[ptoliver]

Greetings.

As of today (10/13/03), due to the diligence of some of our Associates in pointing out to me iGive.com's usage of a version of the TopMoxie application (the iGive Shopping Window), eMerchandise.com has decided to cancel all dealings with iGive.com.

I will admit to being blissfully unaware of the existence of such problems, but I spent the day investigating the claims of our Associates and very quickly came to the conclusion that such software (so-called "scumware" or "parasiteware") was both unethical and exceedingly distasteful.

eMerchandise.com is devoted to making sure our Associates see the commissions that they have rightfully earned, and we do not knowingly do business with the users or distributors of such software.

In the case of iGive.com, we have had a relationship with them for quite some time, well before they began using the software in question. As far as I or my technical people can tell, there have been no instances of iGive.com having "hijacked" the incoming traffic of any of our Associates (again, that's as far as we can tell).

Despite this, because of our devotion to our legitimate Associates and to ethical online business practices, the decision was made today to cancel iGive.com's account with eMerchandise.com.

Included below is a copy of the letter I sent to Mr. Robert Grosshandler of iGive.com informing him of this fact.

I thank all of the Associates/Affiliates here and I salute your campaign to educate shoppers, merchants and third parties to the dangers of this kind of software.

-Preston

---
Mr. Grosshandler:

It appears that we have different philosophical views of this issue.

I do not doubt that your version of the TopMoxie application makes it easier for users who have installed it to have the generated commissions be sent to your company and thence on to the appropriate charities. And while I do not quite understand what the implementation of this application might have done to alleviate customer support loads with your other merchants, I am willing to take that as stipulated as well.

However, these are not compelling enough arguments to overcome the simple fact that this software does demonstrably deprive legitimate Associates of commissions they would otherwise have earned.

I do not agree with the idea that the burden for overcoming this software should lie with the Associates (i.e., having to append escape codes to URLs on the chance that their vistor is running a version of TopMoxie).

I do not believe that end-users who have installed this software fully understand what it is they are doing by using it, and I believe that they are being misled.

While I cannot at this time show that there has been any evidence of your application having interferred with the normal operation of any of our Associates or their websites, because of my objections as listed above and because those objections are shared by the rest of the company, I have decided to cancel your account with eMerchandise.com.

If, in the future, you come to see this software for what it is -- a poorly implemented tool that is generating money for you that you did not earn -- and choose to discard it, we would be happy to have you back. Until that time, however, I am afraid that we will be unable to do business with you out of ethical considerations.

I wish things had turned out differently. Thank you for your time.

-Preston
---

Preston W. Toliver
Associate Liaison
http://www.eMerchandise.com

[jasonco12]

great move Preston, I am glad you are understanding why this kind of application is unfair to affiliates and it is financially hazardous too the merchants. I will checkout your site and If I think is something I can use to my customers I will sign up for your affiliate program. Who are you with?

Jason
xtremeshopping.org
aim: ssn jason
<a href="http://www.xtremeshopping.org/affiliateconsulting.html"target="_blank">Xtreme's partnership information<a>

"One thing life taught me: if you are interested, you never have to look for new interests. They come to you. When you are genuinely interested in one thing, it will always lead to something else" Eleanor Roosevelt

[walleyewarrior]

Nice move Preston.

I made enough and should be seeing my first cheque shortly. I look forward to continuing with someone who has seen the parasite problems as they truly are and acted accordingly.

...............
WW

Make a difference! Support your local Cancer Care providers.

[xrayeyes]

Preston is with http://www.Emerchandise.com
They work great for media sites!

Everyone please support them for chosing to do the right thing!

Thanks again Preston

[Trust]

Great, i actually put some links up a few days ago. I love good indys

"The successful man is the average man, focused."

[jollygoodpirate]

[ptoliver]

Thank you all for your replies and support. eMerchandise is very grateful to have the support of the Associate/Affiliate community, and we are jealous of our good reputation. We plan to do whatever we can to keep it.

We are, as has been noted here already, located at http://www.eMerchandise.com, and are not members of any of the large Affiliate organizations -- we run our own Associate program in-house, and have done so 1999. We deal in licensed entertainment merchandise (television, movies, etc.), and have quite a diverse and interesting selection of items! I encourage you all to drop by and take a look.

Again, thank you all for your support and for helping to keep online businesses honest and making money for us all.

-Preston

Preston W. Toliver
Associate Liaison
http://www.eMerchandise.com