Today, I came home from my exhausting outside job. When I checked my e-mail, this message was there waiting for me. It's from Selz, through whom I have been selling my videos.
I just wanted to reach out personally because we have some bad news about going ahead with you as a seller with us. We've just (today) found out that we are in big trouble with our banking partner if we continue to offer our services to sellers of adult materials, and unfortunately this will mean that we will need to close your account. Basically this sucks - there's no good way to say it, and I personally feel terrible about it because I know that there are hardly any options out there for sellers like you which seems unfair, seriously old fashioned and shortsighted.
As much as we wish we could keep you on, we simply can't as doing so would mean that we are operating outside the (severely conservative) terms of our payment partner and we just cannot do that. We've tried to think of every possible way to keep on sellers from your genre but at the moment we don't have any options that don't put us in breach of contract to partners to whose rules we need to comply. Our whole team is really disappointed that this is the way it has to be but the 'big guys' give us no choice.
Going forward you'll be paid out as normal this week and next, but starting in about half an hour our system will start to lock down adult accounts which means that your products won't be available for sale through us.
Again, I'm really sorry about this - you've been a really valued user of ours, given us so much awesome feedback and while we've had our ups and downs we've had a lot of fun communicating with you over the past year and a half.
At this moment, I'm not quite sure what to do. My deepest apologies to those of you who have tried to order an Animan video through Selz and were not able to do so.
I'll need to re-organize things--and that will take a day or two.
This has been quite a year for me! What's next? (I'm afraid to ask!)
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ReplyDeleteCumbersome!
DeleteSorry to hear about this animan. We know this year and the last year was hard for you because of your health and all this vendor drama. If you feel stressed out, please don't hesitate to take some rest for a while. Also I wondered if you tried bmtmicro before, I saw quite some artists using that to sell their games and it's been fine for the them. Hoped that you will sort things out soon, and don't stress yourself too much because we all love and enjoy your work and wish you do well in terms of health and business!
ReplyDeleteTake good care of yourself and Lots of love.:)
Hi Luke,
DeleteBelieve it or not, this isn't stressing me out that much. Heracles is nearing completion, and the last stages are going to need all my attention!
I've never heard of or tried bmtmicro. Do you think that given the rather private nature of Animan videos, they bmtmicro might be a possibility?
Whatever options may be out there, please be sure to let me know!
Thanks for the uplifting message, and lots of love to you, too! :)
I absolutely love your work and have purchased everything you have put on Selz. I would not worry too much. There is adult makers who utilize PayPal and other streams of payment/download. You'll come out on top. One option to consider is Xtube. They have an amateur section where you can set your own prices. Keep a positive attitude and you'll be fine.
ReplyDeleteThis has been quite a year--and my medical bills were more expensive than I anticipated. It has necessitated more outside work, which in turn, has taken my time and energy away from Heracles. I don't know where I'd be without the support I received from you and others like you who purchased my Animan works.
DeleteThanks for the idea of xtube. I found somebody on there the other day, posting my stuff and trying to sell it! If it works for fakers, then it should work for the real McCoy!
I appreciate your taking the time to send me your cheery message!
Ah man, remember though its how you deal with what life throws at you that defines you. We are all here to support ya :) How about private transactions with Larry and ben? they can go to every buyers house, let them test out the ....rooms and then pay after they are done? sounds good to me!
ReplyDeleteI enjoy your humor and fun!
DeleteDamn damn damn
ReplyDeleteHow many difficulties this year!
Wilt of fans Animana no one who can help him to make own website and sell wonderfull video there ??
My dear Animan- hold on! I hope the Hercules and other videos will see us your fans!
Thanks so much, Sergey. Things are a bit difficult at the moment, but they are not impossible!
DeleteOH NO!!! I'm so sorry to hear this Animan! I can't believe in this day and time that the nature of your videos are even an issue!! So ridiculous! I'm sure that another option will become available and from the looks of the comments above, perhaps you already have a few options to explore.
ReplyDeleteI am a big fan of your work and your videos have brought me hours of....ahem....pleasure. Thank you for sharing your talent with us. Don't let these detours get you down. They are just little forks in the road that make the trip more interesting. Can't wait for the release of Heracles!! Take good care of yourself and thanks again for all you do!!
Hi Ronnie
DeleteYou sure know how to write an encouraging message!
I agree with you--these are the forks in the road that make life an adventure. Damn the torpedoes and full speed ahead!
