Voucher Codes. Merchants Read This.

[befuddle]

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click to reveal code is used for planting a cookie as i see it , if it was a case of hiding the codes to stop them from being copied then surely you click the button and the code displays , you would then have another button/link to click to open the retailer site if you choose to , so you have a choice.

I agree with this. The merchant's site doesn't have to open when the code has been revealed.

This implementation was probably first introduced by those code site owners that used iframes, to make up for their loss of substantial income.

As I've said though, people will visit code sites, use their codes and not click links.

I have long considered going a step further and launch the merchant's site, if a user merely highlights and copies the code using their mouse.

[drivetowin]

Morph

When you've worked as long and hard as I have to fight for affiliate marketing per se as an industry then you may have a right to challenge my business acumen - many on here will know my business acumen is good and sound, so don't challenge me on that one sunshine as there will only be one winner and it won't be you.

I'm not sitting here with a broad smile on my face - equally if you reckon discount codes have such an easy time of it, why don't you create one (and please don't say 'my ethics wouldn't allow it') or I really will want to order you a string quartet.

"There's no begrudge about it. I simply wouldn't pay the affiliates where 90% of their traffic stream comes from visitors typing in "brand + voucher"." - so by your business acumen it's fine to defraud your affiliates then by not paying out on valid commissions (by my book if it doesn't breach network or merchant terms and conditions it's a valid commission) - or do you have that in your merchant terms and conditions and lose a good percentage of affiliates promoting your programme?

"Many merchants do not have valid codes. Even the ones that are stated as "valid" do not in fact work. The merchant hasn't put an expiry date on" - so how is that the affiliates fault exactly?

"Click the link on the code site, and on 95% + of occasions, nothing?" - what if there is a code though, do you use it - and do you still delete the cookie in which case YOU are stealing the discount site's commission are you not (or is that bit of business acumen ok with you?)

Voucher sites are most definitely not an easy leeching business model, a properly maintained voucher site takes many man hours to maintain.

"Most people decide what to buy, then look for the store to buy it at, THEN when they're at checkout, decide to go looking for a code" - I'm not disagreeing with you, it doesn't mean though that if they find a code for your competitor at that point they won't go off and buy from them instead...

And for the record - I don't have any 'dodgy' voucher code practices, I don't hide the voucher codes at all - people can click or not click it's up to them (though fortunately a good number do ) - so I'm not defending my personal interests, my voucher code contributes less than 10% of my income - but equally I'm not prepared to see an unwarranted witch hunt by someone whose only contribution to the forum thus far has been to attack other people's business model without sharing anything of their own business model - just what exactly are you so afraid of?

[befuddle]

The voucher sites display lots of "latest offers" - they're still getting the visitor to click and merchants continue to pay

Isn't this what affiliate marketing is?

[Cheapdvds]

I agree with this. The merchant's site doesn't have to open when the code has been revealed.

This implementation was probably first introduced by those code site owners that used iframes, to make up for their loss of substantial income.

As I've said though, people will visit code sites, use their codes and not click links.

I have long considered going a step further and launch the merchant's site, if a user merely highlights and copies the code using their mouse.

i think this is key to the whole discussion, if it was made "illegal" to have the retailer window open when u clicked to reveal , then it wouldnt matter as such if there was no code then displayed as no cookie would be dropped

[befuddle]

I simply wouldn't pay the affiliates where 90% of their traffic stream comes from visitors typing in "brand + voucher".

Why stop there? Surely if a user has entered a brand term into the search engine then that brand would have got the sale anyway according to your logic.

So don't pay any affiliates that receive traffic from users that have included the brand name at all.

[befuddle]

The pages are laced with voucher code words ... They rarely rank for product terms

Most code site owners build holding pages around the merchant rather than individual products, as it is the merchant who supplies the code.

Product codes generally have a very short shelf-life so they quickly become dated and you'll typically see these more on blog type sites.

For my long-term + converting + exclusive code merchants I am looking at their Top 10 products lists and building pages around those.

This will only mean even more of my pages appearing in the SERPS but the focus won't be on the merchant's name but on the product.

[Markup]

Well here's a turn up for the books...


...thanks to morph_ I have got what I believe to be two nice little bits of business thais morning and to amend me earlier post, I do now in fact have a vested interest in voucher code sites.

