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ClickBank wants me to delete stuff

by Laura B
37 replies
I'm in the process of putting my eCourse on ClickBank, and I got this instruction from the product specialist reviewing my application:

Please remove any reference in your ebook to social media marketing through Twitter and Facebook.

Huh? Setting aside for the moment the fact that I don't understand why, this subject is 3 pages of my 270-page course. Taking it out means changing the number of pages, which means changing most of the page number references throughout the book, as well as the table of contents and bookmarks, etc.

Yes, it could be worse, but it's enough to be a real pain. The best thing to do, I guess, is write something else that's 3 pages long, but making it fit, subject-wise, in the same place is going to be a challenge.

CB's TOS states that one of its prohibited products is: Products about marketing through Craigslist or social networking sites that are contrary to the social networking site's terms of use. (italics mine)

However, I've read Twitter's and Facebook's TOS, and I can't see how I'm violating them. I'm NOT spamming. And the majority of my updates on Twitter are even REAL updates, not just blog posts, links, and offers like most others I see.

I don't get it. Have you been asked to do this, and did you?
#clickbank #delete #stuff
  • Profile picture of the author dave147
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  • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
    Banned
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    • Profile picture of the author Laura B
      Originally Posted by Alexa Smith View Post

      Don't expect reason or logic from Clickbank.

      It doesn't matter whether anything you advise is actually contrary to the terms of service of any social networking site.

      If you want to use Clickbank (and the advantages are easy to see), just humour them on this point and lose as little sleep over it as possible!
      Thanks, Alexa, that sounds like good advice. I guess I'm an idealist who thinks everything should be logical. Ha!
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  • Profile picture of the author Dan Riffle
    To piggyback on Alexa, you could do what she recommends and offer the material you removed as an unadvertised bonus. I'm sure you could spruce up the 3 pages of material into a proper bonus report.

    ~Dan
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    • Profile picture of the author braver55b
      Originally Posted by riff View Post

      To piggyback on Alexa, you could do what she recommends and offer the material you removed as an unadvertised bonus. I'm sure you could spruce up the 3 pages of material into a proper bonus report.

      ~Dan
      Dan, You stole my thunder, since clickbank wants to be a pain, you can use those 3 pages as a report as optin bait ala "leaked pages" to build a list as I doubt clickbank would allow you to use it as a bonus on the salespage.
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  • Profile picture of the author bretski
    Does a CB employee actually read through every ebook? Is that part of the approval process? Just asking because I didn't remember reading that anywhere in their literature on "how to become a ClickBank vendor".
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  • Profile picture of the author GarrieWilson
    Call them and point it the TOS and what your product teaches. Or remove it, get approved and add it back. Or turn it into a free report to build your list.
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  • Profile picture of the author Floyd Fisher
    Originally Posted by Laura B View Post

    I'm in the process of putting my eCourse on ClickBank, and I got this instruction from the product specialist reviewing my application:

    Please remove any reference in your ebook to social media marketing through Twitter and Facebook.

    Huh? Setting aside for the moment the fact that I don't understand why, this subject is 3 pages of my 270-page course. Taking it out means changing the number of pages, which means changing most of the page number references throughout the book, as well as the table of contents and bookmarks, etc.

    Yes, it could be worse, but it's enough to be a real pain. The best thing to do, I guess, is write something else that's 3 pages long, but making it fit, subject-wise, in the same place is going to be a challenge.

    CB's TOS states that one of its prohibited products is: Products about marketing through Craigslist or social networking sites that are contrary to the social networking site's terms of use. (italics mine)

    However, I've read Twitter's and Facebook's TOS, and I can't see how I'm violating them. I'm NOT spamming. And the majority of my updates on Twitter are even REAL updates, not just blog posts, links, and offers like most others I see.

    I don't get it. Have you been asked to do this, and did you?
    Don't fight them, it's an uphill battle you're bound to lose.

    Just don't mention them by name, and you should be good to go. Much easier than arguing with them.
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  • Profile picture of the author cotum
    I had a product that dealt with sex (a 'how-to' manual with no sexual photos, no coarse language, etc.) and it was declined recently - even though many other similar products (and some far more vulgar) made it in there.

    Looks like Clickbank's TOS are so strict - and the people interpreting the TOS are so stupid - that soon they will just decline everything.

    I'm sorry this happened to you - best of luck with your project. It may still be successful. I launched mine without Clickbank and made $1300+ in the past 24 hours - you can do it!
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    • Profile picture of the author seasoned
      Well, Clickbank DID make it clear that they don't want you:

      1. Violating others TOSs.
      2. Committing them to obligations outside their stated ones.
      3. Limiting customers rights clickbank gives them.
      4. Breaking FTC rules.
      5. breaking credit rules
      6. Advocating that others should do any of the above.

      You are probably stretching #4 by advocating testimonials, etc... through the social sites.

      INTENTIONALLY changing it after they approve it, just so it is approved, is a bad idea!

      One bit of advice though! USE A WORD PROCESSOR, like Word, and have IT number the pages and do the index and table of contents. It makes EVERYONE'S life easier, starting with your own. And you could try links to bookmarks instead of page numbers. It is usually better.

      Steve
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      • Profile picture of the author Laura B
        Thank you all very much for your input. I wasn't aware CB treated vendors that way.

        @bretski - I didn't realize they went through the actual product either until they requested the download link. They must read the product more carefully than they read our e-mails, though. I forwarded the message with the download link that my customers get, as they requested, but I told them the link had expired because it was specific to the last customer and gave them a new active link. The reply was: Please give us an active link; the one you sent has expired. Sigh.

