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People buying from their own af ID - Does it bother you?

by Nathan Hangen
17 replies
Honestly, I never thought I would care...that is until it started happening on 50% of my sales. When you offer a hefty commission, it really puts a damper on your revenue. Especially when you see people buying twice (once from another affiliate, 2nd from their own) and refunding the first purchase.

I would rather have a sale than no sale, but still...where do people draw the line?

What are your thoughts?
#bother #buying #people
  • Profile picture of the author JustinK
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    • Profile picture of the author Nathan Hangen
      You are right, there is not really anything we can do to stop it, but it still chaps my ***. My affiliates are missing out on sales, which hurts my business.
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  • Profile picture of the author dsmpublishing
    Its a very interesting moral situation. I would hate it if it happened to me and as i get quite a few sales through clickbank if i investigated it i would probably find that it does.

    But its still sales and isnt that what counts?
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    • Profile picture of the author Nathan Hangen
      I make money regardless, although there is a big difference between 30% and 100%. The problem is that when an affiliate loses a commission because of this, they might get tired of promoting the product.
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  • Profile picture of the author sam12six
    Originally Posted by JustinK View Post

    How would an affiliate lose a commission if it was them that would buy it from themselves to get thier own commission in the first place?
    I think he's saying someone buys a product through an affiliate then finds out they can be an affiliate themselves, so they get a refund on the initial purchase and re-purchase it through their own ID.
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    • Profile picture of the author Jeremy Kelsall
      Nathan,

      Unfortunately, that happens more than you would like to believe, especially with IM products. I bet hardly anyone is buying fatloss4idiots or the latest and greatest jelqing guide(except for kevin riley) with their own hoplink.
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      • Profile picture of the author Nathan Hangen
        Originally Posted by Jeremy Kelsall View Post

        Nathan,

        Unfortunately, that happens more than you would like to believe, especially with IM products. I bet hardly anyone is buying fatloss4idiots or the latest and greatest jelqing guide(except for kevin riley) with their own hoplink.

        Unfortunately, you are probably right. I thought being a Twitter product I might escape it, but it doesn't appear to be that way. Although I don't mind getting a sale, I might re-think my commission structure.

        I don't have a problem with people buying a review copy with their own aff ID...and I don't really have a problem with people buying products with their ID's...just when I see an affiliate lose a sale because of it I get a bit angry.
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  • Profile picture of the author Sheryl Polomka
    I know I sometimes buy through my own link and I don't see a problem with that itself, however if you say that they first buy it through an affiliate link, then through their own and cancel the first purchase, that is just wrong.

    You don't want to lose your affiliates if they are getting cancellations and you don't want your product to look like it had a high refund rate because of something like this. It's a pity you can't take away their commission if they bought it through someone else first.
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  • Profile picture of the author Will Edwards
    Personally - not at all. If you are a vendor, you just made an affiliate sale - and what's wrong with that?

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  • Profile picture of the author JustinK
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    • Profile picture of the author Nathan Hangen
      Originally Posted by JustinK View Post

      Im still trying to wrap my mind around what nathan is trying to say.

      Ok you have 1 random guy buying from you then finds out he can get a commission so he refunds and buys it again. - This makes no sense because if it was refunded the customer still has the product so why would he buy it again?

      They purchase from aff1 and then find out they can use their own ID. So this time they purchase from their own aff ID and refund the sale from aff1. Instead of paying full price, they get the commission and aff1 misses out on the sale. I get paid the same in both instances.


      Next - If for some reason they do buy it again because it was a membership product how would a different affiliate lose a sale? Unless of course you mean that an affiliate lead a person to your page then refunded.....Wow i feel dumb i just got it right now.

      Nathan you cant do anything about that and you are just stressing yourself. Like someone above mentioned the rate is about 5% that they will know about affiliating and commisions.
      Just read the rest and saw you got it.

      I understand it is part of the deal you get when selling online, but lately about 40-50% of my sales are from people buying from their own affiliate ID. Again, I don't necessarily have a problem with it, but I might reconsider my commission structure.
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  • Profile picture of the author GarrieWilson
    Especially when you see people buying twice (once from another affiliate, 2nd from their own) and refunding the first purchase.
    When that happens and it's with ClickBank, make sure you tell CB. CB can and will take the commission away if they can prove it. They may also ban the buyer.
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    • Profile picture of the author Harvey Segal
      Originally Posted by GarrieWilson View Post

      When that happens and it's with ClickBank, make sure you tell CB. CB can and will take the commission away if they can prove it. They may also ban the buyer.
      Unless there's a need for product registration (e.g for
      software) I wonder why a buyer would bother to repurchase
      (from his own link) if he has both the product and the
      refund ?


      Harvey


      .
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      • Profile picture of the author Karen Connell
        Originally Posted by Harvey.Segal View Post

        Unless there's a need for product registration (e.g for
        software) I wonder why a buyer would bother to repurchase
        (from his own link) if he has both the product and the
        refund ?


        Harvey


        .
        I was wondering that myself.

        But I suppose if it relates to a membership site or some sort of recurring cost, then I can see the reason they would do it.

        Karen
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        • Profile picture of the author bionictortoise
          Multiple streams of income where people also sell their own products are less affected by this.

          People who rely on affiliate commissions are stuck with self-buyers and inconsistent cookies that eat away at their income. If affiliate marketing was only a percentage of their whole income, it would bother them less.
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  • Profile picture of the author Diver's
    good discussion - but there is nothing we could do about other people way of doing thing and the moral value they perceive..

    But you still make money Nathan, changing your fee structure may reduce the amount of affiliates you currently have..(70%) is a big amount..

    nowadays affiliate would prefer 70% commission, any less than that, they might not get interested to promote.

    that's what i thought...good luck there.!
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    • Profile picture of the author Martin Avis
      Originally Posted by Diver's View Post

      good discussion - but there is nothing we could do about other people way of doing thing and the moral value they perceive..
      Why do people always want to make these things a moral issue?

      It is simple business.

      If I buy a product in store a (who offers a no-questions money-back guarantee) and then find I can buy the same thing from a wholesalers at a cheaper price, would it be a moral issue if I went back to store a and asked for the refund I'd been promised?

      Of course not. It is a simple business transaction.

      Internet marketing is a business - and it is a real world out there.

      Martin
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  • Profile picture of the author MeTellYou
    I don't have many affilates working for me or many products up, but I am sure this must be very annoying. I am positive that thre is something that could be done... I don't know what though... maybe you could have a script installed which would disable the product if you choose to do so?
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    • Profile picture of the author ShayB
      If you join a DS company (like Tupperware or Avon), you get a discount on the products. You buy from yourself, because you get a discount. You don't buy a product from another rep just so she can get the commission.

      IMHO, if someone buys a product, then refunds, and then buys it again under his own ID, at least he is being honest. He could have refunded and kept the product. He already has it.

      JMHO
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