Comments on: Kieron, why don’t your remove your old discount codes? http://www.here.org.uk/2008/02/kieron-why-dont-your-remove-your-old-discount-codes.html Welcome to Kieron's blog - the life and times of an Internet Marketeer Mon, 01 Dec 2008 17:50:38 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: The Online Marketing Blog | Hidden Offers vs Hidden Codes- Another view of discount sites http://www.here.org.uk/2008/02/kieron-why-dont-your-remove-your-old-discount-codes.html#comment-7093 The Online Marketing Blog | Hidden Offers vs Hidden Codes- Another view of discount sites Tue, 08 Apr 2008 14:31:04 +0000 http://www.here.org.uk/2008/02/kieron-why-dont-your-remove-your-old-discount-codes.html#comment-7093 [...] then brings up the question of expiry dates. It’s not difficult to implement expired posts as I’ve posted about here However I [...] [...] then brings up the question of expiry dates. It’s not difficult to implement expired posts as I’ve posted about here However I [...]

]]> By: Marc http://www.here.org.uk/2008/02/kieron-why-dont-your-remove-your-old-discount-codes.html#comment-6429 Marc Fri, 15 Feb 2008 04:07:41 +0000 http://www.here.org.uk/2008/02/kieron-why-dont-your-remove-your-old-discount-codes.html#comment-6429 Kieron I agree!!! I do the exact same thing. I need to keep that content. As to everyone who is talking about going back to replace codes. I just can't be bothered combing hundreds of posts looking to update codes everyday. If it's a big problem for merchants, they need to give us links that will automatically update. That wouldn't be hard to do, would it. Somehow I don't think merchants are very keen on the idea though. Kieron I agree!!!

I do the exact same thing. I need to keep that content.
As to everyone who is talking about going back to replace codes. I just can’t be bothered combing hundreds of posts looking to update codes everyday. If it’s a big problem for merchants, they need to give us links that will automatically update. That wouldn’t be hard to do, would it. Somehow I don’t think merchants are very keen on the idea though.

]]> By: purple http://www.here.org.uk/2008/02/kieron-why-dont-your-remove-your-old-discount-codes.html#comment-6408 purple Thu, 14 Feb 2008 00:28:28 +0000 http://www.here.org.uk/2008/02/kieron-why-dont-your-remove-your-old-discount-codes.html#comment-6408 Rob I agree with your comment that it seem futile for a merchant to try to get all the content about an offer off the internet. I was trying to put the view from this merchants point of view. I think what Kieron has done with the setanta offer is the best way, as an old code is not listed but the vistor is invited to see what new offers setanta have. Merchant and Kieron win which is cool. I am against listing of old expired codes, as a customer it is annoying getting all these expired codes i dont even bother with discount codes when shopping online now. Rob I agree with your comment that it seem futile for a merchant to try to get all the content about an offer off the internet. I was trying to put the view from this merchants point of view.
I think what Kieron has done with the setanta offer is the best way, as an old code is not listed but the vistor is invited to see what new offers setanta have. Merchant and Kieron win which is cool.
I am against listing of old expired codes, as a customer it is annoying getting all these expired codes i dont even bother with discount codes when shopping online now.

]]> By: Rob http://www.here.org.uk/2008/02/kieron-why-dont-your-remove-your-old-discount-codes.html#comment-6406 Rob Wed, 13 Feb 2008 23:09:23 +0000 http://www.here.org.uk/2008/02/kieron-why-dont-your-remove-your-old-discount-codes.html#comment-6406 I'd agree with Kieron on this one. Purple gave an analogy about billboard advertising. Billboard adverts go up, then they come down - that's the nature of the medium. On the web, you write a post, it gets cached, scraped, archived, aggregated, reproduced by various sites and services. Once it's out in the ether, it seems a futile task trying to eliminate any record of its existence so why even try. If a merchant absolutely insisted on it, I'd take it down, but I think it's completely reasonable to retain details of an offer that existed at some previous point in time as long as the expiry date is made clear. I’d agree with Kieron on this one. Purple gave an analogy about billboard advertising. Billboard adverts go up, then they come down - that’s the nature of the medium. On the web, you write a post, it gets cached, scraped, archived, aggregated, reproduced by various sites and services. Once it’s out in the ether, it seems a futile task trying to eliminate any record of its existence so why even try. If a merchant absolutely insisted on it, I’d take it down, but I think it’s completely reasonable to retain details of an offer that existed at some previous point in time as long as the expiry date is made clear.

