Clickbank To Shut Down All "Aggregate" Products as of OCT15 2012

by vendor
122 replies
Clickbank had dropped an atomic bomb on it's marketplace.

Clickbank is sending the following email to it's aggregate related vendors.
Effective OCT15 it means that clickbank will no longer be serving many of it's popular products (AKA tv on pc,simulator products and many others) "
Dear Client,
As the leading retailer of digital products, ClickBank prides itself on offering its customers the latest and best digital products available. Due to the ever changing status of technology and the law, ClickBank monitors the products offered through its services and, when necessary, makes changes to the types of products it will offer for sale. ClickBank’s ability to make such changes is included in our Client Contract, which is the final authority on the business relationship between ClickBank and you. This communication does not alter or amend the Client Contract.
As part of our constant quality review process, ClickBank has decided to add to its existing list of Prohibited Products any products that, in our sole judgment, are deemed as "Aggregation Products," which are defined as: products that offer content such as books,movies, music, t.v. shows and channels, such as tv-to-pc, games and "open source" products for a charge where the content is generally available for the internet for free. As many consumers do not understand that the content can be found for free on the Internet, such products often result in a high level of refund and chargeback requests. Unfortunately, some affiliates add to this misunderstanding by failing to accurately describe for consumers what they will actually receive when the product is purchased. Additionally, some vendors include in Aggregation Products access to sports events and other content without having the proper legal rights to provide such access.
ClickBank has determined that at least one of the products contained within the account(s) referenced above offer such products. "

In my personal interpretation and knowledge on clickbank products in general this covers
most of clickbank's products and especially the popular ones.
For example "Green energy " products are aggregates of information available for free on the internet, So are products such as Woodworking etc..
The interpretation of this is so wide that almost any clickbank product can fall under the aggregate
category.
#2012 #aggregate #clickbank #oct15 #products #shut
  • Profile picture of the author WinstonTian
    Ouch.

    I can't say I didn't see that coming.

    I've got information that CB is refocusing
    products on the importance of refund rates
    and customer satisfaction...

    Good move in 2012.

    Winston Tian
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    Cheers,
    Winston
    The Beginner's Doctor

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    • Profile picture of the author Nick Pearson
      Originally Posted by WinstonTian View Post

      Ouch.

      I can't say I didn't see that coming.

      I've got information that CB is refocusing
      products on the importance of refund rates
      and customer satisfaction...

      Good move in 2012.

      Winston Tian
      I personally think that's one of the best ways to weed out the NONSENSE. If people are constantly asking for refunds for a product then it's probably not quality.
      It really should always be about the customer, they are the ones losing money.
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  • Profile picture of the author Rean+
    Well, what about IM products? What about weight loss products? I don't they're dropping a bomb on information freely available on the internet. I think they're shutting down products that just link to free content/information sources on the internet... Of course, I'm only assuming at the moment.

    Damn, I hate having to go from rookie to intermediate. In fact, what I hate even more is that it can take quite some time.
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    • Profile picture of the author Walter Parrish
      doesn't sound like a big deal to me. they simply want prevent refunds, copyright infringement, and trademark violations, and the folks that take the free stuff off the net and sell it on clickbank.
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  • Profile picture of the author Sarevok
    That sucks cause some of the best converting offers fall into that category lol.

    Better ramp up my campaigns before it's too late
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  • Profile picture of the author ryanmilligan
    Banned
    If anything I reckon it will actually help to clean up there market place a little bit.

    Possibly a very smart move...
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    • Profile picture of the author minisitetycoon
      Originally Posted by ryanmilligan View Post

      If anything I reckon it will actually help to clean up there market place a little bit.

      Possibly a very smart move...
      Exactly Ryan, plus it will be easier to better target affiliate programs with less clutter.

      I ran across a Real home business that you do not need to purchase on Clickbank, because as they say.. the real programs are FREE, and they are exactly right about that. Yes I found how to work for the real fortune 500 companies and make real money at home instantly...FREE to join.

      This Is The One!

      Watch out for this post in the near future. I am getting ready to go full blast on this and it's that one program everyone was looking for. You jaws
      will drop as I was fortunate and blessed to find this opportunity.

      I will actually put it in my signature after my kindle cover program.

      Hope all goes well with Clickbank's new change, we shall see . . . .
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  • Profile picture of the author WillR
    This is great news.

    Anyone who thinks otherwise is probably an owner or an affiliate for one of those products.

    Good riddance to them. Hopefully the message is getting clearer that Clickbank will not put up with the crap that has been selling on it's network for the last upmteen years.

    I support these changes. They have taken a long time to come but hey, I'm all for it.
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    • Profile picture of the author newbiz74
      Originally Posted by WillR View Post

      This is great news.

      Anyone who thinks otherwise is probably an owner or an affiliate for one of those products.

      Good riddance to them. Hopefully the message is getting clearer that Clickbank will not put up with the crap that has been selling on it's network for the last upmteen years.

      I support these changes. They have taken a long time to come but hey, I'm all for it.
      yes true. I purchased so many products which were crap. Good they are removing all of those.
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  • Profile picture of the author IntoughShape
    sounds good but I kinda don't get it. So if my product is a book or ebook I can't put it up on clickbank anymore or...? Sounds confusing, sorry I just didnt get it.
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    • Profile picture of the author vendor
      Originally Posted by IntoughShape View Post

      sounds good but I kinda don't get it. So if my product is a book or ebook I can't put it up on clickbank anymore or...? Sounds confusing, sorry I just didnt get it.
      Like i said
      "The interpretation of this is so wide that almost any clickbank product can fall under the aggregate
      category"

      The implementation of it.. well, we will have to wait and see.
      On the logical level almost any information product falls under this category.
      Maybe that's the point. There is no longer anything that defines what product is ok for the marketplace other than clickbank's decision if it's an aggregate product or not.

      I would not be happy with this move in any case.
      "
      First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out--
      Because I was not a Socialist.
      Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out--
      Because I was not a Trade Unionist.
      Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out--
      Because I was not a Jew.
      Then they came for me--and there was no one left to speak for me. "


      by my understanding the market is becoming smaller and more and more of us will compete either as affiliates or vendors for an ever decreasing range of "allowed" products.
      Ultimately i think that on a global scale most of the market share will go to large corporations and the small guys will be squeezed out one way or another.
      But that is just my personal philosophy of course.
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      • Profile picture of the author Walter Parrish
        Originally Posted by vendor View Post

        Like i said
        "The interpretation of this is so wide that almost any clickbank product can fall under the aggregate
        category"

        The implementation of it.. well, we will have to wait and see.
        On the logical level almost any information product falls under this category.
        Maybe that's the point. There is no longer anything that defines what product is ok for the marketplace other than clickbank's decision if it's an aggregate product or not.

