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Is this frowned upon in IM?

by laurenceh
16 replies
So your promoting an affiliate product and decide to help conversions you will offer a discount to customers in the form of "giving them some of your commision" once they have gone through the money back period and not refunded.

The refund would be from me not the product vendor so they won't lose out.

Is this an "ungentlemanly" tactic? I could imagine it would eventually drive down commisions if everyone started competing on price in the long term.

Just brainstorming ideas on getting people to buy through me rather than the vendor direct.

That way i can tell them to research the product if they wish but come back and buy through me for the discount.

Allowed? Not allowed? or allowed but expect to become an IM outcast?
#frowned
  • Profile picture of the author hobsdv
    to be honest if some one started asking me that on my IM i would be removing them from it
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    • Profile picture of the author Kim Standerline
      Why (just curious)

      Kim

      Originally Posted by hobsdv View Post

      to be honest if some one started asking me that on my IM i would be removing them from it
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      • Profile picture of the author affilcrazy
        You would be better of writing 5 or 6 relevant articles (How To's, Top Tips, What To Do, What Not To Do, etc) and then packaging them together as a free report.

        Once someone purchases through your affiliate link, you will provide them with your BONUS for buying from you! (Your free report).

        Cheers
        Partha
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        "There is no fixed teaching. All I can provide is an appropriate medicine for a particular ailment" - Bruce Lee, Tao of Jeet Kune Do (on Zen)
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        • Profile picture of the author ChrisJamesG
          An ebook I bought a while ago suggests a similar method.

          Write a review for the product your advertising. Have a bit on there that says 'this product would really benefit from this additional report/ebook/audio, if you send me an email after you've bought via my link I'll send it you as a free bonus'.

          As far as I know that's completley 'legal'.

          Cheers,
          Chris

          Originally Posted by affilcrazy View Post

          You would be better of writing 5 or 6 relevant articles (How To's, Top Tips, What To Do, What Not To Do, etc) and then packaging them together as a free report.

          Once someone purchases through your affiliate link, you will provide them with your BONUS for buying from you! (Your free report).

          Cheers
          Partha
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          *** 10,000+ Private Label Rights Niche Articles
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  • Profile picture of the author houseofsparks
    please don't offer discounts.You will give yourself a bad name.I agree with Partha.Much better to find a similar product that you have the MRR rights to,and offer that as a bonus.
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  • Profile picture of the author laurenceh
    Absolutley what i thought.

    Personally i did think it would be something that wouldn't go down well with vendors or fellow IM'ers.

    As a complete newbie thought i would double check. Hope i don't offend too many by asking this! (can hear the furious ranting from pcs everywhere! "the cheeky swine!" lol)

    Thanks guys. Bonus was the other option i considered.
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  • Profile picture of the author ecoverbox
    I have seen my Affiliate marketers doing this strategy. I personally cannot see anything "Unethical" about this, you are just give away part of your commission. You could just say that for product X, if you buy through my link, i will send the buyer $50 after the guarantee period is expired or you could use this $50 and send the buyer an ipod shuffle or something like that !
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  • Profile picture of the author laurenceh
    Intresting take ebox. I know about clickbanks policy of no cash insentive but not thought of a physical insentive other than a bonus course or something. I spose if it was related in someway it might work well.

    May also get expensive as you'd probo have to buy in bulk your ipods or free gifts and then get lumbered if your affiliate product wasn't converting.

    A free course or report would defo be a cheaper and safer option.

    Maybe could offer a free gift AS WELL as the free report for the first 100 people to buy?

    Not sure how that would sit. Intresting to see which side of the fence people sit on this discussion.
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  • Profile picture of the author laurenceh
    Plus thinking it would you in better stead building a client base when you deliver service over price. Plus of course keeping more of the money for yourself!!

    Think free gifts can be left for the odd traffic building competition if a niche or site matched that sort of promotion.
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  • Profile picture of the author seasoned
    hammersuk,

    Just let them know about the affiliate program, and have them go in and get it with an even BIGGER discount!

    Note to others,

    I'm just kidding, but showing why giving back money might not be a great idea.

    BESIDES, personally, I do NOT TRUST REBATES!

    Steve
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    • Profile picture of the author CurtisN
      Originally Posted by affilcrazy View Post

      You would be better of writing 5 or 6 relevant articles (How To's, Top Tips, What To Do, What Not To Do, etc) and then packaging them together as a free report.

      Once someone purchases through your affiliate link, you will provide them with your BONUS for buying from you! (Your free report).

      Cheers
      Partha
      This is just your opinion. Tell me, would you rather get $100 back from a $497 purchase (for example), or a pack of 10 (possibly really bad) PLR articles?

      Originally Posted by houseofsparks View Post

      please don't offer discounts.You will give yourself a bad name.I agree with Partha.Much better to find a similar product that you have the MRR rights to,and offer that as a bonus.
      This is just your (misguided) opinion. The only way that offering cash rebates gives you a bad name is if you don't follow through. Cash rebates, when allowed, can be more powerful than a pile of products slapped together as a bonus because they are less complicated. Would you rather get my "10 uber ninja sneaky secrets" worth $1997/month, or would you rather get $500 in your paypal account, right now?

      Originally Posted by seasoned View Post


      BESIDES, personally, I do NOT TRUST REBATES!

      Steve
      Sorry if you've been scammed before...but rebates are effective bonuses (and allowed as long as it's not for a CB product). Even gurus offer cash rebates once in a while.

      Curtis
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      Curtis Ng (blog) - Product Launch Manager
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      • Profile picture of the author seasoned
        Originally Posted by CurtisN View Post

        This is just your (misguided) opinion. The only way that offering cash rebates gives you a bad name is if you don't follow through. Cash rebates, when allowed, can be more powerful than a pile of products slapped together as a bonus because they are less complicated. Would you rather get my "10 uber ninja sneaky secrets" worth $1997/month, or would you rather get $500 in your paypal account, right now?
        WOW, you will give the money IMMEDIATELY? Can I be your first trial? OK, what's the link!

        rotflmaorn!
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  • Profile picture of the author laurenceh
    lol seasoned, thats what i ment when i said in the long term that rebate strategy would just drive down commisions!
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  • Profile picture of the author CurtisN
    Obvious I did not put enough thought into that...lol. Ok, not immediately...after the refund period.

    Curtis
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    Curtis Ng (blog) - Product Launch Manager
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