Q. When's a network not a network?

[fishboy]

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A. When it's acting as an affiliate!

Now I'm sure it's nothing new to the affiliate world but what happens when an affiliate network (or company acting on its behalf) starts developing affiliate websites or running CPC campaigns in order to gain extra revenue from their own merchants?

Seems like the network would have a very strong advantage with access to all the current merchant programs statistics, top performing products, top affiliates and the methods they are using etc and could then pick the creme de la creme further increasing their own ROI.

Thoughts?

[km8]

Originally posted by fishboy
A. When it's acting as an affiliate!

Thoughts?

OK, I'll bite.

I'd say that was a clear conflict of interest and you should name the network.

However, I'd be gobsmacked if it was the network themselves doing that - and would drop them like a hot coal if it was.

If it's an employee of a network doing that in their spare-time, I'd let the network know, assuming in all my innocence, that it's against their terms of employment - then I'd wait a month for it to be rectified before dropping the network.

Edited by KM8 to say:
I'd name the network only if I was sure it was the network itself rather than an employeee freelancing.

[D-Mac]

My first thought is that I wouldn't mind if they did. If they can use 'intelligence' to get more business for us then so be it.

Haven't had a 2nd thought yet...

[drivetowin]

This was debated to death some time ago - can't remember the thread - it may even be on the old forum.

As it stands, while it may be undesirable, there is little we as affiliates, merchants or even the networks can do if one of their employees is running an affiliate site in their own time - its all to easy for them to register their site in a relative's or girlfriend/boyfriends name or even a limited company name and who is to know.

I'm aware of at least five network employees across five of the major uk networks who operate their own sites so the problem is pretty widespread (and two of them are merchants on their own networks too). I'm not prepared to name names as this shouldn't be a witch hunt but for those of you who take the 'moral high ground' I think you'll be hard pressed to find a network to work with where this is not the case.

It's just one of those things - frankly there are bigger things to worry about - just accept it goes on and get on with it....

If it's any consolation - due to the limited time most of those doing this have available - there sites aren't anywhere near as good nor earn anywhere near the revenue of other full time affiliates

[fishboy]

Interesting to read the above comments. To be honest the "conflict of interest" response was expected and was certianly my initial thoughts too.

I'm not willing to name and shame. I'd rather not go down this ugly road and it's certianly not my style, however I can confirm that this is not a personal website or any form of "out of hours" project.

It's something i'll be taking onboard and watching with great interest.