        I would not be happy with this move in any case.
        "
        First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out--
        Because I was not a Socialist.
        Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out--
        Because I was not a Trade Unionist.
        Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out--
        Because I was not a Jew.
        Then they came for me--and there was no one left to speak for me. "


        by my understanding the market is becoming smaller and more and more of us will compete either as affiliates or vendors for an ever decreasing range of "allowed" products.
        Ultimately i think that on a global scale most of the market share will go to large corporations and the small guys will be squeezed out one way or another.
        But that is just my personal philosophy of course.
        it's all based around people and the choices they make. people choose google, people choose facebook, people choose youtube. now, if they grow into monsters after the choice it's still the peoples choice that made them all powerful.
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        • Profile picture of the author caliniph
          It seems like IM landscape is changing a lot lately... with news like this, we'll never know how to react tomorrow
          Signature
          Stop bumping old threads. - Moderator
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          • Profile picture of the author minisitetycoon
            Originally Posted by caliniph View Post

            It seems like IM landscape is changing a lot lately... with news like this, we'll never know how to react tomorrow
            I hear ya, they are only changing the lanscape because most of these online marketers are not following the rules and are trying to take fast shortcuts to success.

            End result is these people selling garbage content.

            That is why Clickbank has to do this. There are no worries for us vendors with quality products, as you can see in my signature.

            As long as you are original in your research, there is no problem.
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        • Profile picture of the author Wasim
          Less clutter
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          • Profile picture of the author JamSlam
            This is the best news I have heard in a very long time. Good for them. It seems like everyone online is steadily moving toward better quality. Woo-Hoo!
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            • Profile picture of the author ryanmilligan
              Banned
              Originally Posted by JamSlam View Post

              This is the best news I have heard in a very long time. Good for them. It seems like everyone online is steadily moving toward better quality. Woo-Hoo!
              Exactly my thoughts.
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      • Profile picture of the author Complex
        [DELETED]
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        • Profile picture of the author vendor
          Originally Posted by Complex View Post

          Really? You think that Click Bank cleaning house of certain products is somehow similar to the Nazis exterminating 6 million Jews through some of the most tortuous acts in history? I realize that this quote gets used any time that someone doesn't like some kind of a change, but it just trivializes what actually happened during the Nazi takeover and the genocide that occurred there.

          Both of my grandfathers earned their Purple Hearts in WW2, and both saw the remnants of concentration camps. Both would shed tears 40 years later when they talked about it and both were the kind of "hard men" that didn't cry about a damn thing. You could learn a thing or two from men like that.

          Please take the time to spend 4 or 5 hours one day learning about what actually occurred during Hitler's regime so that you don't come across like a person without even a middle school education the next time.

          Please talk to someone who lost family during that time in one of Hitlers concentration camps so you can understand that it is NOTHING at all like what Click Bank is doing. Losing products in a market place is not at all like babies being shot in the head just because of their Jewish bloodline.

          Please understand that when you trivialize something so heinous as what the Nazis did by comparing it to every little thing that you don't like, you are sh*tting on the memories of 6 million people who gave their life, including mothers, grandmothers and infants for no reason other than their bloodline. It will NEVER be the same as Click bank doing whatever Click bank is going to do.

          Sorry, I can't let things like this pass. The ignorance that must exist for someone to compare something like ClickBank cleaning their house up to genocide and torture is just ridiculous and atrocious at the same time.

          It was never meant to degrade the memory of the holocaust.
          You have no idea who you are talking to and believe me that if you did
          you would understand what a load of cr@p you just wrote here.
          Please stay on topic , the comparison was only to give an example
          to emphasize that bad things happen when people are indifferent to things that happen to others.
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          • Profile picture of the author davezan
            Originally Posted by vendor View Post

            It was never meant to degrade the memory of the holocaust.
            You have no idea who you are talking to and believe me that if you did
            you would understand what a load of cr@p you just wrote here.
            Please stay on topic , the comparison was only to give an example
            to emphasize that bad things happen when people are indifferent to things that happen to others.
            The main difference between your analogy and Clickbank's recent action is that
            the latter can't force themselves on anyone not using them. The Jews who had
            lived in Germany and nearby didn't exactly have much choice other than to run,
            fight or hide as best as they could during that tragic period.

            It may feel like Clickbank's being heavy-handed here, but that is only if you are
            using their services. The funny thing is, we all have that ability to do something
            similar to whoever chooses to do business with us as long as we do not inflict
            direct, intentional, material harm to him or her.

            Anywho, time will tell how this move affects Clickbank and everyone else. If one
            thing is for sure, though, everyone is eventually going to move along.
            Signature

            David

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    • Profile picture of the author WillR
      Originally Posted by IntoughShape View Post

      sounds good but I kinda don't get it. So if my product is a book or ebook I can't put it up on clickbank anymore or...? Sounds confusing, sorry I just didnt get it.
      No, re-read what it says.

      "products that offer content such as books,movies, music, t.v. shows and channels, such as tv-to-pc, games and "open source" products for a charge where the content is generally available for the internet for free"
      If the content is already freely available on the Internet and you are trying to charge people to access that same content. So if I can stream certain tv channels online for free and you then put out a piece of software that charges me to get those same channels on my PC, your product is no longer allowed.

      That's fair enough. They are just trying to protect their customers. Obviously the refund rates on those products have been unacceptable and thus they are taking a move to eliminate the problem altogether.
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      • Profile picture of the author livo
        How long it takes to do these measures is another thing though.

        I seem to remember last year Clickbank saying they were going to weed out products that claimed to earn thousands of money.But did not actually deliver the figures mentioned.

        But those products are still there?
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      • Profile picture of the author kaizense
        Well am all for improving the quality of the marketplace. That said it all comes down to the interpretation and quality of their execution. Big change sometimes penalizes some of the genuine value added stuff unneccessarily.

        yeah a slipped thru the cracks kind...
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      • Profile picture of the author IntoughShape
        Originally Posted by WillR View Post

        No, re-read what it says.



        If the content is already freely available on the Internet and you are trying to charge people to access that same content. So if I can stream certain tv channels online for free and you then put out a piece of software that charges me to get those same channels on my PC, your product is no longer allowed.

        That's fair enough. They are just trying to protect their customers. Obviously the refund rates on those products have been unacceptable and thus they are taking a move to eliminate the problem altogether.
        ah ok thanks
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      • Originally Posted by WillR View Post

        If the content is already freely available on the Internet and you are trying to charge people to access that same content. So if I can stream certain tv channels online for free and you then put out a piece of software that charges me to get those same channels on my PC, your product is no longer allowed.
        I dont understand this line of argument.

        The truth is that almost ANYTHIING is available for free on the internet. For example: low-caloric diets and weight loss exercises. You can find a plethora of free info on this regard on the internet... does that mean that weight-loss and dieting info products won't be allowed anymore?