[gunneradt]

i think this is key to the whole discussion, if it was made "illegal" to have the retailer window open when u clicked to reveal , then it wouldnt matter as such if there was no code then displayed as no cookie would be dropped

ive got no problem with click to reveal sending them to the site with a code displayed when there is one

when there is no code the banner should read click to enter site only.

[befuddle]

All hypertext links across the Internet should read "click here"

[drivetowin]

All hypertext links across the Internet should read "click here"

Hopeless for SEO though mate, Adobe have held no1 spot on those keywords for ages.

[morph_]

If 90% of Click Here To Reveal code buttons resulted in no valid code...I think your FACT is wrong.

"people would stop using them wouldn't they?"

You'd think so. But a lot of people continue to use them because they think "this time, just maybe there will be a valid code". Because sometimes, there really is a valid code. If they've got a valid code, great - but most times there are no valid codes, but people will continue to use them due to the reason given above.

Why not PPC brand bidding cookies instead?.

AW are supposedly working on that. Don't know about the others.

I do now in fact have a vested interest in voucher code sites.

Pleased to hear it. You should set up a voucher site membership club - all the tactics, all the latest ploys. £50 a month. It would be great.

Isn't this what affiliate marketing is?

Yes, but not when the voucher site is sitting at top of SERPs with no codes taking commissions from other affiliates and with merchants paying unnecessary commissions.
Incremental sales.

maintained voucher site takes many man hours to maintain.

Yes, cheap per-hour Indian man hours. You can pretty much set it up on auto-pilot.

exactly are you so afraid of?

Sharks, heights, jelly fish and Koala bears. Again, your diversionary tactics won't fool anyone.

Affiliate Window (well done AW, credit where it's due) have clearly stated that:


this is not a fair way of apportioning reward. Naturally, the content site that puts considerable effort into researching and reviewing products then presenting them in an attractive and usable format is extremely aggrieved at the prospect of losing sales to an affiliate appearing on the merchant’s brand name.

Should only be a matter of time before AW applies it to voucher code sites? If I saw that before I made the post I would have simply posted that.

They rarely rank for product terms.

Exactly my point. They rank for "blah voucher code" and not product terms.

@drivetowin

"whose only contribution to the forum thus far has been to attack other people's business model "

That's one view. The other view is that I'm standing up (and promoting discussion) for all non-voucher code site owners (the majority) who see their cookies regularly get replaced with voucher code site cookies.

If you don't agree with AW's statement, and don't want to see content site owners get more fairly rewarded for their efforts. Fine. That's up to you. Affiliate Window and other networks likely agree - a fairer system is needed. To suggest "accept it" and "it's business" is short-sighted.

The perception of doing the "right thing" for affiliates is very important. I commend AW on their planned solutions, let's hope they address the voucher site issue sooner rather than later and other networks follow suit.

1. Affiliate networks can improve their affiliate relations by taking action on voucher code sites - good PR.

2. A lot of content site owners who are "extremely aggrieved" will thank the networks and be more likely to work with them now and in the future.

END OF POST. NO MORE COMMENTS BY ME. Off swimming.

Thanks for reading. Have a wonderful day. :tup

[drivetowin]

Like all poor politicians Morph, you trundle out 'facts', but blatantly ignore the four questions I asked in my last reply to your post - or are they a bit too near the knuckle to answer?

Why do you keep quoting from an AW document that was all about brand bidding and not at all about discount codes - now who is trying to use diversionary tactics?

Also, how do you know where I and other voucher site owners get our manpower from - I for one use UK labour which costs the going market rate.

Where exactly are all these aggrieved content site owners? - reviewing this thread and your other thread I don't exactly see throngs of them rushing to back you up.

[befuddle]

If you don't agree with AW's statement.

Actually I don't agree with the statement.

• I am a TRUE affiliate.
• I do create sales at the START of the customer journey
• I put CONSIDERABLE EFFORT into RESEARCHING and REVIEWING merchants, codes and their offers - not products
• I present them in an ATTRACTIVE and USABLE format

[Cheapdvds]

Where exactly are all these aggrieved content site owners? - reviewing this thread and your other thread I don't exactly see throngs of them rushing to back you up.

i think there are plenty , but keep out of the discussion due to the fear of others that just rubbish their comments

[befuddle]

I think he's in Barbados