MyVoucherCodes - Please Stop!

[Maxafi]

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As for #5 and iFrames..... voucherboy . co . uk
Nice iFrame at the bottom of the page for every merchant ranging from Asda to Bingo sites... Must be a nice little earner for the "owner" and the networks....

I think that's one of 'max99's sites. Interesting privacy policy though 'This site does not use cookies'.....

[MarkCo]

Affility,

Firstly a big apology for this mistake, it should not have happened and will not happen again. Sorry to you personally. It was a genuine mistake by one of my new employees who compiled this week’s newsletter. But it does not matter who did it, it is still my company and I take full responsibility to make sure no such mistake will happen again.

It has now been fully rectified. (I hope you enjoyed the free traffic while it lasted!)

For the record, I am in contact with all the affiliate networks and work very closely with them on a daily basis.

As pointed out above, it does seem that people here do target their negative energy, complaints and rants towards me and myvouchercodes with some personal attacks. Like all affiliates we do respect the rules and terms and conditions of the networks and merchants, and if we overstep these (as everyone will do at some stage, directly or indirectly), we are very quick and rectify these issues.

The constant negative public attention (without being contacted direct by any of you) is why I tend not to read or get involved in the forums. If anyone has a problem with me or my website, then feel free to get in touch direct via my website contact page or via telephone or msn messenger (pm me for this)

[tpacker]

I wonder if a lawyer could get a case of "passing off" though - given that the full domain of an individual site is unique, and if that site can then prove reputation - imo that would give grounds for a legal question to be asked.

Harder work if the name is not trademarked (money saving expert is i believe now), but using a competitors name to gain an advantage can be challenged (imo, ask a lawyer for confirmation). You might need deep pockets though

Jason

I studied business law (at a low level but still) the web is a big gray area, domain name would mean nothing, even having a ltd company youd still struggle, its only if your trademarked that you can realy do anything about it.

[max99]

Sadly some of us are ethical.

As for #5 and iFrames..... voucherboy . co . uk
Nice iFrame at the bottom of the page for every merchant ranging from Asda to Bingo sites... Must be a nice little earner for the "owner" and the networks....

Just to clarify this domain used to be mine and the whois still reports as me, however I dont run or have control of this domain. I do know that the site isnt advertisied or anything and i guess it gets very little if any traffic and thats the reason the iframes are still there

[loquax]

Like all affiliates we do respect the rules and terms and conditions of the networks and merchants

Sorry but I'm cynical and imo this is more "we do respect the rules and terms and conditions of the networks and merchants" until we're caught.

Why any affiliate believes iframe cookie dropping was within the rules and terms I just dunno...

Jason

[Barry]

A good couple of months ago I started a thread about cookie stuffing using iframes and went on a policing mission, reporting sites to networks and most sites changed there codes.

However it seemed to me to be a never ending task, so I decided to, as has been said, put my efforts into my own marketing and websites. This thread has made me have a quick look again at my list and see if anything has been done.

Well while we are airing our dirty laundry, I have just run a little search for the last two hours and found these sites still using iframes for merchants:-

http://www.voucherboy.co.uk/Asda-discount-codes.html
http://www.buyheck.co.uk/ASDA-Entert...unt-Codes.html

popup for merchant:-
http://members.lycos.co.uk/bqshop/b-.../bq-bq-774.htm

pops up ebay aff links on every page:-
http://www.uk-shop-uk.co.uk/shop/woolworths/

Now I am not mentioning any names (though the more savvy of us on here know who own these sites just by looking at the affiliate id's) as that would be wrong but these sites are continuing to plant cookies and have been for the last year.

Ta

[bapages]

Becuase its ethical! If networks/merchants as us not to promote Bunches on mispells of Interflora (mispells are not trademarks) then networks should ask the same of affiliates not to bid on each others domain names.

I think netowrk on ask not to bid on merchants TM as it discourages them from the network but the affiliates they are not concerned about affilite TM's as it still brings in there revenue. Dont forget I remember a time that brand bidding was OK all round.

[aotagain]

No, im saying, people can pick points at any site. It seems others are being ignored, because of this one site.

Why do you think that is ?
Hint: The answers are in the thread.

