Voucher Code Sites!! OMG not to mention WTF!! Sorry Rant Needed!!

[fizzbird]

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Why don't/won't merchants remove the discount box?

Send an email and ask them - I bet you don't get a reply?
Then do a search for their brand and you might just realise what's going on

[ash]

Even if you do have codes are you still not stealing the sale from another affiliate?

Doug

Only when you force a click...

[dougs]

And the intent is to always get a click

[ash]

Your site is the same as the rest - you promise codes for a heap of merchants but don't deliver! The fact that there may be no code is shown on one line

I don't think you'll find many / any merchants listed on my site that have NEVER offered a code to affiliates for promotion at some point.

Are you seriously expecting me to remove pages from my site (when a code expires) and then add a page again next time the merchant offers another code?

[dougs]

forgetting the practicallities...that is what you would do if you wanted a good service

[ash]

And the intent is to always get a click

Sorry doug your wrong there. If i always wanted a click i'd just implement a click to reveal method.

Plenty of my visitors visit my site and leave without clicking my links. I know many of them are good at clicking the back button or opening my site in a new window whilst entering the code in another...

[ash]

forgetting the practicallities...that is what you would do if you wanted a good service

What so people see a 404 page instead of a page saying sorry no current codes.... I know what i'd rather see....

[dougs]

A site would not have a page and not rank if the code was not there. So in a proper world when the code is gone you should remove the page and if by accident the user lands on the page then you should 301 them to a page saying sorry no codes for the program you are looking for.

Doug

[ash]

A site would not have a page and not rank if the code was not there. So in a proper world when the code is gone you should remove the page and if by accident the user lands on the page then you should 301 them to a page saying sorry no codes for the program you are looking for.

Doug

Several flaws not least using a 301 redirect if the merchant is likely to issue a code again (certainly in the near future). What about merchants who's code expires for a day or two between issuing a new code.

Actually thinking about it perhaps the ultimate solution for your suggestion would be to balance SEO and user functionality would be to cloak the page, directing users to the 'Sorry no code' page and directing Google / Search engines to the original page (hence no loss of rankings) between codes.... No doubt you'll argue this is a little black hat...

So do i assume your system will be intergrating a system like you mention?

[dougs]

Dont know what we will do......but playing the purest here

[BASILF]

I don't think you'll find many / any merchants listed on my site that have NEVER offered a code to affiliates for promotion at some point.

Are you seriously expecting me to remove pages from my site (when a code expires) and then add a page again next time the merchant offers another code?

Thats why your site is basically a list of all affiliate programs with the odd code here and there - its no better or worse than any other so called voucher code site. You attract customers with the promise of a discount code and you get an exit click to a site providing no added value at all.

[getvisible]

forgetting the practicallities...that is what you would do if you wanted a good service

totally!

what makes me laugh (cry) is the sites that says "click here for the lastest discounts and offers". The user clicks on it, the affiliate cookie is dropped then its says "view the site for details".

So the user has been conned into clicking for a discount that doesn't exist!

What benefit is that to the user? I'd prefer the 1px iframe because at least the user doesn't have to waste their time doing stuff to have unwanted cookies placed on their machine (if you don't get it - it was irony).

And what makes me chuckle even more is that when people say that voucher codes wouldn't exist if content affiliates bothered to add codes. We do. But saying you've got a mandate to do what you do because someone else isn't doing it is utter crap. The point, most cost site owners have totally ignored is that "does it add true value and incremental sales to merchants"?

And then when you have a debate about it they're not willing to listen or take on board the arguments of others. They sit there intransigent with their fingers in their ears unwilling to listen to sense and reason and without a care in the world for the efficiency of affiliate marketing as one part of a range of options open to merchants.