Voucher Code Sites - Take Action

[befuddle]

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Yeah, the "exclusive discount code" ... doesn't make for a very level playing-field.

Hmm, isn't that the point of 'exclusive'.

Having an exclusive code generally doesn't make that much difference as in most cases there is a generic affiliate code that compliments it or is sometimes better.

The only time where having an Exclusive code really paid off is with Figleaves. To get this they had to be promoted on the home page above the fold and it had to deliver results.

For me, merchants that provide me exclusive codes get preferential treatment. I look through their emails and work on their offers first and I also give them increased home page exposure.

If you're looking to have a substantial amount of exclusive codes, then you need to spend time each month with each merchant or agency justifying expiry date extensions or explaining why the code may not have performed.

With exclusive codes it's a little easier to negotiate lengthier expiry dates but these merchants do want to see results. This relationship building does take time away from actually updating your site.

[Markup]

Some people wonder why the "affiliate marketing industry" is held in such low regard.

...AND ANOTHER THING

the only people who believe that the affiliate marketing industry (in reality) is held in low regard, IS AFFILIATES.

Simply because they (I) spend so much time at a screen that a feeling of disconnection to the wider trade market comes over them (me) and it is easy to imagine, with a few snide little stories like yours, that the wider online community looks upon us with disdain - ****e.

Affiliate marketers - including voucher code affiliates - now form the backbone of many a tall merchants online marketing strategy, and things are only going to get better.

You are an (on page) eloquent and grammatically savvy kind of poster, why not post in the barbados type thread and give everyone a lift on a Friday instead of delivering the rant you posted.

Mark

[Markup]

PS. i hope your not calling me a fool.

Absolutely not my friend!!!

It was not you I was referring to...

[chromate]

Hmm, isn't that the point of 'exclusive'.

Yeah, exactly, that's why I don't like them!

Thanks for explaining more about the exclusive codes though. Quite interesting.

[GW-Sean]

In my experience.... if a customer is going to use a cashback or vouchercode site - they're going to use it regardless of the merchant or product they're looking for.

If a merchant is to put their foot down and say "NO" to voucher code sites for example...then its fairly likely that they're passing up a good chunk of business (unless they're the only merchant in the UK selling a certain type of product... which doesn't happen all that often - there is so much competition out there!) ...and who want to lose sales to the competition?!

I can't agree with your view of the voucher code sites... being lazy?!... keeping up with all the various offers and codes and updates must be pretty knackering. Writing content is one thing (and I've done this myself) .... but at least once its written, you're finished to a certain extent - the voucher updates are never-ending!

I understand why you're frustrated about losing commissions (although... do you have a good way to put a number on what you're losing?... its easy to assume you're losing sales to these guys... but do you know for sure? Maybe Hitwise could shed some light on your downstream traffic so you can quantify the damage?...just a suggestion)

Why aren't you spending your time adding the voucher codes to your own sites? Your post must have taken a fair while to write, and due to the negativity - it hasn't provoked the best responce so far ...its got to be said

Anyway - my point is that the majority of codes are open to anyone to use.... so if a customer comes to your site and see's the content, and the discount all in one place - why bother looking elsewhere? (it would at least improve your chances)....fair enough there are exclcusive codes out there in the market... but often the codes offer only a marginally better offer than the standard codes - so you should still get some conversion from those of us lazy enough not to shop around too much ...me included :blush)

Just a few thoughts anyway - feel free to shoot me down if you like, but I can't honestly see a massive amount of clients stepping away from cashbacks and voucher code sites any time soon....bottom line is, customers are becomming more savvy, many are realising (with the help of the media) that they can save money and even make some money back on their online shopping.... so of course they're going to take advantage.

My advice would be to build up a base of customers loyal to your sites based on the original content...and offer the the discounts you can gain access to - there should be plenty.

Cheers

Sean

[Brett]

the only thing that annoys me about voucher code sites is when they dont have one for certain merchants - when one doesnt exist, they should say so.