        Same goes for software, for example traffic tracking scripts: there are many you can use for free (Google Analytics, for instance)... does that mean that if I create a tracking software I cannot put a price tag on it because there are free alternatives on the internet?

        I don't get it.
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        • Profile picture of the author seasoned
          Originally Posted by Anonymous Affiliate View Post

          I dont understand this line of argument.

          The truth is that almost ANYTHIING is available for free on the internet. For example: low-caloric diets and weight loss exercises. You can find a plethora of free info on this regard on the internet... does that mean that weight-loss and dieting info products won't be allowed anymore?

          Same goes for software, for example traffic tracking scripts: there are many you can use for free (Google Analytics, for instance)... does that mean that if I create a tracking software I cannot put a price tag on it because there are free alternatives on the internet?

          I don't get it.
          Well, the idea is that TRADITIONALLY, and this goes back THOUSANDS of years, because examples are even in the Bible, people have sold things with added value!

          THAT means that a tutorial shouldn't be a pointer to a forum, unless it is to add something or something is added to the forum. It also shouldn't be plagiarized info, or something that is obvious or easily found on the internet for free. It ALSO shouldn't be illegal. It ALSO shouldn't ASSUME the ownership of an item that requires a lot of effort or expense, UNLESS SPECIFIED IN THE AD!

          Let me give you examples! One person spoke of how to change a popular database to get a lot of traffic. A lot of people DO do it, which is why I won't name it, and please don't guess publicly. It is unethical, illegal, etc.... If I were clickbank, I would say GET LOST!

          I ALSO saw a book advertising that it would teach you how to change graphics in a certain way, and it turned out to be on PHOTOSHOP. If you had the product, you could do it fine, but they didn't say it was photoshop.

          ETC....

          HECK, I paid one company a VERY high price, THIS one NOT on clickbank, considering, for a newsletter. You know what you get? Mostly TAUNTS to purchase yet ANOTHER newsletter. At one point, they offered to sell all their newsletters for like $2000/yr which they said was a great deal because they normally sell for $20,000/yr!

          One guy actually started a site where he investigates the taunts and releases the info for FREE! That's a bargain because his full access site sells for about $15/year!

          NO, I am NOT making that up. It gives you an idea of what clickbank wants to AVOID!

          BTW tracking software for google analytics that makes it easier, or adds info, would have value. Just advertise it as such.

          Steve
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          • Profile picture of the author agmccall
            They got sued

            Their lawyers will be deciding which products stay and which ones go
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  • Profile picture of the author Justin W
    The guidelines seem very broad and to me, it seems like it could affect over half of the products on the marketplace. Curious to see how much it is enforced.
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  • Profile picture of the author thebitbotdotcom
    Sounds like a good move to me...root out the products and product owners who don't really add value.

    This is good news for affiliates IMO>
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  • Profile picture of the author Blade Runner 77
    I'm with Vendor, they just stated quite clearly that;

    "Aggregation Products," which are defined as: products that offer content .... where the content is generally available for the internet for free.

    They didn't say, 'products that link their information to other websites or information sources', they're quite clear,

    They also didn't say, CB products that contain information ie copied text that can also be found on other web sites or internet locations. they said 'content generally available on the internet for free...

    As Vendor stated, its a wide wide framework they've stated. and my guess is its a deliberately open door for them to arbitrarily clean house under a very general umbrella, to clean out low grade ebooks, but depending on their discretion and based on ones with a high refund request rate, they'll be able to ditch who they want to, but will probably leave the better quality and the ones with few complaints even if they have the same freely available content but are perhaps better written, or done with better insight from the author.

    Interesting, hopefully they won;t trn into the hostile monster that ebay did when they switched their seller base from home sellers to warehouse wholesalers.
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    • Profile picture of the author vendor
      Originally Posted by Blade Runner 88 View Post

      I'm with Vendor, they just stated quite clearly that;

      "Aggregation Products," which are defined as: products that offer content .... where the content is generally available for the internet for free.

      They didn't say, 'products that link their information to other websites or information sources', they're quite clear,

      They also didn't say, CB products that contain information ie copied text that can also be found on other web sites or internet locations. they said 'content generally available on the internet for free...

      As Vendor stated, its a wide wide framework they've stated. and my guess is its a deliberately open door for them to arbitrarily clean house under a very general umbrella, to clean out low grade ebooks, but depending on their discretion and based on ones with a high refund request rate, they'll be able to ditch who they want to, but will probably leave the better quality and the ones with few complaints even if they have the same freely available content but are perhaps better written, or done with better insight from the author.

      Interesting, hopefully they won;t trn into the hostile monster that ebay did when they switched their seller base from home sellers to warehouse wholesalers.
      Agree 100%
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    • Profile picture of the author CDarklock
      Originally Posted by Blade Runner 88 View Post

      "Aggregation Products," which are defined as: products that offer content .... where the content is generally available for the internet for free.
      This is basically the same as Amazon's PLR ban in the Kindle marketplace.

      If a series of articles or blog posts can be downloaded free from the internet, you can't bundle them into an ebook and sell it on Clickbank.

      That's what "aggregate" means: to collect together.

      If you write your own ebook, you can still sell it on Clickbank even if articles and blog posts you can get free on the internet say the same thing.

      Because it's not the same content. It's the same information, but not the same content.

      If you don't understand the difference, you are too stupid to make your own product. Go be an affiliate.
      Signature
      "The Golden Town is the Golden Town no longer. They have sold their pillars for brass and their temples for money, they have made coins out of their golden doors. It is become a dark town full of trouble, there is no ease in its streets, beauty has left it and the old songs are gone." - Lord Dunsany, The Messengers
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  • Profile picture of the author gabibeowulf
    While the definition of aggregation products is loose, I'm sure CB will not start a purging war with the vendors. I think their intentions are very clear ... get rid of the products that pack no value other than aggregating the information. The kind of products Adwords will ban you for even before you start receiving traffic. The kind of products that most merchants will not accept.

    I, for one, welcome this change.

    Gabriel
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  • Profile picture of the author Will Edwards
    Great news. The survival of the fittest in operation. It should lead to more exposure for better quality products in the CB Marketplace.

    Will
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    • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
      Banned
      Good for ClickBank. Always nice to see them doing something well-advised and sensible (even if sometimes they're a little late doing so). And good news for the IM industry in general, of course.
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      • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
        I think some of the wailing and gnashing of teeth comes from the mistaken perception that Clickbank is a payment processor. Clickbank is, and always has been, an online retailer by definition.

        And, like any retailer, they have the right to decide what products get stocked on their "shelves".

        If Walmart said, "we have a class of products that offer little to the consumer and are causing us problems out of proportion to their sales, and we've decided to quit selling that class of products", would there be the same uproar?