        @riff - thanks for the suggestion; I will do that.

        Originally Posted by seasoned View Post


        One bit of advice though! USE A WORD PROCESSOR, like Word, and have IT number the pages and do the index and table of contents. It makes EVERYONE'S life easier, starting with your own. And you could try links to bookmarks instead of page numbers. It is usually better.

        Steve
        Fortunately, I don't have to renumber the pages myself; I did the book in InDesign. You're right it would be a nightmare without automatic numbering. But I hadn't considered replacing page references with bookmarks - good idea.

        Thanks again, everyone.
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  • Profile picture of the author sbucciarel
    Banned
    Yes ... I've been asked to remove any reference to Facebook and other social network marketing. I did and they accepted my product.
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  • Profile picture of the author ivanm
    That's ridiculous. There are tons of products on Clickbank all about Twitter so Facebook is understandable but Twitter.
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  • Profile picture of the author Prashaant
    Maybe you could provide that content to your buyers via an autoresponder after they've bought.
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  • Profile picture of the author Platinum Matt
    I was asked to remove the words "pregnant bitches" from a sales letter about dogs.

    The woof woof type of dogs.

    Ridiculous and under protest I did so.

    Still love CB though.
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    • Profile picture of the author seasoned
      Originally Posted by Platinum Matt View Post

      I was asked to remove the words "pregnant bitches" from a sales letter about dogs.

      The woof woof type of dogs.

      Ridiculous and under protest I did so.

      Still love CB though.
      Maybe it is "automated". And MANY don't know that bitch actually IS a proper name for a female dog. Either THEY don't know, don't care, or are afraid OTHERS might be offended.

      C'est la vie.

      Steve
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  • Profile picture of the author Laura B
    Thanks for the additional input! I haven't used paydotcom - time to check it out.
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    • Profile picture of the author Troy_Phillips
      Originally Posted by Laura B View Post

      Thanks for the additional input! I haven't used paydotcom - time to check it out.
      PDC will let you put one product up free.

      Put your product there . This could net you some sales and affiliates .

      ads stated already rewrite the three pages . Use the old three for the bonus'
      resub to CB .
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  • Profile picture of the author matthewd
    Ask them how you are breaking any TOS... odds are
    you will not get an answer. I have asked the same thing
    to no avail when I have had run ins with CB; which is twice

    Both times I have done as they asked and also asked them
    to point out the where certain things are stated in their TOS
    b/c they referenced them but I couldn't find what they were
    referring to.

    My issue was different than a social networking site, but still
    a similar situation.
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  • Profile picture of the author DogScout
    Actually only hound dogs are bitches. I don't care what Wikipedia or Oxford say
    Other breeds have other names like Dam.
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    • Profile picture of the author bretski
      Originally Posted by DogScout View Post

      Actually only hound dogs are bitches. I don't care what Wikipedia or Oxford say
      Other breeds have other names like Dam.
      Actually...not...sorry...dogs are dogs and bitches are bitches. The terms Dam and Sire are only used in reference to a dog or bitch's pedigree.
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      • Profile picture of the author Roy Carter
        Originally Posted by bretski View Post

        Actually...not...sorry...dogs are dogs and bitches are bitches. The terms Dam and Sire are only used in reference to a dog or bitch's pedigree.
        Yeah, but let's not bitch about it in this thread
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        • Profile picture of the author bretski
          Originally Posted by Roy Carter View Post

          Yeah, but let's not bitch about it in this thread
          He He He! Good one! I know...way off topic but it's a "pet" peeve of mine!

          Back on topic....

          I was a little surprised that CB DOES ask for a copy of your product. Do they pay you for it? If they download a copy of my product without paying for it isn't that theft?
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  • Profile picture of the author Michael Worthington
    It's conversations like this that make me glad I
    never wasted the money to get a clickbank
    account.

    Michael
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  • Profile picture of the author Mike Hersh
    Why don't you go for PayDotCom?

    ClickBank is not the only thing on earth

    Mike G
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  • Profile picture of the author George Tee
    One way, take out everything that violates the clickbank tos. And after they approved it, you can simply put those stuff back in. In fact, i think you are pretty unlucky that they actually read through your product. For mine, I submitted a quarter done ebook. Probably it's because of the latest FTC regulations.

    if still can't do it, create another clickbank account and hopefully u got another person who is friendlier to help you with the process. u need to think in terms of clickbank as just any other organization. if you met a nice staff, they will be polite and help you to solve the problem.
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  • Profile picture of the author J Bold
    Well, can't you just talk to them about it?

    I'm sure you could talk to them about it and explain your situation and they may evaluate the issue again.

    I assume you have thought of that already, but wasn't sure.
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  • Profile picture of the author Tovuti
    I've had more than my share of run ins with Clickbank. It seems like if it isn't one thing, it's another with them. But they do pay me weekly by direct deposit like clockwork and take care of my affliliates. So if you can get past the crap they put you through, it is worth it in the end.

    PayDotCom is a great option though if you decide that redoing your book too much bother (although you have to pay your affiliates yourself).
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  • Profile picture of the author Laura B
    Just wanted to post a quick update: I had not "appealed my case," so to speak, but ClickBank contacted me because they saw this thread and offered to review my product again. A different product specialist looked it over and decided that I indeed was not recommending any violations of Twitter's or Facebook's TOS. They approved it as is and I am now selling with them.

    They were very polite and helpful, I have to say. I can see not everyone has had the same experience, but I wanted to share mine.
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