Splash DVD all Reversed

[angelabx]

Tweet

All my splash DVD sales are now showing on the 'removed' list and the amount has gone from my balance.

Looks certain now that we'll be getting nothing from TD for Splash.

Ouch!

[Qui Gon Jinn]

Quite disappointing,

Didn't TD collect funds in escrow on this merchants or is it becuase orders were not fullfilled, if the latter are TD just taking the merchants word for it.

It seems to be a very different stance to Buy.at who bit the bullet and offered to pay affiliates at their own expense.

I could be wrong but it seems two very different policies.

[getvisible]

three if you include AF.

I'm starting to think affiliates are at the bottom of TD's order of importance. Perhaps as low as deciding which coffee to have in the staff kitchen.

[TD Nick]

Hi,

TradeDoubler have always worked on the model where we pay our publishers only when we have received payment from the advertiser.

We also appreciate this payment issue has been brought up by our publishers before and it is being actioned. TradeDoubler are considering a "pre payment" system thereby securing payments and nullifying the exposure to risk our publishers can face.

We would like to remind our publishers that TradeDoubler normally have an excellent record with payments and I for one cannot remember the last time an advertiser was unable to pay their invoice.

I would also like to add that Splash DVD had been removed from the TradeDoubler network before their bankruptcy - overdue payments, rest assured, are taken very seriously by TradeDoubler.

Kind regards,

Nick

[Qui Gon Jinn]

Collecting payments in escrow was a topic covered many moons on both the forum and on the telephone with regard to TD. Now we are not personally affected by this particular merchant, but I was under the impression you did now collect in escrow otherwise the matter would not have rested.

Unforturtunately we were under the wrong assumption from the communications conveyed by yourselves, something myself and other affiliates got totally stung on CJ for Etoys and KB Toys.

Granted your payment collection system has improved significantly over the past year, buts it's instances like this all parties should be protected with a kind of credit insurance policy.

But correct me if I am wrong but isn't there something under UK law which over-rides any networks T&C's along the lines that if the publisher (small business) is not privvy to the third party contract between a network and merchant, the network is therefore liable to pay the commissions to the publisher.

It's something we are looking into a legal claim against CJ.

[Rich]

I would also like to add that Splash DVD had been removed from the TradeDoubler network before their bankruptcy

To me that makes it worse! Bankruptcy I can put up with if I have to, but the reason we haven't been paid is because TD failed to chase their debtors - something that is totally in TD's control and out of ours.

Adding to that the fact that the outstanding amount is moved to written off funds without notification or explanation really leaves a bad taste.

[angelabx]

Yep, I agree.

A official notification from TD would have been a nice touch, rather than just deleting the earnings.

Surely they should tell us before just doing such things?

Yes, Splash going bust is beyond their control I accept. I don't mind sharing the hit with them. That's business. But no communication is unforgiveable.

Relationships? Uh? What are they?

[Azam.net]

TD make a big deal of commission increases, but when they decrease, notification is sometimes not given. WHSmith slashed their commission and their affiliates were not even emailed, nevermind a notice posted on their website.

As you point out, TD have now not even bothered to mention the Splash DVD commission being conned out of us. We were owed nearly £700 from Splash. (I don't been conned by TD, BTW, but Splash's unscrupulous staff.)

Last time it was BlackStar/SendIt, this week it's Splash DVD - wonder which affiliate program will scam us next week?

Brilliant industry to be in - crooks left, right and centre.

[jhood]

I lost money on Splash DVD too and wasn't surprised when they went belly up! However, ChoicesDirect are an excellent alternative to the above aforementioned companies on TD!

[morleymouse]

or if you don't want to run the risk with TD again DVD companies are ten a penny (not the commission structure ) on other networks

[Azam.net]

> However, ChoicesDirect are an excellent alternative

We'd never promote any company which only paid us about 50 pence on the sale of a DVD - if their tracking works/order goes through/product is not returned/merchant doesn't feel like scamming their partners on said day. It's only in the affiliate game that people can get ripped off with such measily commission rates. For four years we have had a policy of not promoting any company that offers us less than 10% commission, unless they have something really special to offer.

Also, of course, who knows if we'll get paid? As TD/Splash DVD have proven, TD affiliates have no guarantee they will get paid. It's a gamble. Serious business people would never sink their teeth into such a shoddy and unreliable business field. Splash DVD are not the first merchants to have ripped affiliates off and will certainly not be the last.

[Stuart]

Hi All,

OK, I am new too this game but why would a merchant want to rip off affiliates, after all you are basically employed by the merchant as a virtual sales team (with no contract), you can choose to work with the merchant or not, work when and how you want and if you make sales you should get paid. We all know fraud takes place so there is a certain amount of fraudulent orders that get rejected or reversed, however if the sale is real you should receive all commission owed. Any merchant that deliberately goes out of their way to rip you off does not deserve to have you on board anyway.

I am working hard to look after our affiliates and treat them as I would any employee of our company - Just my 2 cents!!

Regarding commission levels (as mentioned in the post by Azam), I guess this is a bit more tricky, in the entertainment business, it’s all about volume, margins are tight and paying 10%+ could make or break some merchants. As the sales volume increases, a number of things can be done to increase margins, this can ultimately improve commission levels or reduce the price you sell at.

If you can keep the selling price down this will help increase conversions and ultimately more commission. This might explain why some big players like p**y.com
don’t have an active affiliate program