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Author Topic: Alamy - is it worth it?  (Read 19550 times)

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« Reply #50 on: September 09, 2019, 00:08 »
+4
Quote
Back to the OP question though - is Alamy worth it? Of course we would say yes, but it works better for some than for others. We'll offer you 50% commission for images exclusive to us and 40% for non-exclusive. Our average licence price is $35, although as others have mentioned, it's not uncommon to get much higher and sometimes lower.

Sometimes? try most of the times, sometimes higher and rarely much higher.

My last 3 sales were $3.72, $3.53 and $5.09 and that's without their cut (so at least half of these figures)
If you ask me Alamy isn't worth it, they are no better and most of the times even worse then Microstock.

My 2c

Since the figure cited is an average, it stands to reason that amounts above that are matched by amounts below that. A single $600 sale needs to be followed by 20 $5 sales to produce an average of about $35. The larger a big sale is the more small sales will be needed to balance it, that's just elementary maths. And, of course, Alamy quotes the overall sales figure, not the photographer's commission, which could be 50%, 40% or for partner sales 30%.  For the photographer 40% of a $35 sale translates into $14 commission. Unfortunately, that average sale price seems to have declined considerably - presumably as a result of pressure from the micros (yes, we are all to blame, but the micros were a juggernaut that could not be stopped, try though the Alamy crowd did back 15 years ago). The other unfortunate thing is that while the sales price average seems to have declined to within spitting distance of the micros, the sales volume has not risen accordingly. My sales volume has remained roughly static for six or seven years but my sales value has halved and the commission cut has, of course, added to the pain.
That said, the earnings plunge is nothing like as bad as I've seen on the micros where my peak-to-current-trough earnings have dropped by about 90%. I'm not sure that any of the micros are worth the effort any longer, but if they are then so is Alamy.


« Reply #51 on: September 09, 2019, 00:54 »
+3
while the sales price average seems to have declined to within spitting distance of the micros, the sales volume has not risen accordingly. My sales volume has remained roughly static for six or seven years but my sales value has halved and the commission cut has

And that above, is the main problem. To which I may add the fact that to costumers take months to pay a $5 sale, contrary to micros where the payment is immediate. With such cheap sales there's no reason the image isn't immediately paid.

In 2013 I had roughly the same sales as in 2018. Yet the average license price dropped from $60 to $27, and my average commission form $33 to $12. And this year my average commission is even lower than last year with a big drop in the number of sales.


Chichikov

« Reply #52 on: September 12, 2019, 06:34 »
+4
I find it weird that 'good discoverability/poor discoverability' of an image seems to be determined by number of keywords above 40.
It's not, that's just some insane thing someone thought up, but they aren't humble enough to say 'we made a mistake'.

I think maybe "insane" is a little unfair. We've been open and appreciate that the current system doesn't work for everyone but it does for others. Some contributors feel that we ask for too much info and others feel that we don't give enough space to add even more tags!

Essentially, we had an issue before the current system where many contributors were not adding enough information, just adding a handful of tags. We needed a system that would encourage users to add more info, and that's what this system does. We've been very open and said within our help info that the "discoverability bar" is not analysing your data in any way, it's just essentially letting you know if you have more space to add more info. The more relevant information you can add the better, and the key term there is relevant - again, something we've been trying to make clear to contributors. I'm sure we'll tweak the terminology in time, maybe even remove the "discoverability" labelling as we can appreciate this can be confusing. We do test any changes with groups of current contributors before going live though to get feedback, and this system was no exception.

We need a caption and 5 tags to get the image searchable - everything else is optional. Additional info like number of people, release info etc is desirable but not mandatory. We'll extract any embedded info and apply it, so if you have a caption and 5 tags the images will go online without you doing anything else.  Supertagging definitely does help images get higher up in the search engine - so if you have the time to do it and want to give certain images a boost for certain words then you should try and make the time to take advantage. Again though, not mandatory so it's a judgement call for you and your time.

