My 3 year licensing agreement with 10percent.com / Village Lighthouse, expired on Nov 17, 2007 when I exercised my option not to renew, THANK GOD!
I've talked about my chronic problem with them, forever trying to get my royalty checks. Never did I get paid on time in the manner laid out in their contract. The deadline would pass, I would inform them they were in breach of the contract, which allowed them 30 days to rectify the situation, and then I got paid, a consistent pain in the ass. Since they only were using my work on a few cards and magnets and the percentage of compensation I got was minuscule (quarterly checks typically under $50), it wasn't that I was in desperate need of that money, I was irked by their utter lack of appreciation and complete disregard for the artists that supply them with their content.
Now that the contract has ended should I expect anything better from them? Of course not.
I've yet to receive payment for the quarter that ended September 30th. I notified them twice of the oversight, but this time never received a check or a response of any sort.
The terms of the contract allowed 10percent one year to sell off the remaining licensed stock. However since they breached the contract and failed to rectify in 30 days, according to THEIR contract they had only 30 days to stop selling items bearing my work, they have not.
I've informed them of this situation, letting them know that they are also violating copyright laws since they do not have permission to use my images on their products any longer. Still no reply... it will be interesting to see how this plays out.
I've talked about my chronic problem with them, forever trying to get my royalty checks. Never did I get paid on time in the manner laid out in their contract. The deadline would pass, I would inform them they were in breach of the contract, which allowed them 30 days to rectify the situation, and then I got paid, a consistent pain in the ass. Since they only were using my work on a few cards and magnets and the percentage of compensation I got was minuscule (quarterly checks typically under $50), it wasn't that I was in desperate need of that money, I was irked by their utter lack of appreciation and complete disregard for the artists that supply them with their content.
Now that the contract has ended should I expect anything better from them? Of course not.
I've yet to receive payment for the quarter that ended September 30th. I notified them twice of the oversight, but this time never received a check or a response of any sort.
The terms of the contract allowed 10percent one year to sell off the remaining licensed stock. However since they breached the contract and failed to rectify in 30 days, according to THEIR contract they had only 30 days to stop selling items bearing my work, they have not.
I've informed them of this situation, letting them know that they are also violating copyright laws since they do not have permission to use my images on their products any longer. Still no reply... it will be interesting to see how this plays out.
5 comments:
Thanks for sharing this. I don't know anyone who would want to do business with a company that acts this way. I'm sorry they keep screwing you over. Hopefully, you'll get them in line.
I had hopes working with 10Percent was going to be a long and mutually beneficial relationship. Now I realize they say anything to get you to sign, then it's ignore, ignore, ignore. I don't think that will change.
I honestly think if I never brought it up I never ever would have gotten paid. When I noticed they had started selling the items with my art on them I contacted them. It turned out they started selling them months before that and I was already owed 2 royalty checks.
Unfortunately I got clued in on their ways (my experience is not an isolated case) by a well known comic artist who worked with them, too late. I don't want any other artists to get suckered in. I'd also like to see GLBT shoppers support the artists and companies that respect the community and not just profit off us.
I think I misspoke – or, rather, mistyped. I wasn't trying to criticize you for working with 10percent. I meant to say/write that people I know will no longer want to shop at 10percent.com because of how the company treats the artists. When I shop at a place instead than buying directly from the artist, I expect everything to be taken care of – I don't expect the business to be stealing from the artist.
Hey Jessica, I understood your post. I just went off on a tangent, I get riled up when I think about them..grrrr! :-)
Sorry this happened to you Michael! I think your work is brilliant and deserving of so much more. No one can violate laws that are in place to protect ownership and get off scot free. I hope everything works out for you and cannot wait to see what wonder runs at the tip of your pastels. xoxo
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