Notice To Walmart.com Affiliates Using Blogs: We Hate Blogs!

[Sylonious]

Unsuitable websites include, but are not limited to, those that:
* Promote sexually explicit material;
* Promote violence or hate toward any persons or groups;
* Promote illegal activities;
* Promote alcohol, tobacco, gambling/lottery in any way;
* Promote the use of pyramid, "ponzi", or similar investment schemes;
* Promote discrimination based on race, sex, religion, nationality, disability, sexual orientation, or age;
* Contain, in our sole judgment, material that is defamatory, fraudulent, or harassing to us or any third party;
* Are known as “blogging sites”, defined for purposes of this Agreement as sites that contain only blogging and no other form of informational content;
* Include "walmart", "wal-mart" or variations or misspellings thereof in their domain names;
* Otherwise violate intellectual property rights of Walmart.com, Wal-Mart Stores or its suppliers;
* Disparage Walmart.com, Wal-Mart Stores, Wal-Mart Stores affiliates, or their suppliers;
* Are under construction or not live at the time of Application;
* Are non-US based or are websites that primarily serve a non-US based audience;
* Do not clearly state an online privacy policy to its visitors; or
* Provide a portion of their Referral Fees (as defined in Section 5) to websites or organizations that would violate any of the above criteria. source: Walmart Tos

If you use a blog to promote Walmart.com offers you are officially breaking TOS.

[Scott Ames]

Originally Posted by Sylonious

If you use a blog to promote Walmart.com offers you are officially breaking TOS.

A blogging sites yes, but not blogging software like WordPress. At least that's how I read it.

[jasonmorgan]

wal-mart is just no fun!

btw, anyone using this program? any success?

I saw it the other day when doing a little online shopping and thought 'huh... I wonder if this program is any good'

[Sylonious]

Originally Posted by Scott Ames

A blogging sites yes, but not blogging software like WordPress. At least that's how I read it.

That includes Wordpress. Any site that only has a blog. So you basically have to add a front end site, at least one page.

[sbucciarel]

Who gives a crap what Walmart likes? I promoted them last Christmas and made a whole .42 cents for my effort. They pay nothing.

[Kirk Ward]

I think you missed the point ....

... as sites that contain only blogging and no other form of informational content;

I read that to mean they are wanting the site to include information, although they don't specify what kind of information, and not just be an online diary (or blog).

My bet is they are trying to avoid pure diary (blog) sites that try to monetize with a text or banner type of ad. Probably if the blog talks about the product and provides information, like a "review" site, then it has added the information they want.

Don't know if that qualifies as two cents worth, but it's all I got.

Kirk
.

[Kirk Ward]

Originally Posted by sbucciarel

Who gives a crap what Walmart likes? I promoted them last Christmas and made a whole .42 cents for my effort. They pay nothing.

Actually, I'm with you on this. I hate them. I cannot stand them. They treat customers like crapp and they provide the lowest quality product and service I have ever seen in a retail establishment.

Seems that would also explain a bit of why you only got 42 cents for your effort. They got nothing special to offer. I'm wondering why the OP is even bothering to look at their TOS ... it's almost like they are seriously thinking about schlepping for "Wal-Crud." Say it ain't so! Say it ain't so.

KW
.

[TheGodfather]

their TOS should state this:

Unsuitable websites include, but are not limited to, those that:

• promote us and our products and services

LMAO

[jazzyjeff]

You can disguise a regular Wordpress blog as a fully functional ecommerce website.

They will never know that it is a blog. That's why wordpress is so great. So many applications can be used to make your site work the way you want without having to do any programming.

Plus, it seems as though they do not want the plain style blog where you just write about daily activites.

[TheGodfather]

Did any of you ever see Jeff Dunham?

He has this ventriloquist act with a lot of puppets, he's really good. Anyway there is this one puppet that is called Walter. And in his opinion his "dream job" is being a greeter at walmart

see for your self... it's on about 1:50

YouTube - Walter and Jeff Dunham # 1

[Sylonious]

Originally Posted by Kirk Ward

I think you missed the point ....



I read that to mean they are wanting the site to include information, although they don't specify what kind of information, and not just be an online diary (or blog).

My bet is they are trying to avoid pure diary (blog) sites that try to monetize with a text or banner type of ad. Probably if the blog talks about the product and provides information, like a "review" site, then it has added the information they want.

Don't know if that qualifies as two cents worth, but it's all I got.

Kirk
.

I didn't miss any point. You are making an educated guess just like I did.

My guess was that they decided to include blogging sites because of the new FTC rule and it's association with blogging.

The FTC specifically stated that they didn't want blogs to review products without disclosing their relationship or compensation.

It could just be a coincidence.

Originally Posted by jazzyjeff

You can disguise a regular Wordpress blog as a fully functional ecommerce website.

They will never know that it is a blog. That's why wordpress is so great. So many applications can be used to make your site work the way you want without having to do any programming.

Plus, it seems as though they do not want the plain style blog where you just write about daily activities.

Exactly. That's all you need to do. That and delete any reference to Wordpress on the blog.

[Michael Gentry]

Originally Posted by Sylonious

If you use a blog to promote Walmart.com offers you are officially breaking TOS.

I'm heart broken LOL

[Jeremy Morgan]

I'm surprised anyone would want to promote for Walmart anyway. I can't imagine they'd be a great company to deal with. You need them far more than they need you, and their entire business model is based off cutting costs everywhere they can... how do you think that's going to work out for you?

But as much as I hate to side with them, I do see their point on this.

[Troy_Phillips]

That's it ... I give up. When I can no longer promote a real winner like walmart it is time to hang it up :-)

[Fun to Write]

Originally Posted by Kirk Ward

Actually, I'm with you on this. I hate them. I cannot stand them. They treat customers like crapp and they provide the lowest quality product and service I have ever seen in a retail establishment.

Seems that would also explain a bit of why you only got 42 cents for your effort. They got nothing special to offer. I'm wondering why the OP is even bothering to look at their TOS ... it's almost like they are seriously thinking about schlepping for "Wal-Crud." Say it ain't so! Say it ain't so.

KW
.

LOL! Wal-Crud.

Love it.

[Kirk Ward]

Originally Posted by Sylonious

The FTC specifically stated that they didn't want blogs to review products without disclosing their relationship or compensation.

It could just be a coincidence.

Exactly. That's all you need to do. That and delete any reference to Wordpress on the blog.

The FTC may have mentioned blogs, but I doubt they care what the mechanism is. They want the relationship disclosed no matter what the platform.

Be honest about the review or relationship and you can tra-la-la all day long.

K.
.

[mywebwork]

I was puzzled by this one:

* Are non-US based or are websites that primarily serve a non-US based audience;

Wal-Mart has stores and websites all around the world - why would they put this restriction in their TOS?

Can't say I'd ever promote for them myself, doesn't seem to be worth the effort - anyone who is interested in Wal-Mart will either find their site or just head off to the store. But I do have to admit to shopping there once in a while - where else can you find a replacement toilet flush valve at 3:30 AM?

Bill