Back to the OP question though - is Alamy worth it? Of course we would say yes, but it works better for some than for others. We'll offer you 50% commission for images exclusive to us and 40% for non-exclusive. Our average licence price is $35, although as others have mentioned, it's not uncommon to get much higher and sometimes lower. If you have a portfolio of images sat on your hard drive or sat on another site, you absolutely should upload them to Alamy to see if we can make you some additional revenue. Once the images are up and online, there is nothing further for you to do other than enjoy the extra money! We pay out well in excess of $1 million every month to contributors so you should put yourself in the mix and get a slice.

Happy to answer any other questions here about Alamy as best I can. As others can attest to, I'm also open to answering any questions you have via PM if you'd rather not ask out in the open.

Cheers

James Allsworth

Contributor Experience Manager

Frankly, your system is so tricky and time consuming, and the interface so badly designed (sometimes I need to click 5 times or more on a keyword to select it as a supertag) that I have completely stopped to edit my images

Mrl

« Reply #53 on: September 16, 2019, 21:46 »
0
As mine viewpoint, it has
Yes
I started at 2013 but has not any sale until 2017, it comes two sales. After the long time consuming key-wording and tags procedure in 2018-9 i sell regularly and my average earning per download is 23$

« Last Edit: September 16, 2019, 22:12 by Mrl »

ShadySue

  • There is a crack in everything
« Reply #54 on: September 17, 2019, 06:04 »
0
As mine viewpoint, it has
Yes
I started at 2013 but has not any sale until 2017, it comes two sales. After the long time consuming key-wording and tags procedure in 2018-9 i sell regularly and my average earning per download is 23$
$23 gross or net?

Mrl

« Reply #55 on: September 17, 2019, 06:53 »
0
Gross
23X40%= 9.2 for each one. Not bad

Snow

« Reply #56 on: October 17, 2019, 04:39 »
+1
Last two sales were $119 and $120 (exclusive images) so that's looking a bit better.
Sales are still few and far between though so if that would pick up I would seriously put more effort into them because I am fed up with Shutterstock and the like.

ShadySue

  • There is a crack in everything
« Reply #57 on: October 17, 2019, 05:18 »
0
Last two sales were $119 and $120 (exclusive images) so that's looking a bit better.
Net? Well done - you're obviously doing something right.  :)
My last two netted me $6.74 and 63c!  :(

Snow

« Reply #58 on: October 17, 2019, 08:09 »
0
Last two sales were $119 and $120 (exclusive images) so that's looking a bit better.
Net? Well done - you're obviously doing something right.  :)
My last two netted me $6.74 and 63c!  :(

Nah gross, thats why I said a bit better. Still far from what it should be for exclusive RM images.

ShadySue

  • There is a crack in everything
« Reply #59 on: October 17, 2019, 08:28 »
+1
Last two sales were $119 and $120 (exclusive images) so that's looking a bit better.
Net? Well done - you're obviously doing something right.  :)
My last two netted me $6.74 and 63c!  :(

Nah gross, thats why I said a bit better. Still far from what it should be for exclusive RM images.
I tend to think it's a bit unfair to quote gross, in case it wrongly excites people who don't submit there yet.
For avoidance of doubt, mine are also exclusive RM. Both of my last two sales - only two this month - happened to be distributor, which to be fair we can opt out of.

m

« Reply #60 on: October 17, 2019, 08:49 »
0
I find that Alamy is too difficult to submit content and that there are little sales anyway for the effort it take. I'm willing to put in the effort if I could see some traction.

Also, The price for customers is in GBP and I get paid in USD without the current exchange rate being applied. (maybe I'm missing something)

for example on the home page of Alamy
'Pricing from 9.99'
but a recent sale in my dashboard is
'Vector $ 9.99'

I would rather get paid in GBP and have paypal do the exchange conversion
« Last Edit: October 17, 2019, 08:56 by martinrichard »

ShadySue

  • There is a crack in everything
« Reply #61 on: October 17, 2019, 08:54 »
0

Also, The price for customers is in GBP and I get paid in USD without the current exchange rate being applied. (maybe I'm missing something)

for example on the home page of Alamy
'Pricing from 9.99'
but a recent sale in my dashboard is
'Vector $ 9.99'

If you are in the UK, you see prices in GP, as with other agencies.
Buyers outwith the UK see prices in their own currencies. Also prices in other countries vary, so they're not necessarily the equivalent of the prices you see.

