[ProWebAddict]

So Merchants, you have this affiliate (One Cause) that is really performing. You see your sales increasing and you are happy about the bottom line. But you are hearing chatter that there’s something unethical going on. However, you aren’t quite sure why you should care because you are taking money to the bank.

As a merchant, why should I care how One Cause is bringing in sales?
To put it simply, this toolbar affiliate is not only stealing sales from your other affiliates, but they are stealing sales from your own efforts as well.

Visitor has One Cause installed--> Visitor goes to Affiliate A site--->Visitor clicks and to make purchase---> Toolbar redirects the link so the credit that should go to Affiliate A now goes to One Cause

If that doesn’t raise your ethical bells then consider this

Visitor has One Cause installed--->Visitor clicks on one of YOUR IN HOUSE PPC ads---> Toolbar redirects the link so not only do you pay for the PPC ad, but you pay commission to One Cause as well as any network fees.

Let’s not forget about when a customer directly types in your URL.

Does that sound like smart business?

The Proof

Haiko has put together these videos illustrating it, and Ladidah was kind enough to put this list in one place. I am adding some updates that Haiko posted.

Direct access: overwrite affiliate cookie: flamingoworld
http://www.abestweb.com/cam/overwrite1/overwrite1.html

overwrite affiliate cookie: shopping-bargains.com
http://www.abestweb.com/cam/overwrite3/overwrite3.html

overwrite affiliate cookie: shogging.com
http://www.abestweb.com/cam/shogging/shogging.html

PPC by 1800 flowers: merchant adwords clicked, cookie stuffed
1800 flowers ->
http://www.abestweb.com/cam/1800flo...800flowers.html

Serps by 1800 flowers:
http://www.abestweb.com/cam/180011.16/180011.16.html

merchant adwords clicked, cookie stuffed
landsend -> http://www.abestweb.com/cam/landsend/landsend.html

affiliate amazing-bargains.com and priceline
http://www.abestweb.com//cam/priceline/priceline.html

affiliate boomerssupply.com and EBAY
http://www.abestweb.com/cam/ebay/ebay.html

affiliate ppc campaign (couponmountain) and Walmart
http://www.abestweb.com/cam/walmart/walmart.html

Serps results to affiliate dealcatcher.com and JCPenney
http://www.abestweb.com/cam/jcpenny/jcpenny.html

Serps results to affiliate techbargains.com, XPbargains.com and Apple (cookied twice)
http://www.abestweb.com/cam/apple/apple.html

PPC by merchant Tigerdirect
Serps through affiliate site to Tigerdirect
http://www.abestweb.com/cam/tiger/tiger.html

Serps results to affiliate mycoupons.com and Cartoon Networks
http://www.abestweb.com/cam/cartoon/cartoon.html

Serps result to affiliate retailmenot.com and Staples
http://www.abestweb.com/cam/staples/staples.html

Affiliate anycoupons.com and American Blinds Wallpaper
http://www.abestweb.com/cam/ABW/ABW.html

Affiliate anycoupons.com and Macy's
http://www.abestweb.com/cam/macys/macys.html

Affiliate keycode.com and Polo
http://www.abestweb.com/cam/polo/polo.html

Polo
http://www.abestweb.com/cam/polo1128/polo1128.html

Affiliate keycode.com and Peapod
http://www.abestweb.com/cam/peapod/peapod.html

Peapod 11/24
http://www.abestweb.com//cam/peapod1124/peapod1124.html

Peapod affiliate overwrite
http://www.abestweb.com/cam/peapod1128/peapod1128.html

PPC Bluefly
http://www.abestweb.com/cam/bluefly/bluefly.html

Affiliate spoofee.com and Dell
overwriting CJ cookie?
http://www.abestweb.com/cam/dell2/dell2.html

Affiliate spoofee.com and circuit city
http://www.abestweb.com/cam/circuit...ircuitcity.html

Affiliate Serps ecoupons.com Travelocity
http://www.abestweb.com/cam/travelo...ravelocity.html

PPC FAO Schwarz
http://www.abestweb.com/cam/FAO/FAO.html

Affiliate Appscout and FAO Schwarz
http://www.abestweb.com/cam/FAO2/FAO2.html

PPC Blue Nile
http://www.abestweb.com/cam/BlueNile/BlueNile.html

Affiliate komonews and Orbitz
http://www.abestweb.com/cam/BlueNile/BlueNile.html

PPC Zazzle
http://www.abestweb.com/cam/Zazzle/Zazzle.html

PPC Snapfish
http://www.abestweb.com/cam/snapfish/snapfish.html

Direct type in to merchant Marriott
http://www.abestweb.com/cam/marriot/marriot.html

Serps results Omaha Steaks
http://www.abestweb.com/cam/omaha/omaha.html

Serps results for Perfume.com
http://www.abestweb.com/cam/perfume/perfume.html

Direct type in to merchant Frontgate
http://www.abestweb.com/cam/frontgate/frontgate.html

