Click to Reveal Banned!

[Barry]

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I can think of numerous other phrasings and technology to get users to plant a cookie without breaking IAB rules. At least the C.T.R mechanism is only allowed on vouchers that are existent and thus do add a benefit to the consumer and to the merchant in terms of securing a sale (that why they issue them)

My Pro for C.T.R is that its one of the most regulated parts of affiliate marketing - at least you know what shaped ball your playing with.

If the rulings go as far as banning voucher sites, voucher sites will find a more ingenious ways of driving traffic bound for your content sites through their links.

Voucher sites now produce hundreds of millions of sales in terms of £ within the industry, many of which are new customers and profitable.

Its a similar business model to companies that give you a % off your next purchase on your receipt. They know (we know) that a voucher in your pocket is just wanting to be spent. Consumers really do think that money they save is money in their pocket.

Ta

Baz

[thebusiness]

Its a similar business model to companies that give you a % off your next purchase on your receipt. They know (we know) that a voucher in your pocket is just wanting to be spent. Consumers really do think that money they save is money in their pocket.

No need to force the click then?

[dougs]

CTR if doen by saying Click here to get code and open merchant site atleast is honestly saying what will happen

There are millions of sites that redirect without giving you any information...just maybe a click here

Doug

[thebusiness]

There are millions of sites that redirect without giving you any information...just maybe a click here

Those visitors ain't coming from the checkout though? Remember - it is the fraudsters who are causing the grief (no fraud = no problem with ctr), why not put your tanks on their lawns?

[dougs]

On any purchase a customer goes to many sites prior to making a buying decision and many affiliates do not get paid. Discount sites are just closer the buying decision.

If running an affiliate business and using the current model of last cookie wins then the most logical thing for any affiliate to do is to offer a service that is at the end of the buying cycle and has the best chance of converting....logical business sense really.

So if you run a review site build a comparator and offer discount codes and special offers, because that will make you closer to the purchasing decision and will help the customer make a decision. You will make more money and so will your merchants.

Doug

[thebusiness]

So if you run a review site build a comparator and offer discount codes and special offers, because that will make you closer to the purchasing decision and will help the customer make a decision. You will make more money and so will your merchants.

Yes, I already knew that
Problem is - it's hard to force a click with a non-existent code on such a model? With the voucher code model it is simples - you just need to be a bit careless or 'short of resources'.

[dougs]

Thats how the world works today....customers want discounts and last cookie wins. If you are going to penalise voucher sites then we need to penalise comparator sites too, then we need to penalise review sites who do not do it how I want.

EG
People looking to go to Spain eventually book a holiday with Thomsons, Thomsons don't try to convince you to go to Spain too hard, but when you have decide they try to convince you to buy from them and that includes offering offers/deals/vouchers etc etc


We have ran info sites but out business model now is simply to add value to the customer experience and convince then to buy. If they want comparators/codes etc etc then that is what we will give them.

Doug

[thebusiness]

Thats how the world works today....customers want discounts and last cookie wins. If you are going to penalise voucher sites then we need to penalise comparator sites too, then we need to penalise review sites who do not do it how I want.

Well, more and more can't beat 'em, join 'em sites popping up everyday? I can see a lot of merchants opting out all together - some have already.

I guess it provides an opportunity of a kind

[dougs]

Merchants will optout when they see no value....here is an interesting one:

ASOS
They offer no discount codes/offers
Many people still search for them
asos discount codes - Google Search

Many sites are taking ASOS'S traffic and sending i where ever they want and making money. Admittedly not as much as they could have done by sending it to ASOS. If you are ASOS what do you do?

Doug

[thebusiness]

If you are ASOS what do you do?

He won't be joining your club - I think I'm sure of that one

[dougs]

They are a large company who are loosing business.....there competitors will happily offer deals to those sites.

The point is the consumer is looking for discounts and codes now even if a merchant does not have a box on their site

Doug

[thebusiness]

The ponint is the cconsumer is looking for discounts and codes now even if a merchant does not have a box on their site

There are people searching for 9/11 conspiracy too, I don't feel compelled to give them one.

It's quite easy for a retailer to publish their own codes on-site if they want. I know people look for better ones - ala M&S but that will stop when they get fed up of not finding them. Or, M&S will get fed up of paying people just to drop a cookie (maybe they already are?).

If the plan is to force every company to adopt voucher codes because you want them to then I suggest you pick a softer target than asos. I wouldn't want to be the site he attacks back?

[dougs]

Not picking ASOS just showing an example of a well known one.

Codes/Discounts are growing and if you look at trends in the USA we are following the same path. They will only get bigger irrelevant what me or you think.

Doug

[kcheung]

what about merchants who don't offer discount codes as a matter of 'brand' e.g. where the brand isn't a 'discounting brand'

how would you propose to tackle these merchants? Moreover, would it still be acceptable to list any sales/offers/promotions as CTR despite there being no requirement for a voucher code to be entered on the merchants site?

[Hero]

Moreover, would it still be acceptable to list any sales/offers/promotions as CTR despite there being no requirement for a voucher code to be entered on the merchants site?

IAB guidelines:

Affiliates must not use a mechanism whereby users are encouraged to click to interact with content where it is unclear or confusing what the outcome will be. For example:

- Using “click to reveal code” and opening the site when no valid code is present or an offer/deal/sale is presented instead, without this being made clear before the click

- Using “click to copy code” and opening the site when no valid code is available.