        If K-mart announced that they were no longer going to sell shoddy Chinese knockoffs, would people howl about it being unfair, and a precursor to the collapse of civilization?

        Clickbank announces that it will get rid of dubious products, some of which actively break the law, that have problems with refunds and chargebacks, and suddenly we're headed for some kind of Orwellian apocalypse?

        Give me a break...
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  • Profile picture of the author Josh Monroe
    I really dont see the point in this, at all.

    The products that get removed will just switch to another payment processor. Meaning the products will still be around, and so will the affiliates promoting them.

    I dont see ClickBank gaining anything from this, apart from lost revenue?
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    • Profile picture of the author SShip
      This is great news. Good for Clickbank.

      Originally Posted by Josh Monroe View Post

      I really dont see the point in this, at all.

      I dont see ClickBank gaining anything from this, apart from lost revenue?
      Reputation and customer satisfaction.
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    • Profile picture of the author WebPen
      Originally Posted by Josh Monroe View Post

      I really dont see the point in this, at all.

      The products that get removed will just switch to another payment processor. Meaning the products will still be around, and so will the affiliates promoting them.

      I dont see ClickBank gaining anything from this, apart from lost revenue?
      You're right- they're losing revenue by doing this.

      But they're also gaining the trust of both clients and other product vendors.

      If I have a legit company like Clickbank but know that there are a few scammy products- don't you think I would want to get rid of them?

      I mean these are products with very high refund rates and lots of complaints.

      And if the FTC got wind of those products- and knew that I was "stocking" them, they would come after MY business. Not the product owners- me.

      That's what happened to Copeac, and it will happen to any online vendor that allows scammy products on their virtual shelves.
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    • Profile picture of the author J Bold
      Originally Posted by Josh Monroe View Post

      I really dont see the point in this, at all.

      The products that get removed will just switch to another payment processor. Meaning the products will still be around, and so will the affiliates promoting them.

      I dont see ClickBank gaining anything from this, apart from lost revenue?
      A better reputation, less refund fees, a better relationship with paypal and the credit card companies, less chargebacks which also cost money,
      etc. etc. etc.
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    • Profile picture of the author paulgl
      Originally Posted by Josh Monroe View Post

      I really dont see the point in this, at all.

      The products that get removed will just switch to another payment processor. Meaning the products will still be around, and so will the affiliates promoting them.

      I dont see ClickBank gaining anything from this, apart from lost revenue?
      They already use "another" payment processor. Clickbank is
      not a payment processor.

      I can hear it now.."...clickbank, that mean ol' nasty company...sniff...
      they just don't want anybody to succeed..."
      (tired of hearing that about google)

      Paul
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    • Profile picture of the author seasoned
      Originally Posted by Josh Monroe View Post

      I really dont see the point in this, at all.

      The products that get removed will just switch to another payment processor. Meaning the products will still be around, and so will the affiliates promoting them.

      I dont see ClickBank gaining anything from this, apart from lost revenue?
      They SAID what they would be getting! Something many of their SUPPLIERS(who think of themselves as vendors, by the way), NEVER seem to get is that they AREN'T legally vendors! They are SUPPLIERS! THAT means that CLICKBANK is the vendor, and officially gets the blame and bad marks. If they offer lots of bad products, their customers will leave, and they could lose their merchant account.

      HOW can you make money if you sell TRILLIONS of dollars worth of stuff and have NO way to accept payment?

      BTW simply switching methods is NOT that easy! Remember, CLICKBANK is the vendor! Switching methods, and maintaining your business, means getting people to trust YOU, getting affiliates, changing search engines(may be difficult), possibly changing books and other things retroactively(usually IMPOSSIBLE), etc... ALSO, you will need an SSL certificate if you decide to accept cards on YOUR site, possibly a new host, and possibly new software.

      Steve
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  • Profile picture of the author Thomas Michal
    You will see them at clicksure OCT 16, ok maybe the 17 (24 hr approval process)

    But ultimately I think almost any ebook (or any info product) could fall into this category... If you teach the basics of affiliate marketing, how to make your own solar panels or a gluten free diet, one could argue that information is freely available online... somewhere.

    Sometimes people don't mind paying for freely aggregated compiled information like public records and whatnot because it saves them time and effort.

    I would rather pay $5 to drive over a bridge rather than drive 50 extra miles...
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    • Profile picture of the author vendor
      Originally Posted by Thomas Michal View Post

      You will see them at clicksure OCT 16, ok maybe the 17 (24 hr approval process)

      But ultimately I think almost any ebook (or any info product) could fall into this category... If you teach the basics of affiliate marketing, how to make your own solar panels or a gluten free diet, one could argue that information is freely available online... somewhere.

      Sometimes people don't mind paying for freely aggregate compiled information like public record and whatnot because it saves them time.

      I would rather pay $5 to drive over a bridge rather than drive 50 extra miles...
      Well said.
      The definition for this can fall on almost any product.
      Including but not limited to any Marketing product(regardless of it's hype level) who's information can be found on endless blogs and free ebooks, Any SEO related product (one can argue the information is available for free online) , Diet programs etc etc..
      I think this is a change that allows clickbank to remove at any time any product they deem unwanted for any given reason.

      I wasn't happy when google rolled out Panda
      Nor when google removed most of it's affiliate marketers
      Nor when ebay changed their policy regarding sellers
      Nor when Amazon changed their affiliate contracts
      And the list goes on...

      Never be happy over these kind of changes , it means the market possibilities will get more narrow for small marketers and this also includes in one way or another almost everyone on this forum.
      Imagine a small pool full of fish that is losing it's water source.
      The water is slowly being hydrated by the sun and the fish fight for their living space on an ever smaller area of water.
      That would be my analogy to what is going on with online marketing.
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  • Profile picture of the author IMSince2003
    People who promote and sell garbage have sky high refund rates. ClickBank will eliminate them and the rest of their marketplace will be of a higher quality. There's no problem with that.
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  • Profile picture of the author Thomas Michal
    Hey I'm just curious, when did you get this email?

    I didn't get it.
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  • Profile picture of the author MichaelHiles
    Excellent.

    Garbage is as garbage does.
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  • Profile picture of the author Joseph Robinson
    Banned
    Oh man, this is going to be epicly fun to watch. Stakes out a front row seat for the b****fest.
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  • Profile picture of the author Royce Space
    A smart move by clickbank. That's all I can say.
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  • Profile picture of the author 0oo0
    Well, I just got off the phone with clickbank and asked them if I create an ebook with freely available information about affiliate marketing would fall under this and he said no (because I created it).

    Only products that scrape content and deliver it and open source product that are repacked will be subject to this.

    He said if you take freely available info and make a book with your own view of it, that is something you created.

