I have sent over 2000 clicks to a well known supplier of a product via affiliate links in the last 12 months from a strong product related website I have. The clicks are deep linked to the matching product page. The conversion rate I have received is really low. 0.04 pence per click, yet the site claims average click rate payout is over £1.20 per click. So you can see why it may look suspect. (or am i doing something wrong i keep asking myself)
On further investegation i see at the checkout the page it asks if you have a coupon code. So the obvious thing to consider is that people are then going off to look for coupon codes for the product. I then loose the commision as im not the last click.
I contact the company and complain that im loosing the commission to people looking for coupons (i mean who wouldnt look for one to save money) but the company say they dont offer coupons.
I then complain again that if they dont offer them why do they have a box for applying a coupon code if you dont offer them.
No reply. I complain again.. no reply. this happens time and time again all to no avail. Nothing changes.
Now i could leave the affiliate network for that product or complain to the affiliate network that hosts the company but i persist with it hoping they will change but again 6 months later and a further 400 plus clicks to the website, still a miserly 4 pence per click with just one sale. Still the website offers a coupon box at the checkout but yet after again complaining they say they dont offer coupons. But still they dont remove the coupons code box at the checkout.
I begin to think about it for a while with a suspicious mind.....
Is it possible that the seller knows that people are searching for coupons and then loosing the affiliates commission thus saving themselves money. As they won't pay on the last click brought to them through coupon codes or could they posibly be playing dirty and setting up ghost affiliates that they themselves own, they then get the good conversion rates so it looks good on paper but they dont actually pay anybody but themselves and the hosting network.
The commision rate is 10%. Which breaks down as 6% to the affiliate and 4% to the network. If they pay the network 4% to keep them sweet but save 6% paid to the affiliate it adds up to a very tidy sum as the commission on products can be anywhere between $xx-£xxx per sale.
I suspect there is foul play somewhere.
What do you think, is it a possibility?
*when i say voucher codes i mean voucher code and coupon websites, not specificaly vouchercodes/co/uk
On further investegation i see at the checkout the page it asks if you have a coupon code. So the obvious thing to consider is that people are then going off to look for coupon codes for the product. I then loose the commision as im not the last click.
I contact the company and complain that im loosing the commission to people looking for coupons (i mean who wouldnt look for one to save money) but the company say they dont offer coupons.
I then complain again that if they dont offer them why do they have a box for applying a coupon code if you dont offer them.
No reply. I complain again.. no reply. this happens time and time again all to no avail. Nothing changes.
Now i could leave the affiliate network for that product or complain to the affiliate network that hosts the company but i persist with it hoping they will change but again 6 months later and a further 400 plus clicks to the website, still a miserly 4 pence per click with just one sale. Still the website offers a coupon box at the checkout but yet after again complaining they say they dont offer coupons. But still they dont remove the coupons code box at the checkout.
I begin to think about it for a while with a suspicious mind.....
Is it possible that the seller knows that people are searching for coupons and then loosing the affiliates commission thus saving themselves money. As they won't pay on the last click brought to them through coupon codes or could they posibly be playing dirty and setting up ghost affiliates that they themselves own, they then get the good conversion rates so it looks good on paper but they dont actually pay anybody but themselves and the hosting network.
The commision rate is 10%. Which breaks down as 6% to the affiliate and 4% to the network. If they pay the network 4% to keep them sweet but save 6% paid to the affiliate it adds up to a very tidy sum as the commission on products can be anywhere between $xx-£xxx per sale.
I suspect there is foul play somewhere.
What do you think, is it a possibility?
*when i say voucher codes i mean voucher code and coupon websites, not specificaly vouchercodes/co/uk
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