The point is that a lot of people here have been in affiliate marketing a long time and have put great efforts into their sites already and are seeing it undermined in some way. They've already done what you're reccommending and now wonder what is going on with a site which is sailing close to the wind and may be affecting their hard work.

For them its a big issue. Hopefully a lot of these issues will be important to you in a couple of years, if it all goes well for you. If they were bothered about being questioned about their own sites they wouldn't be posting on here.

One person is however noticeably absent from the posts. I think.

[Barry]

Just to defend max, voucherboy is a 'safebuyer' site or MarkCo.

Ta

[Affility]

A good couple of months ago I started a thread about cookie stuffing using iframes and went on a policing mission, reporting sites to networks and most sites changed there codes.

However it seemed to me to be a never ending task, so I decided to, as has been said, put my efforts into my own marketing and websites. This thread has made me have a quick look again at my list and see if anything has been done.

Well while we are airing our dirty laundry, I have just run a little search for the last two hours and found these sites still using iframes for merchants:-

Asda Electricals Voucher Codes Promotional Code Asda Electricals Discount Codes Money Off Vouchers Code
ASDA Entertainment Discount Vouchers - ASDA Entertainment Discount Codes, ASDA Entertainment Promotional Codes and Bargains At BuyHeck

popup for merchant:-
http://members.lycos.co.uk/bqshop/b-.../bq-bq-774.htm

pops up ebay aff links on every page:-
Woolworths Online, UK: Shopping at Woolworths Online Department Store Is So Easy!

Now I am not mentioning any names (though the more savvy of us on here know who own these sites just by looking at the affiliate id's) as that would be wrong but these sites are continuing to plant cookies and have been for the last year.

Ta

Barry

BuyHeck is an old site of mine which needs updating - it gets basically no traffic.

As I have said earlier in this thread, the majority of iframes on my sites do NOT use affiliate links (some networks don't appear to have a problem). However, having seen the strength of feeling in this thread, I will today remove ALL affiliate links from iFrames! Result!

*** This has now been implemented - no more affiliate tracking links within iFrames.

[max99]

Just to defend max, voucherboy is a 'safebuyer' site or MarkCo.

Ta

Cheers Barry


Just to say i've been told that iframes have been removed from voucherboy now

[Frostie]

As pointed out above, it does seem that people here do target their negative energy, complaints and rants towards me and myvouchercodes with some personal attacks.

Mark, I have to disagree with you on this as it simply doesn't stick.

No one is being witch hunted here. A website is constantly mentioned for constant wrong doing - it just so happens that this site is constantly one of your websites.

If you stuck to the rules and didn't do anything wrong, then there would be no reason to post about you or your websites.

[MarkCo]

Hi Steve,

Thanks for taking time to chat to me just now, glad we can sort things out when your back in the office tomorrow.

As explained we are so busy that we are getting thousands of emails a day, so some will slip through. For future reference call me any time on my office/mobile number, msn message me to give me a heads up if you dont get a reply. Normally I am very good at replying.

[jrisby]

The constant negative public attention (without being contacted direct by any of you) is why I tend not to read or get involved in the forums. If anyone has a problem with me or my website, then feel free to get in touch direct via my website contact page or via telephone or msn messenger (pm me for this)

Yes, in the same way I've been trying to get you to stop putting out site in frames since February and when you finally do respond you publish rubbish about us on your web site and threaten to run a negative campaign against us to all your user unless we allow you back on our affiliate scheme. Your business practices stink.

[Frostie]

....threaten to run a negative campaign against us to all your user unless we allow you back on our affiliate scheme. Your business practices stink.

Is this for real?

Mark

Glad to hear you've made a start to clean your act up with Steve, but is this being applied site wide or are you going to wait until every network/merchant/agency make contact with you? The next steps could maybe include;
- removing iframes from Voucherboy which I believe is owned by yourself?
- removing JRisbys site without running a negative campaign against him? (something I'm expecting tbh because I dont shy away from speaking up)
- removing anyones URLs that have requested as they do not wish to be associated with your website?

I notice that a new employee was to blame for the newsletter mistake, was it the same employee that mistakenly grabbed exclusive codes from others website? If so, then I suggest some training maybe required!

As I mentioned earlier, this is NOT a witch hunt, but the problem that you've brought upon yourself is by your own wrong doing. Play by the rules and provide us with no excuses to raise issues or complain - it really is that simple!