    Where as if you built a youtube scraper and charged to watch funny videos that were on youtube (for example) that is no longer allowed.

    Or another example the open source graphic software "blender" is currently sold on clickbank under a different product name right now. That is also not allowed.
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    • Profile picture of the author vendor
      Originally Posted by 0oo0 View Post

      Well, I just got off the phone with clickbank and asked them if I create an ebook with freely available information about affiliate marketing would fall under this and he said no (because I created it).

      Only products that scrape content and deliver it and open source product that are repacked will be subject to this.

      He said if you take freely available info and make a book with your own view of it, that is something you created.

      Where as if you built a youtube scraper and charged to watch funny videos that were on youtube (for example) that is no longer allowed.

      Or another example the open source graphic software "blender" is currently sold on clickbank under a different product name right now. That is also not allowed.
      Good post.
      I can add to that the following niches (among others) will be removed
      completely from clickbank as of OCT15
      Tv On Pc products
      Simulator products (flight simulators etc..)
      There are more niches on the list
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      • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
        Originally Posted by drunkenmonkey View Post

        That just about rules out every conceivable Niche product possible.

        For EVERY product (including my own) there is always info/alternative available on the net for free...ALWAYS.

        Flawed statement. Not valid ...point blank.

        Typical CB. They really need to actually proof read their TOS..it's got more holes in it than a block of Swiss Cheese.
        DM, you're letting your disdain for CB cloud what you are reading.

        What Clickbank is saying is that if I took an open source program, say FileZilla ftp client, slapped a new name on it and started charging for it on CB, they would remove that product because FileZilla is already available online for free.

        If you created a new ftp program, not just a clone of FileZilla, you could likely get it approved.

        I have a hunch you already know this, and are twisting things to take a potshot at Clickbank...
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  • Profile picture of the author Martin Lee Jr
    Realistically,

    The smart business people will always find a different way to do things

    The Reality:
    Paypal changes their policies
    Ebay changes their policies
    Amazon changes their policies
    Facebook changes their policies (seems like all the time nowadays)
    Ezine Articles changes their policies
    YouTube changes their policies
    ...and the list goes on.

    They are all platforms you don't own

    To quote a recent statement from the U.S President "They are all just bumps in the road"

    Some people get fed up and quit, others just modify their strategies and full steam ahead
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  • Profile picture of the author pepelino
    Very wonderful move by Clickbank. It benefits both the affiliate marketer and the consumer... Now let's see how many 'Gurus' that will go broke before the end of this year. Good riddance.
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  • Profile picture of the author GobBluthJD
    Excellent news...It might clear up things for those of us who are actually contributing unique content to CB!
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  • Profile picture of the author Patrick Batty
    This is good.

    I always thought those products seemed dodgy, and illegal or at least borderline illegal.

    I never promoted them anyway, even though I saw some of them were being sold like crazy and had high gravity on CB.
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  • Profile picture of the author DireStraits
    Shame for the vendors (not), but there's no shortage of other things on which for the saps to blow - err, customers to spend - their money, I'm sure.

    In all sincerity, it's good to see Clickbank tightening its belt. Not just because browsing their marketplace becomes less tedious, but also because they potentially stand to boost their reputation over time as a reputable retailer of useful products, easing the task of attracting good vendors who might previously have been deterred by an unwillingness to associate with some of the cack they were letting in.
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  • Profile picture of the author WalterWhite
    Well,something has to be done regarding the Products we promote. I Work like a Maniac 10+ hours per day and making some good sales and then see 70% of them REFUND their Money!

    I am sick of that !!

    I noticed the Lowest refund rates are when I sell a software ! ( Never More then 10% )
    People mostly check a review of a Software on YouTube and if they like it they Go for it !

    The How to Make Money niche and those Internet Marketing courses/gurus that are "promising" wealth over Night should be banned...We made them enough Millions and enough is enough !

    I am not saying that there are no genuine Courses out there but mostly there are trash for $ 37 !

    They 4 Sure need to clean up the backyard...
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  • I received this email as well, and I am somewhat surprised as my particular email was regarding a popular music creation (beatmaking) software program that we have been promoting for another vendor.

    This product was definitely not slapped together from free information available online, nor is it available for free online. It's a beat making machine developed specifically for the vendor by software developers. You buy it, you get a license, you install it, you make beats.

    Thus I have no idea at this point why clickbank is dropping this software into the "Aggregation Products" garbage bin, and what they consider to be such.

    I trust the vendor will appeal this decision since if this was my product, I would be totally scratching my head.

    Arnold Stolting.
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    • Profile picture of the author Walter Parrish
      Originally Posted by stoltingmediagroup View Post

      I received this email as well, and I am somewhat surprised as my particular email was regarding a popular music creation (beatmaking) software program that we have been promoting for another vendor.

      This product was definitely not slapped together from free information available online, nor is it available for free online. It's a beat making machine developed specifically for the vendor by software developers. You buy it, you get a license, you install it, you make beats.

      Thus I have no idea at this point why clickbank is dropping this software into the "Aggregation Products" garbage bin, and what they consider to be such.

      I trust the vendor will appeal this decision since if this was my product, I would be totally scratching my head.

      Arnold Stolting.
      It might depend on where they are getting the beats from. In another life when I used drum machines I could tell the difference between Roland drumbeats and alesis. So, do you think the software developers broke out their drum sets and hit the studios to create the beats or grabbed the samples off the net?
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      • Profile picture of the author tooleyweed
        I have seen his studio here he creates the beats for this product, they are proprietary and that is part of his promotion efforts. I too promote this product and I get less than a 10% return rate.

        As a music producer I wouldn't use it commercially because it lacks effects, filtering and midi but the sound quality was very good for the price point and you can come up with decent beats.

        This guy has put a lot of effort into this product and it shows. I just don't get Clickbank. Sure, you can sell a crap load of get rich quick schemes and then choke on a product that by all appearances appears to be totally legit.

        Oh well, enough of the rant, perhaps he'll switch to Plimus.
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        • Profile picture of the author Walter Parrish
          Originally Posted by tooleyweed View Post

          I have seen his studio here he creates the beats for this product, they are proprietary and that is part of his promotion efforts. I too promote this product and I get less than a 10% return rate.

          As a music producer I wouldn't use it commercially because it lacks effects, filtering and midi but the sound quality was very good for the price point and you can come up with decent beats.

          This guy has put a lot of effort into this product and it shows. I just don't get Clickbank. Sure, you can sell a crap load of get rich quick schemes and then choke on a product that by all appearances appears to be totally legit.

