Clickbank...YOU'RE A JOKE! (More lost sales and a clear reason WHY...)

[Haltingpoint]

Originally Posted by Markus Wahlgren

Mr Allen Says, with your forum you can make a real change: If "all" CB merchants here add their products to Click2Sell.com or PayDotCom.com as well and post it in a sticky "The ClickBank Switch" thread, things will start happening.

You voted for Change and won - Can you do it again? (Yes we can!)

Oh how I wish changing things online were that simple. I highly doubt the WF members make up a significant enough chunk of CBs user-base, or their revenue, to make much of a difference.

Now a concentrated by top bloggers in the affiliate space on the other hand...well, that might just generate enough awareness to generate some kind of formal response on the matter from them.

[LEAPresearch]

Sounds a lot like what Paypal is now going thorugh. They've just opened their "Mexican" operation. Mexico "requires" you to have a Mexican bank account and to do business in "pesos." Now, they say this is to preclude "money laundering." However, I've opened an account at ScotiaBank where my funds will enter in pesos, where I will then transfer to my Citi bank in San Diego. and convert back into dollars. Why are they forcing me to break their law? I don't want my funds based on "pesos." what a ripoff!

[Jagged]

Is anyone noticing the same with paydotcom? Maybe on a lesser scale? Is it isolated to just clickbank?

What other options are out there that are like clickbank...I know of one or two...there's got to be more.

Has anyone had any experience with pepperjamnetwork,
fairly new...a CJ / Share-a-sale type of affiliate program?

[bigtop26]

ThanK you very much for being that to my attention. I kept writing clickbank about why I was not getting any commission to. They wrote back with some crap about I have to do this and I had to do that. Well No more. I'm moving on too.

Thanks
bigtop26

[coreytucker]

as a merchant it cannot hurt you to have your product up. But as an affiliate im moving away from CB, new products im promoting from now on are with paydotcom or someone else.

[Hamida Harland]

My Clickbank sales are way up this month - I do believe they still have tracking problems, but if you're promoting the right products Clickbank are still ok. Also consumers are becoming more careful with their money, and the same crappy review sites that worked a year ago aren't working so well now.

Paydotcom & Click2sell unfortunately are no competition so I'll be sticking with CB for some time yet.

[Norma Holt]

Never did like Click Bank. My affiliate companies wire my commissions direct to my bank and there are no hassles with cashing their cheques or waiting months to get them. That happened when I first started out but not now. There are other ways and happier marketers to show you.

God bless

Norma

[activetrader]

Originally Posted by Nick Brighton

As if it's not hard enough to make an affiliate commission? Now I find in one week the following:

1. First "check up" on my affiliate link, and it turns out that my referrals are not being tracked.

Clickbank don't bother to respond, yet the merchant who I am promoting is literally falling over themselves in apology.

Problem seemed to fix itself recently.

2. Second check up after I've just sent an email promo out to a list of nearly 500 people (that cost alot to acquire and are highly responsive), and this time, it turns out that my sales are being tracked...

...sadly however, it's not MY affiliate ID that is being tracked for my referrals.

So there goes a few hundred pounds of ad spend, where my commissions have basically been pissed away to some skanky affiliate who seems to have hijaked my account, links or server info (god knows how) and is taking all the profits that I worked damn hard for.

Goodbye Clickbank. You're a joke.

Sounds like a nighmare came true. I don't understand how that could work if you plug your affiliate link if your e-mail, why aren't your sales tracked?

[davenavarro]

I don't understand why Clickbank is still around, the way they gouge you on the fee side.

e-junkie works just fine for me.

Dave

[Stuart Turnbull]

Hi

I have one eBook I sell through ClickBank (working on another at the moment), I don't think I've had any affiliate commission problems but I have a couple of big JV partners who generate multiple sales with autoresponder promotion and it is obvious that a small but significant percentage of buyers substitute their own hoplinks thus stealing my affiliates commission.
This is not a problem for me as I still get my share.
Any suggestions on how to stop this?

Stuart

[amentajo]

I always hear how great Clickbank is but dont see it. LOL.

[garyv]

Maybe I missed this somewhere - but how could you tell that some other affiliate was making your sales?

[doylesoft]

Originally Posted by Kay King

We always assume CB is a company with employees for customer service, etc - but do we KNOW that? Does anyone here know the CB setup or those running it? Are we dealing with one or two people running the business? I've wondered but never found the answer to that question.
The lack of good customer service and the failure to upgrade the system frequently makes me think that may be the case.

