Alamy Stat Flap

If you ever wondered how farmers felt being squeezed by Tesco now you know. Photographers supply the material and photographers are the ones to take the hit. Way back at the start I was just on the verge of my first qualifying payout when the rules were changed and I received not a cent after several sales. Then the distributor deals came along and the discount deals for bulk buyers: do the newspapers buy my pictures in bulk ? – they do not – Alamy benefits and contributors lose out. Now the story is that the business is healthy but to make it stronger something has to give – and guess what is going to give – yep – the contributors who supply the goods without which Alamy is nothing. Personally 10% or 17% less of nothing is still nothing – my sales have sat at $67 for at least four months – so much for the improvements (different name on Alamy by the by). Suggest a new Alamy slogan – “Jam tomorrow”. If negative comments are indeed being censored on the Alamy site then its a big danger signal – never mind the disgraceful ethic it smells of panic and to an old cynic like myself possible financial crisis. Lack of information breeds speculation: ask Max Clifford. The video presentation of the latest cuts was an object lesson in style over content.

I recently complained to Alamy about 8 month ! old uncleared sales, I received this polite answer
but I could only lough about how cynical some people can be:” Distributors have longer payment periods than our normal customers. The reason for this is that they have to receive payment from their clients, and then pass on payment to us, meaning that there is an extra step in the process.

It is not unusual for distribution sales to have longer payment periods in your account, Please be assured that our Billing team will have invoiced the client as quickly as possible and will be chasing this.”

I wonder what happens if the distributor does not get paid ?