          Oh well, enough of the rant, perhaps he'll switch to Plimus.
          well keep us posted so that we know how clickbank handles his product.

          on one hand i think its good that clickbank cracks down on the other I know that this could me you have some middle man interpreting laws and rules and stuff that they know nothing about.

          i feel the same about youtube. I got ideas big ideas on doing something similar to a maxheadroom type thing with music, old movies and vids, but my fear is that places like youtube would just shut it down, because they are probably a group of middle men that probably don't really understand copyright and such. thing is with my idea I really don't mind paying the problem is the same one that came up with sampling years ago, also the fact that the major orgs like ascap don't offer much for the little guy.
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      • Profile picture of the author Steven Wagenheim
        What's Clickbank? :confused::confused::confused:

        All kidding aside, I see this as a good move in theory. The problem with it is that
        it's still up to the discretion of Clickbank as to what they allow and don't allow.

        I'm not so concerned that they'll drop products that shouldn't be dropped. I'm
        more concerned that they'll keep a lot of crap that they shouldn't because
        somebody with "deep pockets" greased their palm.

        Call me cynical but I have very little faith that much will change (going by the
        lack of getting rid of the crap "how to make money" products with blatant hyped
        promises that are still being sold) and ultimately, we're still going to see this
        trash litter the Clickbank marketplace.

        For now, I'll give them the benefit of the doubt.

        But I'm not holding my breath because past history shows that Clickbank does
        very little when it comes to removing the trash.
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  • Profile picture of the author FelixUng
    Sounds good to me. CB is trying to boost the consumers' confidence in internet products. In the long run it definitely helps to make internet a more trustworthy place to shop around.
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  • Profile picture of the author Rough Outline
    Odd move by ClickBank but I imagine it has been legally motivated, I dobut they're doing this of their free will. Whilst most of these basically scraped products are a scam because the info can be easily gathered, there is a value on a product that compiles the most important information about a subject and put it into one place.
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  • Profile picture of the author Chris Lockwood
    Originally Posted by vendor View Post

    As part of our constant quality review process, ClickBank has decided to add to its existing list of Prohibited Products any products that, in our sole judgment, are deemed as "Aggregation Products," which are defined as: products that offer content such as books,movies, music, t.v. shows and channels, such as tv-to-pc, games and "open source" products for a charge where the content is generally available for the internet for free.

    In my personal interpretation and knowledge on clickbank products in general this covers
    most of clickbank's products and especially the popular ones.
    For example "Green energy " products are aggregates of information available for free on the internet, So are products such as Woodworking etc..
    The interpretation of this is so wide that almost any clickbank product can fall under the aggregate
    category.
    I think you are vastly misreading what they said. This has nothing to do with ebooks about woodworking or green energy or any other subject. Just the fact that they use the word "aggregate" tells me your interpretation is not what they meant. If they removed the type of products you suggest, they wouldn't have anything left in the marketplace.
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    • Profile picture of the author Rhadoo7
      Let's talk with practical examples people!

      So from what I understand, products that will be removed are:

      - SatelliteDirect - the top selling product on the marketplace (by affiliates) - Gravity 643

      - DubTurbo Beat Making Software - also one of the best selling products - Gravity 151

      - Dr Drum Beat Maker - also a good selling product - Gravity 57

      - and also all the other beat makers (Btv Solo, Sonic Producer etc)

      These were programs that I was personally promoting, so please give your own examples with products you were promoting...

      But anyway, I guess it was a really tough decision for Clickbank to remove some of its best selling products!
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      • Profile picture of the author vendor
        "- SatelliteDirect - the top selling product on the marketplace (by affiliates) - Gravity 643

        - DubTurbo Beat Making Software - also one of the best selling products - Gravity 151


        - Dr Drum Beat Maker - also a good selling product - Gravity 57"

        These fall under the music- entertainment categories
        so i assume that entire category of products is caput.

        All Tv To PC programs
        Simulators (flight simulators)

        These are the top products at clickbank for a very long time
        with high gravity that lasted for years (unlike marketing products that have high garvity that lasts for days/weeks)

        So basically clickbank is about to ditch most of it's long term high gravity products. I'm sure they did not come to this decision lightly.

        I think now is the time to ask , anyone know of good clickbank alternatives?
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        • Profile picture of the author Rhadoo7
          Originally Posted by vendor View Post

          All Tv To PC programs
          Simulators (flight simulators)

          These are the top products at clickbank for a very long time
          with high gravity that lasted for years (unlike marketing products that have high garvity that lasts for days/weeks)

          So basically clickbank is about to ditch most of it's long term high gravity products. I'm sure they did not come to this decision lightly.

          I think now is the time to ask , anyone know of good clickbank alternatives?

          If you were promoting some of these products and had good sales then you should simply keep an eye where the vendor is heading. I'm sure that they will all switch to different networks such as Clicksure or JVzoo...

          Then you can become an affiliate on that network and things will practically be the same. You will promote the same product and probably get the same comission...only the order page will be different
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          • Profile picture of the author matchoo77
            Originally Posted by Rhadoo7 View Post

            If you were promoting some of these products and had good sales then you should simply keep an eye where the vendor is heading. I'm sure that they will all switch to different networks such as Clicksure or JVzoo...

            Then you can become an affiliate on that network and things will practically be the same. You will promote the same product and probably get the same comission...only the order page will be different
            Yep...Clicksure is based outta Britain so now I see why all the scammy type stuff is going over there...FTC putting the screws to Clickbank.

            I guess it's good...but these vendors will not be knocked out for long. After they move to another network...the bottom line is that Clickbank has less revenue.

            I own a product with refund rate under 5% on clickbank and I have noticed that my level of support from clickbank has fallen off a cliff lately. My account manager hasn't responded to one of several emails from me...starting to get worried...just a little.
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        • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
          Banned
          Originally Posted by vendor View Post

          So basically clickbank is about to ditch most of it's long term high gravity products.
          In addition to (understandably) having offended many people, you also have absolutely no idea what you're talking about, and have completely missed the point. That isn't what's happening. If you want to know what the word "aggregate" means, it's explained higher up in this thread.
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          • Profile picture of the author Rhadoo7
            We were all asking ourselves earlier why would Clickbank want to delete a good and legit product like Dubturbo. Well it was actually a mistake!

            Here is the mail I just got:

            "Re: dubturbo
            Dear Client,
            Earlier this week you recieved and email notifying you of the Aggregation Products that you are promoting that will no longer be accepted on ClickBank. One vendor account, "dubturbo" was mistakenly included in that list. This letter is to inform you that the account "dubturbo" WILL NOT be deactivated, and you can continue to promote products under that account.
            We sincerely apologize for our mistake and for any inconvenience this may have caused.
            If you have questions or concerns or if you need assistance, you may contact your Account Manager or contact us by submitting an inquiry through our Vendor and Affiliate Support form:
            Contact Us - ClickBank

            Best regards,
            ClickBank Risk and Compliance Department
            compliance@clickbank.com
            www.clickbank.com"
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  • Profile picture of the author keyon
    Just to play devil's advocate -- "aggregation" requires a certain amount effort and labor, and it's something that people happily pay money for. I'm not sure why the general public automatically assumes they've been cheated if the product they bought is available somewhere in the world for free.

