Smart Engine Buy-Off Yes or No?

Ballswinger · 07-04-04

Definately NOT thankyou very much.

£10.00 takes the p*ss - at most we could only convert 200 sales pcm.
200 x 10 = 2000 x 6 months = 12000

We are out-of-pocket to the tune of £ 30,000 plus PPC costs to gain the sales pushing it up to £ 45,000

Unless they tell us who the buyer is I am not budging.
It's amazing - being treated like children (not gonna tell you nah nah)
We are all business men and women and the sooner they realise that the better.

I am open to negotiations, but only if I know who they are and only if I can speak to them direct.

What are you going to do?

Andrew

loquax · 07-04-04

In the immortal words of Jim from The Vicar of Dibley

"no, no, no, no" (etc)

Jason

qwerky · 07-04-04

I've agreed admitly im owed peanuts compared to the example posted here.
I do feel ripped off but i just want to see closure to this saga.

loquax · 07-04-04

Saying "yes" because it ends the little problem is a bit poor (sorry).

How many of you who said yes also want an affiliate union - because those of you who have said "yes" have demonstrated clearly that there's little chance of it happening.

If some of you want to come and work for me for no pay for the first six months, and then your pay + 33% for the next six (we'll write in the contract that you'll get paid) then sign up...

Jason

DutchRomano · 07-04-04

The problem is, the sales are pretty decent.

Yes, I am owned a xxx amount of money, but als generate a growing number of sales each month.

So, should I say goodbye to what "is" (despite not getting paid a penny) a good extra cash each month, or search for alternatives ?

DutchRomano

Chris Clarkson · 07-04-04

OK, been thinking about this all day.
While the amount owed personally to me pales to these figures, I still like the program, and it is still earning for me. Whether we see payment for current sales or not with VS is a thought too.

But, looking at it from an "Affiliate Union" point of view, while it might be in my own best interests to keep my head down, and take the extra £10, it's obviously not good for affiliates, and our industry overall.

So let's make some sort of stand, give the guys who suffered at the hand of these people our backing, and try to look like we won't be walked over again.

If someone is willing, layout a standard email reply, which we can all use to send back to VS, and make them "negotiate" again.

As I said, been thinking about this most of today, and the biggest step seems to be asking people not to do what's individually best for them, but for us to stick together.

Cheers

Chris

watcher · 07-04-04

I've agreed. Other than making life more difficult for Vermillion Skies I can't see that a no vote will affect the situation.

Certainly goodwill has been lost - but the formal declaration of its loss doesn't create any new funds.

Admittedly voting yes is for purely selfish reasons.

chrisk999 · 07-04-04

I think the tricky thing is knowing what the margins are for the new company that might purchase Fonetastic.

The new company needs to pay £20 extra if I'm able to recoup all lost commissions, based on a similar sales volume to before. £10 only just covers half the amount, but it does go some way towards helping.

If the new company makes £50 per connection after costs, then they can afford the investment of £20 extra, but as we can't confirm the name of the new company, we don't know what's possible.

Remember if everyone refuses, the sale of Fonetastic Mobile probably won't go through and then we've lost out anyway. And I really can't afford to lose all those commissions...

Mogga · 07-04-04

Company A is having huge problems paying you and is sold/given to company B who then sells it on to company C who offers you a bit of extra commission for the hassle of not being paid for 6 months?

Someone is making in this deal and it aint affiliates. (Unless the offer isn't limited to the equivalent number of sales you made in the period they're compensating for and you send more)

I can't be arsed with them to be honest. Not paying people is a bad habit to get into and shouldn't be tolerated.

Money is owed. A weak offer at compensation has been made.

I'm going to say no I think cos I can't be bothered redoing links to a company that now has a history of not paying.
Just my opinion and I think people should think long and hard about whether they do business with companys who are removing huge amounts of owed commission from them.

watcher · 07-04-04

Voting yes doesn't exclude the option of removing links. It isn't a binding commitment on the affiliate to carry on generating (any)traffic.

It does however let you see what the deal is.

People want co-ordinated action - fair enough.

Play the game - actually get to see what's on offer. When we've seen it then we can collectively remove links if it turns out to be crap. If a deal is done with the new company then they have something to lose - that is, affiliates threats have meaning.

Currently we have no bargaining chips.

Dynamoo · 07-04-04

I'd like to know who the mystery buyer is too. There are some merchants out there who I have vowed never to send another click to, no matter what the commission rate it - merchants who have stung me for a great deal more cash than Smartengine, in fact.

Personally speaking, I said a tentative "yes" but have for the time being removed most of my links. If I'm satisified with the new program, then I'll take it from there.

simon147 · 07-04-04

... until company B doesn't pay and is then bought by company C ...and then ....

similar thing happen to consumer lifestyles.