Booted off Jamba for 6p bids

[Leeky]

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Just got an email this morning from an affiliate manager for one of the Jamba programs saying i have 24 hours to lower my adwords bid or ill get booted off the program!!

Unbelievable!!!!

The problem is my ad is appearing above theres, im only paying 6p per click, if i lower it anymore then google will de-activate the keyword if my CTR falls due to having it lower... (low bid and low CTR) will de-activate the keyword.

Is it really my fault that my CTR is higher than theres, what if i lower it and my ad still appears above there ad... i really cant afford to get booted off this program, especially when the fault isnt mine.

Without this keyword i wont make any sales.

What can i do???

Cheers

Lee

[Leeky]

Ive just wrote to them explaining the situation and got this reply...


Hi Lee,

Thank you for your quick answer.

Jamba! has to be the first shown. If you don’t control it then don’t bid anymore on it.

I am wondering if affiliates should continue bidding. I keep you posted.

Cheers,

[KieronD]

Are you bidding on their trademark? If so then not much you can do. However if it is a generic term then you can bid however much you want. If they kick you off the program then find another.

[marky]

can you use this keyword for a different program ? Maybe send it to a different site/page ? If not build a content page with adsense/ppc listings until the storm blows over and they let you back / another merchant can fill the gap ?

[Leeky]

No, im bidding on a generic keyword, its a foriegn version of REAL RINGTONES.

[Leeky]

The keywords are only for that country, and Jamba are the only ones that i can find that is worth having in that country.

Good idea about the adsense page... :-)


Looking at the last email, Jamba are probably going to stop all bidding on any keyword.

[marky]

well it's their program, so I guess they can choose how affiliates promote them, but if they continue with this sort of attitude, take the term else where with a diff merchant (and maybe explain to them that they are forcing you to take your business elsewhere, and that your ad will remain above them, just the traffic will go to someone else instead of them.) They'll probably try and out bid you then, leaving you the 2nd spot at 6p, and you can revert to their program, or continue with your new merchant (I'm assuming there are lots of ringtone merchants covering this market)

[Leeky]

There are other merchants, and ive already got them on my website, but the commissions are very poor.

The problem is that in that country there is only Jamba which offers 'reasonable' commission.

The keywords i use are useless for any other country, and the domain name i use to forward the traffic to my site is also useless in any other country :-(

Im making about 60-90 sales a day through this one program, so i really dont want to get booted.

[Chris Clarkson]

Just out of interest were they bidding on this phrase before you started using it?

Chris

[Ste]

It looks like to me, you are too successful at marketing their brand, and they want a slice of the action without paying commissions. This is what gets up my nose about Merchants, you do a good job of promoting them and then they want the whole action. You will find this is most probably down to the AM who has seen a way to add profits to the company for a pat on the back.

This is what happens when AM’s are affiliates also. (Not saying that in this case!) Not really sure what to do in this situation, but go past the AM and explain your situation to someone higher. Always be nice!

[Leeky]

Yeah, they were bidding on this term before me, but there are plenty others also bidding on it.

Yes, its fraustrating that im getting booted for being too successful, it really doesnt make sense.

What they are thinking is that they can get all these sales without me, so if thats the case then why have affiliates in the first place?

If i want to keep bidding on that phrase im going to have to make my ad look less appealing so not as many click on it.

[Demorphic]

Lee,

Unfortunately you are going to have to agree or quit, it is not complex.

Like Keiron says, it comes down to merchant choice and if you disagree, then find another merchant.
You are right, Portugal is working well, and Jamba want to maximise performance there and not have click prices driven up be their own affiliates, it makes perfect sense.

Once the market becomes a little more competitve, I am certain she will be knocking at your door asking for your support.

Matt

[Lee_Owen]

Is Portugal on TD or Zanox?

[pricethat]

is on zanox, like most of the programs worldwide

[Leeky]

Good luck to anyone who can last a month with Jamba pt without getting the boot...

The first time i got booted was for having English words in my ad.
(I did the alterations and they let me back in.)

I was on track for over 1000 sales a month so i asked about the next level of commission.
(The reply was that i needed a minimum of 30,000 sales a month!!.. yes 30,000 )... basicly the answer was.. no go away!

I asked about a free ringtone banner like on jamster uk.
(The reply was ..."No, we will get in trouble off the operators"

I replied with.. "Thats fine, but you do have a free ringtone page, i just wanted to link to it??"
(The reply was in BOLD) "Again...No, we will get in trouble off the operators"

Then i got told to lower or remove my main keywords as mentioned above.
(I lowered them and they fell into 2nd and 3rd place), but Jamba pt still says that they are still appearing above there ads, even though my google account said they were position 2.... very odd???

Today i got another email from Jamba saying that i had to remove those keywords or use another display url which would attract a less CTR.
(So i removed the keywords)

Then immediately afterwards i was told then i couldnt use the domain name as it was "Misleading"

This domain name was 'GratisToques.com" -- ie Free Ringtones.

Fair enough, but if they think its misleading why didnt they say that initially, and why are they still using the keywords Gratis Toques' in there PPC ads?

One things for sure... she certainly doesnt like me.. or maybe just affiliates, or English people... or just people

Whinge over.

Lee