Yes - if a voucher site says "Click here to open site and see code" and they don't have a code, or they then say 'See site for details" then they do not offer any value at all and have stolen a cookie.

Repeat offenders of this practice should be asked to stop by merchants and then banned if necessary.

Networks should run some sort of warning tracking so merchants can warn bad affiliates and the network would get visibility of any warnings.

[Markup]

Now below is the voice of reason, I wish I could get a point across like that Sean. 7 anger management courses in 10 years and still the mods had to come on and kick my backside today - will I ever learn.

My sincerest apologies to anyone who found my language offensive, even you morph, even though I still think you're a blankety blank for denigrating the efforts of hard working affiliates.

Mark

In my experience.... if a customer is going to use a cashback or vouchercode site - they're going to use it regardless of the merchant or product they're looking for.

If a merchant is to put their foot down and say "NO" to voucher code sites for example...then its fairly likely that they're passing up a good chunk of business (unless they're the only merchant in the UK selling a certain type of product... which doesn't happen all that often - there is so much competition out there!) ...and who want to lose sales to the competition?!

I can't agree with your view of the voucher code sites... being lazy?!... keeping up with all the various offers and codes and updates must be pretty knackering. Writing content is one thing (and I've done this myself) .... but at least once its written, you're finished to a certain extent - the voucher updates are never-ending!

I understand why you're frustrated about losing commissions (although... do you have a good way to put a number on what you're losing?... its easy to assume you're losing sales to these guys... but do you know for sure? Maybe Hitwise could shed some light on your downstream traffic so you can quantify the damage?...just a suggestion)

Why aren't you spending your time adding the voucher codes to your own sites? Your post must have taken a fair while to write, and due to the negativity - it hasn't provoked the best responce so far ...its got to be said

Anyway - my point is that the majority of codes are open to anyone to use.... so if a customer comes to your site and see's the content, and the discount all in one place - why bother looking elsewhere? (it would at least improve your chances)....fair enough there are exclcusive codes out there in the market... but often the codes offer only a marginally better offer than the standard codes - so you should still get some conversion from those of us lazy enough not to shop around too much ...me included :blush)

Just a few thoughts anyway - feel free to shoot me down if you like, but I can't honestly see a massive amount of clients stepping away from cashbacks and voucher code sites any time soon....bottom line is, customers are becomming more savvy, many are realising (with the help of the media) that they can save money and even make some money back on their online shopping.... so of course they're going to take advantage.

My advice would be to build up a base of customers loyal to your sites based on the original content...and offer the the discounts you can gain access to - there should be plenty.

Cheers

Sean

[stu-art]

Yep, well said Sean.
I used to feel pretty sour about voucher sites (and always will as far as non existent codes are concerned), but content site owners simply need to include codes wherever possible. One of the most powerful aspects of content is the pre-selling aspect. Combine that with a code and you are offering something more than any voucher site can. The seo aspect of this cannot be underestimated either.
I now include codes on all my sites, even pure price comparison where there is column dedicated to the code or latest offer.

[Cheapdvds]

there is click to reveal code and then there isnt a code , but there are also site owners doing click to reveal and there is no code , it then states the offer is in fact free delivery that the retailer always offers , so the owner is trying to make out this is a great offer , in my books equates to the same practice.

[arcticsunrise]

Wow Morph!

First of all I'd suggest 1,2,3 and calm......

From an agency perspective we see voucher code sites as a valued part of the affiliate mix - sure there are problems with sites who advertise codes where none exist, but other than that we find voucher code sites make a good contribution - and if you think voucher code site owners are lazy, you've obviously never tried to run a voucher code site.

On the subject of exclusive codes, they can drive added volume - don't be fooled, exclusive codes are not always a better offer, they may just be a different code.... but where they are a higher offer bear in mind that often those affiliates will have negotiated that offer on the back of accepting reduced commissions.

