Giving away all my voucher site source code...

[Frog]

Would you use it?

I'm about to package up all my source code (as currently used on CouponCroc.co.uk) and make it freely available for anyone to use to build their own voucher site.

We've spent 5 figures and 18 months getting this completely custom CMS to the level its at just now...absolutely everything is customisable from the admin panel, and was built from the ground up with seo in mind.

It also has a full logging system for staff if you wanted to use them - it will tell you exactly what time each day deals were added and so on.

I'm considering packaging it with an installer script - you would just need to upload the files, then open it in your browser and fill in a few data fields (similar to a WP install), then upload a logo and you'd be in business.

The source code will be unencrypted, you will be free to modify it as long as you comply with the original license which will be to use it in English language sites only, and to keep a "powered by..." link in the footer.

Right now all of the deals and codes etc are entered manually on my own site. I would consider having the coder integrate icodes to it so that that aspect of it was automated also if it would be preferable to users...

Would this be an attractive proposition with/without icodes? I'm going to do this either way, just wondering whether I should release it tomorrow as is, or hold off a bit, and spend more money, integrating it all for automated updates.

Any thoughts?

thanks

 

[wb]

Strangely enough I was just browsing the iCodes website and looking at their framework on offer.

Would there be an option to pay to remove the footer link in future? Doubt I will be setting up a voucher website, but if I did and it was doing well I wouldn't really want a footer link on it and would happily pay to have it removed (allowing you to then use the cash to buy some replacement links if needed)?

 

[Frog]

Perhaps we could do... but honestly I'd rather have links than money. if I'm letting people use the CMS we built then I think a link back to me with my url as the anchor is a 100% legit way to build links. If I sell someone the right to use it without link... I then need to spend time looking to turn that money into legit links elsewhere.

I wouldn't expect any big player to use this setup and give me a credit link back... but for smaller affiliates spending that amount of money on coding is not viable at all - giving me a credit link is a way to get in the game. Once they were more established there would be nothing to stop them switching over to their own system and removing the links if they wanted.

 

[wb]

I wouldn't expect any big player to use this setup and give me a credit link back... but for smaller affiliates spending that amount of money on coding is not viable at all - giving me a credit link is a way to get in the game. Once they were more established there would be nothing to stop them switching over to their own system and removing the links if they wanted.

True, it's definitely a good idea for smaller affiliates.

The main reasoning behind asking about buying the link removal is because as you say, when they are more established they may switch over to their own system. If they do this then the link would be lost anyway, so you may as well include the option to just purchase your system along with copyright removal and cash in from it?

If you're doing it mainly for links then it would need to be a cost which is too high for small affiliates to just purchase removal (otherwise that would defeat the object) but reasonable enough for a more established website to want to pay for removal over developing their own system.

Just a thought.

 

[Frog]

Letting people remove the link is definitely not a decision I'd want to rush into... keeping the people using it to the smaller end of the market who were happy to give up a link in return for not having to pay a coder might make more sense from my point of view.

I'm not sure if I want people using my own CMS to compete against me at the other end of the scale. Although its possible that in that situation, anyone doing so would have also done so via their own CMS if mine hadn't been available... so I might have been as well taking their money anyway

 

[monaghan]

Looks a good idea to me, I'd certainly be interested in exploring a voucher site.

 

[WaftyCrank]

I'd be interested too frog especially with iCodes integrated.

 

[Aaron Clifford]

Have to be careful though with anything like this people will remove the links once it gets out into circulation, problem being tracking all of the people you've sent it to and then contacting all the people you didn't send it to that will get hold of it.

I suppose it's up to you to decide whether the people using it with the link would be more valuable to you than people removing the link and basically making competition for yourself.

 

[Blossom]

Have to be careful though with anything like this people will remove the links once it gets out into circulation, problem being tracking all of the people you've sent it to and then contacting all the people you didn't send it to that will get hold of it.

I suppose it's up to you to decide whether the people using it with the link would be more valuable to you than people removing the link and basically making competition for yourself.

Could insert the link using php called from a completely different file, if scrambled and made complex it would be almost impossible to track down and remove from the source.

To track who is using it, add a line or two of bespoke text (again, scrambled and called from a different file) that will appear in the source code, and then Google it to find out who is using it.

 

[Aaron Clifford]

True, If its a pretty good script and anyone from the cracking scene get hold of it, they will NULL it. I guess its about putting your trust in people to leave it intact.

 

[Admin]

I would be interested, please include me if you decide to send it out.

Thanks

Admin

 

[Frog]

Have to be careful though with anything like this people will remove the links once it gets out into circulation, problem being tracking all of the people you've sent it to and then contacting all the people you didn't send it to that will get hold of it.

I suppose it's up to you to decide whether the people using it with the link would be more valuable to you than people removing the link and basically making competition for yourself.

I don't doubt that some people will end up removing it, but when we were thinking about that aspect of it I don't think its that big of a worry. No big site/company is going to risk legal action by using a pirated script to run their site, and anyone small enough that they are willing to take that risk is not serious competition to me I don't think.

If anyone does choose to go down that route their host could be DMCA'd I guess, and affiliate networks can't openly let affiliates run their sites on stolen software also so there is another avenue to chase them down also.

I will speak to my coder today about integrating icodes, I'm not sure how much work is involved there.

 

[Frog]

Okay from last weeks feedback we now have icodes fully integrated - the site will update automatically. There is a field in the admin panel to put your icodes username and everything will happen with no further input from you, hourly. You can of course also add all your deals manually if you like, or edit the icodes ones once they are on the sites.

Anything else anyone wants added? I'm open to reasonable suggestions from either a usability or seo point of view.

 

[Admin]

Would be cool to be able to automatically import the trade doubler, affiliatefuture, webgains or affiliatewindow voucher feeds

 

[Joeyl]

I would also be interested if you went ahead

 

[Vialli]

Another one here who would be interested, any ideas on when you would be looking to release it?

 

[aZooZa]

Also interested.

 

[mark]

Consider me interested

 

[The Ferryman]

Also myself, please.

Bruce

 

[mally]

I'm interested too