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Can you now only promote products if you own the product yourself

by phil.wheatley
8 replies
Hi Guys

Nowadays, I mostly sell my own stuff, but at times it can be good to promote affiliate products....but did I read a while ago that due to the FTC rules, you can only promote products as an affiliate that you own yourself, or at least if done as a review??

Thanks
Phil
#product #products #promote
  • Profile picture of the author ColinChia
    Hey Phil,

    I think it only makes sense that you can review a product that you've used or have access to... Although I know many out there do it 'blind' it's not a very accurate review in that case.

    So I guess it was only a matter of time FTC stood up and took action.

    Too much deception in the industry - people are getting lazy - looking at only the short-term rewards.

    Hope this helps,

    Colin
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    • Profile picture of the author phil.wheatley
      Originally Posted by ColinChia View Post

      Hey Phil,

      I think it only makes sense that you can review a product that you've used or have access to... Although I know many out there do it 'blind' it's not a very accurate review in that case.

      So I guess it was only a matter of time FTC stood up and took action.

      Too much deception in the industry - people are getting lazy - looking at only the short-term rewards.

      Hope this helps,

      Colin
      I totally agree, but at the same time, some products like cameras can be a thousand quid plus. Hmmm, difficult one. I was wondering if it is actually a legal requirement, or just recommended.

      Cheers
      Phil
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      • Profile picture of the author Rozanne
        According to my information, affiliates who receives cash or in kind of payment to review a product will be considered as an endorsement. Therefore, affiliates who make an endorsement must disclose the material connections they share with the seller of the product or service.

        However, the new FTC rules do raise many questions, leaving plenty of food for thought. While there are still many things to clarify, overall, I believe this to be a positive development. It helps us all move on to a more transparent online environment, and that is good.
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      • Profile picture of the author PLRExpress
        Whenever I write a review, I usually like to have used the product myself or even own it. Obviously, there are going to be times when you want to promote something but haven't used it or even seen it for yourself.

        In these cases, I tend to just do a summary of the product and try and find as much information about it as I can from other sources. It's still a useful "review" because you've spent the time putting all of the information that a customer may want to know about a product in one place - it will save them great amounts of time.

        If you haven't actually used the product though, you shouldn't say that you have and make false claims about it.
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        • Profile picture of the author Tony Marriott
          Basically you are just not allowed to lie on your sales page.

          If you promote a product with a review as if you had used it but in fact have not - that is not allowed

          If you say your name is Bill Smith and you pretend to be someone else- it is not allowed.

          If you don't clearly show that you will get rewarded from selling the product (or have affiliation to the product owner) - not allowed.

          If your testimonial are made up - not allowed

          In general just be honest and you are unlikely to fall foul of any rules
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  • Profile picture of the author Celeste Green
    As I understand it, under the FTC’s guides if you feature a testimonial with a product or service that is not typical, then you must include a disclosure on your site that lets consumers what results they can generally expect.

    Also, for bloggers who receive cash or any payment to review a product are considered endorsers. They must disclose that relationship.

    Endorsements/testimonials also shouldn't be misleading (a common sense one really).

    I also read that your FTC disclosures should be located above the fold and the message of the disclosure must be conveyed w/out the viewer having to click through on a link. Disclosures also should be included in emails sent out to your subscriber list, because most IMers include affiliate links there.

    Here's some more info from the FTC's website. Federal Trade Commission's Advertising - Edorsement Guide Videos
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  • Profile picture of the author DeborahDera
    I am not sure if you have to own the product, but I do know you have to have a clear disclosure on your website stating that you will receive a commission based off of any sales made from clicks on your site. That way your readers know you have an affiliation. They can then decide if you are genuine or not.

    Originally Posted by phil.wheatley View Post

    Hi Guys

    Nowadays, I mostly sell my own stuff, but at times it can be good to promote affiliate products....but did I read a while ago that due to the FTC rules, you can only promote products as an affiliate that you own yourself, or at least if done as a review??

    Thanks
    Phil
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  • Profile picture of the author Vikram73
    While I'm not a fan of the FTC I do think these are all common sensed ideas and if you follow them in a smart way you will see your conversions go up:

    1) People want to read a real review. You can't fake it it has to be based on the facts about the product. Look at some popular Amazon reviews and you'll see what I mean. Just buy the product and talk about what's good and what's bad and how you felt about your purchase.

    2) People appreciate honesty and aren't opposed to you making a buck. It can actually help you get more conversions if you're up front and honest about being an affiliate on the page (it has for me!).

    You can sneak around the FTC by doing a review of a review. That basically summarizes reviews others have made about the product but at that point you're building a thin site with no valuable content. You're more or less standing in front of the cash register to grab some money. There's nothing wrong with that but it's not sustainable in the long run.
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