I'm in the same (sinking) boat, myself, unfortunately. As are several others from what I can tell.
ReplyDeleteIt's really unfortunate, because Selz seemed like such a progressive company and I'd wished that they could've come up with a better solution than to just shut it all down. I'm looking at maybe Patreon, as I've seen a lot of erotic artists go there in recent months. It's such a hassle.
By the way, I wouldn't bother with BMTMicro like Luke suggested above. I went that route once and they shut me down mere hours later with an extremely curt e-mail. Actually, I'll post it here for you:
"Hello. Thank you for signing up as a vendor with BMT Micro. In reviewing your website, we do not think your products fit with our current services. BMT Micro is no longer accepting adult product vendors. For this reason, your account has been closed."
They grandfathered in vendors who had signed up with them before their policy change. I sent them an e-mail back expressing my disappointment and saying that there was absolutely nothing on their site mentioning adult/erotic/porn material whatsoever. Ah well.
I'm hoping we all land on our feet soon and/or swim to shore safely! And keep up the great work. :)
Hey there, Lucky
DeleteI'm thankful for the time I was able to work with Selz. I don't blame them for the restrictions that they've been put under.
I'll cross BMT Micro off the list--thanks for the tip.
I'm hoping that things work out for you. Please feel free to let me know. :)
So very sorry to hear that Selz is abandoning adult/porn sellers. I just bought some cool graphic novel-style comics from an artist thru his Selz page yesterday. Sort of sad to hear we can't support our gay artists listed on Selz anymore. Xtube is probably a good way for you to sell your movies.
ReplyDeleteAnother artist I love to buy from uses Pay Pal. The site is Inkollo.com. His site redirects the buyer back to a download page after the Paypal purchase is made, which I like. The buyer has to open up an account on his site first, then he sends you a message when new work is ready.
Also, check out how TheGuySite.com which uses a membership fee along with cloud storage. I guess they decided that if people were going to steal their videos/movies and post them all over other porn sites, they should get as much money up front first.
But, fear not Animan. No matter what site or service you chose, you can be assured all of us will follow you, no matter what.
Thanks wtrpolodude. The people at Selz were always very cooperative, and I'm glad I had such a positive experience with them. I'm very lucky in that way.
DeleteAnd, I'm very lucky to have wonderful friends like yourself.
I wish to express my utmost sympathies here, Animan. I wish I could suggest alternatives for you, but I don't really know any. I know it may seem a bit self-centered, but I just continue using paypal to directly send you the money, just because that's always worked for me in the past; so this wouldn't make much difference for me. The important thing is that one way or another, true fans like myself will not ever stop offering support in more than just words on a blog, I promise.
ReplyDeleteOh well, it's Selz's loss anyway, to stop soliciting the dirty stuff, especially when some of it is so much more!
Best wishes, Animan
XOXO
Thank you, Sam H. I'm sure some good will come of all this, although at the moment, I can't imagine what it could be! Thanks for always standing steadfastly behind your Animan!
DeleteXOXOXO
Please choose new pay-system available for using for Russia!
ReplyDeleteI have VISA card of Russian bank and had some problems with PayPal in past:( No problem for Selz, i bought all your videos there. I hope new decision will be good for any country including Russia
I'm sorry---I have only one option available--and that is Paypal or Paypal-based credit card payment. If we have trouble with it, then we will find some way, so please don't worry.
DeleteOk we will see. I hope i will able to buy your cartoons
ReplyDeleteДорогое Sergei, пожалуйста посылает мной сообщение здесь с вашим адресом электронной почты поэтому я могу связаться вы о этом деле. Я не передам ваш адрес электронной почты к кто-нибудь.
DeleteЭто мой адрес.heluleka@yahoo.co.jp Пожалуйста свяжитесь я здесь.
DeleteHey Animan, why don't try using that service called BOOTH that Pixiv offers?
ReplyDeleteThanks, Grigolow BJ, I'll have to check it out.
DeleteUpdate: I just remembered I bought some vintage porn from Etsy a few years ago. They also sell some explicit porn and erotica. I would guess after us "Ani-fans" make our purchase on Etsy, you would direct us to a different site for the download?
ReplyDeleteI just went to Etsy, and checked their seller guidelines: pornography and mature content are forbidden. Things may have changed since you bought stuff there.
