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Microstock Photography Forum - General => General Stock Discussion => Topic started by: oscarcwilliams on October 13, 2017, 07:07

Title: Alamy (Rights Managed) Sale Today.
Post by: oscarcwilliams on October 13, 2017, 07:07
Today I had a Right Managed sale (Photo) on Alamy and Man was I happy.  Someone please explain this commission structure.


My sale was for $340.06.


Alamy Distribution Commission was 30% = $102.02.


Distributor Commission was 40%= $136.02


My balance suddenly became $ 149.02.


I can understand Alamy Distributio Commission on 30%. but why and what does the Distributor Commissions of 40% due to earn all this money.  As I look at it I have 70% commission Total.  Someone please help and explain this to me.  Thanks, Oscar Williams.
Title: Re: Alamy (Rights Managed) Sale Today.
Post by: Jo Ann Snover on October 13, 2017, 08:03
I can understand Alamy Distributio Commission on 30%. but why and what does the Distributor Commissions of 40% due to earn all this money.

This is standard for distribution sales - 40% for the distributor and 60% to be split 50/50 between you and Alamy. I don't think the distributor, in the age of the internet, does anything worth 40% of the gross - which is why I opted out of distribution sales. The other point of view is anything is better than nothing so people continue to opt in.

Your choice at Alamy (I like that they have an opt out at least)
Title: Re: Alamy (Rights Managed) Sale Today.
Post by: angelawaye on October 13, 2017, 08:15
I'm opted out. I keep getting emails saying I need to opt in to increase sales. One time they even said if I don't respond to an email I will be automatically opted in. Very strange...

I wouldn't mind some of my photos in the distributor pool but it is either all or nothing.
Title: Re: Alamy (Rights Managed) Sale Today.
Post by: Mantis on October 13, 2017, 08:17
Today I had a Right Managed sale (Photo) on Alamy and Man was I happy.  Someone please explain this commission structure.


My sale was for $340.06.


Alamy Distribution Commission was 30% = $102.02.


Distributor Commission was 40%= $136.02


My balance suddenly became $ 149.02.


I can understand Alamy Distributio Commission on 30%. but why and what does the Distributor Commissions of 40% due to earn all this money.  As I look at it I have 70% commission Total.  Someone please help and explain this to me.  Thanks, Oscar Williams.

Been that way forever. Pay everyone else first. Whatever scraps are left are yours.  If this were an RF sale you would still be better off than micros. But with RM I think the structure should be a tad more robust for the artist if the terms have specific language such as "exclusivity". Meaning you cannot resell that image anywhere for a year (or whatever). Lot's to consider when uploading to Alamy. For me, I rarely get any worthwhile sales there and have never had an RM sale because I have no RM offerings.  If you classify images as RM you should be aware of the payment structure and the implications of that specific image's future salability.
Title: Re: Alamy (Rights Managed) Sale Today.
Post by: Brasilnut on October 13, 2017, 09:10
Quote
Today I had a Right Managed sale (Photo) on Alamy and Man was I happy.

Congrats :)
Title: Re: Alamy (Rights Managed) Sale Today.
Post by: JoeClemson on October 13, 2017, 09:49
Congratulations on your sale. I would be delighted to have it, even at distribution commission.

Alamy would argue that the distributors they use give them sales traction in countries and market areas where they would otherwise be less well known. The chances are that if the sale hadn't been made through the distributor, then you would not have got the sale at all.

Title: Re: Alamy (Rights Managed) Sale Today.
Post by: Pixart on October 13, 2017, 11:06
At least you'll be able to cash out when it clears....  I don't sell anything there and have been sitting with a balance of $45 - I think it needs to be $50 before payday.
Title: Re: Alamy (Rights Managed) Sale Today.
Post by: oscarcwilliams on October 13, 2017, 11:22
Thank you all for your feedback.  I have to wait until April 2018 to Opt Out if I choose.  I'm hoping between now and that time more sales will come for that image.  I will keep you all informed.  Thanks Again--Oscar Williams.
Title: Re: Alamy (Rights Managed) Sale Today.
Post by: ShadySue on October 15, 2017, 08:37
But with RM I think the structure should be a tad more robust for the artist if the terms have specific language such as "exclusivity". Meaning you cannot resell that image anywhere for a year (or whatever). Lot's to consider when uploading to Alamy.
I sell only RM on Alamy. I prefer RM in principle, but don't get too excited.
Most RM sales don't involve any sort of exclusivity, they are just for specific uses, therefore the prices can be lower than RF, which makes sense.
However I haven't read much about actual RF prices as paid being much better than RM, but most of the people who post on the forum are shooting RM-editorial, and have just begun to dip their toes into RF-editorial, so maybe there's not enough evidence from them. There are very few 'commercial' (models and set-ups) contributors who ever appear on the forum. Only one regular I can think of offhand.

I've only had a couple of 'exclusive' enquiries, none of which came to anything. From what I hear, that's not uncommon.
This is pure speculation, but I'm guessing that there aren't many exclusive rights sales, (though I have heard of a few) based on the very low prices some bulk buyers pay - if these sales were statistically likely to compromise the possibility of future exclusive sales, surely Alamy wouldn't be letting them go for so little, even to big buyers? They don't even let us protect our 'best' or 'unique' images from the big discounters.
Title: Re: Alamy (Rights Managed) Sale Today.
Post by: Brasilnut on October 15, 2017, 08:44
Quote
This is pure speculation, but I'm guessing that there aren't many exclusive rights sales, (though I have heard of a few) based on the very low prices some bulk buyers pay

You're right, there aren't that many.

I can only really think of exclusivity making sense for book cover publishers.