Honey Scam

Thanks for sharing that, it's very interesting. I personally have never been attracted to install that extension, even though it has been advertised to me, I don't like people taking control of things like that for me. I am not surprised that it's a scam.
 
Very interesting thank you for sharing.
 
By the sounds of it, Honey are one of the smallest to be doing it. Most of the browser coupon extensions are doing the same.
 
Thanks for posting this @wonder_lander

Over the last few years many voucher / cashback websites plus browser extensions have done massive damage to the affiliate industry.

Most offering very little value other than to line the pockets of a few!

I've been a full time affiliate for 22 years and the amount of sales we get that are rejected because these browser extension and voucher / cashback sites come in the last second and overwrite our cookie / tracking tag. I know this for sure as I have spoken to affiliate networks and retailers to confirm why some of our sales have been declined.

We've always spent lots of time and money researching and writing our products / pages / info sections only to have our hard earned commisons stolen.

Many content affiliates have left the industry because of this and many added real value such as writing reviews and detailed product information etc.

This is the main reason why I have been taking a selection of our best domains and turning them into our own eCommerce businesses. I will then look to leave the affiliate game in the near future.
 
Will this ultimately push more affiliates into white labelling?

Ultimately these affiliate networks are going to have to come up with a solution. I don't think it's going to be that hard if they want to keep real affiliates. Eventually competition will win and the first affiliate provider that comes up with a solution to this will see affiliates flock to them.
 
GreyWing said:
Ultimately these affiliate networks are going to have to come up with a solution. I don't think it's going to be that hard if they want to keep real affiliates. Eventually competition will win and the first affiliate provider that comes up with a solution to this will see affiliates flock to them.
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I have spoken to a few affiliate networks about these issues and one of the biggest said the following to me...

As long as someone brings in the sale they don't care. They also said they would rather one big publisher (more likely a cashback / voucher code) brings in the bulk of the sales rather than say 1000 smaller affiliates. Less account managers and lower running costs.

Fine for a short term plan but long term is business suicide IMHO!

Would love to see a new network wanting to work with just quality affiliates.
 
Affiliates missing out on commission they're entitled to is nothing new unfortunately, and an inevitable consequence of last click attribution. Here's a very similar story from eight years ago, when Acorn was worth following:

https://www.acorndomains.co.uk/threads/voucher-codes-stealing-commissions-or-are-they.140405/

I've long questioned the intelligence of anyone who's actually influenced by these so-called influencers, because it's always been obvious that they're only recommending stuff because they're being paid to do so.

So the fact that some influencers are now recommending a browser extension that will steal their commissions is ironic to say the least, and suggests that many of them are no brighter than their followers. Turkeys voting for Christmas seems like an especially appropriate description at this time of year.
 
Lee said:
As long as someone brings in the sale they don't care. They also said they would rather one big publisher (more likely a cashback / voucher code) brings in the bulk of the sales rather than say 1000 smaller affiliates. Less account managers and lower running costs.

Fine for a short term plan but long term is business suicide IMHO!
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This has always seemed so short sighted to me because the voucher code affs aren't bringing in the sales, they're just taking a cut at the end. Ie: By the time someone is searching for a voucher code, they've already decided to buy.

So either they're taking the commission from another affiliate, or they're being paid a commission that wouldn't have been paid to anyone if there hadn't been a voucher code.
 
Yes, also alot of YTs arw now telling there followers to remove the extension. Someonw said over the last week they have lost over a million installs so it is hitting home now.
 
For eCom I try to only work with networks/advertisers with first click attribution, or a mix of last click and referral URL - this has been an issue for years.

the best solution is getting the best discount you can get from the network/advertiser with your own code, then when it is swapped out, the user may update it.

Affiliate marketing has always been full of grifts, this has been around for years - just that these idiot content creators screwed themselves and now want to point out that it is scam. If it didn't effect them, you'd never hear about it!

Also, the BEST way to ensure that your clicks land is by using a TDS - no browser software can adjust my TDS as if it did, the user would never land on the offer.

Another way is using good ol' pixel - as this doesn't rely on a TDS URL parameters, instead it is an image hosted on your server which acts as a tracking source.

I could talk about adtech all day, but really this isn't anything new - just new victims.
 
Hook said:
For eCom I try to only work with networks/advertisers with first click attribution, or a mix of last click and referral URL - this has been an issue for years.

the best solution is getting the best discount you can get from the network/advertiser with your own code, then when it is swapped out, the user may update it.

Affiliate marketing has always been full of grifts, this has been around for years - just that these idiot content creators screwed themselves and now want to point out that it is scam. If it didn't effect them, you'd never hear about it!

Also, the BEST way to ensure that your clicks land is by using a TDS - no browser software can adjust my TDS as if it did, the user would never land on the offer.

Another way is using good ol' pixel - as this doesn't rely on a TDS URL parameters, instead it is an image hosted on your server which acts as a tracking source.

I could talk about adtech all day, but really this isn't anything new - just new victims.
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Did you watch all of the original video? This isn't just about affiliates being scammed - consumers are being scammed too.
 
Good to see them being called out, but the affiliate networks are complicit in this as much as anyone. Would be great to see them being held accountable too, in particular Awin.

Awin are closed ears to any complaints and only serve the big players. I've complained for YEAR about various behaviours by merchants abusing their own coupon codes and they just dont care. Wont listen.

Unfortunately, I have to continue to deal with them, a necessary evil, so to speak.
 
wonder_lander said:
Did you watch all of the original video? This isn't just about affiliates being scammed - consumers are being scammed too.
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I have seen the video, they are stripping the parameter and then if they can, replacing it... followed by not even paying out commissions when they have clearly made sales. There was one before this that did the exact same thing, just surprising that content creators are stupid enough to promote this. Even tech-focused creators, shows they just read off a script without a depth-of-knowledge on the topics.
temp123 said:
Good to see them being called out, but the affiliate networks are complicit in this as much as anyone. Would be great to see them being held accountable too, in particular Awin.

Awin are closed ears to any complaints and only serve the big players. I've complained for YEAR about various behaviours by merchants abusing their own coupon codes and they just dont care. Wont listen.

Unfortunately, I have to continue to deal with them, a necessary evil, so to speak.
Click to expand...
I use Awin/Shareasale and it depends on what offers you promote - some affiliate managers are good at stopping this, whilst others are happy for it to happen. In last 4 years on Awin, my sales have collapsed though so my knowledge is outdated now.
 
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