Direct type in to merchant Gap
http://www.abestweb.com/cam/gap/gap.html

Direct type in to Giftcertificate.com
http://www.abestweb.com/cam/giftcer...rtificates.html

Direct type in to merchant Toshibadirect.com
http://www.abestweb.com/cam/toshiba/toshiba.html

PPC to merchant HarryandDavid.com
http://www.abestweb.com/cam/harryan...ryanddavid.html

PPC to merchant Cabelas.com
http://www.abestweb.com/cam/cabelas/cabelas.html

Serps to Brookstone.com
http://www.abestweb.com/cam/brookstone/brookstone.html

Affiliate Shopzilla to Austad
http://www.abestweb.com/cam/austads/austads.html

PPC Brook Brothers
Sponsored Links Brook Brothers
http://www.abestweb.com/cam/brooks/brooks.html

PPC Avon
http://www.abestweb.com/cam/avon/avon.html

PPC by Avon Affiliate
http://www.abestweb.com/cam/avon2/avon2.html

PPC by JCPenney
PPC by BabiesRUs
PPC by Walmart
http://www.abestweb.com/cam/strollers/strollers.html

Overwriting amazon with Piperlime
http://www.abestweb.com/cam/piperlime/piperlime.html

PPC Blockbuster
http://www.abestweb.com/cam/blockbu...lockbuster.html

PPC by A and E
http://www.abestweb.com/cam/aande/aande.html

Serps by QVC
http://www.abestweb.com/cam/QVC/QVC.html

PPC by Leapfrog
http://www.abestweb.com/cam/leapfrog/leapfrog.html

Holiday Inn
http://www.abestweb.com/cam/HolidayInn/HolidayInn.html

Affiliate alexcoupons.com and Baby Universe
http://www.abestweb.com/cam/babyuni...byuniverse.html

Affiliate flamingoworld and Plow and Hearth
Serps by Plow and Hearth
http://www.abestweb.com/cam/plow17/plow17.html

Affiliate Biddingfortravel.com and Wynn Hotels
http://www.abestweb.com/cam/wynn/wynn.html

Affiliate SunshineRewards and Mrs Beasley
http://www.abestweb.com/cam/mrsbeas...rsbeasleys.html

PPC Hickory Farms
http://www.abestweb.com/cam/hickory/hickory.html

PPC LandsEnd
http://www.abestweb.com/cam/landsend/landsend.html

PPC Sephora
http://www.abestweb.com/cam/sephora/sephora.html

PPC MyTwinn
http://www.abestweb.com/cam/mytwin/mytwin.html

Affiliate TVtopten and Nutrasystem
http://www.abestweb.com/cam/nutrasy...utrasystem.html

PPC Office Depot
http://www.abestweb.com/cam/officed...fficedepot.html

Lampsplus
http://www.abestweb.com/cam/lampsplus/lampsplus.html

Affiliate slickdeals and Bloomingdales
http://www.abestweb.com/cam/bloomies/bloomies.html

Zazzle throug PPC, direct access 365gear
http://www.abestweb.com/cam/zazle11.18/zazle11.18.html

Jewelrytelevision.com through coupon site
http://www.abestweb.com/cam/JTV/JTV.html

Zazzle through Affiliate awesomewreckage
http://www.abestweb.com/cam/vin/vin.html

PPC to Affiliate to Buy.com links
http://www.abestweb.com/cam/buy1120/buy1120.html

Gap - Piperlime
http://www.abestweb.com/cam/gap-pip...-piperlime.html

Smartbargains
http://www.abestweb.com/cam/SB1128/SB1128.html

David Cookies
http://www.abestweb.com/cam/FABU/FABU.html

Walmart
http://www.abestweb.com/cam/wallmar...llmart1128.html
http://www.abestweb.com/cam/walmart...lmart21128.html
http://www.abestweb.com/cam/wallmar...lmart31128.html
http://www.abestweb.com/cam/wallmar...lmart41128.html

Dicks 12/4 - http://www.abestweb.com/cam/dicks124/dicks124.html

Eastbay 12/1 - http://www.abestweb.com/cam/eastbay121/eastbay121.html

Eastbay 12/2 - http://www.abestweb.com/cam/eastbay122/eastbay122.html


As a merchant, what can I do about it?

The easiest thing is to drop the affiliate. You keep your program clean. You keep your affiliates happy. And you don’t have to worry about paying another party for sales that you would have already gotten.

If you really want to stand up and make a difference then drop the Network you have your affiliate program on and choose to work with a more ethical one. Why would you work with a network that not only supports this behavior, but is also a part of the parent company who is responsible for this toolbar?

This is a big deal! With a membership base of over 500,000, if you are working with One Cause, you will be effected.


Done.

Close this thread and point merchants to it. No chit chatting unless you want to edit this post because I made an error. This was written on the fly so if there are any errors or omissions I want it fixed.

[loxly]

Thank you for taking the time to do this ProWebAddict. Closing the thread as you noted. Keep it clean here.