Stop using Dixons/Currys discount codes or we'll get medieval on yo ass!

[savespy]

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Anyone else just get the urgent email from Currys and Dixons via Tradedoubler about removing discount codes from your site or else...?

Basically says that if you have any unauthorised codes on your site that you should remove them within the next 24 hours or your account may be closed.

I've got a couple of pages where I've been using Currys/Dixons codes that I've found on widely used bargain sites. I had no idea they were unauthorised (how can you tell an authorised code?) as they were on the front page of the discount site so I naively assumed they were okay.

I'm prepared to take them down tonight but I'm pretty sure I won't make any sales from either now as the prices just weren't that competitive without the codes.

The thing that gets me is that the discount sites use Currys/Dixons TD affiliate links themselves (and have been for years) that must generate a ton of sales and it's hard to imagine them removing all discount codes in the next 24 hours or having their account closed through failure to do so.

Anyone got any thoughts on this?

[drivetowin]

If a discount code was not issued to you directly or published in an email from Currys/Dixons to you then it's unauthorised - it's that simple - if you want a code ask the merchant for one.

The fact that a code is on another site does not make it available for everyone to use.

[Barry]

From my experience this is not the first time that dsg + others have sent out mails similar to this asking affiliates to stop using codes not issued to them.
IMO people soon remove the codes once they have been disabled/paused on the campaign

Its only fair enough, as some of these codes that companies offer are part of a paid deals or trades.

[savespy]

Thanks for the replies, all sounds pretty black and white when you put it like that.

Like you say they have every right to protect their prices so I'll remove the codes tonight - and wave goodbye as my current sales disappear over the horizon

Comes as a bit of a blow as I'll have to rethink the site I was building which relied on finding good discount codes to get better prices than you might find on Pricerunner etc.

On a positive note I'll just keep building the site as best I can then approach Currys/Dixons to see if they might give me some codes.

[Qui Gon Jinn]

We don't push Currys or Dixons particularly until PC World has been sorted from end of last / begginning of this year, however James from DSG is a very amenable person who reguraly communicates with the forum & sure he will try to sort out any grievances, if any as he certainly is pro affiliate marketing.

[savespy]

That's good to know, hopefully I can get a chance to chat to James in the near future. Thanks for letting me know.

[Frostie]

If a discount code was not issued to you directly or published in an email from Currys/Dixons to you then it's unauthorised - it's that simple - if you want a code ask the merchant for one.

The fact that a code is on another site does not make it available for everyone to use.

I have no experience with codes from Currys/Dixons however there are other merchants where this isn't actually the case and sometimes sites on other sites are available for everyone to use. Having said that, as Keith has said, a quick email of phone call will clear it up on an individual merchant basis.

As a pointer this all stems from this thread here I suspect;
http://www.a4uforum.co.uk/showthread...ghlight=currys

[savespy]

Thanks Chris, hadn't seen the thread on the Tradedoubler forum. Took the codes off and hope to work something out soon.

[Chris_RO-Eye]

In my experience these sort of retailers panic as they suddenly realise how many of the sales they receive are discounted. LX Direct did this a while ago

The problem basically is that they don't have the infrastructure built into their e-commerce solution to be able to even tell who they have and haven't given a discount code to, so their solution is just to turn them all off! Not exactly logical...

Wait till their sales plummet and see how they react

[neoone]

The thing I don't understand is that how come most of us affiliates were told to remove the codes within 24 hours or have our accounts supended and still today some affiliates like Hot uk deals are actively promoting them this is over 7 days from the email sent to us all.

[renegade]

The thing I don't understand is that how come most of us affiliates were told to remove the codes within 24 hours or have our accounts supended and still today some affiliates like Hot uk deals are actively promoting them this is over 7 days from the email sent to us all.

Me neither, it's not a level playing field.

[drivetowin]

Have you reported those offending sites directly to James at DSG - I'm sure he will take action if you report them to him but it's a physical impossibility for him to check every site all of the time himself.

[1BIZLIST]

Some Networks do not actually know that a discount has been applied, so while the merchant obviously has this data if they are not passing it onto the Networks then they cannot be expected to do anything, as Keith says let them know and I am sure they will do the necessary.

Mark.

[neoone]

nothing is being done to hotukdeals, it has been 3 weeks since we were all told to remove codes and hotukdeals moderators have been adding codes daily and not removed any (over 50 threads for the price10) (i just find this so annoying and unfair )

I think we should all be allowed to put the codes up or no one should be allowed.

[Barry]

Nice one for bringing this thread to the top
Its about time that he was stopped from distributing these codes if we cant. There is no doubt that sales increase if a competetive deal like 10% off can be offered. Many 'savy' users surf till they find a code - and they wont find one on my site, all I have to offer is some of the cheaper products or promotions that they are having. They will in effect search till they find hot deals and either shop from there or perhaps sign up for his other site quidco which 'I believe?' is owned by the same guy and is promoted all over the forum.