Brand Bidder on Inkfactory. Rogue or Closed Group?

[jess1]

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Just out of interest... how many hours has been put into chasing this?
Question... is this a good use of time? Chasing up and chasing after... does this not strike any one as wrong?

[Travel Pixel]

Perhaps im being naive, but surely the solution in the meantime is for Tradedoubler to simply disable this affiliate's account with inkfactory? When they are spending money on PPC and not getting any roi perhaps they will notice quicker.

Nadeem, im sure you are doing everything you can, thank you very much for your efforts.

[Azam.net]

The affiliate in question has had to be terminated from the affiliate program.

Should anybody have further questions about the Inkfactory.com affiliate program, please email inkfactory [at] azam.net or call 0800 018 5600 anytime.

[Travel Pixel]

Just checked my 'reputation' section on a4u relating to this thread and I have a red negative with the comment 'get off your high horse'! Never noticed that before.

LOL, i've obviously annoyed someone!

:tup

[Travel Pixel]

There is a tradedoubler affiliate now on the brand bid for 'inkfactory' as far as i can see.

[Azam.net]

Thank you for diligently reporting brand bidders to us via the forums.

We are aware of this TD affiliate's advert and have been dealing with it.

Azam Marketing has removed at least 20 illegal brand name bidders from the programs we manage in just the last month, revoking their commissions and removing them from the programs. It consumes a huge amount of our time, but we will continue to ensure advertiser's paid search policies are respected.

Should there be anything further you wish to discuss, you are invited to ring freephone 0800 018 5600 anytime from 08:30 to 22:30 seven days a week or email inkfactory [at] azam.net .

[Travel Pixel]

It consumes a huge amount of our time, but we will continue to ensure advertiser's paid search policies are respected.

Good stuff, well done.

And from my user CP someone so kindly commented:

Travelpixel is a really annoying git & should learn not to post repeatedly about same thing

:tup

Ill post repeatedly if program terms and conditions are flouted repeatedly by affiliates who steal commission by doing bugger all.

[hpops]

Travelpixel rocks - well done mate - I'll redress the balance by giving you some goodness rep.

[Travel Pixel]

Ad is still there as far as I can see - whats going on here?

:td

[Azam.net]

This publisher was reported to TD on 19 June 2008, and, after emailing TD three times, they eventually responded on 23 June to say: "This affiliate has 2 existing strikes for bidding on brand terms. Therefore they will be removed from the network."

I was disappointed that TD have not acted upon their statement and I emailed them about it again yesterday, which I haven't had a response to.

Anyhow, I have manually logged into TD and expired this publisher myself as TD have not acted upon it. We will ensure that the publisher's commissions are revoked for breaking the rules.

Should there be anything further you wish to discuss, you are invited to ring freephone 0800 018 5600 anytime from 08:30 to 22:30 seven days a week or email inkfactory [at] azam.net .

We are not always able to discuss concerns on the forums and would kindly encourage you to ring us; we would be delighted to be of assistance.

[Barry]

Its gone back to an AF redirect as I can see it.

Azam, please don't take this as a personal attack, as I massive respect for you however in general -

- Maybe I am sceptical here but why would any merchant who doesn't pay out to rogue brand bidders be in a hurry to get them off their brand on google - its free advertising is it not?

Not only do they get free traffic (cos they are not paying out to the rouge bidder) but they also get a reduction of 75% (as quoted) of other affiliate cookies as well. They are onto a winner are they not?

Ta

Baz

[Azam.net]

Thank you for your comments.

RE: AF redirect, I have carried out several careful checks on both "inkfactory" and "ink factory" in Google just now and they show that the inkfactory.com advert is going direct, not via an affiliate link. The URL is http://secure.inkfactory.com/clickth...php%3Fc%3D3385. Could you kindly email a screenshot of any AF link, with the URL, to results [at] azam.net, or call 0800 018 5600.

Unfortunately, the case sometimes is that when we expire one publisher, another one jumps onto the PPC ad space. We do, however, monitor brand name violations 24/7 using the brilliant brandwatcher.com and via other means, and have a record of any violations.

In terms of your query about why a merchant would not want to clamp on a rogue brand name bidder, I hear what you are saying, but most advertisers are very protective of their brand and their reputation. InkFactory are a highly ethical business which has had one of the leading ink cartridge affiliate programs for several years and wouldn't want to do anything that damaged their reputation.

As for Azam Marketing's policy, we adopt a one or two strike rule, depending on the advertiser, on offending publishers, whereas most networks and agencies have a three strike rule. So we are more firm about terminating a relationship with a violating publishers than most; just yesterday we expired one of the largest publishers from one of our programs, even though most agencies and networks continue to work with them despite their actions. In the most recent scenario with InkFactory, we notified the network concerned a few times.

[Barry]

I understand that InkFactory are a highly ethical business with a highly ethical agency running the ship and in this case its just a few affiliates making your life a pain in the butt rather than any lack of effort for the merchants gain.

I am sending you my results now mate.

Ta

Baz

[Azam.net]

Thanks and go to sleep Barry

[Barry]

Yes too many cans and watching the Italian job - it does thing to my mind....

Ta

Baz

(me - go to bed - from the man that never sleeps!!)