:

https://discussion.alamy.com/forum/19-community-support-ask-the-forum/.

Question about new contract?

    The new contract is here and the key changes are listed here. The changes will come into place on 24th July 2021.

    This is a business decision and you can read more about the reasons in our blog post written by the Managing Director of Alamy, Emily Shelley."

Nice dodge, non-answer, and a bunch more boilerplate, copy and paste text. Thank You Alamy - for your helpful answer, which was Ask the Forum  ::)

Not the agency I joined, which is sadly changing into a big zero.
Title: Re: Commission lowered to 20%
Post by: Dumc on August 06, 2021, 07:30
Can someone explain to me this percentages?

Those are all 24% my share. Is this supposed to be under new contract. I've made more than 250$ gross this year. Shouldn't I get 40% or 30% if it's distirbutor sale? Or were perecentegaes all cut on July 24th and you have to start all over again? I'm clueless.

Title: Re: Commission lowered to 20%
Post by: kall3bu on August 06, 2021, 09:34
Who knows!
Maybe start on 24 July and they check if you reached your 250 pounds unti 24 July 2022?
So, if you want them to give you the payout now, it might be calculate as you did not reach it. And if you wait a year - and Alamy can work with that money for a long year! - you MIGHT/hopefully reach the 250 limit and get the usual percentage. If you do not reach it, you get the 25 or maybe 20%?

I had this idea in my mind already when eyeEm started similar things, but in Quarter years. So they can delay the payout and get benefit from that on top!

BUT: Because they calculated 25% and not 20% in your case, I guess it is a totally other sale - maybe not direct sale on Alamy?
Title: Re: Commission lowered to 20%
Post by: JoeClemson on August 06, 2021, 09:47
Can someone explain to me this percentages?

Those are all 24% my share. Is this supposed to be under new contract. I've made more than 250$ gross this year. Shouldn't I get 40% or 30% if it's distirbutor sale? Or were perecentegaes all cut on July 24th and you have to start all over again? I'm clueless.

I'm pretty sure these are Alamy Distributor sales. For confirmation of that, and the way it's calculated, you need to contact [email protected].

However, I think it is calculated thus (using the second item in your sales account as an example)

Full licence amount = $127.36.  Of that, 40% goes to the distributor $127.36 * 40% = $50.94
This leaves a residue of $76.42 ($127.36-$50.94) going to Alamy.
Alamy then calculate what is owing to themselves and the contributor.
Alamy retention = $76.42 * 60% = $45.85
Contributor commission = $76.42 * 40% = $30.57.

In short, you get 40% of what is left after the distributor takes their cut.

Note: I am neither an accountant nor a representative of Alamy, so my figures carry no authority, but the figures seem to make sense of what appears in your sales account. When you ask Contributor Relations for clarification, please let me know here whether I am right or wrong.
Title: Re: Commission lowered to 20%
Post by: Dumc on August 06, 2021, 10:09
I don't know, until now, with distributor sales you alway got 30% of total gross, not 40% of what is left. For example, 100$ gross, distributor gets 40$, me and alamy get 30$.

What bothers me is, I finally get some nice sales, and then I get this lowlife comissions.

EDIT: Maybe it was some kind of discount, because all 3 sales showed up at once, so I'm pretty sure, they're from the sam customer.

Title: Re: Commission lowered to 20%
Post by: JoeClemson on August 06, 2021, 10:24
I don't know, until now, with distributor sales you alway got 30% of total gross, not 40% of what is left. For example, 100$ gross, distributor gets 40$, me and alamy get 30$.

What bothers me is, I finally get some nice sales, and then I get this lowlife comissions.

EDIT: Maybe it was some kind of discount, because all 3 sales showed up at once, so I'm pretty sure, they're from the sam customer.

As I say in my earlier post, the only way to get an authorititive explanation is to email  Alamy contributor relations. However, the calculations I have set out seem to me to accord with the relevant clause in the contributor contract:

11.4 You agree that in respect of all sales made via Distributors, the Alamy Commission after deducting the Distributor’s commission or fee will reflect that of the applicable commission model as specified in the Alamy Commission Table.

I don't have many distributor sales on my account, but the few I have have all been calculated in this way: 40% to the distributor, the balance split between Alamy and contributor according to the commission model in force at the time.

I don't say it's a good thing. Indeed, part of my response to the recent contract changes at Alamy has been to opt out of personal use licence and distributor sales.
Title: Re: Commission lowered to 20%
Post by: Noedelhap on August 06, 2021, 10:41
Only bad and greedy agencies punish contributors for not making a treshold revenue. Selling stuff is their responsibility, once our content is accepted it's out of our hands. They have the marketing power to sell those images, so if anything they should get a commission cut if they fail to sell our stuff.
Title: Re: Commission lowered to 20%
Post by: For Real on August 06, 2021, 12:23
Only bad and greedy agencies punish contributors for not making a treshold revenue. Selling stuff is their responsibility, once our content is accepted it's out of our hands. They have the marketing power to sell those images, so if anything they should get a commission cut if they fail to sell our stuff.

