Greasy Palm Rebate Catcher - does this STEAL your commission? How is this allowed?

[LearnAffiliateMarketing]

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Hi Guys,

I was made aware of the Greasy Palm Rebate Catcher a few days ago - how is this allowed?

from the Greasy Palm Website...

Rebate Catcher is a small software program that works with your Internet browser and will ensure you never miss one of our retailers cashback offers again.

Without Rebate Catcher installed you must remember to visit the retailers after first logging into GreasyPalm, however we know that sometimes it's easy to forget - losing your valuable cashback.

With Rebate Catcher installed, on most occasions that you may have forgotten to log in to your account we will display a small reminder window whenever you visit a participating retailer. This window will confirm the rebate amount and any special conditions of the offer plus it will automatically write your special tracking code our retailers require - ensuring your purchase is tracked.

Rebate Catcher is quick and easy to install (and just as easy to remove)!

A picture example can be seen here: Rebate Catcher™

So basically, if someone has this software installed on their computer, whenever they go to an affiliate site, the software will automatically overwrite any other affiliate cookies with the Greasy Palm cookie!

Greasy Palm are currently offering a 20p incentive to download this software to their users and once downloaded, the software overwrites cookies continuously.

HOW IS THIS ALLOWED?

[scriptmonkey]

HOW IS THIS ALLOWED?

• Because its opt-in by the consumer.
• Its a useful tool that the consumer has chosen to install.
• It doesn't display when the consumer visits an affiliate site, only a merchant site.

Thats how its allowed.

[tijan]

Could any Anti voucher codes directory/content site Merchant, retailer e.c.t
tell just 1 advantage this tool has over a voucher code site
1 benefit of this tool to a merchant.

Note: I am neither against the tool nor against greasy palm business coduct. Only trying to open a discussion.

[LearnAffiliateMarketing]

• Because its opt-in by the consumer.
• Its a useful tool that the consumer has chosen to install.

So does this mean, if Mark Pearson from MyVoucherCodes developed a similar tool...that would display a pop up when the user was on a retailers website that showed information on current voucher codes and hot offers whilst automatically dropping his cookie - would we all be sitting here happy that he was doing it?

Because on your arguments ScriptMonkey,

a. The consumer had chsoen to install it
b. It would be a useful tool

• It doesn't display when the consumer visits an affiliate site, only a merchant site.

So does this mean that if a consumer goes to site A that provides a useful product review, and clicks "Buy Now" on the site....and is taken through to Play.com - Greasy Palm will not then overwrite that cookie dropped by site A?

Or are you saying, the pop-up won't show when the consumer is on the affiliate site - just on the merchants site...which would overwrite the original affiliate commission?

[scriptmonkey]

If myvouchercodes developed a tool that did exactly what rebatecatcher does, then I wouldn't be happy about it, but, I also wouldn't feel aggrieved by it, as myvouchercodes members 'belong' to myvouchercodes.

whilst automatically dropping his cookie

rebatecatcher doesn't automatically drop cookies, it requires a click, from someone who has asked to be told about cashback opportunities.

If they choose to install something that would give them a heads-up on any vouchers available for merchant x, y or z, then that's their choice.

If my memory serves me correctly, rebatecatcher didn't activate if a member visits a merchant site via an affiliate link. Don't know if this is still the case.

[LearnAffiliateMarketing]

If myvouchercodes developed a tool that did exactly what rebatecatcher does, then I wouldn't be happy about it

So why are you happy for GreasyPalm to have such a tool and MyVouchercodes not to have a tool - that doesnt make sense to me?!

Surely what is ok for one affiliate should be ok for another affiliate?

I also wouldn't feel aggrieved by it, as myvouchercodes members 'belong' to myvouchercodes.

So what you are saying is if, I can offer a download that a consumer puts on my computer - they then belong to me and any commission earned for years to come should go to me as they are MY customers?

[Cheapdvds]

delivering discounts live to the desktop is already available

Top Secret | Discount Codes | DiscountCodes.co.uk

[3wdl]

delivering discounts live to the desktop is already available

Top Secret | Discount Codes | DiscountCodes.co.uk

That's a bit different.

Rebate catchers have been hot topics recently and the matter came up at a recent IAB meeting where the networks agreed that they needed some regulation.

