Backlash against 180 solutions beginning???

betterHalf · 12-08-04

PERFORMICS
Dear Performics Client,

There has been recent press coverage, combined with affiliate community discussion, concerning allegations of questionable practices by 180 Solutions/Metrics Direct, one of the affiliates with whom you have a relationship. 180 Solutions' senior management has already denied many of these allegations.

Due to the complexity of 180 Solutions' technology, Performics is conducting further testing and investigation to better assess whether or not the allegations are accurate. Immediately, we recommend that our clients consider suspending their relationship with 180 Solutions until our testing can be completed. We are working with 180 Solutions to ensure that their technology functions appropriately, in a manner that does not violate our affiliate agreement and/or the wishes of our clients, and provides value to both marketers and consumers.

If you wish to suspend your relationship with 180 Solutions pending further investigation, please respond to this email and/or speak with your account team. We hope to be able to get back to you shortly with an update.

Regards,

Performics

KOWABUNGA
We at KowaBunga!, in a continued effort to ensure our merchants are running the most profitable affiliate programs in the industry, want to alert you to an important issue. 180Solutions, also known as MetricsDirect, has been signing up to several of our merchant's programs as an affiliate. In summary, this company encourages users to install software on their computers, often in exchange for mp3 downloads or other incentives. This software, once installed, will track the user's browser activity and, most importantly, will attempt to take credit for any hit to your web site, regardless of how the visitor finds your site. In this scenario you are rewarding this affiliate for a commission even if the visitor actually found your site through another affiliate, or even if they simply typed your domain into their browser. We believe that these practices not only cheat your other affiliates, they cheat you directly.

fishboy · 13-08-04

Not soon enough!!

Just been reading this, appologies if it's been posted already....

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Revised Web Publisher's Code of Conduct

As a leading provider of performance-based online marketing services and technologies, Performics dedicates resources to monitoring publisher activity and we are committed to guiding fair practices for advertisers and web publishers.

In December 2002 Performics joined with our industry peers to develop a Web Publisher's Code of Conduct to guide practices and adherence to ethical standards for online advertising. This Code of Conduct provided Performics and other industry leaders with guidelines to enforce fair practices and protect advertiser and affiliate interests. When the Code was developed we recognized that it would need to evolve to address new technologies and applications that emerged to test the envelope of performance-based marketing.

As evidence of our ongoing effort to shape the industry for the better, Performics and Commission Junction have updated the original Web Publisher's Code of Conduct to reflect current industry practices and clarify practices we see as inappropriate.

The updated Code of Conduct specifically identifies, as inappropriate, the concept of a "forced click," or any click that is generated by the publisher and not by the consumer. The update stipulates that "non end-user initiated events" are prohibited. Performics continues to work to identify prohibited activity conducted by affiliates. Any publisher found to generate clicks that are not initiated by the end-user will be notified and will be asked to comply with the Code of Conduct. If the publisher does not comply, the affiliate will be removed from the network.

This update, in part, addresses concerns regarding 180 Solutions/Metrics Directs alleged activities. It is important to note that the leadership of 180 Solutions has denied allegations of wrongdoing. But Performics has previously recommended that clients suspend 180 Solutions until they can provide evidence that their technology functions appropriately.

Click here to review the revised (and original) Code of Conduct. http://www.performics.com/about/pres...of_conduct.pdf

If you have any questions about this update to the Code of Conduct please submit them to codeofconduct@performics.com. While we regularly monitor affiliate behavior and work diligently to ensure fair practices in our network, we also welcome input from our affiliates. Feel free to report any inappropriate activity that you can document to that address.
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