[Donuts]

Ben - keep up the exposing of cheaters!!!! It is so important to solving the problem!

Zeus - glad you called SAHS crooks cuz it almost looked like you were about to blame their distributors - remember, it is SAHS themselves who have designed their software to STEAL credit and STEAL commissions from those that have earned them! The problem is squarely on SAHS's shoulders and I'm glad to see you didn't leave that part out!

[Zeus]

I read several times SAHS answer. They can't ignore what's going on with their distributors. They remind me of 180Solutions.
http://itmanagement.earthweb.com/img/SAHS-Response.pdf

[Donuts]

We also can't ignore what their software does - the software they built - they built it to exploit holes to install itself and to divert commissions once it's deployed.

Besides viruses and any other ill-will-ware, can you name software that installs itself without permission?

When was the last time a rogue microsoft hater did a driveby install of Microsoft Office onto a computer? My point again is that SAHS select cannot blame distributors for drivebys, difficult removal / uninstall, ignoring of network agsrc=1 rules, commission diversion and a whole lot more "features" designed into their software INTENTIONALLY.

As a guilty, gutless, bastardized-version-of-marketing, cheating, pickpocket, soul-less thieving organization, they need to cover their tracks and blame others - this noise about bad distributors has been blowing in the wind forever. It's like blaming the post office for mail bombs and anthrax.

Ben posts video and CJ claims ignorance. It is laughable. How many videos does it take for people to realize the nature of this organization.

And since merchants (like an old fashioned business) have the right to chose who they reward for partnering marketing efforts... how long until ALL merchants realize that Shop At Home Select does not market and promote their products - they simply take commissions from others. Merchants CAN choose who promotes them and who doesn't. CJ obfuscation is their complicit effort to blind the merchants to the truth of the matters here.

If this continues, affiliate marketing will die! As "loyalty" (and I use the word loosely since SAHS is anything but) sites like SAHS run unchecked, they will siphon the financial incentives that currently motivate affiliates to do bona fide marketing for their merchants - like site building, community matching, legitimate advertising and more. Ask your merchants today - many have SAHS select in their top affiliate spots for revenue - when the merchants (not the AMs) wake up and realize that there's no promotional activities going on - no commission earning - and that there's just commission grabbing by LYING parasites like SAHS and complicit networks like CJ - they'll shut down their affiliate programs. Why would they maintain their programs if they became nothing more than kick-backs-to-consumer-via-automatic-resident-software? In this case, all you Affiliate Managers who stood by will be left scratching your heads and unemployed.

Ask yourself what an affiliate contributes to your efforts - if the answer is that they are exceptionally good at cookie manipulation, then ask yourself the obvious question!!!!!!! Why pay them for what they do? Why invite and allow them to be your MARKETING partners in your program? Yes they can post sales, but can they EARN THEM? They don't market - they steal from those that do - you're shooting yourself, your program, your other affiliates, your industry and yourself in the foot! Wake up and smell the stink!

Read Ben's work. It is not as complicated as CJ and others would lead you to believe.

Take a stance and make it clear to the merchants that you work with.

[Donuts]

From the document Zeus linked to above:

"Does our Software overwrite Affiliate links?
ShopAtHomeSelect is extraordinarily careful not to overwrite affiliate links, and has worked closely with each of the major networks (LinkShare; BeFree; Performics; Commission Junction and others) for several years to make sure we do not overwrite affiliate links. The affiliate industry has established standards and controls to identify and protect affiliates from overwriting of links. ShopAtHomeSelect is in full compliance with these standards and controls."

Here are videos from Ben that show them violating the network rules:
http://www.benedelman.org/news/081105-1.html#links

SAHS will lie and lie and lie and lie and then lie some more. They will try to discredit Ben and his work. These are the normal, patterned techniques of liars when they are caught.

Since these parties (I mean stealing cheating bastards and the gutless complicit networks) have "worked" together for years, where are the outcomes from that "work"? Where are the guides for affiliates that tell us how to avoid being stolen from? Why is it easy to see they are breaking their own rules? Cuz they are liars.

Their hard work goes into staying a half step ahead of Ben, anti-spyware companies, IE security holes, creating PR spin and buying a bulldog legal staff.

Mind you none of that contributes to SELLING stuff either!

[ecomcity]

Originally Posted by Donuts

We also can't ignore what their software does - the software they built - they built it to exploit holes to install itself and to divert commissions once it's deployed.

Besides viruses and any other ill-will-ware, can you name software that installs itself without permission?

When was the last time a rogue microsoft hater did a driveby install of Microsoft Office onto a computer? My point again is that SAHS select cannot blame distributors for drivebys, difficult removal / uninstall, ignoring of network agsrc=1 rules, commission diversion and a whole lot more "features" designed into their software INTENTIONALLY.

As a guilty, gutless, bastardized-version-of-marketing, cheating, pickpocket, soul-less thieving organization, they need to cover their tracks and blame others - this noise about bad distributors has been blowing in the wind forever. It's like blaming the post office for mail bombs and anthrax. ...woowwsers

Ben posts video and CJ claims ignorance. It is laughable. How many videos does it take for people to realize the nature of this organization.

And since merchants (like an old fashioned business) have the right to chose who they reward for partnering marketing efforts... how long until ALL merchants realize that Shop At Home Select does not market and promote their products - they simply take commissions from others. Merchants CAN choose who promotes them and who doesn't. CJ obfuscation is their complicit effort to blind the merchants to the truth of the matters here.

If this continues, affiliate marketing will die! As "loyalty" (and I use the word loosely since SAHS is anything but) sites like SAHS run unchecked, they will siphon the financial incentives that currently motivate affiliates to do bona fide marketing for their merchants - like site building, community matching, legitimate advertising and more. Ask your merchants today - many have SAHS select in their top affiliate spots for revenue - when the merchants (not the AMs) wake up and realize that there's no promotional activities going on - no commission earning - and that there's just commission grabbing by LYING parasites like SAHS and complicit networks like CJ - they'll shut down their affiliate programs. Why would they maintain their programs if they became nothing more than kick-backs-to-consumer-via-automatic-resident-software? In this case, all you Affiliate Managers who stood by will be left scratching your heads and unemployed.

Ask yourself what an affiliate contributes to your efforts - if the answer is that they are exceptionally good at cookie manipulation, then ask yourself the obvious question!!!!!!! Why pay them for what they do? Why invite and allow them to be your MARKETING partners in your program? Yes they can post sales, but can they EARN THEM? They don't market - they steal from those that do - you're shooting yourself, your program, your other affiliates, your industry and yourself in the foot! Wake up and smell the stink!

Read Ben's work. It is not as complicated as CJ and others would lead you to believe.

Take a stance and make it clear to the merchants that you work with.

___________________________
I'm truly moved by the above insightful post. Spot on observations occurring this Holiday season. If the real value add affiliates don't earn their portion on increased Christmas Sales this industry's current structure will lose it's base.