    On the other hand, copyright violation is the more serious issue in all of this. Maybe CB should clarify their terminology.
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  • Profile picture of the author jbush2404
    The way I interpret this is that they don't want to sell products that a) are available for free on the internet and b) are made up of material that was copied or rewritten from someone else.

    I don't see this being a bad thing. If your going to sell a product on clickbank then you need to create a quality product of your own work...not someone elses.
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    • Profile picture of the author minisitetycoon
      Originally Posted by jbush2404 View Post

      The way I interpret this is that they don't want to sell products that a) are available for free on the internet and b) are made up of material that was copied or rewritten from someone else.

      I don't see this being a bad thing. If your going to sell a product on clickbank then you need to create a quality product of your own work...not someone elses.
      Super point!.. yes it seems like they are taking after Amazon kindle store, where they screen the books you try to publish with Kindle publishing.

      Getting a formatted book on amazon is the easy part. I can do that all day, but writing your own content is the harder part. Amazon can detect any used or free content from the internet, believe me.. I tested the waters.

      I am currently writing an original nonfiction book for kindle that just might blow most of the other books in that niche out of the water.

      Clickbank seems like it is screening vendor programs much in the same way. Could be the overload of wannabe online marketers trying to make a quick buck, when they spend a little more time putting making it original.
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  • Profile picture of the author TimGray
    Sounds to me like they are just having a further clean up of their marketplace.
    there is a ton of crap on Clickbank and as a company if they are recieving loads of refunds on certain products because they are being mis-sold then its a good idea
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  • Profile picture of the author ryanmilligan
    Banned
    Personally I reckon they should make it harder to become a vendor - if they don't, it wont be long until this has to happen again.
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  • Profile picture of the author Chelsie1687
    lots of people base their sites around video content but I dont think its a good idea in the long run.
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  • Profile picture of the author jayruggs
    I don't think this will be a bad thing. They are just trying to clean things up and get away from and possible legal issues that may arise. Its a smart move on their part and I think it will actually benefit us all in the end.
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  • Profile picture of the author MakeMoneyKid
    Originally Posted by Gelo30 View Post

    good thing I didn't use clickbank...I've been on adsense all the way
    Me too :p We Rock!
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  • Profile picture of the author samjaynz
    I don't think this issue is as clear cut as people make it out to be. If someone repackages an open source program and provides better quality training and support, then I don't see what's wrong with that. The flip side is if they are literally just taking an open source program, whipping up a sales page, and then selling it.
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    • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
      Originally Posted by samjaynz View Post

      I don't think this issue is as clear cut as people make it out to be. If someone repackages an open source program and provides better quality training and support, then I don't see what's wrong with that. The flip side is if they are literally just taking an open source program, whipping up a sales page, and then selling it.
      Just my opinion, but in the first case you may want to position the training and support as the product and the open source download as a convenience...
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  • Profile picture of the author webpageguru
    I fully support this move simply because there is too much rehashed junk product out there. To a lesser extent we sometimes see similar product on the WF. But of course we are smart enough to see through it most of the time.

    If this move by CB achieves the objectives of cleaning up their marketplace AND encourages innovative, new product then by all means lets support it.
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  • Profile picture of the author JamesColin
    Banned
    And when clickbank plans to inform the affiliates? Because that's fine that we know because vendors have spread the word, but clickbank should take more care about affiliates, some might be working on a future promotion, making plans, etc..
    Would be nice for them to have advance warning about that news also.
    I wonder at what time the news will be official on the clickbank site, so far as an affiliates I haven't seen anything in hteir newsfeed or blog.
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  • Profile picture of the author MaggieDavid
    Love the idea. So much crap - I say clean up the crap and let the good stuff flow down the river.
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  • Profile picture of the author javari
    Some of those Clickbank products have ridiculous high refund rates.
    I think it is in everybody's interest when these products are removed from Clickbank.
    When a product has a refund rate of 50%, it does say something about the product, doesn't it.

    Less, better quality products will benefit all. IMHO
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  • Profile picture of the author venkateshk
    Can I take from this that any customized or specialized digital products on health care (say for example ebooks on allergies) where digital products are promoted would be exempted from this so called "Aggregate" list?
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  • Profile picture of the author icoachu
    One of the easiest ways to make money. Well, USED TO BE. The good thing is that there are still TONS of ways to make money online. Move on and adapt, bros.
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  • Profile picture of the author Topwriters
    Banned
    I don't think that this move will hurt that much. It's a good way to clean up the marketplace and finally leave quality and better standing products. I am looking forward to see how this will affect the majority.
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    • Profile picture of the author ealham559
      This is the best details I be acquainted with in a while. Excellent for them. It seems like everyone online is consistently going toward better fantastic.
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  • Profile picture of the author MyNiches
    Nothing really compares to CB, so if they need to do this to protect their merchant accounts and bank relationships, I'm all for it.
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  • Profile picture of the author John Romaine
    A pig wearing lipstick is still a pig.
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    • Profile picture of the author vendor
      for those vendors wanting to join clicksure as sellers instead of clickbank ...
      don't do it.
      i just read their TOS

      read the below
      "
      1.3. Our default fees are charged at a rate of 1 USD per approved transaction plus 15% of the gross transaction value.
      1.4. All fees and taxes are removed from the gross processed amount, and then the balance is split between the Seller and the Affiliate based on percentage set by the seller in their control panel.
      Sale Example (non taxable jurisdiction): $100 sale, less $1 and $15, equals a balance of $84. If the seller has set the commission payout percentage to 50% an amount of $42 will be shown in each respective account.
      When a refund is processed for the above mentioned example, we are required by law to refund the customer the exact amount of money they spent. In this example the customer will receive a refund for $100. Because our processing partners and all acquiring banks do not issue us a refund on the original fees for the sale transaction the liability for this shortfall of funds falls on the seller.
      Refund Example (non taxable jurisdiction): $100 is refunded to the customer and if the seller has set the commission payout percentage to 50% an amount of $42 will be deducted from the affiliates account (original value credited) and the balance of $58 will be deducted from the sellers account. "


      Clicksure is taking 15%+1$ for every transaction,
      have a super lenient refund policy but unlike clickbank
      when a refund is processed the nice people at clicksure keep their
      part of the transaction and bill it on the Vendor!
      the above 100$ transaction and refund cause the vendor to pay a 16$ penalty on the refund!

      In addition, it appears the approval wait time for a new product on clicksure is 2-3 Months?!!
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    • Profile picture of the author RogueOne
      And the retro-fitting of the internet continues.

