Comments on: Figleaves cut affiliate commissions just in time for Christmas and blame their own discount codes

By: Think Affiliate

Think Affiliate — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 16:19:23 +0000

Personally I think the ‘this will take place as of tomorrow’ part is the worst. It gives affiliates no time to look into how the changes are going to affect them and how to limit the amount of damage that is going to be done.

By: Star Espresso

Star Espresso — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 06:15:57 +0000

It’s also worth pointing out that the voucher code sites are a big business. If you release a voucher code into the public domain via a newspaper ad, a forum, blog post, radio, TV ad or mention it on your own site then it WILL be picked up by voucher code sites more often than not those odd people.

By: Kieron

Kieron — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 18:44:02 +0000

Luke - thanks for your comments. I must point out however that I have not “put myself up” as any kind of affiliate guru. I am an affiliate who has a blog, that’s it.

Your comment about idiots who copies my sites is a bit bizarre too. I thought the topic of this blog post was about Figleaves and voucher codes?? But to answer your comment, just because I have a blog and I’m forthcoming in publishing the URL’s of some of my sites, does that mean I deserve to have them copied? And what any of this has to do with glass houses is totally beyond me. I’m very confused.

By: Ash

Ash — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 18:19:42 +0000

Also the fact that the 20% off vouchers were spammed, sorry distributed by their own staff as part of a competition must be taken into account….

By: Bob

Bob — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 16:37:49 +0000

20% off voucher seems very, very risky and it’s this that must be criticised.. What’s their margin?

On the other hand, you’re tacitly admitting that retailers now have to choose between offering voucher codes aimed at free traffic and having affiliates. According to your logic it’s no longer possible for a merchant to give Joe Public a voucher that wouldn’t work commercially if Joe Public happened to have an affiliate cookie set. In effect, “affiliates exist so give up on vouchers that could have worked before we did”. The only other option is to have T&Cs that disallow commission for orders where a code (or an outside code) has been used - turn off the promo code box in your cart for affiliate traffic?

Did you see Duncan Jennings on voucher codes in the latest e-consultancy newsletter? He seemed to make a lot of salient points.

By: Lee

Lee — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 15:57:30 +0000

The hardest thing for retailers must be accurately tracking performance of codes. For example if you place a code in a specific magazine and try to track the effectiveness of the advertising, it must be hard if every “Tom, Dick or Harry” picks it up from a voucher site and has never seen the original magazine/publication.

Not a specific comment to the retailer in this post, just a general one.

By: Luke

Luke — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 12:47:02 +0000

Sorry, but you are talking absolute crap.

Personally I think Figleaves should be paying no commission whatsoever to any affiliate who is giving details of a voucher code not meant for the affiliate channel.

Figleaves have shown naievity with regard to the dishonest way many/most voucher code sites operate. But why the hell should a merchant ‘accept’ that codes distributed through their own channels are open house to be used by unscrupulous affiliates.

You couldnt be more wrong.

As I say - dont pay any commission to an affiliate site found to be detailing codes not provided to them. ie no commissions to myvouchercodes and similar sites.

To give an example of something you have railed about before on this forum …

If you set up a blog putting yourself up as some sort of affiliate guru - dont rant and rave when some idiot copies one of your sites……something you have in the past.

People in glass houses and all that..

Luke

By: hero

hero — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 10:25:25 +0000

and this is on top of not paying commissions on sales from their clearance site

By: dan barker

dan barker — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 09:16:49 +0000

Can’t understand the drop in the ‘non-voucher-code’ commission. If 75% of their customers are using a discount code, you’d think they’d be willing to pay more for affiliates who pass them “full price” traffic?

By: Juno

Juno — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 05:14:54 +0000

These cut in the affiliate commissions by the Figleaves will affect most of the affiliates a lot. Since the drop is too high, for a scheme affiliate it is flat 2% and the other types of affiliates it is 8%. I am feeling really bad about it.