The sooner this stops the better.

This applies across all elements of the affiliate programme. Both affiliates & merchants are regularly on the recieving end of unethical practice which damages theirs & each other’s results.

As a merchant I’ve seen the networks stand up for publishers, defending commission levels and educating merchants to be open to the “bigger picture”. We all need to be ruthless in recognising what consitutes unacceptable behaviour and be firm in our actions to put and end to it.

Sadly this post was not intended to name and shame those networks that I personally don’t think give a flying f… However by not naming, I can see that it may have implicated those networks that are working on this issue.

Therefore in my own experience and from what I have seen in relation to this constant ongoing battle, Webgains, POR and DGM are taking a stance. This has been proved by communications with these networks and at the chat that was had to address this issue at the A4U Expo.

I appreciate that all networks may come along with “so are we” style comments, however I can only comment on what I personally have seen to date.

Also, I am NOT suggesting network should drop affiliates that break the rules, I am suggesting that a “3 slap and out” rule be introduced and that the networks should become a little bit more strict in applying these rules.

No far too many don’t give a flying fiesta mate it’s clear the name of the game is spank and bank by any and all means as of late.

The 30% rule is in full swing, 30% for them from everything paid out however generated and 30% of something is better than 100% of nothing so that wins hands down.

Morals and ethics are something for catchy slogans on display advertising and sessions at affiliate presentations where the real world is a cosy dream

One could say the industry is stalling or moving backwards, so many networks are loaded with staff and in heavy seas now as it’s not the calm fishing pond it once was so they are resorting to apathy when it suits them ( whilst the money is flowing inwards)

The landscape has changed from affiliates and networks in a bar having a chat and helping each other earn cash in mutually beneficial non exclusive relationship to now where SOME networks are behaving more like unruly amateur affiliates used to, they are not looking out for anyone’s interests except their own, full stop, not clients, not affiliates, just their own.

you can’t even get a straight answer out of some as to if they even have a program on their network so hows that for open, honest, respectful communication.. doesn’t take much of a leap to connect the dots and figure out they’ll take revenue over “ethics”.. it’s clear respect is reserved only for the very few preferred partners with some networks.

I think 2008 will be the year some networks get a wake up call, personally I stopped workign with idiots and pi$$takers over a year ago and have had a far more relaxed time, I’d suggest each affiliate decides if they are going to let network x or y mug them off for another year or vote with their feet and make sure the network knows why.

I often feel let down … bollocks to it … pissed off and right-royally shafted by some networks that only focus their attentions on a few affiliates and let them get away with blue-murder just for an easy life.

It’s about time that merchants are far better informed about what affiliate marketing is and what practices to look out for by both merchants and networks.

I’ve got a great domain name to use to keep tracks of these sort of practices but, until now, have felt reticent about using it.

We need to be more vocal about what’s going on … let’s get vocal!

As a network, webgains does not tolerate unethical practices, even if they bring in the revenue – no one wants revenue generated under such circumstances as it only harms the reputation of the industry we have all worked so hard to establish. We have suspended affiliates from our network for not complying with our Ts & Cs and we are not afraid of stepping in and taking the hard line approach.