All signed up networks are currently violating IAB guidelines

[DanWBC]

Tweet

Dear All,

It appears that all networks signed for the IAB code of conduct are violating the guidelines by ignoring offending affiliates.

From the IAB 'voucher code' guidelines:

"What are the consequences if a site does not adhering to these rues?

The site will receive a warning from their network to change the site.
If this is not followed within 7 days a further warning will be sent
which if ignored again will result in the publisher being reported as
breaking these rules and suspension from the signed up networks."

Currently, Vouchercodes.com have ignored all warnings sent by IAB
council to them in June.

Not a single network has taken action, however.

Why networks are happy to allow certain affiliates to break the code?

This site's structure is purposely designed that way to mislead
consumers and confuse them into clicks on expired 'click-to-reveal'
codes and numerous codes with 'unknown' dates (which are well-known to
other affiliates), all those false codes are not distinctively marked
- but exactly opposite - marked as they are valid codes. False clicks,
earning commissions for the affiliate (and for the network!) where
otherwise a click shouldn't have occurred. This is so blatant and
considering that the affiliate is likely to be a Top 3 affiliate,
inability of networks and IAB to control the situation, leaving the
affiliate with indefinite time to comply, months and months go on -
nothing happens in the end!

I was made aware by Kevin Edwards that the IAB Council has contacted
this affiliate in June. Today is September and nothing has changed.
Apparently, the affiliate has replied that it takes time to update the
site, but this is such a pathetic excuse - I am not sure how IAB is
accepting it at all. To stop masking expired vouchers as valid, takes
few hours (or few days in a worst case).

So why this affiliate is still operating? Why is that the networks are
happy to profit on large scale policy-breaking activities?
What should compliant affiliates think about this situation?

Why networks have signed to follow on IAB guidelines but fail to
perform in such a simple case?

Please tell me.

[buspassjohn]

If you had a Goose that layed Golden Eggs, would you kill it? or if Turkeys had a vote, would they vote for Christmas?
Simples!

[DanWBC]

You think this site is run by someone from IAB Council? ;-)

[confuscius]

Just a simple case of the tail wagging the dog. The dog just doesn't know how to bark and has finally lost all of its its teeth. Mind you it can still give you a gold gumming if you really annoy it.

[dc000000]

How many people have complained to the OFT about this site?

They will not act upon a single complaint but they will if enough complaints are made.

[aclements10]

Hi All,

Thanks to everyone for their posts.

I am not going to speak for the IAB or other networks, however I do want to say a little about Digital Window’s position on this matter.

We have raised site compliance issues with vouchercodes.com in the recent past. These issues have mainly been individual breaches of guidelines, such as not displaying a code end date when one was available. The issues that we have pointed out have been resolved quickly.

However these were often isolated or one-off issues on particular merchant pages and perhaps we are guilty of not addressing wider site compliance issues with vouchercodes.com.

Certainly one major issue is that most expired codes ‘click to reveal’, regardless of whether the code expiry date is listed or not. This is a fundamental element of non-compliance, and one that prevails across most of the site. We have asked vouchercodes.com to deal with this immediately and if it is not resolved within 24 hours then further action will be taken. That will include suspension from Affiliate Window, Zanox and buy.at.

I’d like to reiterate to anybody concerned about affiliate compliance that it’s a matter we take very seriously. Given the potential long-term impact of failing to deal with non-compliant sites, it is something we do not and will not ignore. We have invested huge sums in monitoring tools to prevent affiliates from profiting from practices such as adware and brand bidding on our networks, and we have never shied away from tackling fraudulent or non-compliant affiliates, no matter how much they might be earning through the network.

Monitoring vouchercode compliance is an expensive and time consuming task for all networks. There are a lot of sites out there to go through, and different interpretations of the rules can lead to disagreements within the industry over what is compliant and what isn’t. That said, if we have given an affiliate too much flexibility, and rules have been broken as a result, then we hold our hands up, admit the mistake, and will do our utmost to put it right.

Kind Regards
Anthony Clements
Client Services Director
Tel: 020 7553 0353 Email: aclements@affiliatewindow.com

[TomP]

Good to see action being taken.

[KevinEdwards]

Hi there,

Following feedback from a selection of networks we feel sufficient efforts have been made to ensure compliance.

Ongoing monitoring is always necessary of sites and the more we self regulate as an industry the more resource and time will need to be put aside to ensure the codes of conduct that are issued are upheld. Self regulation grows in importance as digital grows and our channel, alongside other online channels, will come under increasing scrutiny.

Contrary to some of the opinions on this thread there is a collective will amongst member networks to ensure affiliates are acting within the spirit of the code. Given the manual nature of auditing we can never guarantee 100% compliance but we have a duty of care to the industry to ensure we are doing our best.

The IAB email address for anyone to submit questions or observations to is vouchercode@iabuk.net.

Thanks,
Kevin

[gunneradt]

Im more concerned abotu merchants that suspend their programmes at the drop of a hat to get out of giving notice - and the networks that go along with it. Networks should agree not to touch merchants that do this for 6 months to a year

[Hero]

Im more concerned abotu merchants that suspend their programmes at the drop of a hat to get out of giving notice - and the networks that go along with it. Networks should agree not to touch merchants that do this for 6 months to a year

can you please stop jumping to completely unfounded conclusions?

[splashy]

We have asked vouchercodes.com to deal with this immediately.

vouchercodes.com ? you surely must mean myvouchercodes - or maybe not. At least vouchercodes.com don't do pop-unders, and if they do not have a relationship with a retailer it goes to a goggle search page, and the expiry date is just above the link - which is just that, a link, - not a big button to distract from seeing the wee EXPIRED hidden at the bottom right and the date to the left.

[aotagain]

I'm pleased to see that the spirit of the code is important as well as the code itself.
Presumably that allows action to be taken where the code is being adhered to technically, but in very small print.

Or am I living in the clouds ?

[DanWBC]

Hi Anthony,

I remember checking their website after your post and it looked as if they have corrected their site structure. I thought it is a victory for compliant affiliates and for the IAB.

Today, however, out of interest I went to vouchercodes.com again and saw that everything is back and they are continuing playing games with you and us.

I can't attached screen shots to this thread, but will send them to you by e-mail.

Basically, they are doing exactly what they were doing before you asked them to stop: displaying expired codes across the site as valid, with click-to-reveal and with green arrow marks. They have also removed expiry dates from many expired vouchers, making them look as they are active and set expiry date as 'Ongoing'.

Needless to say, such dishonest and shameless activity, especially after such a serious warning from Affiliate Window, must be finally stopped now for good.

Certainly one major issue is that most expired codes ‘click to reveal’, regardless of whether the code expiry date is listed or not. This is a fundamental element of non-compliance, and one that prevails across most of the site. We have asked vouchercodes.com to deal with this immediately and if it is not resolved within 24 hours then further action will be taken. That will include suspension from Affiliate Window, Zanox and buy.at.

[DanWBC]

And another pathetic thing:

Whenever we receive a complaint from the merchant to negatively match their brand so it doesn't show for 'voucher codes for blahblah' searches, we try to comply asap. Merchants assure us that all other affiliates who're still appearing at that moment are also being contacted and dealt with.

You know what happens after weeks and months? Those PPC ads are still there. No action. Even more new affiliates appearing.

We must be so stupid to comply in the first place.

[KevinEdwards]

Dan,
It's worth pointing out the code doesn't currently cover paid search and this needs to be enforced by individual networks and their specific advertiser T&Cs.

Thanks,
Kevin