Help me out here . . .! Am I doing this affiliate stuff all wrong?!

[Simon Nicholls]

Hi ALl,

I just had a threat of a "lawsuit" through someone over at Sitepoint.

I have some affiliate websites up for sale. He sent me a message asking me if I wanted a lawsuit as the design is exactly the same as mine.

Now . . I thought that anyone could go to Clickbank, get a link and then add a redirect from a domain to that link?

Am I doing this all wrong? I thought that I'm doing nothing wrong at all . . just helping to get the sales up for the owners of these sites!

Bulk lot of Affiliate Sites - Ready to earn you lot's of ca$h!

Looking forward to your views, I don't want to be sued!

Simon.

[Sarah Harvey]

WTF! You are saying that you are redirecting to another person's domain? Of course they will sue you. You are selling something that isn't yours in the first place.

If you own the domain, and the content on your site belongs to you then yes, you can sell it.

If the content on "your" site is an affiliate program, then simply state that when you sell the website. Do not hide that fact. Just say that this site is an affiliate site and the site design and content belongs to (then mention who the real owner is). All you are selling in effect is the domain which you own.

And to be honest.... unless an affiliate program forbids you to sell your own domain with their stuff on it, they can't do anything about it.

But from your post it seems something isn't right.

So that is my opinion. To be honest if someone emailed you and they are an affiliate just like you, then ignore them. They are probably angry that you will be making money from selling the sites. But they HAVE to be YOURS in order to sell them. No excuses.

[Takuya Hikichi]

Well, from what I can see, it appears as if you're selling those five websites. You keep on mentioning that you have "websites" up for sale and all you seem to be doing is selling your domains that are redirected to CB products.

Then I see where you're saying "Domains for Auction". But that doesn't yet explain whether or you're selling domains or websites from the rest of the page.

I can see your .info were ones purchased from Godaddy? Perhaps for $1 each?

But when you have an auction going for five websites $300 or $60 "per site" as you refer, it appears as though you're releasing your own websites, not domains. You're also throwing a bonus of $100 a year for hosting for "all 5 domains"?

Are you selling domains or websites? Isn't that the source of confusion? From what I am reading, you're selling "websites" for $50 each, not domains.

[Simon Nicholls]

Yes, the website are up for sale, they are all affiliate sites from Clickbank . . .

The domains are included in the sale. I seriously didn't think I was doing anyting wrong here!

[Takuya Hikichi]

Originally Posted by Ezy Dollar

Yes, the website are up for sale, they are all affiliate sites from Clickbank . . .

The domains are included in the sale. I seriously didn't think I was doing anyting wrong here!

Simon,

Again, you keep on saying that "websites are up for sale". Are you releasing your OWN websites or are you selling only domains?

Do you own the content for these websites (We probably already know the answer)? Or are you selling these domains that once purchased can be used to point to any other websites?

[Simon Nicholls]

I'm seling the Website, the code for the affiliate page and the domain!

[Takuya Hikichi]

Originally Posted by Ezy Dollar

I'm seling the Website, the code for the affiliate page and the domain!

OK, just to further clarify...

Do you own graphics and images on these "websites" you're referring to? I think the answer to this question will help rest of us clarify stuff.

[Simon Nicholls]

No I dont . . . .

However, I only used Clickbank to create the website. I never copied the code from the site.

I've seen so many of these on Google . . .

[Takuya Hikichi]

Originally Posted by Ezy Dollar

No I dont . . . .

However, I only used Clickbank to create the website. I never copied the code from the site.

I've seen so many of these on Google . . .

Simon,

OK, tell us how you did this.

1. You found a good product at Clickbank

2. You created a hoplink ID for those products at Clickbank

3. You found .info domains at Godaddy and redirected them to these websites

4. You are now selling these .info domains currently owned by you at the auction?

Correct? I think I am going to hear "YES"?

[Simon Nicholls]

Yes!

Simon.

[Monetize]

Your issue has nothing to do with affiliate marketing, you
are offering websites for sale, it really doesn't matter what
their content is.

If you were selling websites that you developed and setup
with ClickBank, then I would think that the product (eBook
or whatever) would be included, which it isn't.