From what I heard, they have a humble medium sized office in Idaho. I'm a publisher and they've been good to get me checks in the past. If I don't like something, like Clickbank not releasing my check, I call them. Simple as that. I call them and they get the job done.

I hope Clickbank can quickly address all the affiliate concerns because it sounds like a huge ongoing problem. They are easy to find. They have a blog and they are on Twitter. This is all very strange; especially at a time when they are working hard to become an "inside out" company. They have always kept to themselves but they are coming out of their shell asking the Internet community what they can do for publishers and affiliates.

I'm just a little publisher among thousands, but there has got to be a way to get Clickbank's attention and get this turned around.

[Thomas]

Originally Posted by davenavarro

I don't understand why Clickbank is still around, the way they gouge you on the fee side.

e-junkie works just fine for me.

Dave

Clickbank and E-Junkie are not the same kind of company: E-Junkie is a shopping cart - you still use PayPal, Clickbank, or some other payment processor.

Tommy.

[trueclickerdotcom]

I'm glad I found this site. Can't believe how many bad affiliate programs there are out there. Any of you superaffiliates out there interested in being part of a new program with 50% commission to start and two tier please pm me. You guys seem like the cream of the crop and I look forward to hearing from some of you

[Sid Hale]

Affiliate Marketers,

Originally Posted by strategic

So far it has proven impossible for me to get even one payment from them, but I have launched a new campaign on all my Squidoo lenses, in the hope that the sheer volume of activity will finally crack that nut.

But Oh boy, I wish someone would set up a system as SIMPLE for new people to become affiliates of a product.... but it would be even better if the affiliates actually get paid!

Do this...

go to Google and search for... "powered by Rapid Action Profits"

Include the quotes in your search.

If you sell to a particular niche, include additional keywords related to that niche.

The home page is typically the sales page. It may have a link to their affiliate signup at the bottom, but if not... it is normally something like http://domain.com/affiliates.php

You'll get paid directly by the customers for "x" percentage of your sales. You won't have to accumulate a balance of sales/commissions. You get paid on the second sale and every nth sale after that (depending on the commission rate the merchant has set up).

If you do a mailing to your list and include a link for a RAP product, you'll get money into your Paypal account that day (assuming you make at least 2 sales), and probably for 3 - 4 days to come.

No minimum sales balance, no waiting for 2 weeks, or until the 15th of the month following the date of sale, etc.

(hint - use the same 'nickname' when signing up for these products. It'll make everything easier)

[Haltingpoint]

Originally Posted by Sid Hale

Affiliate Marketers,
You'll get paid directly by the customers for "x" percentage of your sales. You won't have to accumulate a balance of sales/commissions. You get paid on the second sale and every nth sale after that (depending on the commission rate the merchant has set up).

And based on my chat with Sid...it appears that this is a huge win for us merchants as well because we never handle the affiliates cut...it just goes directly to them (although I'm still a bit foggy on how RAP actually SPLITS the transaction that way...).

This apparently means that you don't need to do any 1099s at the end of the year for your affiliates.

[Haltingpoint]

Originally Posted by trueclickerdotcom

I'm glad I found this site. Can't believe how many bad affiliate programs there are out there. Any of you superaffiliates out there interested in being part of a new program with 50% commission to start and two tier please pm me. You guys seem like the cream of the crop and I look forward to hearing from some of you

Seriously? Wrong place for this sort of advertisement.

Although as I'll be needing to advertise for affiliates as well in the very near future, can someone kindly confirm the appropriate location to post this sort of thing? If we have a special warrior rate is it appropriate to submit as a WSO?

[Lance K]

Originally Posted by Garrett Aren

Clickbank is good when you're the vendor, but not so much when you're the affiliate (since the tracking isn't working properly).

Well, if it ain't good for the affiliates, it won't be good for the vendors forever.

[Kelly Verge]

Official word:

The affiliate (if any) associated with any ClickBank sale is determined by an automated customer tracking system. Any decision made by this system is final and not subject to petition or debate. Though we believe our tracking system to be more fair and accurate than any alternative, we make no representation regarding the ability of the system to track any specific customer, for any specific length of time.

[Jason Fenty]

This is why I quit being an affiliate and became a publisher. Much more profitable if you can recruit affilates well.

[viryabosmith]

To think i was just about to join their programme, and now, i'm reading all this. Phew!!!!!!!!!!!
***PS I just love this Forum.

[RebeccaL]

I've virtually given up on Clickbank, in fact I dont think I have one site anymore promoting Clickbank products. Its just not worth it.. its just a shame as some of those products convert very well but if Im not getting paid what is the point..

[IMChick]

Scammers and thieves are hard at work.

