Stealing Exclusive Codes

[Barry]

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Nice one Mark thanks for responding.

Can you put 'dvcouk' on the blacklist and as befuddle is on his hols you can prob add 'shopcodes' too.

Do you have a format on your site for codes as I can also add that to my 'blacklist'

It also nice to see that you have removed the cookie stuffing iframes from your sites too and though it would only take me 2 seconds to remove an iframe from my site - I am glad you now have it sorted across all your sites at last.

Ta

[Frostie]

Have you tried emailing me? at mark @ myvouchercodes.co.uk ?

I would always respond to you... I think you have maybe tried contacting an old account under my username that i have not used in months and month (dont know password)

You could have contacted me via my site?! or gave me a phone call?

Mark

As stated I emailed and PM'd you twice using the forums (your user account was online at the time of 1 PM), so as far as I am concerned, I made a concerted effort over a number of days of contacting you. I appreciate you have someone else who works on this site, however maybe they should be told NOT to go to other peoples sites and where they see a big "EXCLUSIVE TO US" image, in a category that is titled EXCLUSIVE, assume these are not exclusive and go adding them.

I and others are aware of people posting/suggesting codes on our sites and yes it can be a pain at times. Codes are issued to one site and appear on another, or sometimes we get notified of discounts that we should not be publishing such as;
Mothercare - I see you still push codes
Tesco - I see you still push codes

However all of my codes were added in a very small space of time, so I doubt that visitor submission is to blame on this one.

I would appreciate you remove any COLDSNAIL vouchers and wild carding it too - so 5COLDSNAIL or COLDSNAIL10OFF will also be filtered.

Thanks

[MarkCo]

Hi Frostie,

Did you actually PM me at the forum username Markco ?

As any others I have (old accounts), I have not used or logged in for some serious months. If it was to Markco... I really can not see this message? I have been PM'ing people this week, and also received PM's so it is working!

What about emailing me? Did you email me via my site myvouchercodes.co.uk ? I never received anything?

Just removed all the 'coldsnail' codes

We are no longer an affiliate for Mothercare, so I guess we can promote any code we like...

Also, as far as I am aware we have NO tesco codes on our site, just special offers etc ( i don't see any codes via the link you gave...?

[Barry]

If anyone is interested in staying inside the terms and conditions of programs I have a thread here for anybody to add stores that they have received notification of a ban on the use of unauthorised codes.

http://www.affiliates4u.com/forums/p...companies.html

I know its so hard stay within these terms but I feel its important we do because as Frostie has mentioned (yes I know you only have a direct link Mark) some programs have completely abandoned discount sites from their programs. And to me thats worth a few quid and probably the network too. Mothercare was a big pain to loose. (still dont know how these big American sites still remain on the mothercare program though through CJ)

Ta

[befuddle]

Thanks Barry for suggesting filtering for 'shopcode' and its plural. I've over 130 exclusive codes and they don't all follow this format but it would make some progress.
If all merchants paid out on code use as Jess suggested then I'd encourage you to use my exclusive codes.
In this thread Astley Clarke is mentioned. I got removed from that programme during February with no reason supplied and can only assume it was because I run a code site.
Ray

[affearner]

Now, I have several questions:

To the merchants: How can you secure your coupon codes from hackers?

To the customers: How will you know that the coupon codes you're using are for real?

[Mogga]

To the customers: How will you know that the coupon codes you're using are for real?

For some customers recently they found out using codes off a forum didn't work out very well for them. They'd read that they could combine two vouchers and basically get lots of discount on an online shop. So they did.
The company being abused did what's in its T&C and cancelled the voucher they weren't supposed to use. Result? Lots of very cheesed off bargain hunters who'd been seriously misled by a forum posting.

Companies need to protect themselves. Consumers need to be aware that the super-duper amazing offer sounds too good to be true because it isn't.
Sites need to be responsible and vet the codes their users post.

[Frostie]

Mark

Firstly, thanks for removing coldsnail codes. I PM'd you at another account RosesByDesign - is this not yours? If not then I apologise, however it was showing online over the past few days. I did email you via your site and I didn't receive any NDRs.

I apologise on the Mothercare issue. I should have checked your links before accusing you, however, I think most of us took the stance of removing the company rather than removing ourselves from the program so I jumped to the wrong conclusion.

As for Tesco, you are pushing a £5 off your first time shop, which I believe ended many many many moons ago. There was also a communication from them asking for all codes to be removed, and that there weren't any vouchers available, so in theory this could simply be a case of cookie stuffing.

Anyway I am not here to argue as we all have completely differing views, I simply wanted my codes to be removed, which you have now done.

Thanks.

[jess1]

Frostie: I agree...

What I think would be fair... is for mark to hand over part (percentage) of his revenue to the affiliates whose codes were used. I think this is the least Mark could do to make ammends. I think this would be the best outcome for all concerned? All can be tracked back. Compensation in the same way merchants have to if they knock their tracking code out and leave for weeks, if a network falls over, its for affiliate loss of earnings. If we had an association, I think we would look at would would be the fairest way to resolve.

It does not matter if this was Marks fault or the fault of some one who Mark employed, the buck stops at his door, harsh... but true.

Im half inclined just to remove commissions from mark and just allocate to the right affiliates. But... I cant really do this after the fact, rather put proceedures in place going forwards.

So Mark good idea?
Jury is out re allocating another code to you for TS until I see some house work being done ;0)

[3wdl]

I don't think that Mark paying commission back to over people is the best suggestion in the world.

It may not be *right* that he was using these codes but it's up to the networks to act on this based on the information that they have - evidently in the search for codes, freebies or whatever else this can happen - he has now been told about the issue and removed it as requested.

I like the idea of networks tracking voucher codes and making sure the correct affiliate gets paid for it - we did this at St. Minver and it worked really well.

[jess1]

I don't think that Mark paying commission back to over people is the best suggestion in the world.

why... merchants have to pay out... networks have pay out, so why make an exception? Whats different about this. Mark has made money off the back of other affiliates, right or wrong?

[max99]

I also dont think its the best ideas as im sure quite few voucher sites might have used exclusive codes without knowing and made money from it, trying to give comp to other affilites would just get messy

From what Ive seen Mark has been prompt in removing codes when he has been told and also been quick to change the iframe situation.

[jess1]

I feel it would be the right thing to do and thats from a personal perspective, call me old fashioned ;0)

[3wdl]

why... merchants have to pay out... networks have pay out, so why make an exception? Whats different about this. Mark has made money off the back of other affiliates, right or wrong?

Because whilst some affiliates may well "self police" their own actions, others do not.

He's not breaking another affiliates terms and conditions (though possibly copyright laws) - he is breaking the networks terms and conditions. It's up to them to police it and create tracking that will facilitate the use of exclusive discount codes. Well done to AW if they have created something to do this (and I'd really like to know how it's done).

It's fair enough to say that Mark has taken a code he shouldn't - but you can't prove that those codes let to sales.

I think this is a case of education - hopefully Mark now understands that a member of his staff has been taking other peoples codes and he will take his own internal action against this.

Just my 2p

[jess1]

QUOTE]but you can't prove that those codes let to sales. [/QUOTE] Yes I can
Affiliate gets allocated commission, I cross reference with the merchant, I can see referrer and discount voucher used.

I know u all want to shove this under the carpet and move on
But if this was a merchant doing this or a network, you would be out for blood.

Yes affiliate TS and Cs have been broken, its copyright theft, nothing ambiguous here.
In fact, its so transparent.

But ok… nuff said.