Cookies Stuffing ILLEGAL on Clickbank or not?

[ellewong]

Hey guys,

I've just learnt about the 'cookie-stuffing' trick, where you create an invisible popup on the user's browser to place your affiliate cookie without the user knowing.

I've been hearing it's a Black hat method. But more importantly, has anyone used it on Clickbank? I came across their hoplink FAQ page where they classify this technique as 'illegal' and they may terminate your account without notice.

Any thoughts?

[Patrick Mader]

i also wont use it .... you risk your account.


cheers,

Patrick

[Auriana Jensen]

Originally Posted by ellewong

I came across their hoplink FAQ page where they classify this technique as 'illegal' and they may terminate your account without notice.

I think that should answer your question.

[p2y]

Cookie stuffing is downright fraud, don't do it.

[Saul']

Well, it's not just black and white. If you blast cookies all over your sites (or any sites where you can blast them), it is downright fraud indeed. But what if you drop a cookie for, say, a product you review and only on the single page of that review? What if you want to track if your review had an influence on a customer to buy? I know it's controversial, but I don't think all cookie stuffing is equal.

[sashas]

eBay apparently has changed its affiliate model to discourage cookie stuffing.

That shouldn't be the way money ought to be made online. It's unethical, illegal, and most importantly, its too downright easy.

[Catalyst eMarketing]

MarkH45, thanks for linking to my 5 Star blog article about cookie stuffing.

Besides being against the TOS of most programs and beside that fact that it can get you canned without pay - it's out and out stealing from other affiliates. So for that reason don't do it.

[mikeyman120]

Any vendor who tries to overwrite their affiliates cookie needs to be banned.

Mike

[RichBastards]

There are 1000's of methods to make money without doing this. As it has been previously mentioned. No affiliate company accepts this type of thing. I would stay away from it.

[CDarklock]

I simply don't understand this.

"I just learned how to do something. People tell me it's bad and not to do it. The rules say it's bad and not to do it. Should I do it?"

WTF? You want permission? Bad people don't ask permission. If you're not a bad person, don't do this. And if you were a bad person, you wouldn't be asking.

[JayXtreme]

I find it incredibly amusing that people talk about something in a sweepingly negative way, yet in doing so.. they are making it clearly evident that they don't have a clue what they're talking about.

I'm not advising, condoning, or saying you should stuff cookies, but this thread has some really strange opinions that are stated as fact.

With that said.. cooking stuffing in most affiliate networks is illegal.. so you shouldn't do it, or you will probably be booted.

Peace

Jay

[jasonl70]

there are legit reasons to 'cookie stuff'.

example:
You promote a product, and the vendors page shows your affiliate id after the hoplink forwards to it. For whatever reason, you do not like this. You can cloak your link, but it will still show your aff id in the vendors URL.
Solution: set up your redirect (the 'cloaked link') to drop the CB cookie (via 'cookie stuffing') first, then just redirect to the actual vendors URL directly (instead of your aff link).

Nobody is hurt there - no commissions stollen. the end result is exaclty the same - someone clicked your 'cloaked' affiliate link, was cookied with your affiliate id, then ended up on the sales page.

This is why it pays to not make snap judgements, and to be curious enough to be willing to learn from others If you study flogs and fake news sites ('farticles'), you can find equally interesting things that can be applied in a legit way.

[Ripped]

Don't do it, I've seen people getting their clickbank accounts banned over it.

There are better methods to promote and make cash.

[UndeniableSpirit]

Cookie stuffing - not a huge fan of it. It'll get you kicked from almost every single network out there. And yes - they can find out fairly easily

[rosan9]

Originally Posted by jasonl70

there are legit reasons to 'cookie stuff'.

example:
You promote a product, and the vendors page shows your affiliate id after the hoplink forwards to it. For whatever reason, you do not like this. You can cloak your link, but it will still show your aff id in the vendors URL.
Solution: set up your redirect (the 'cloaked link') to drop the CB cookie (via 'cookie stuffing') first, then just redirect to the actual vendors URL directly (instead of your aff link).

Nobody is hurt there - no commissions stollen. the end result is exaclty the same - someone clicked your 'cloaked' affiliate link, was cookied with your affiliate id, then ended up on the sales page.

This is why it pays to not make snap judgements, and to be curious enough to be willing to learn from others If you study flogs and fake news sites ('farticles'), you can find equally interesting things that can be applied in a legit way.

I'm with you on this one.

I doubt you would get booted for that kind of cookie "stuffing".

How do you think this can be seen as stealing from other affiliates? I wonder.

Roy

Roy

[timpears]

Clickbank does not make the law, so your question is kind of, how can I put it, strange. Maybe against their TOS might be better I would think. I know it can get your account booted, CUZ THEY DON'T LIKE IT.

Is it illegal? I believe it is, because it is stealing. You are stealing from the affiliates and the vendor I believe.

Just the fact that you have to ask, bothers me.

[Saul']

Originally Posted by rosan9

I doubt you would get booted for that kind of cookie "stuffing".

Indeed.

Let's refer to it as "post-impression tracking" for that's what it really is if used in that way. Nothing illegal or unethical about that but an effective way to track the effect of your promos.