Agree! If agencies weren't so worried about the size of their inventory and more concern about the quality of the images we wouldn't have this issue at all.
Title: Re: Commission lowered to 20%
Post by: Orchidpoet on August 06, 2021, 13:52
I just checked. For my great relief, I opted out of all additional revenue options.

Then I saw that my commission model is "Alamy Gold".

What does it mean for now? What will it mean after the change?
Title: Re: Commission lowered to 20%
Post by: blue on August 07, 2021, 04:39
Can someone explain to me this percentages?

Those are all 24% my share. Is this supposed to be under new contract. I've made more than 250$ gross this year. Shouldn't I get 40% or 30% if it's distirbutor sale? Or were perecentegaes all cut on July 24th and you have to start all over again? I'm clueless.
The percentages given in Alamy's table concern the share between Alamy and the contributor after deduction of Distributor commission (40%*). So considering the License Fee, the commissions for sales via Distributors will be :
- Gold and Platinum : 40%* for Distributor, 36% for Alamy, 24% for contributor
- Silver : 40%* for Distributor, 48% for Alamy, 12% for contributor

Until July 24th these commissions were :
- 40% for Distributor, 30% for Alamy, 30% for contributor

EDIT:
(*) Pure supposition based on the distributor commission in the older scheme as I did not find any specification for the distributor commission in the new table or contract.
Title: Re: Commission lowered to 20%
Post by: blue on August 07, 2021, 04:57
I don't know, until now, with distributor sales you alway got 30% of total gross, not 40% of what is left. For example, 100$ gross, distributor gets 40$, me and alamy get 30$.
JoeClemson is right.
The difference comes from the way Alamy presents the commissions in their tables. In the older table Alamy gives the global commission (70% for Alamy + Distributor => 30% for contributor) whereas in the new table they give the commission after deduction of Distributor commission (40%* for Distributor => 60%* for Alamy + Contributor). So you must understand the 40% commission for Alamy Gold contributor as 40% of the 60%* remaining. That is to say 40%x60%=24% of the licence fee. It is a well known marketing tip.

EDIT:
(*) Pure supposition based on the distributor commission in the older scheme as I did not find any specification for the distributor commission in the new table or contract.
Title: Re: Commission lowered to 20%
Post by: Dumc on August 07, 2021, 05:28
Ok, thanks, I didn't know they screwed us there too.
Title: Re: Commission lowered to 20%
Post by: Uncle Pete on August 07, 2021, 10:53
Only bad and greedy agencies punish contributors for not making a treshold revenue. Selling stuff is their responsibility, once our content is accepted it's out of our hands. They have the marketing power to sell those images, so if anything they should get a commission cut if they fail to sell our stuff.

Good point!

I just checked. For my great relief, I opted out of all additional revenue options.

Then I saw that my commission model is "Alamy Gold".

What does it mean for now? What will it mean after the change?

I couldn't figure that out, or maybe I was ahead of the actual change, but yes, I wrote and asked and I'm happy to say, Alamy has real humans who answer emails. I mean with nice intelligent answers when they get down to "what is your question?"

I am also Alamy Gold at 40%, probably based on former sales, until next year.

Starting last month, everything I upload to Alamy is through Wirestock so I get the highest percentages of what small downloads I get now. Alamy used to average $80 commission a DL, now it's slightly higher than Microstock. I might as well get as much as I can of the little that's dribbling back to me from the new owners.

For those who don't understand. I pay 15% to WS but get 40% for sales. For every dollar, I will get 34% through Wirestock, instead of 20% from Adobe on my own. I'm making 14% more by distribution through Wirestock to Alamy in the future. (and lets not forget the one fail, all fail uploads, and the slow credits, which must equal $50?) I get paid as soon as Alamy pays Wirestock, accumulated earnings from all my agencies.

But that's a side issue. YES, anyone who doesn't make the cut off by next July, if I understand that right, and it's not sooner like January, will be getting 20% for sales and 17% for distributor licenses. Not 40 and 34% as the gold will.
Title: Re: Commission lowered to 20%
Post by: ShadySue on August 07, 2021, 10:58
. (repeat post)
Title: Re: Commission lowered to 20%
Post by: marthamarks on August 07, 2021, 18:38
Ok, thanks, I didn't know they screwed us there too.

But you probably could have guessed it, right?  :-[
Title: Re: Commission lowered to 20%
Post by: Uncle Pete on August 08, 2021, 12:46
. (repeat post)

Wouldn't hurt, I'm a Senior and sometimes need to read things more than one time?  ;D

Ok, thanks, I didn't know they screwed us there too.

But you probably could have guessed it, right?  :-[

Yes, seems like many years now that anything announcing new terms, new opportunity or "exciting news" is just code for, we found another way to pay you less. Not a difficult assumption or guess.

Back when Alamy was sold, Feb 2020, and they said, no changes are planned, (HA HA, not yet?) I think everyone knew the truth. New owners, buy because they see assets and ways to make more money. I'm actually surprised it took them this long!