DeleteHello Animan,
ReplyDeleteFirstly, let me apologize for causing confusion. But, I just read the sellers' prohibited items listed in the Etsy handbook, and the list of items is headed as "Prohibited or Restricted". Meaning (to me), that pornography is not allowed, but works deemed "mature content" is allowed with some restrictions. Items depicting "sexual activity or content" tagged as "mature" is allowed on Etsy. See this link:
https://www.etsy.com/help/article/4527
If you click on the "Pornography and Mature Content" link in the "Prohibited Items on Etsy" list ( link: https://www.etsy.com/help/article/4525#Q7 ), you'll be auto-scrolled down to how Etsy determines standards for pornography vs. mature content. This distinction may be why these "erotica" sellers haven't been removed, I guess. Here are links to some sellers that fall under "mature content". You will also see some vendors selling vintage pornography:
https://www.etsy.com/market/erotica?ref=l2
https://www.etsy.com/listing/228050103/vintage-1971-little-dirty-comics-book-by?ref=market
Your work is actually less depictional of sexual activity, primarily because your work is a story where sex happens as part of the tale. In reading and looking at Etsy's examples of "classified pornography", it seems to me that they are concerned about bad or hurtful imagery such as a magazine or porno titled "Dirty MILFs Doing The Neighborhood". Your work is empowering and so positive. None of your characters are ever humiliated, held down, or degraded in any way.
I have sold some items on Etsy before, and I think there is a short review process before you are allowed to be a seller. So if they say, "Animan, you seem like a cool guy and all, but….NOOOOOO!", then you're not harmed in any way really.
But, I completely understand why you would feel it necessary to avoid any site that you might have a conflict with over the content of your work, even if it happens later, down the road.
One selling site I came across that focuses on porn is ManyVids.com. I think it uses a site called Payoneer to disburse payments from customers to the seller. Also, try Googling "other sites like sell ur porn", and if you click on the first search item posted by ExtraLunchMoney.com, you will see a collected list of porn selling sites ranked by traffic, how much the site collects from you (the seller), etc.
Again, sorry for misdirecting you, my friend.
Thanks for the extra information. When I started with Selz, I noticed that they had a non-porn clause in their rules, but they said I could have adult content if I labelled it as such, for those over 18. What unraveled it all was that their partner who handles the credit card end of things doesn't like porn. So, I'm familiar with those "exceptions to the rules".
DeleteAlso, there seems to be a gap between porn that's a still drawing as opposed to a moving animated cartoon. Tumblr allows still photos and drawings, but "sexual videos" are taboo (if you use Tumblr's software to convert it to digital video). Strange. I'll check out these other sites you mentioned. Everyone told me about Xtube---I found that they take a whopping 50% of the earnings, as well as credit card handling charges. I'd really have to raise my prices. So, I'm still shopping around.
Finally, I don't think you misdirected me or caused confusion at all. I really appreciate your desire to help me out!! Thank you.
FYI, Animan: I saw this seller of e-published erotica on Etsy, and noticed that they have an "instant download" button on their page. Maybe there is a way to have your fans download your movies directly from your Etsy page?
ReplyDeleteHere's a link to the erotica seller:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/150527531/mature-triple-play-spanking-erotica?ref=market
I sent an e-mail to Etsy directing them to my trailer, and I'm awaiting their response. I hope I can sell my stuff there and if they have an instant download feature, it will make my life 99% easier! Thanks for telling me about it!!
DeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteI love your work and hate to not be able to get more. may I suggest the site "Clips4Sale" as a potential seller for you. I used it and had little to no complaint. I hope you find a new vendor soon.
www.clips4sale.com
Hi JBPorno!
DeleteI am thinking about Clips4sale. The problem is that they want such a big cut of the sale, that I would have to raise my prices almost double. If everyone's OK with that, then can do!
In the meantime, I'm still selling my movies. If you're interested in possibly buying more, or you want to see what I've got, please inquire at: heluleka@yahoo.co.jp
Hopefully, you got my email about using WordPress as a downloading store platform for your movies. I think raising your prices to fund your Clips4Sale page is OK, but your fans would want the extra money they are paying to go directly into Animan's pocket and not Clips4Sales's pocket. Your fans know more money for you means more movies for us. We can look into the actual out-of-pocket for setting up with WordPress and get that information to you soon.
ReplyDeleteHi. I'm sorry to be late in answering. Yes, I did get the e-mails you sent about WordPress. I'll send you a personal answer to your e-mail address! Thanks for thinking of Animan!
Delete