      If you are not already, you better get used to it.

      As for CB bashing - get a grip. How do so many people think that any corporation owes them anything? They own it. They will do what they want with it.

      If you don't like it, there's the door.
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  • Profile picture of the author gator30
    Refunds kill Clickbank campaigns. Not to mention the TV on PC ads were total cradue anyways since a little bit of googling and you can find the same thing for free. I think its a good move on Clickbank's part.
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  • Profile picture of the author Brains Gone Wild
    Well, that's a fairly broad stroke but I guess I understand the move. Satellite Direct was one of their top performers - I've made a couple bucks with that offer. :/ Oh well, IM life goes on.
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  • Profile picture of the author JamesColin
    Banned
    As an affiliate I have received no notification about it. There's no mention of it in the news at clickbank site.
    And the products (sattelite direct for instance) are still working as usual.
    Still 3 days to go before the 15 october limit date, why don't they make a news about it to alert the affiliate a little bit in advance?
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  • Profile picture of the author GeorgR.
    Originally Posted by vendor View Post


    In my personal interpretation and knowledge on clickbank products in general this covers
    most of clickbank's products and especially the popular ones.
    For example "Green energy " products are aggregates of information available for free on the internet, So are products such as Woodworking etc..
    The interpretation of this is so wide that almost any clickbank product can fall under the aggregate
    category.
    Not necessarily! It depends what time/effort someone has to make do compile all the needed information.

    Ok, let's give an example:

    From a certain point of view, MANY of so called Internet Marketing Training courses, coaching, videos etc. are rehashes of existing content on the web.

    But an average user does not know the resources, it would benefit them to have all the required information in one training course as opposed to going on a research spree without knowing where to start and without knowing what really is "good" information and what is garbage.

    The same goes for woodworking or whatever other topics.

    In the case of watching TV on PC, this could be FAR LESS complex, one could do a simple google search and get to a site and get a list of streaming TV stations. In the same time, you can NOT compile a complete beginner's guide to IM etc...

    So..there are more factors involved for sure.
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    • Profile picture of the author Joseph Robinson
      Banned
      Originally Posted by GeorgR. View Post

      But an average user does not know the resources, it would benefit them to have all the required information in one training course as opposed to going on a research spree without knowing where to start and without knowing what really is "good" information and what is garbage.
      Yeah, but the problem is that these courses are never advertised as a collection of resources: they're "the secret to $5986068604806-83596834658348693465 per day!".
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  • Profile picture of the author nav123
    In my opinion, this really benefits serious clickbank affiliates alot. We really save alot of hassle in making sure we are providing a true value to our customers.
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  • Profile picture of the author Tbird2011
    What is it IM...Being squeezed from all sides!
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  • Profile picture of the author yukon
    Banned
    About freakin time CB started cleaning house.

    There's a lot of junk on CB & CB has always acted like they don't care what people sell or how they setup sales pages. I've seen CB squeeze pages running Adsense (WTH!), also squeeze pages designed to steal affiliate traffic while building email list are a scam (common practice on CB).

    Personally I bypass all vendor squeeze pages & send traffic directly to the checkout page (from my own sales page).
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  • Profile picture of the author leunam014
    Its 15th of October, any updates? Feedback for those who experienced the CB update?
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    • Profile picture of the author markwilson4074
      Originally Posted by leunam014 View Post

      Its 15th of October, any updates? Feedback for those who experienced the CB update?
      We are still waiting for it. Lets see.
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  • Profile picture of the author Wayne
    There were some products dropped from the marketplace today but not a huge amount. Yesterday there were 13,751 products in their xml feed, today there are 13,704 products. Noticed Satellite Direct and Pro Flight Simulator were a couple of the ones dropped.
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    • Profile picture of the author forthright
      Originally Posted by Wayne View Post

      Yesterday there were 13,751 products in their xml feed, today there are 13,704 products.
      So is this it? Why doesn't Clickbank itemize which products are going to be dropped? People were speculating that half or more products will be included in this..
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  • Profile picture of the author Donimo
    One of the producst I was promoting (and making good money from) has went down It's the Illusion Mage product...

    Nevermind though, the product has already changed it's payment processing and affiliate payments to another provider.

    Life goes on... (although I am still kinda pissed )
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  • Profile picture of the author bradx
    I can see the point.. but what if the buyer is WILLING to pay for an aggregater product because it is a more convenient way to use the information purchased ?
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  • Profile picture of the author gpwilson
    Don't worry. It would not create huge impact.
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  • Profile picture of the author deanmoney
    It is pretty annoying that ClickBank would remove both Satellite Direct and Pro Flight Simulator. A couple of months ago I setup new sites in the flight sim/tv online niche to promote these 2. I thought since they had a gravity of over 200 plus being on CB for over 3 years they wouldn't get removed but I guessed wrong.

    The one thing I don't understand is why they removed the most popular in those niches. At the same time they left others still in their marketplace like FullMovies and Flight Pro Sim.
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    • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
      Originally Posted by deanmoney View Post

      It is pretty annoying that ClickBank would remove both Satellite Direct and Pro Flight Simulator. A couple of months ago I setup new sites in the flight sim/tv online niche to promote these 2. I thought since they had a gravity of over 200 plus being on CB for over 3 years they wouldn't get removed but I guessed wrong.

      The one thing I don't understand is why they removed the most popular in those niches. At the same time they left others still in their marketplace like FullMovies and Flight Pro Sim.
      Pure guess here, but I'd venture that the most popular also had the highest number of refunds, and thus showed brighter on CB's radar...
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    • Profile picture of the author forthright
      Originally Posted by deanmoney View Post

      At the same time they left others still in their marketplace like FullMovies and Flight Pro Sim.
      Fullmovies pays for licensed content. It's not aggregated.
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  • Profile picture of the author TimHutch34
    I've never really made that much money off of CB anyway.
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  • Profile picture of the author iMassMarket
    Clickbank is not really saying it's ONLY because the information can be found free on the internet cause let's face it, anything can be found free on the internet. Their point is that these products ADD NO VALUE for purchase other than pointing customers to links, information, or databases that are NOT part of the product they paid for. If these links were removed there would be no product left to stand on it's own.

    I would assume that paid surveys sites will be included in this list as they operate in the same manner as TV to PC, movie, etc sites do. I'm sure Clickbank is not done yet. Not to mention a lot of public records search and car auction membership sites fall into this list as well. Not all of them. But a lot of them.

    IM products may contain "FREE" information but these products are compiled into new works by the author creating a product initself. Far from just taking money and passing on a link to the library.
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  • Profile picture of the author Cash37
    I create my own products so I welcome this change. Though its easy as hell for those products to comeback in another form and get through.
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  • Profile picture of the author thailand2006
    I've never really made that much money off of CB anyway.
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