]]> By: Kieron http://www.here.org.uk/2008/02/kieron-why-dont-your-remove-your-old-discount-codes.html#comment-6401 Kieron Wed, 13 Feb 2008 22:13:15 +0000 http://www.here.org.uk/2008/02/kieron-why-dont-your-remove-your-old-discount-codes.html#comment-6401 Matt, its no "trick" as there is nothing untoward, unethical or even slightly black/grey hat about leaving old content up on a website. Why would Google ever penalise a website for this???? Have you ever done a search for something on Google and found that the top result is say a story from BBC news that is 2 years old? I have, on many occassions. So will the BBC or any website with lots of historical content be banned? How absurd. I also disagree that a user has no interest in viewing old codes and offers. By seeing what was available in the past they can gauge what may be available in the future. It may also suggest to users that some merchants are more proactive than offers in offering discount/codes, all which goes towards giving users more information so the can make an informed buying decision. Take the case of Setanta again, if someone searches for "setanta offers" then my Setanta page gets listed. What is wrong with a user viewing an old offer which I CLEARLY state has expired but then clicking on the Setanta link anyway just to see what is on offer from Setanta themselves? I'm not giving anyone false promises or being deceitful or even forcing clicks. It sounds like you are saying that all old content must be removed, well that's not what the web is about. For me, on UKoffer.com at least its about keeping a historical record of what offers and codes were available as well as new and up to date offers. Absolutely nothing wrong with that. Matt, its no “trick” as there is nothing untoward, unethical or even slightly black/grey hat about leaving old content up on a website. Why would Google ever penalise a website for this???? Have you ever done a search for something on Google and found that the top result is say a story from BBC news that is 2 years old? I have, on many occassions. So will the BBC or any website with lots of historical content be banned? How absurd.

I also disagree that a user has no interest in viewing old codes and offers. By seeing what was available in the past they can gauge what may be available in the future. It may also suggest to users that some merchants are more proactive than offers in offering discount/codes, all which goes towards giving users more information so the can make an informed buying decision.

Take the case of Setanta again, if someone searches for “setanta offers” then my Setanta page gets listed. What is wrong with a user viewing an old offer which I CLEARLY state has expired but then clicking on the Setanta link anyway just to see what is on offer from Setanta themselves? I’m not giving anyone false promises or being deceitful or even forcing clicks.

It sounds like you are saying that all old content must be removed, well that’s not what the web is about. For me, on UKoffer.com at least its about keeping a historical record of what offers and codes were available as well as new and up to date offers. Absolutely nothing wrong with that.

]]> By: Matt Gazulis http://www.here.org.uk/2008/02/kieron-why-dont-your-remove-your-old-discount-codes.html#comment-6400 Matt Gazulis Wed, 13 Feb 2008 21:48:59 +0000 http://www.here.org.uk/2008/02/kieron-why-dont-your-remove-your-old-discount-codes.html#comment-6400 Kieron, I respectfully disagree with your argument. This strategy is an SEO trick that in the end provides poor content to your users. If content is what gets SEO, then in the end this tactic will cease to help your site. Google has a history of discovering these tactics and the consequences for sites expoiting these loopholes is never good. Just look at all the sites whose pageranks got decreased when Google discovered they were selling links. At Codes.co.uk we do not eliminate expired codes from ouy database but they are not displayed to the user. Why? Because a user has no interest in expired offers. When an offer expires contact the merchant and find out their plans for future codes. This facilitates good communication with merchants and will ensure good content for your users in the future. Kieron, I respectfully disagree with your argument. This strategy is an SEO trick that in the end provides poor content to your users. If content is what gets SEO, then in the end this tactic will cease to help your site. Google has a history of discovering these tactics and the consequences for sites expoiting these loopholes is never good. Just look at all the sites whose pageranks got decreased when Google discovered they were selling links.

At Codes.co.uk we do not eliminate expired codes from ouy database but they are not displayed to the user. Why? Because a user has no interest in expired offers. When an offer expires contact the merchant and find out their plans for future codes. This facilitates good communication with merchants and will ensure good content for your users in the future.