That can be the same with physical goods in different countries. E.g. in India, many international products were much cheaper than they are here (UK).

If you're not a buyer, you'll see a much larger price than most buyers see, as most buyers have negotiated a discount, often a hefty discount.

As well as that, apparently they have regular pricing A/B type tests.

So you very seldom, if ever, will see sales of the value you might expect from the file page. That's the same at e.g. Getty.

« Reply #62 on: October 17, 2019, 08:55 »
0
Time and expense wise Alamy is not really worth it. However people are still prepared to waste tehir time doing it. Some weird sort of masochism IMO

m

« Reply #63 on: October 17, 2019, 09:04 »
0

Also, The price for customers is in GBP and I get paid in USD without the current exchange rate being applied. (maybe I'm missing something)

for example on the home page of Alamy
'Pricing from 9.99'
but a recent sale in my dashboard is
'Vector $ 9.99'

If you are in the UK, you see prices in GP, as with other agencies.
Buyers outwith the UK see prices in their own currencies. Also prices in other countries vary, so they're not necessarily the equivalent of the prices you see.

That can be the same with physical goods in different countries. E.g. in India, many international products were much cheaper than they are here (UK).

If you're not a buyer, you'll see a much larger price than most buyers see, as most buyers have negotiated a discount, often a hefty discount.

As well as that, apparently they have regular pricing A/B type tests.

So you very seldom, if ever, will see sales of the value you might expect from the file page. That's the same at e.g. Getty.
I understand that other countries should see a different currency. I used a VPN in the past to test what you are saying. I remember it always being in GBP with various countries.
Without a VPN. I'm in Canada and I'm seeing GBP pricing.

Really doesn't matter to me too much because the number of sales are so low. It's not worth the time.

ShadySue

  • There is a crack in everything
« Reply #64 on: October 17, 2019, 09:14 »
+1

Also, The price for customers is in GBP and I get paid in USD without the current exchange rate being applied. (maybe I'm missing something)

for example on the home page of Alamy
'Pricing from 9.99'
but a recent sale in my dashboard is
'Vector $ 9.99'

If you are in the UK, you see prices in GP, as with other agencies.
Buyers outwith the UK see prices in their own currencies. Also prices in other countries vary, so they're not necessarily the equivalent of the prices you see.

That can be the same with physical goods in different countries. E.g. in India, many international products were much cheaper than they are here (UK).

If you're not a buyer, you'll see a much larger price than most buyers see, as most buyers have negotiated a discount, often a hefty discount.

As well as that, apparently they have regular pricing A/B type tests.

So you very seldom, if ever, will see sales of the value you might expect from the file page. That's the same at e.g. Getty.
I understand that other countries should see a different currency. I used a VPN in the past to test what you are saying. I remember it always being in GBP with various countries.
Without a VPN. I'm in Canada and I'm seeing GBP pricing.

Strange, it's not what I've read in the past, maybe things have changed.

Quote
Really doesn't matter to me too much because the number of sales are so low. It's not worth the time.
Yeah, that's probably the case for most people. Live News togs probably do best there.
I've only ever once read of anyone say they did better on Alamy than any of the micros - he seemed to be a strange bloke altogether, but eventually it turned out he had thousands of photos on Alamy, and well under a hundred (sic, <100) on his only micro, iS.  ::) ::) ::)
« Last Edit: October 17, 2019, 09:48 by ShadySue »

Uncle Pete

  • Great Place by a Great Lake - My Home Port
« Reply #65 on: October 17, 2019, 09:41 »
+1
Time and expense wise Alamy is not really worth it. However people are still prepared to waste tehir time doing it. Some weird sort of masochism IMO

Yes and no. Yes I'd agree, Alamy is not Microstock, anyone who wastes time uploading hundreds of Microstock images, is not using their time and effort wisely.

No not a total waste of time: I might uploads hundreds of images from an event to SS, but Alamy gets three. They already have the keywords, upload is easy, after they are accepted, I click a few stars, add categories, set the license or use, and send them off.

