Stolen Commissions

webber · #1 (**permalink**) 05-12-2007, 07:48 AM

I've been reading a lot about people stealing affiliate commissions. For example, say they see an affiliate link on your website and they join the program and then buy from their own link. Anyone take any necessary precautions to avoid this?

lisa · #2 (**permalink**) 05-12-2007, 10:29 AM

Hey webber,

Unfortunately that's been an issue with affiliate programs for quite some time and I personally haven't done much to prevent it from happening to me. Some affiliates use link cloakers to hide the link so people don't see it's an affiliate link but that doesn't deter everyone.

For example, say you're already a Clickbank affiliate but you see a link on someone's site. You can usually tell a Clickbank landing page even if the link is cloaked. So you simply go to Clickbank, generate your own affiliate ID and buy from that one instead.

This is usually more of a problem with people who have sites related to Internet marketing because a lot of their visitors are pretty affiliate savvy. But if you have a site on gardening for example, many of your visitors may not be able to spot a Clickbank or CJ link for example so this is not as much of an issue.

That's why I like SiteSell's affiliate program because once you join, you are tied to the person that referred you. So even if someone I recruited buys from their own affiliate link, I would still get the commission because I'm tied to them in the SiteSell database by more than just a cookie. They check for last name and other identifiers, etc.

webdev · #3 (**permalink**) 05-12-2007, 11:10 AM

Oh wow! i had no idea people were doing that. Have you heard anyone stealing someone else google adsence clicks and revenue? I wonder if people are hacking adsence ? I would be very concerned.

webber · #4 (**permalink**) 05-12-2007, 02:40 PM

I'm not sure it's possible to hack Adsense, Webdev. With standard affiliate programs where you're given a link, it's easy for someone to swap it out and purchase with their own affiliate link but how would that work for AdSense?

The worst that could happen would be someone would try to steal your Adsense code from your web page but if they did that, you would actually earn the commissions. LOL So you would benefit. Unless I'm missing something not sure the stolen commissions apply to a program like that.

lisa · #5 (**permalink**) 05-12-2007, 04:31 PM

And also, as an Adsense publisher/affiliate you don't earn a commission when people buy the actual products advertised on your site... you only earn from the clicks so there's really nothing to steal from a theif's standpoint.

So no worries about AdSense. It's mainly conventional affiliate programs that just offer standard text links where the affiliate code can be swapped out.

miles · #6 (**permalink**) 05-14-2007, 09:26 PM

Won't cloaking your links help?

booklowertravel · #7 (**permalink**) 05-15-2007, 09:52 AM

You can use cloaking to hide the affiliate link or you could buy a domain and forward it to the affiliate link. It would be hard to report it to anyone because you cannot prove it so you have to take precautionary measures instead.

Ace728 · #8 (**permalink**) 11-20-2007, 07:45 AM

what is a cloaker? where can i see where once likes like compared to a regular add?

lisa · #9 (**permalink**) 11-20-2007, 11:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ace728

what is a cloaker? where can i see where once likes like compared to a regular add?

There's software you can use to hide your affiliate link or you can setup a meta refresh redirect. For example, let's say my affiliate link is
http://www.affiliate-link.com/1234 I could create a dirctory on my domain called "money" and on the index.html setup a meta refresh to go to the affiliate link.

So the link I display on my site is http://www.my-domain.com/money but it goes to http://www.affiliate-link.com/1234

That's one way of doing it but you can also buy cloaking software as well. I use the above method not because I want to hide my links but it's so much easier to maintain your affiliate links.

Let's say you want to change your affiliate link to a different page on the merchant's site, rather than having to update all the links on your pages you can simply update that one file.

Ace728 · #10 (**permalink**) 11-20-2007, 05:27 PM

oh ok..i think i get it now!

rooney · #11 (**permalink**) 11-20-2007, 05:38 PM

@webdev : There is one sure way to steal adsense earnings, hack the site and replace the code with yours. I know a few people who have had this issue.

@lisa : I do the redirect alot with affiliate links. Simply for tracking and to hide the ugly affil link. But buying a domain that is redirected I think would be alot better.

But stealing commision by signing up to the service is more of an ethics issue. But some people dont get the fact that sometimes the cookie can already be placed on your computer, those 1x1 pixel tracking images can be very crafty. And if there is a cookie already there then by bypassing your becoming a 2nd tier affiliate and the website that was dodged still gets commission.

lisa · #12 (**permalink**) 11-21-2007, 12:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rooney

But stealing commision by signing up to the service is more of an ethics issue. But some people dont get the fact that sometimes the cookie can already be placed on your computer, those 1x1 pixel tracking images can be very crafty. And if there is a cookie already there then by bypassing your becoming a 2nd tier affiliate and the website that was dodged still gets commission.

That's what SiteSell does and I think it's great.

rahmanalwi · #13 (**permalink**) 01-02-2008, 11:07 AM

any of you guys would like free affiliate cloaking software, download it at my website "download page".

I got is for a guy who is promoting his website and product using the cloaking software. You could ignore the ads, and use the software.

Cheers..

WB Sponsors