Further, you're advertising $100,000 worth of websites
(supposedly) for $300. Are you serious?

Do yourself a favor and end the sitepoint auction before
sitepoint staff does it for you.

And I hate to tell you this, but IM may not be for you.

[Simon Nicholls]

Monetize,

Your not answering my question if it's legal or not. I don't want my auction ripped to pieces please.

IM not for me? Maybe not, but I'm going to try and try and try until I get something right. I'm not going to give up yet.

Please don't say something like that again, you started somewhere once.

Simon.

[Takuya Hikichi]

Simon says.... YES!

OK, let's fix this.

1. Go back to your Word doc you created your auction sales copy.

2. Use "Edit", then "Find and Replace" function for all of your words where they say "websites" to "domains"

3. Add a disclaimer that you're selling "domains" and not "websites".

4. Edit the auction copy and tell whomever contacted you now if it's okay with them.

But before you do, you might want to come here and let us read the copy on your REVISED auction sales copy page.

[Monetize]

EZ - You are running a scam. End it now.

Thanks.

[Simon Nicholls]

All removed :-)

[Takuya Hikichi]

Originally Posted by Ezy Dollar

All removed :-)

I am looking at the auction copy now, it looks the same as before. You're still saying affiliates "sites" are up for sale. Bulk lot of Affiliate Sites - Ready to earn you lot's of ca$h!

And you didn't add the disclaimer I mentioned. That's not required but in your case, you might want to add to the auction.

[Paid Surveys]

Originally Posted by Takuya Hikichi

Well, from what I can see, it appears as if you're selling those five websites. You keep on mentioning that you have "websites" up for sale and all you seem to be doing is selling your domains that are redirected to CB products.

Then I see where you're saying "Domains for Auction". But that doesn't yet explain whether or you're selling domains or websites from the rest of the page.

I can see your .info were ones purchased from Godaddy? Perhaps for $1 each?

But when you have an auction going for five websites $300 or $60 "per site" as you refer, it appears as though you're releasing your own websites, not domains. You're also throwing a bonus of $100 a year for hosting for "all 5 domains"?

Are you selling domains or websites? Isn't that the source of confusion? From what I am reading, you're selling "websites" for $50 each, not domains.

An excellent reply, exactly what I wanted to say but you put it much better. The issue here is about being clear about WHAT you are selling.

[Takuya Hikichi]

Originally Posted by Tom Borowski

I took a look at the domains you are selling. As far as I can see, you simply copied the content of several Clickbank product sites and put it on your domains. And the order links are simply the original order links, not your affiliate links (which leads me to believe that you're getting the whole affiliate marketing thing terribly wrong).

To promote a Clickbank product you do NOT copy a product site and put that content on your own domain. You create your own site and use your affiliate link to lead visitors to the product's sales page (the page that you apparently copied).

Take your auction down NOW. Don't reword it, just take it down.

Tom

Tom,

I don't think that's what happened. Simon is merely auctioning his domains for sale. His auction copy sure sounds like he is also hosting all the content, but I think Simon is just auctioning his domains.

Right, Simon?

[Simon Nicholls]

Auctions have been removed.

[Simon Nicholls]

Ok, sites have been removed. I'll try something else now. How do I lock this thread?

[Monetize]

Now we have to work on a new business model for EZ

[Simon Nicholls]

I have another model that I've been working on, no copyright problems this time. :-)

[Monetize]

EZ - You are on the right track with selling domains/websites.
Perhaps you could develop those domains by installing a WP
blog, graphic header, creating some quality content, include
AdSense, PHPBay and a couple of CB products. Then sell it
over at SitePoint.

[Simon Nicholls]

That's what I was going before! Will go back to it now.

[Simon Nicholls]

I just hope I havn't given myself a bad name at all, and if I have, I'm sorry.

I'll go back to what I was marketing (and making slow $$) before!

[Ricter]

Originally Posted by Ezy Dollar

I just hope I havn't given myself a bad name at all, and if I have, I'm sorry.

I'll go back to what I was marketing (and making slow $$) before!

I wouldn't worry about that, unless "Ezy Dollar" is your real name.

Go back to what you were doing before, but try something new again!