This may be part of your problem. Clickbank affiliate commisions - Analysis of the problem

[askloz]

What browsers were people using when they noticed these problems?

Cos I was gonna suggest perhaps if it were FF3, it could be something with the new fire fox upgrade updates.

[Andrei Rotariu]

I recently had a prod on CB. When i took it off, i asked CB if they could let my affiliates know so they would no longer promote non existent products. the lady said, no they could not but that they where working on software to autmatically send out emails with any product changes and cancellations etc. She then said they affiliates are responsible for tracking their own links daily.

Basically its a typical sales scenario. where they can get away with not paying they will.

Does anyone know of or use a great tracking tool which will track sales too and can you give a min review?

Cheers

[Sid Hale]

Hey Kelly,

Everyone seems be willing to post an opinion, but (since no one else asked), I have to wonder if they are reading the other opinions posted...

You said...
"Official Word"

The affiliate (if any) associated with any ClickBank sale is determined by an automated customer tracking system. Any decision made by this system is final and not subject to petition or debate. Though we believe our tracking system to be more fair and accurate than any alternative, we make no representation regarding the ability of the system to track any specific customer, for any specific length of time.

Can you give any more specifics? Where did you get this? Is it formally posted somewhere?

I ask, because it has a ring of truth, and could, in fact, be the root cause of the problem.

[LEAPresearch]

There used to be a well used technique where you didn't actually send prospects directly to the vendor's sales page. There was an "intermediate" stop and I'm not talking about a squeeze page.

Anyone remember and would like to remind the rest of the technique?

[Travelingboy]

agreed. Clickbank has some screwy system. I've yet to see them get sued for their faulty shady ways... this is not the first time I've seen complaints on CB, but all over the net you can find massive amounts of problems.

[Max Ramocsai]

I've really had enough with ClickBank and have basically stopped actively promoting them altogether. This is exactly the reason why I've just launched my weight loss eBook with Click2Sell.

Also, I think the fact that Niche Blueprint launched on PayDotCom is a sign of things to come.

[coachmike]

I just recently had one of my affiliates report to me the same problem about the link not tracking properly. I had no idea what was going on and came here looking for answers.

Boy, this place never disappoints! Thanks for the info I've learned. I'm still not quite sure what to tell the affiliate right now.

But, I know for sure that I'll be adding a PayDotCom option for my affiliates!

[Makabongwe Maseko]

Not just when I was thinking of transferring my products from Paydotcom to clickbank just for the number of affiliates I can get from Clickbank. Esshhhh...

[Paul Ponna]

A few folks have stated that they are apprehensive in listing their products on Clickbank.

Unless you are a big-time marketer with huge contacts (most aren't), I highly recommend you list your products on ClickBank. I know several marketers who will not even look at promoting your product if they don't know you and if you have your own affiliate setup unless you have a trusted JV broker in place.

The trust issue is big as several merchants have been known to not pay the commissions to their affiliates in in-house setups. Plus, it's easy and standardized to promote CB products too. Just use your own setup for higher-priced products.

The in-house 1ShoppingCart etc. software are great but only if you have built up enough contacts who will trust that you will send out payments. This might work great when launching a new product but after the initial couple of weeks or so, the affiliate activity will dry up. CB will allow the momentum to carry forward for months on end.

- Paul

[MisterMunch]

I think Clickbank is great!

Newbies. Do not get scared of the postings here. I have never experienced any trouble. Tracking is instantly, you do not have to get approved and the publishers give a lot of bank to their affiliates.

Sure, you have to make a few sales to get the check. That should only be seen as motivation. This is not a hobby. Its a proffession.

One time I did not recieve a check. Probably because I had just changed appartment. I sent them an email, they instantly replied and shortly after I recieved a new check.

Clickbank is a great marketplace with good (and crappy) products. Research before you pick the one you will be promoting. Either buy it or check out the reviews. (Most reviews are promotions, so you have to read through the lines)

[Enquirer]

I was feeling cheerful and hopeful until I read all this. I've just started promoting a CB product with articles/squidoos. I wonder if I'm wasting my time and effort? I'll continue with this one product - a bit less keenly - and have a look at paydotcom and click2sell.

[Theresa_wahm]

I just checked one of my blogs that I just submitted an article on....and the link to the affiliate product on my blogs were gone. Everytime I click on the site from clickbank...it shows error. I'm glad I found it now...before I wasted more time trying to promote the product that no longer exists! Actually I might make a new thread about this to warn others. Please check your links!

[Anthonyaa]

Why did you say that you had enough with clickbank, what experience did you have?

