10 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}
10 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}

What Is Going On With Clickbank? - No consistency in their rulings whatsoever!

by Roy Carter
9 replies
Hi Guys

I have had several mentoring clients report back to me saying they are getting very inconsistent instructions from Clickbank when submitting new ebooks for approval.

In particulare recently, the pen name issue seems to be a case in point.

Some are being told by Clickbank that they must make a statement on the website to the effect that the author name being used is a pen name. So, a tatement was placed on the Discalimer page and the product was then approved.

Others are being told, (the latest one was today), that their must be a statement placed on the Pitch page that a pen name is being used! The PITCH page for goodness sake!???

What is that all about? (Someone is probably going to say FTC compliance or whatever)...but I mean really!! Authors of physical books use pen names all the time and do NOT have to make a statement on the front cover of the book that says the author name being used is a pen name.

This is all getting just a bit stupid.

However, it is the inconsistency of rulings that really gets my goat!

{Rant over}

Anyone else experiencing this sort of inconsistent ruling?

Your thoughts on all this, guys?
#clickbank #consistency #rulings #whatsoever
  • Profile picture of the author briankoz
    This is actually popping up quite a bit. My guess is that Clickbank will continue to be like this for awhile as they continue to make changes and clamp down on some of the offers on their platform.

    I actually met with one of their VP's a few weeks ago and had a fairly long talk on stuff they'll be doing in the future, and a big part of it was the fact that this is just the start of them getting more strict.

    Some of it is for the better, but some of it will be a pain while they have to deal with training everyone who approves products. If you've ever dealt with Adwords, the problems there are even worse. You can ask the same question on if something is acceptable to 4 different Adwords reps and each will tell you a different story (or answer a question not related to the one you asked).

    Brian
    Signature
    WebFire.com -- Over 25 Tools to Get Free Traffic, Rankings, Leads, and Exposure!
    MobileAutoresponder.com -- Build a Mobile List and Send Unlimited Text Messages!
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5933630].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
    Banned
    Originally Posted by Roy Carter View Post

    Others are being told, (the latest one was today), that their must be a statement placed on the Pitch page that a pen name is being used! The PITCH page for goodness sake!???
    I thought they were telling everyone that, at the moment.

    I certainly know several people who've been told this - didn't know it was "inconsistent", Roy ... (I do see that that must be pretty irritating!). :confused:
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5933649].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Joseph Robinson
    Banned
    I've read about this whole pen name issue already; but didn't know that there had been confusion created when it came to where you can disclose this. I was under the impression that sticking it in your privacy policy was good enough. I guess that has changed.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5933669].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author Roy Carter
      Originally Posted by Joe Robinson View Post

      I've read about this whole pen name issue already; but didn't know that there had been confusion created when it came to where you can disclose this. I was under the impression that sticking it in your privacy policy was good enough. I guess that has changed.
      Well, that's the thing Joe. HAS it changed? Or is it just that at CB at the moment, the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing?

      A full and definitive ruling on this would be useful, but at the moment it seems to be one rule for one and another rule for the next guy.

      And also, I return to the point I made in my post.....Why the heck should we have to put a statement on the PITCH page when in the real world, authors can use pen names without having to tell the world that they are doing so anywhere in the book (least of all on the front cover)!

      This just seems over the top, excessive and stupid!

      Is that just me?
      Signature
      "How To Hang Out On Various Exotic Islands Whilst Still Making Shed Loads Of Money...and stuff!" - Get your FREE ISSUE entitled...'A Quick, Easy $2,000 In Your Pocket By This Weekend!'
      >> ---> http://LettersFromASmallIsland.com/sq1.html <--- < <
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5933723].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Roy Carter
    Hi Alexa

    Well, they irritated me enough to come on here and rant I noticed that BrianKoz (above) has his occupation listed in here as 'Professional Assassin for Hire'......Hmmmmmmmm

    Perhaps I'm not quite THAT irritated at Clickbank.......Yet!

    Brian, you are spot on with the fact that whilst they are training we will get totally different answers to the same question (Just had that happen at Paypal, but that's a whole OTHER story)!
    Signature
    "How To Hang Out On Various Exotic Islands Whilst Still Making Shed Loads Of Money...and stuff!" - Get your FREE ISSUE entitled...'A Quick, Easy $2,000 In Your Pocket By This Weekend!'
    >> ---> http://LettersFromASmallIsland.com/sq1.html <--- < <
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5933689].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author briankoz
    I noticed that BrianKoz (above) has his occupation listed in here as 'Professional Assassin for Hire'......Hmmmmmmmm

    Perhaps I'm not quite THAT irritated at Clickbank.......Yet!
    Hah, I forgot that I had that there! It's been several years since I checked that...

    But on another note, I would just e-mail them back and ask them to clarify that rule because you see others not doing that and was told that in the privacy policy is fine. You might get lucky.

    But Paypal, Adwords, etc. are all the same -- if you think / know you're in the right, just ask another person.

    But I can guarantee you that things will get a lot worse in that area before they get better, and it's not all CB's fault. I'm betting that rather than going after individuals, the FTC and the like are going after Mastercard / Visa, who will clamp down on the banks, who will clamp down on the merchant providers, who will clamp down on you.

    Some will be more excessive than needed for awhile.

    Brian
    Signature
    WebFire.com -- Over 25 Tools to Get Free Traffic, Rankings, Leads, and Exposure!
    MobileAutoresponder.com -- Build a Mobile List and Send Unlimited Text Messages!
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5933762].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Joseph Robinson
    Banned
    As far as requiring disclosure of pen names being a little over the top, I agree with you completely. A search of the FTC website brought up nothing that could have led Clickbank to this policy change. There are only case reviews that show specific people being barred from using them. Perhaps a change is forthcoming though.

    As far as a definitive answer to where the disclosure must be, I haven't found it yet in any of Clickbank's TOS, but I'll let you know if I do.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5933786].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author Roy Carter
      Originally Posted by Joe Robinson View Post

      As far as requiring disclosure of pen names being a little over the top, I agree with you completely. A search of the FTC website brought up nothing that could have led Clickbank to this policy change. There are only case reviews that show specific people being barred from using them. Perhaps a change is forthcoming though.

      As far as a definitive answer to where the disclosure must be, I haven't found it yet in any of Clickbank's TOS, but I'll let you know if I do.
      Thanks Joe. It's probably not in their TOS yet because nobody knows what they actually DO want to say!

      If we all started stating to them what I said above as to the fact that offline authors do not have to disclose use of pen names, then they might see common sense. Although I doubt that somehow.
      Signature
      "How To Hang Out On Various Exotic Islands Whilst Still Making Shed Loads Of Money...and stuff!" - Get your FREE ISSUE entitled...'A Quick, Easy $2,000 In Your Pocket By This Weekend!'
      >> ---> http://LettersFromASmallIsland.com/sq1.html <--- < <
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5933815].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Roy Carter
    Hey Brian

    Yeah, I will get my mentoring clients to ask them to clarify and we'll see how many different 'clarifications' they get back!

    I agree that things will be unsettled for a while but even so, common sense has to kick in somewhere along the line surely?
    Signature
    "How To Hang Out On Various Exotic Islands Whilst Still Making Shed Loads Of Money...and stuff!" - Get your FREE ISSUE entitled...'A Quick, Easy $2,000 In Your Pocket By This Weekend!'
    >> ---> http://LettersFromASmallIsland.com/sq1.html <--- < <
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5933801].message }}

Trending Topics