Next Affiliate Program - The Facts

[Frostie]

It is also unfortunate that, although Next submitted a response to a particular blog, it was not approved by the blog author.

Who's blog was this then? It was not mine, so please do not try to make out that I am censoring anything as if this is what you are implying, its yet another lie and more spin. Quite sad that, if you are implying that it was my blog and that I didn't approve your comments that you post under a header that says "THE FACTS". An absolute farce Fiona!

My blog, the one that quite rightly slags off next/ilevel is open to all to comment. Nearly all comments show immediately unless the spam trapper catches it, which I am then informed and need to approve or reject. Nothing has required manual intervention within the past 2 months!

Please therefore comment on which blog you are referring to... If it is my blog, then I expect a public apology and fast too!

[loquax]

It is Next’s wish not to partner affiliates who pollute natural search space with negative comments about the brand

I just want to twist this slightly in a different angle... if I was a customer of Next (which I have been) and I received dire service from you, and subsequently complained perhaps on a review website, in a store or to your head office... what would Next's policy be?

Would they.

1. Try and make sure, that as a customer, my complaint is resolved

or

2. Try and gag me for complaining and force me out of the door whilst calling me a pollutant?

The reaction your brand is receiving is because of the action your brand has taken!

Jason

[fionah]

Please therefore comment on which blog you are referring to!

I have left my second comment which is awaiting approval.

[Sarah@LBi]

Hi

Regarding Next appearing on M&S brand terms, I have let M&S know so that they can raise this with their search agency.

Thanks

[Elaine]

Fionna - you replied back in August/September when commissions were first reduced, this is when category based rates were first discussed and I agreed to keep promoting Next with the hope that this would be introduced.

In late December, when commissions were again reduced, I made my feelings known immediately to Affiliate Window - who I know were acting on my behalf and liaising with I-level/Next - and I'll state again - I received no communication from I-level or Next asking me to be patient or explaining the situation or relying to my posts or blog. As far as I knew you could have been totally ignoring me - 3 weeks in affiliate marketing is a long time - especially during one of the most lucrative times of the year - January Sales.

[Qui Gon Jinn]

it was not approved by the blog author.

Those sums required for comment submission can be a little tricky sometimes

Excellent angle Jason, would they then ban customers?

[Frostie]

I have left my second comment which is awaiting approval.

Your first comment was never received and guess what... you second comment hasn't been received. Therefore I have no idea where you are posting your comments Fionah!

Once again, would you be so kind to apologise in public after accusing me in public and not jump the gun presuming I am somehow censoring my blog?

Merchants and Networks all know that I will approve all comments no matter what it says and no matter if its in complete contradiction to what I say as has happened in the past on numerous posts. My blog is there for open discussion and I do not appreciate i-Level accusing me in a public place.

[Julie H]

2. Try and gag me for complaining and force me out of the door whilst calling me a pollutant?

The reaction your brand is receiving is because of the action your brand has taken!

Jason

If it was instore it would be like an SAS style approach - the alarm bells would ring, the shutters would come down and the NAP (Next against Pollutants) would come screaming out of the storeroom shouting 'down on the floor and put your hands behind your back' when this is done they'd approach with a gag, which they'd secure around your mouth.

[john-pp]

Que?

Next is open to constructive criticism regarding the management of the program

And in the very next breath.....

It is Next’s wish not to partner affiliates who pollute natural search space with negative comments about the brand.

Please clarify? Is there such a thing as a non negative criticism? Even "constructive" criticism is "negative" to some degree.

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john-pp

[fionah]

Fionna - you replied back in August/September when commissions were first reduced, this is when category based rates were first discussed and I agreed to keep promoting Next with the hope that this would be introduced.

In late December, when commissions were again reduced, I made my feelings known immediately to Affiliate Window - who I know were acting on my behalf and liaising with I-level/Next - and I'll state again - I received no communication from I-level or Next asking me to be patient or explaining the situation or relying to my posts or blog. As far as I knew you could have been totally ignoring me - 3 weeks in affiliate marketing is a long time - especially during one of the most lucrative times of the year - January Sales.

Elaine, I'm sorry if there was any misunderstanding, I assumed Affiliate Window were managing the communications with you. I'm happy to work in direct contact with you going forward.

[Qui Gon Jinn]

I'll ask again

May I ask who are the CURRENT junior & senior i-level staff who deal with the affiliate marketing channel

Stop deflecting blame & attention, it's not endearing at all & simply reaffirms what affiliates have been saying.

i Level & Next have had plenty of time & opportunity to communicate with affiliates via various means, even the networks too.

[Keith]

If perchance Fiona left a comment here http://www.affiliates4u.com/feeds/11...this_industry/ it wont show as only first 5 are on display, however if comment was left here Next Affiliate Programme Is A Disgrace To This Industry | Web Affiliate Marketing Blog | Affiliate Marketing Frosties antispam must be frying it.

[Frostie]

I'll ask again

Dont hold your breath mate, after all Fiona appears to have skipped my questions;
http://www.affiliates4u.com/forums/a...tml#post380545

Its bad enough that Fionah has accused me of censoring my blog but to then go on and say a 2nd comment has been left, which it hasn't.... Strange how everyone else in the world is capable of leaving comments isn't it! Also strange that everyone elses comments are authorised isn't it! But not even having the decency to publicly apologise when you are far too quick to publicly accuse... that just goes to show that my thoughts are founded. This title shouldn't read THE FACTS - THE LIES maybe more appropriate IMO.

On my birthday too!

PS - my antispam doesnt fry it. I can see all comments that have been held back by spam, and I have to go and approve or decline them manually. I also get a daily digest of whats been allowed in and not. Therefore I can guarantee 100% that no comments have ever been left on my blog. Make you own assumptions....

[fionah]

I'd like to ask whether you bother checking the search engines of an evening? As I saw the same affiliate bidding on brand on google with both buy.at and affilinet links last night.

Thanks for the heads up. I'll inform the search team of this.

[john-pp]

sorry, just had to add a couple more things to my post above. The more I look at that "polluting" quote the more it makes my blood boil

If it was your (fionah/next/i-level) intention to quell any "negative" "pollution" with your post then it has obviously had the exact opposite effect!

Did you truly not realise what an affront a statement like that is and what kind of backlash you would receive from people that are in the business of promotion/marketing?

The people carrying out this "pollution" are obviously more knowledgeable about this subject than yourselves and what should initially have been taken by you as "constructive" criticism you have managed to somehow turn into a PR disaster!


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john-pp