[MisterMunch]

Originally Posted by Enquirer

I was feeling cheerful and hopeful until I read all this. I've just started promoting a CB product with articles/squidoos. I wonder if I'm wasting my time and effort? I'll continue with this one product - a bit less keenly - and have a look at paydotcom and click2sell.

Keep working promoting CB products with articles. It works.

Work "Keenly"!

Nobody talks bad about paydotcom. I have 100 dollars stucked in there because one publisher never paid me. Maybe he is dead or he lost his internet connection, I don't know, but unlike Clickbank, on paydotcom the publisher is the one paying you, not the service.

[MisterMunch]

Originally Posted by Theresa_wahm

I just checked one of my blogs that I just submitted an article on....and the link to the affiliate product on my blogs were gone. Everytime I click on the site from clickbank...it shows error. I'm glad I found it now...before I wasted more time trying to promote the product that no longer exists! Actually I might make a new thread about this to warn others. Please check your links!

Products get cancelled. That is not clickbank's fault. You should always look for alternatives for backup if you have a website with enough traffic.

Why is nobody in this forum defending ClickBank? I have never experienced any wrong with them. They pay my food and half my rent. I guess I am not the only one.

[Enquirer]

Originally Posted by MisterMunch

Keep working promoting CB products with articles. It works.

Work "Keenly"!

Nobody talks bad about paydotcom. I have 100 dollars stucked in there because one publisher never paid me. Maybe he is dead or he lost his internet connection, I don't know, but unlike Clickbank, on paydotcom the publisher is the one paying you, not the service.

I suppose you're right-ish about that. It was mainly the talk about money being tied up and never being paid out that set me off in a near panic. I'll keep punching with the CB product I'm promoting, look for others in those two other places and also look for good products on CB. Have a mixed bag and see which is better for me to use.

[cashflow08]

I agree. Clickbank has been very fishy lately. I've been getting no sales for a week, then five or 6 in a day, then no sales for two weeks and the same again. they sould treat their affiliates as their number one priority, they're the ones making them the most money. I think everyone should pull all their aff links down at a set time, and see how quickly CB buck their ideas up then

[AndyBlackSEO]

In order to sell a product on clickbank, does it have to be a downloadable product, such as software or an ebook, or can you sell memberships to a website there? in order for people to set up and account and use the system within your website?

Thanks

Andy

p.s. - Sorry, i'm not wanting to hi-jack the thread, just thought that there's a lot of Clickbank people posting in here.

[Enquirer]

I think that if anyone wants to check the efficiency of CB for themselves they could sign up as an affiliate for a certain product. Don't promote it. Give the purchase price to a friend and ask them to buy it with their credit card. See if you are credited with the sale.

I would do this myself but I am short of cash at the moment. Come to think of it, I don't have any friends either. Certainly none I would trust with my money.

[milamber]

Well what are you guys using instead of this clickbank joke?

[Kay King]

Why is nobody in this forum defending ClickBank? I have never experienced any wrong with them.

We don't work for Clickbank - they provide a service that we use. If the service isn't working properly to track sales, we will find alternatives to use.

It's not a matter of "defending" - it's tracking/testing links to see IF CB is properly crediting sales. If all your sales are credited, you don't have a problem. If they aren't - you could be missing payment for the other half of your rent.

If you've never used CB, you don't know until you are using it and getting sales whether there is a problem for you or not. Vendors (sellers) of products are getting paid for sales - it's the affiliates who are noticing problems of not being credited/paid for all the sales they make.

CB has been unresponsive. If this continues, high selling affiliates will use other affiliate sites and vendors will see a decrease in CB sales. If there's a logical explanation, CB should be actively explaining what's going on.

kay

[twannahiga]

Sorry to hear of your bad luck with clickbank...an idea for next time might be contacting your merchant and getting their permission so you can mirror their home page on a domain of your own and paste the raw affiliate link code into the page. You'll be sure to get your commmision that way, hope this assists!

[Michael Franklin]

Consider this common scenario.....

Visitor visits your Clickbank affiliate link.

Visitor is on the fence about your product but signs up for email list on sales page (Very common!)

Visitor gets followup autoresponder email after clearing cookies or on another computer and then decides to purchase product clicking on purchase link in e-mail.....

RESULT - NO COMMISSION

So it may be that you are losing sales because of factors beyond your control!

[John Sullivan]

There have been various posts about the recent potential problems with CB. As a merchant you would probably want to have your products listed for the large number of affiliates, as an affiliate you need to check your results and perhaps look at other affiliate programs.
The results seem to be very strange at times with CB.

John