Agencies and networks could and should do more to police these things - for ourselves, taking one of our merchants, Starblu on Linkshare as an example, each affiliate who asks for one is given an exclusive discount code which gives 10% discount. We police the use of those codes so if an affiliate uses a code they were not issued with, we remove that commission from that affiliate and award it to the affiliate who was issued with the code.

I don't know who you've spoken to outside of the industry but the feedback we, and I'm sure every other agency gets, from the people out there who matter (the marketing directors and managers of many many companies) is that affiliate marketing is THE one space where at the moment they really want to be.
We are currently taking on new merchants at a rate of at least one a week, so for a marketplace viewed as 'grubby' as you put it, it doesn't seem to be doing too bad!!

[fizzbird]

I have no sympathy for content site owners who whinge about code site owners. You have done the hard work of adding all the unique content. Why can't you just add another sentence or cut-and-paste a paragraph and include the code details? Is it too much work for you?

A simple example:
Merchant 'xyz' doesn't do voucher codes, they sell good quality stuff at the very best price - it works well.
Sometimes they might want to give past customers a special discount for a further purchase or to refer a friend? So on the checkout it has a promotion code option.

A search for 'merchant xyz promotion code' returns page after page of code sites - all optimised for that search term.

You know they don't do voucher codes but are happy to optimise as if they do.

So you say I should put something like 'click here for more information and don't go looking for a voucher code because there isn't one!'

And on the subject of whinging - I refer to the many threads relating to MVC. Pots and kettles?

[loquax]

I have no sympathy for content site owners who whinge about code site owners.

well, if content site owners hadn't whinged last year then a lot of code site owners would probably still be iframe/cookie dropping... so don't dismiss other's concerns.

The issue of codes/voucher code sites will continue as few merchants are taking a stance (re: click to reveal) - perhaps they don't care - so that leaves affiliates arguing with affiliates as to the rights and wrongs of how these sites operate.

There is a place for voucher code sites, the public want them that's for sure, but things need to be looked at imo by networks and merchants and guidelines established - unfortunately there's few rules in place dictating "so and so can't do this and can do that"... so until then the odd whinge on here by content affiliates may help shape things so as to accommodate everyone happily.

I would like to see some code of conduct in place where a user does not have to click to reveal for (1) an expired code (2) no code required (3) free delivery and (4) no code exists.

And in the case of (4) where no code exists that the affiliate makes it very clear to the visitor that no code is on offer!

I know for example Dial-a-phone and Alpharooms have policies on this, but until either networks make a decision or more merchants devise better code management then this issue will never get resolved.

Jason

[renegade]

We really have gone over all the points in your post ad nauseum and you have said nothing new. Your blanket condemnation of code sites shows this is just another knee jerk reaction.

If you really believe you are losing lots of business to code sites and that it's easy money do what I did and make your own.

I can tell you there's a LOT of hard work involved and yes, for the few decent code sites, the rewards are worthwhile.

I don't approve of sites which break the (ever changing) rules but I do resent being called a parasitic leech even more than being a mere grubby affiliate.

I wrote a blog entry recently about our code site in response to earlier threads and would refer anyone interested in to read that before going nuclear on this topic.

[renegade]

And in the case of (4) where no code exists that the affiliate makes it very clear to the visitor that no code is on offer!

I rarely disagree with Jason but I don't agree with this point.
Although we operate a code site, there's often special offers, free delivery and sales to promote (I call it CONTENT) and sometimes codes which appear on merchant site we can't publish or don't notice or they're short term so IMO it's fair enough to suggest the visitor checks the merchant site for codes and offers.

[loquax]

Although we operate a code site, there's often special offers, free delivery and sales to promote (I call it CONTENT)

Joe I'm talking about "click to reveal" in the case above.

By all means make suggestions to visit a site or promote offers... but you don't ask the user to "reveal first" to find that content!

Jason