Formal Request to Webgains

[Qui Gon Jinn]

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After careful consultation between the moderators, this is a polite formal request to Webgains to ascertain which programs within your network have closed brand bidding groups, and ask to please submit these to the forum & include within the merchant information details within their own interface.

This will assist towards transparency & a fairer environment for affiliates.

Please could you also confirm that you don't do any ppc at network or employee level, or at least don't make themselves members of closed groups at the same time?

We'd be grateful if you could supply this information and help alleviate some of the issues that have arisen due to closed group activity.

Thank you for your co-operation.

[Ryan Gilbert]

Webgains has been an open network from launch date – we believe that honest relationships are the foundation of successful programs. We have always communicated openly whenever any affiliates have asked us these questions.

Webgains does have certain programs with closed PPC groups, either with brand rights or with display URL rights. This is clearly and explicitly communicated in each program’s description and its PPC policy. On certain occasions, the description even informs of closed groups outside of the network program (in-house program settings). The reason some merchants choose to have a closed group is because they want to develop a close relationship with specific affiliates, while maintaining control of how and where they are represented; and at the same time the program performs within the client’s budget and directives. The affiliates participating in each closed group are chosen by the merchants after consultation with their program’s account manager, who recommends affiliates based on previous performance, proven value & self discipline. Because the closed group is advertised in the program description, any affiliate can contact the merchant and the account manager in order to be considered for inclusion. All selected affiliates undergo frequent evaluation based on the generated results.

Webgains acts as the intermediary between the affiliates and the merchants, providing the technology for them to work together. Webgains does not engage in any affiliate activity for their clients. Webgains staff are encouraged to get a good understanding of the affiliate perspective by using datafeeds to build hobbyist sites, which will help them support affiliates and merchants in a more efficient way, but are prohibited from using direct PPC to promote any merchants. Our staff have a professional attitude and a sense of personal responsibility, are well aware of the boundaries within the industry and the conflict of interest stemming from working at an affiliate network.

[Qui Gon Jinn]

Hi Ryan,

I for one appreciate that Webgains is one of the better networks in providing adequate notice with reference to most programs who change their ppc policy. However, since wading through several hundred programs on one network is a relatively tedious process, would you be able to publish these here or within you interface so that these can be viewed at a glance, please. Not just closed groups, but also those with policies in general.

[Ryan Gilbert]

We've made a function available for all affiliates to review and compare programs quickly and easily so the task is not tedious. This includes PPC Policies and agency/closed groups information that we know about.

Under the programs Menu, click on "all programs" > choose columns > select "Keyword Policy" & "Keyword Restrictions" > then choose "show all". You can then scroll down the page and view all our merchants policies including agency or closed groups information across the 6 countries that we currently operate in. NB: If you are not joined to those countries, you will not see them in the list.

If any affiliates would like to apply for inclusion in a closed PPC policy program or a closed PPC group, we're happy to discuss it with our clients on your behalf.