I get on average six sales a year varying from under $5 commission to $60 commission. Used to be more. But my main point is, I am very selective, and I agree with you, no volume sales or return to balance the amount of time and effort, if someone was uploading large numbers.

In the years since, roughly 2009, I've sold one illustration. I stopped uploading those. One creative concept, three panoramic scenic views, and the rest is Editorial. Under 2,000 images, but slowly getting there. Again, I am very selective. Also I upload the full size to Alamy, some 40MP and the reduced size, maybe 10MP to Microstock. Some are exclusive alternate shots that I select. Micro gets one version, Alamy gets the other.

I gets DACS payback every year from Alamy.  :) I used to file myself but now I let them do it and they take a percentage. I do nothing except get the money credited to my account.

To me Alamy is worth the time and effort I put into supplying them with limited and selective chosen images. Alamy will not pay back for the average person, if they are going to be working and uploading hundreds of Microstock style images. My opinion of the site.

« Reply #66 on: October 21, 2019, 00:48 »
+1
Time and expense wise Alamy is not really worth it. However people are still prepared to waste tehir time doing it. Some weird sort of masochism IMO
For most people isn't that probably true of all but SS IS and Adobe these days?  Alamy is no 4 for me so plenty much worse. At least they give hope of a really big sale. I carry on uploading to sites I shouldn't from a return on time spent perspective from a combination of irrational optimism, stubborness and habit.


« Reply #67 on: October 21, 2019, 03:04 »
+1
Time and expense wise Alamy is not really worth it. However people are still prepared to waste tehir time doing it. Some weird sort of masochism IMO

I upload let's say 150 images just with two clicks in 2 sec, then I continue with my other work. After upload i spend 5 min to select releases and some other info in groups usually. And that's it. I don't know how expensive is your time, but to me it absolutely worth uploading to Alamy. I do not sell editorial and can say Alamy give me a more money than iStock for example.

ShadySue

  • There is a crack in everything
« Reply #68 on: October 21, 2019, 13:06 »
0
I do not sell editorial and can say Alamy give me a more money than iStock for example.
That's interesting. What are your port sizes on each? Wow!!! 10,674 on Alamy and 9272 on iS. Go Deyan!!!

My port is a bit (c12%) bigger on Alamy and iS far out-earns Alamy each month (except May this year, first time in ten years Alamy earned more than iS, but that was definitely a one-off, in my case )(e.g. 4.5x more in Sept). But my files are editorial or 'most likely to be used editorially' and that's a big difference. I know some people personally who are doing well with Live News on Alamy, but you're the first commercial shooter I've read of who is doing well there. Well done!

Added: a lot of your images are very 'editorial' in nature.
« Last Edit: October 21, 2019, 18:28 by ShadySue »

« Reply #69 on: October 21, 2019, 13:51 »
0
is it worth it?
for me, not...
My illustrations and 3d render don't sell well on Alamy, maybe i'm not the target of their customers.
They don't accept videos, so i'm thinking to stop uploading and move on...maybe i'll submit to their 'stokimo'
platform, just for fun :)

« Reply #70 on: October 21, 2019, 14:17 »
+1
I do not sell editorial and can say Alamy give me a more money than iStock for example.
That's interesting. What are your port sizes on each?
My port is a bit (c12%) bigger on Alamy and iS far out-earns Alamy each month (except May this year, first time in ten years Alamy earned more than iS, but that was definitely a one-off, in my case )(e.g. 4.5x more in Sept). But my files are editorial or 'most likely to be used editorially' and that's a big difference. I know some people personally who are doing well with Live News on Alamy, but you're the first commercial shooter I've read of who is doing well there. Well done!

Unfortunately no. I can't say for both that I'm doing well there.
My port in Alamy is double times bigger than iStock. I postpone uploading to iStock from years due the complicated submission process. Alamy is stable while iStock is dropping each month for me. Before a couple of years the proportion was way different in this two.

I wanted to say that it's easy and fast to upload to Alamy and it worth when a man is non-exclusive to use this additional source, but that's simply my opinion.


 

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