My personal opinion is that rebate catchers have their place, however:

1) Merchants should be visable about what sales come via a rebate catcher - either via a seperate account or some other way
2) Merchants should either opt-in or be able to opt-out of being included (i'd prefer opt-in, but appreciate this may be difficult)
3) The user should still have to click - it should not be dropped automatically when visiting a merchant site. So a popup saying "this merchant is listed at XXX, click for more info) is best.
4) The rebate catcher should not do anything if another affiliate cookie exists (Not sure if this is difficult, but was under the impression this is how the greasypalm one works).

I've been meaning to raise it with the IAB / Matt to see what the next steps are and do agree that they need regulation.

J

[Cheapdvds]

delivering discounts live to the desktop is already available

didnt say it was the same , i have no problem with it , i think its a very nice piece of work . as i said it delivers live discounts to the desktop , top marks to frostie

but now people have seen that im sure someone will take that idea and expand on it and then the fun begins

[scriptmonkey]

So why are you happy for GreasyPalm to have such a tool and MyVouchercodes not to have a tool - that doesnt make sense to me?

Honestly, I don't care whether myvouchercodes has such a tool or not, not being happy about something is an entirely different matter to being up in arms, or angry, or wanting to do something about it. I'm also not happy about gp's tool, but, its their call what they offer their members, not mine.

The rebate catcher should not do anything if another affiliate cookie exists (Not sure if this is difficult, but was under the impression this is how the greasypalm one works).

Thats how I thought gp's rebatecatcher worked as well.

I can offer a download that a consumer puts on my computer - they then belong to me and any commission earned for years to come should go to me as they are MY customers?

If they choose to put your app on their machines, and you are ethical about the way you introduce the alerts, then why not? Doesn't make me happy, but, its your call, not mine.

[confuscius]

Using user installed scripts to set the cookie on the MERCHANT website regardless of the route to the merchant website is as fair a game to play as some of the other games that are played.

How many merchants actually realise that this practice goes on and that it is their own site that is the driver for the cookie setting or should I say commission paying?

As last cookie wins in most cases, would you not want to set the cookie at the end of the chain and screw everyone else over?

[KevinEdwards]

FYI conversations were initiated by some IAB members last year for toolbarT&Cs.

Given the list of priorities I can't give you a timeframe but it's a recognised area for further discussion.

[Colin@DVDTimes]

This is just another example of how 'cashback' offers nothing to the merchant in way of promotion, but just redirects funds allocated for marketing to the bank accounts of their customers and certain affiliates.

I can't see how cashback sites generate any 'new' custom for a merchant and in this case it's even less obvious - the user doesn't even have to do anything once they have that application on their PC. Just visit the site and get an instant cashback with no further intervention.

My opinion is well known on the whole subject, but I think cashback IS the biggest threat to affiliate marketing in the long-term. If users know they can get a discount then even if you have the perfect site for promoting merchants, all the users is going to do is find the deal, head off to their cashback site of choice and get their percentage whilst the sites that do the work promoting lose yet another sale. That can't go on forever - there's no benefit to merchants, no benefit to any content affiliates and the only people who DO benefit are the cashback sites themselves and the networks.

On top of that the cashback sites get preferential rates due to the amount of traffic they refer so this costs merchants more money than they pay to real content affiliates; real content affiliates who refer new and valuable customers rather than those that are just doing their day to day buying that they'd do regardless of receiving cashback or not.

I know that if I was a merchant, I'd be unhappy about having sites offering 'unauthorised' cashback and discounts out of my marketing budget whilst not referring any real new valuable users.

[Mogga]

I know that if I was a merchant, I'd be unhappy about having sites offering 'unauthorised' cashback and discounts out of my marketing budget whilst not referring any real new valuable users.

Several have said no to the "lifetime cookie" of cashback sites

[hpops]

This threads going to go nuts

I don't think merchants realise its happening
I don't think it requires a user click past the initial install
I do think it won't overwrite another affiliates cookies (although thats not the biggest point here)
I know for a fact that several more of these are in development - some from VERY big brands

J'Lil summed up my opinions well.
No way should a merchant be part of these without understanding that they are (a seperate affiliate account should be imperative)