Which Network would You NOT Recommend to a Merchant?

[Qui Gon Jinn]

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Considering the current climate, re: spyware etc

If a merchant was looking to join just one single network, who would you NOT recommend or Suggest to AVOID?

Q. Which Network would You NOT Recommend to a Merchant?

The reason for doing a flipside of the POLL gives a better perception of affiliates opinions.

!!! You can select more than one option !!!

[missey]

I would expect Tradedoubler and CJ to score high on this one as there are more affiliates who use them and hence more affiliates who will abuse them.

[Darren]

I would think their positions on spyware affiliates will be a big factor in the decision making on this one.

[Keith]

Never had any luck with Befree and since they took over CJ that has gone way downhill

[Barry]

CJ for sure!

With their current policy on spyware/push advertising, CJ would have no chance of me recommending them (besides the fact my application for their merchant referral program has been on hold since I can't remember when!)

[sboxster]

I've voted against the ones that always get a slating on here about payment and pendings. For my money it's more important that you get paid - regardless of their position on spyware, you'll find that your mortgage etc. gets paid much better and more promptly when dealing with a financially ethical network.

For me, the ethics of prompt and proper validation and payment far outweigh those of a network using spyware. If someone's sitting on thousands of pounds of YOUR money how ethical is that?

Most of the people that post on here, outside of the "mod team", don't make a great deal according to the networks and merchants that I talk to. However, they're fantastically sycophantic when it comes to being told how to form their opinions - just look at the comments above.

I think it's really stupid to actively support networks that continually mess you around with money just because you've been told to. Did your landlord/mortgage lender ask you if the money you last paid them with came from a spyware affiliated network?

There's one network on here who ae getting constantly slated for bad validation/payment. They have a customer testimonial on their site from a delighted merchant who says that their support is second to none.

This same network has ignored email via their own support form, sticky mails on here, and normal emals outside this system every time I sent them. In once case, the guy ignored three urgent emails in a week, so I guessed he was away. NO, he was writing a lengthy post on about why his network's support shouldn't be slagged off on here!

Like I say, ethical or not, money talks. And for those of you wondering how to make ends meet until your money finally does turn up, let me tell you that CJ and TD's payment record with me is second to none and ask how your ethics are going to pay all those bills??

[Luke]

Well AffiliateFuture don't promote spyware, have no pendings and paid on time every month since they launched about 2 years ago, and I think the same can be said for PaidOnResults.

It looks like AffiliateWindow are cleaning their act up as have DGM.

In fact I would counter that TD actually don't pay as well as others always, they don't compensate if a merchant doesn't pay them for instance while AF do and Buy.At have been good for this too.

Still I know there is a large element of big boys club here, so sycophancy is inevitable, but hey that's human nature - a lot of them are friends and friends do tend to stick up for each other...

[Soletrader]

A forum like this gives people a chance to have a bit of a whinge, but I'm not sure what proportion of sales for CJ are made my affiliates on A4U. I have spoken with several super affiliates who haven't even heard of this board.

Still, it makes one feel better.

[getvisible]

how your ethics are going to pay all those bills

they allow me to pay MORE of my bills rather than that money going to mr 180 or Mr W. Henu to pay for another villa for them.

Waiting an extra month for money is better for me than not getting it at all.

[sboxster]

Yes Luke, AF are a great network when it comes to payments and validations. It's a shame that their terms of business actually prevent them from signing up really big merchants, but when I last raised this on here all the other networks (that let their merchants bully them into late payment, etc. because they were blue chip companies) gave a thousand reasons why the AF system wouldn't work for them.

The fact still remains, if AF were the only network these merchants would have no choice and we'd all get paid on time.

For those of you who'd rather wait for the money I can only say that you are being economically stupid. The longer the money's in your bank the more interest you make.

And let's face it, do CJ and TD really give a toss about all the noise on here? No, otherwise they would have reacted by now. Maybe, like me, they know how small an impact the noisemakers here can have, and have decided that it's a risk they can easily afford.

[Shane]

At the CJ university the other month they said something along the lines that they estimate that spyware only accounts for 1% of sales...

if it were only 1% I suspect it would have been erradicated months ago..

[Luca Brasi]

I think you make a valid point xboxster but I don't see why these 2 things are seperate.

We'd all surely prefer a spyware free network that pays regularly on time.

And there are networks that do this so lets promote them to merchants until CJ & TD get their act together.

[getvisible]

For those of you who'd rather wait for the money I can only say that you are being economically stupid. The longer the money's in your bank the more interest you make.

He he - just looking at my 2.1 Economics Degree certificate before I reply.

Ok, thats done.

that only makes sense if the value of the interest in your bank exceeds the value of the commisssions stolen.

Do you know a bank that pays 10% interest a month (my calculation of amount "stolen"). If you do know of such a bank then please let me know.

[sboxster]

Luca, you're right. CJ or TD's merchant list with AF's validation and payment system, plus AF's attitude to spyware would be perfect! Until then, we make do with the best of a bad bunch, or in my case get as many direct deals as possible.

Network income now accounts for less than 40% of my total, and there are many many other benefits too, such as being able to work together to improve things and testing new stuff, etc. These arrangements, when properly set up, are genuinely win-win and the removal of the middle men gives both merchant and affiliate more profitability.

[sboxster]

"Most of the people that post on here, outside of the "mod team", don't make a great deal according to the networks and merchants that I talk to"

From my first post in this thread.