[Joshua]

Originally Posted by rematt

*sigh* YOU JUST DON"T GET IT!! Opting out of their software program doesn't change the nature of the beast. The negative impact on affiliates is based on their very existence as long as they still have a parasitic aspect to their business model.

So in your world their's such a thing as a legitimate thief? Frankly I don't care if a thief gives to charity on a regular basis. It doesn't change who or what they are. As long as there is an illegitimate aspect to their business model, they are thieves.

If they're "legitimate" marketing methods are so effective why do they even bother to STILL have a download product? It may be better hidden, but think about it, if I were going to rob you, I'm not going to let you see the club until I'm ready to beat you with it.

Joshua, take note, you introduced the concept of legitimacy in your previous post. That would lead one to believe that you also feel that there are aspects of their business model that you feel are illegitimate. Any attempt to defend their model at this point seems somewhat disingenuous.

-rematt

At this point, I don't care what other OPMs here think about this. I don't care if eBates has a shady piece of software that I'm not involved in. The facts are that affiliates in MY program aren't harmed by its participation in eBates, and if I left eBates fully, eBates would continue to be in business. eBates is going to exist no matter what we do.

I know it's a foreign concept here, but OPMs are hired to MAKE SALES for the company they work with. If you present the case to an executive of "We have a top affiliate with a software program that's bad, but we can opt out of it and still make sales from them, or we could drop them totally and not make those sales", what are they going to choose? It's basic business! If you're not taking advantage of the traditional marketing efforts that eBates provides, you're losing out on sales. Their traditional methods don't poach from other channels, so it doesn't matter to me. I don't care if other companies are in the software program - That's their problem and not mine.

Along your lines of argument, I shouldn't use CJ because they allow eBates to exist. Also, ValueClick has aspects of their business that are clearly not legitimate (their incentive sites which the FTC is suing over), so I shouldn't use CJ for that!

[Zeus]

I knew something was wrong about Josha.
Read this thread December 18th, 2006
http://forum.abestweb.com/showthread.php?t=83084

HE IS AN EBATES MEMBER. And he can't find the download button. Come on, I heard BS stories before but not like this one.

So, this guy manages programs on CJ and have access to our Affiliates private info.
He is ALSO an affiliate and compete with us.
He is also a member of eBates, so HE IS stealing commissions from other affiliates.

And he would like to give recommendation. Well, I have one for him...

[rematt]

Originally Posted by Joshua

At this point, I don't care what other OPMs here think about this. I don't care if eBates has a shady piece of software that I'm not involved in. The facts are that affiliates in MY program aren't harmed by its participation in eBates, and if I left eBates fully, eBates would continue to be in business. eBates is going to exist no matter what we do.

Actually Joshua, as I mentioned in an earlier post, I'm an affiliate not an OPM. And you are absolutely correct that what you decide to do with your programs is none of my business as long as I'm not in any of your programs.

That being said, would you please provide us with a list of the programs that you are involved with. I for one would like to make sure that I am not promoting any of them now or at any time in the future.

Thank you.

-rematt

[Thomas A. Rice]

Originally Posted by Joshua

I know it's a foreign concept here, but OPMs are hired to MAKE SALES for the company they work with. If you present the case to an executive of "We have a top affiliate with a software program that's bad, but we can opt out of it and still make sales from them, or we could drop them totally and not make those sales", what are they going to choose?

Smoke and mirrors, it doesn't make you more legitimate if you insult the board members and post the wrong questions, you know. How about this one:

"Most of the top affiliate marketers in the world will not participate in your program if you allow eBates to be an affiliate of yours. Do you want them to be your affiliate, Mr. Merchant?"

Hmmm, what do you suppose the answer to THAT question would be?

I'm with rematt, please post your programs so I can steer the heck clear from you.

[Joshua]

Originally Posted by elbowcreek

I'm with rematt, please post your programs so I can steer the heck clear from you.

I've heard here that affiliates at ABW already have gone through eBates's entire merchant list and decided not to work with them, so you've got me covered.

And no, I don't work for eBates.

And Zeus, as for the post that you pointed out in 2006, that was what led me to removing the program from eBates's software, so thank you for clarifying that back then. Back then I couldn't find the download link for the software, so I was completely unaware of that portion of their business.

As for being an affiliate and working with programs, I don't use (and don't even see how I could, actually) any information that I can see on the merchant side to assist me on the affiliate side. I don't work as an affiliate for the program that I manage, unlike a very large agency that I'm sure you're all familiar with *cough* Pepperjam *cough*. I also refuse to enter a niche where I see current affiliates of my program competing in the search landscape, as I see that as a conflict of interest.

I'm most likely leaving for a new company soon anyway, so it doesn't really matter who I work for.

[rematt]

Originally Posted by Joshua

I'm most likely leaving for a new company soon anyway, so it doesn't really matter who I work for.

Make sure to do a program announcement when you get there.

-rematt

[Joshua]

Originally Posted by rematt

Make sure to do a program announcement when you get there.

-rematt

I didn't say it was another affiliate-related job... It's still online advertising, though.