]]> By: purple http://www.here.org.uk/2008/02/kieron-why-dont-your-remove-your-old-discount-codes.html#comment-6398 purple Wed, 13 Feb 2008 18:34:52 +0000 http://www.here.org.uk/2008/02/kieron-why-dont-your-remove-your-old-discount-codes.html#comment-6398 I see what you are saying Kieron but I guess the merchant is trying to control their presence online, in the same way as they want to control ad copy, what banners we use, and if we can bid on brand on ppc. I guess this merchant does not want the message that they are offering a discount code when in fact they are not. In your example of setanta you are advertising a £5 a month for 3 months which is now finished. Setanta are happy for you to still promote which is their decision. However some merchants would not want their customer getting confused message suggesting this deal is still available. I guess it is like if they had a billboard advert they would want it changed when their offer had run out, so the billboard ad agency would either put a new billboard up or sell space to someone else. I guess this merchant is requesting that you remove the advert from your virtual billboard as it is out of date. From your point of you you want to keep it as you still potentially benefit, from the merchants point of view he wants only new offers advertised hence the request to take page down. All merchants are different so some would still be cool with it. I see what you are saying Kieron but I guess the merchant is trying to control their presence online, in the same way as they want to control ad copy, what banners we use, and if we can bid on brand on ppc.
I guess this merchant does not want the message that they are offering a discount code when in fact they are not.

In your example of setanta you are advertising a £5 a month for 3 months which is now finished. Setanta are happy for you to still promote which is their decision. However some merchants would not want their customer getting confused message suggesting this deal is still available.

I guess it is like if they had a billboard advert they would want it changed when their offer had run out, so the billboard ad agency would either put a new billboard up or sell space to someone else.

I guess this merchant is requesting that you remove the advert from your virtual billboard as it is out of date.

From your point of you you want to keep it as you still potentially benefit, from the merchants point of view he wants only new offers advertised hence the request to take page down.

All merchants are different so some would still be cool with it.

]]> By: Kieron http://www.here.org.uk/2008/02/kieron-why-dont-your-remove-your-old-discount-codes.html#comment-6397 Kieron Wed, 13 Feb 2008 18:29:05 +0000 http://www.here.org.uk/2008/02/kieron-why-dont-your-remove-your-old-discount-codes.html#comment-6397 Hi Ian, yes I get about 90% of my codes from merchant/network emails and the same channels as you. And yes I do get loads! However these emails are invaluable as without them I wouldn't have any content from my site! I do get some unique discount codes from certain merchants too, and these are always very much welcome :) Hi Ian,

yes I get about 90% of my codes from merchant/network emails and the same channels as you. And yes I do get loads! However these emails are invaluable as without them I wouldn’t have any content from my site!

I do get some unique discount codes from certain merchants too, and these are always very much welcome :)

]]> By: ian-d http://www.here.org.uk/2008/02/kieron-why-dont-your-remove-your-old-discount-codes.html#comment-6396 ian-d Wed, 13 Feb 2008 18:26:08 +0000 http://www.here.org.uk/2008/02/kieron-why-dont-your-remove-your-old-discount-codes.html#comment-6396 I don't see why Kieron needs to remove the code at all, unless the merchant absolutely demands it, even after an explaination. The reason i say this is that i don't feel a visitor is any more likely to feel forced through to a merchants site, whether that be with a code showing with a clear message saying when it expiries, or when the code is replaced with 'code expiried', so i can't see why Kieron needs to spend more time removing old codes when they aren't doing any harm! Kieron, speaking of which, can i ask, where do you get your discounts from, do they all come through the same affiliate channels as the rest of us, or do you get any exclusive ones from the merchants directly? I have to wonder how many merchants you are now signed up to, must be hundreds, your mailbox must go crazy each day lol I don’t see why Kieron needs to remove the code at all, unless the merchant absolutely demands it, even after an explaination. The reason i say this is that i don’t feel a visitor is any more likely to feel forced through to a merchants site, whether that be with a code showing with a clear message saying when it expiries, or when the code is replaced with ‘code expiried’, so i can’t see why Kieron needs to spend more time removing old codes when they aren’t doing any harm!
Kieron, speaking of which, can i ask, where do you get your discounts from, do they all come through the same affiliate channels as the rest of us, or do you get any exclusive ones from the merchants directly? I have to wonder how many merchants you are now signed up to, must be hundreds, your mailbox must go crazy each day lol

]]> By: Lee McCoy http://www.here.org.uk/2008/02/kieron-why-dont-your-remove-your-old-discount-codes.html#comment-6395 Lee McCoy Wed, 13 Feb 2008 18:22:41 +0000 http://www.here.org.uk/2008/02/kieron-why-dont-your-remove-your-old-discount-codes.html#comment-6395 I missed it so far by miles - I hope I've got back round and met it at the beginning? ;-) I missed it so far by miles - I hope I’ve got back round and met it at the beginning? ;-)

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