I couldn't find an existing thread about this. Maybe I just missed it. On the other hand, I'm looking for opinions and personal experiences.

I just uploaded 24 vectors to Alamy, did the keywords manually, because I don't have the rasters for them or would have had to create zips and other time consuming creations. I am just testing and have another batch.

Anyone have sales or is this just throwing my vectors into a black hole, waste of time?

I like the $4 a download idea, but no sales, it's nothing but a number.

I have been busy uploading jpgs of my vectors as separate images.  They insist on generating their own jpg previews for vectors, and they look awful.  So, for the sake of jpg sales, I'm uploading them separately.

I have been busy uploading jpgs of my vectors as separate images.  They insist on generating their own jpg previews for vectors, and they look awful.  So, for the sake of jpg sales, I'm uploading them separately.

Thank You, I'll take a look at that. Most of the older files I do have the JPG with the data. I'm just lazy. What I mean is finding the file, renaming them to match and created a zip of each one, takes more time than pasting the keywords I have ready in a text file, adding a few specific terms and a title.

Awful previews wouldn't be good for sales, would they. I'll reconsider.

Any time I've seen threads about vectors at Alamy, it's your question and there have either been no answers or answers in the 'don't bother' category. Still, if you're sending them elsewhere, you might get the odd sale at Alamy for not much time wasted. Haven't seen one for a while, maybe over a year, so not easy to find, and things might have changed (hahaha, only saying that because 'who knows?', not because I think it will be better now).
Hint: try the search feature here on Vectors Alamy and Vector Alamy

Yeah the forum, good idea, and I seem to remember last I read anything it was "don't bother".

Another alternative I haven't eliminated, Wirestock, give up the 15% but then just upload Vectors and wave good-Bye. 

So what about raster (3D renders included) illustrations? Any luck with those?

Personally, one sale of a raster, Oct 2018, $19.95 gross. So I got $10
Country: Worldwide
Usage: Personal use, Personal prints, cards and gifts. Non-commercial use only, not for resale.
Media: Non-commercial, one time, personal/home use

I don't have an extensive collection, just some ideas and a test market. I put up some of the best general images. Times have changed, I'm seeing lower agency prices on sales, I'd expect this to be in the $4-5 commission range now. Maybe less?

After the search here:  https://www.microstockgroup.com/alamy-com/vectors-on-alamy-experience/msg478984/#msg478984

There were a number with the search words, but involved all other kinds of Alamy questions and just included Vectors in that.

Seems like the last post covered it. Not much but "Better than BS or DP"  Most of the people in 2018 said, (and I'm paraphrasing) Don't Bother. Now I'm remembering how this started. In 2015 Alamy announced that selected people with #### files could upload ftp. Then later, I don't know when/what year we were all allowed to ftp Vectors.

So OK, I have 24 might add another 24 some sleepless night and then watch.

Search on Alamy forum:



   

On 11/03/2020 at 09:35, peter_m said:

    Hello,

    Up to now i uploaded only photos here (from 15 months, and not very successful ... just 7 sales for 7 $ net total, all distributor and low price).

    Just because i know that vector are also acceptable here i think to try, i have ~ 3000 vectors.  I read everyday forum about sold pictures, but i not see someone to talk about Vector sale. Can someone share some experience with vector sales ?  And how this will affect my CTR (already very low) if  i upload vectors, and specially they haven't sales. ?

No one answered.

 
​

I uploaded mostly vectors on Alamy and I say, don't bother. Your mileage may vary but I've uploaded around 1100 images (both vector and raster (not photos)) to Alamy and after 8 years it's good for a whopping 0.2% (you read that right, zero point two %!) of my total stock revenue.

Then again, they mostly have 'poor discoverability', because I couldn't be bothered to select 'supertags' for each image.

I uploaded mostly vectors on Alamy and I say, don't bother. Your mileage may vary but I've uploaded around 1100 images (both vector and raster (not photos)) to Alamy and after 8 years it's good for a whopping 0.2% (you read that right, zero point two %!) of my total stock revenue.

Then again, they mostly have 'poor discoverability', because I couldn't be bothered to select 'supertags' for each image.

Good discoverability is a flawed indication, you're fine. Supertags beats the old three box system.

You could always use Adobe Bridge and Image Processor to batch the JPGS. If you've already got the metadata with the vectors it would make sense and take ... maybe 2 seconds each. (and then the upload obviously).

I'm not at all familiar with bridge, I know it's there, I see the name. 

So you mean I can paid up vectors with the rasters and bridge will make a zip file? That would sure be what I'm looking for, instead of putting files in a folder and one by one zipping them myself.

And that's a yes, the rasters already have the metadata, plus never a bad idea to have that for anything that's uploaded, just in case months or years from now, I want to upload someplace else.

I also tested Alamy out uploading ~50 of my more successful illustrations three months ago. Took the time to bother with keywords and all, almost half of them have now good or optimized discoverability. Since then: 0 sales. It's not that I expect immediate sales, I know how microstock is and heard about rare but good sales in case of Alamy too, but here's the catch: if you upload vectors, there's just one fix price, 10 euros (you get 5 euros), for a license that says: all rights, all media, worldwide in perpetuity!  That's basically an enhanced license for very cheap! Giving away a vector illustration for this license and for this price is not worth at all! I'll never upload anything under this circumstances.

Now, in my opinion, the only viable path left is to upload the illustrations as rasters, the ceiling is not so low and they may earn you more, based on different licenses.

Sounds logical and easier. I would say, maybe give them a little more time, like a year. I've been with Alamy from the start and the activity for my images has always been very sporadic. I wouldn't call anything predictable, by season or subject. Best selling on SS, Adobe, IS... nothing on Alamy. But to be clear that's photos, not illustrations.

This is a test project and from the answers here and on Alamy forums, I think I'll revisit in a year. I don't see much value in spending time, rather than investing time. 

Same as the previous, good discoverability is a waste of time, and closer to spam than just doing things right. I wish they would make that clear for people. It's a guide not a important scientific measure.