affiliate link questions

[barbaralarry]

Hi everyone, I'm still a little new here and perhaps dont know the ropes yet.

I saw a post earlier today that was locked because someone posted some great deals with affiliate links. I was SO dissapointed because I didnt think I had any way of finding these deals otherwise.

I think its a crying shame that we members cant benefit from whatever sources there may be available simply because the owner of this site isnt using his/her own link where he/she makes the money off our purchases.

Am I wrong here? I am relatively new here, so I dont have a crystal clear idea of how all this works.

I do understand that the links allowed must either benefit the owner of this site, or benefit no one.

I would like to see all links made available to all of us. Perhaps a page for the affiliate links rather than them being posted on this page? After all- the whole idea of this forum is for us all to save some money. If the owner of this site makes money off us, then good for them!

But I feel its not fair that others cant benefit as well. After all, the owner of this site would not be making anything from us if not for us. Similar holds true for the other way around- if not for this site we need to join other sites or just not have the good deals available to us. The idea? We all help each other.

I hope the mods feel strong enough to allow this topic to stay open. Wouldnt it be interesting to hear what others think? Perhaps many of us would feel strongly that the owner of this site should not allow affiliate links, I'd like to hear that side as well. After all, without feelings from all sides, and from many others, it would be hard to make an educated decision on this, wouldnt it?

This is an honest concern. I'm not trying to blame or be mean. I just would like to explore this issue. Ive only found these forums in the fall when my father died and my kids went back to school. The interest in the free and almost free shopping has taken up my time that I would normally have been bored or sad. I truly appreciate this site, and several others. I think its great to have these boards, but I think its unfair that we cant find out about these other boards here. It makes it hard to find the boards and deals!

Everyone, thanks for listening. Barbara

barbaralarry@hotmail.com

[mayor]

Hello Barbara!

Welcome to Deal of Day. I'm glad you took time to ask questions and address your concerns.

These forums exist for the purpose of presenting deals and developing communication between both visitors and members. We do this by sharing deals when we find them.

Every deal can be linked to without an affiliate link. The reason we do not allow affiliate links is that our forums would become an absolute mess. Hundreds of people would seek to post messages for the sole purpose of generating money for themselves. In the end, the forums would become unusable by anyone but those seeking to self-promote their links.

However, we know many people find programs that allow them to make money or generate some other benefit. For that reason, we have the AFFILIATE SPAM CENTRAL forum. It too, has rules, but it is a places for affiliate links to appear.

Yes, it is true that Deal of Day makes money when people click through our links. It takes thousands of dollars to run this site each month. Since we do not charge for the service, we believe it is fair that we generate revenue in this fashion. In fact, many members have asked us how they can help... eg: which offers should they take advantage of in order to help support Deal of Day.

The post that you mentioned was closed because the user is a repeat offender. He has promoted his own site many times. He has even denied that it is his site, even though his email address is the same as the one that appears on the site.

We do not mind people mentioning competitor's sites. We will only ban a site if they abuse their privilages at Deal of Day.

We seek to run an orderly site, with great deals abounding for all, and with a friendly community that encourages people to become involved with us. I hope you decide to frequent Deal of Day more often, and please tell your friends!

Merry Christmas and Happy After-Holiday Shopping Bargain-Hunting!

Mayor

[Nanapat]

Good job Mayor! And Happy Holidays to you and yours, too!

[jsalba]

Yes, there is a forum for these Affiliate links. It's the Affiliate Spam forum... a forum for affiliate links only. So, you aren't correct in assuming that nobody can post their links at Deal of Day.

And, you may be referring to a couple of threads that have been locked recently because they had affiliate links in them. Well, there is a reason: the member(s) who were posting their affiliate links were asked to do so in the appropriate forum.. and they failed to do so. Rules are rules. It's not that difficult to post them in that forum.. but some expect the moderators to jump in and move them each time.. and that isn't fair to us.. if they are posted in the correct forum to begin with.. there is no problem.. but to expect us to do this each and every time is silly.

When someone is new here, I always take the time to move things for them and try to make contact to explain so they understand.. because they are new. But one can only be expected to do this so many times.

I hope you understand where I"m coming from.. I'm not feeling really good right now and am not thinking and/or expressing myself as well as I'd like to.. hope you understand.

Happy Holidays

[karenpe]

Barbara~~
From what I have seen on other dealboards, they are all pretty much the same and do not allow affiliate links either. To find other dealboards and such, I would recommend using a search engine. That is how I usually find other deals and stuff.
I hope this helps. Never be afraid to ask questions. How else would we learn if we don't ask??? I was pretty new at this at one time and I am still learning new things myself. LOL

[CrazyJ]

To barbaralarry,

Why don't you just paid for your ad? Instead of trying to cheat other sites. Don't tell me that you are not trying to advertise your site because I have prove that you were trying to. If anyone care to see the post that barbaralarry made, here it is.

I think this way because this site already has the $10 off $30 coupon so why would anyone need her's.
http://128.121.254.241/forum/showthr...threadid=27212

Also, mayor I think you should ban her.

[barbaralarry]

First, I would like to thank Mayor for the very well expressed explanation. Thanks for covering all my points and questions. I agree with you. And I thank you for your warm welcome.

Second, JSalba and Karenpe, thank you both for your responses. JSalba, you are correct about the person I am writing in about. I saw the first post too late- it was already locked, and I thought "Man! I would have loved to see those links!". Then I saw the poster wrote in again with his email addy. I wrote to him/her and asked for the links.

I do understand that you have rules here, and now know that he/she is a repeat offender. I still see an open repeat of his post on another page on this forum (under help me find a deal). You do offer a specific page for affiliate links, I dont understand why this person doesnt use that instead of breaking the rules here... repeatedly.

Now, with CrazyJ's poor response, he/she sounds a little paranoid. I am merely an at home mom, also a childcare provider, I know LITTLE about computers, and I have NO website. There are FEW posts I have made on this board because when I first started here I saw one new person nearly strangled by one of the members. The ONLY reason I came back was because I saw wonderful, supportive responses from other members welcoming this new member with open arms.
You'll notice I have posted much more often on the other board that CrazyJ linked. Why? Because I dont see members being mean to others there when they post what they think is a good deal. The one posting I saw when I first started visiting this site scared me to death. If anyone has any concerns on my integrity or honesty, you are welcome to look at all my posts. It wont take long to figure me out.

The link I suggested on the post that CrazyJ listed (on another board) I found on one of the many coupon boards I visit. Its the niceness in me that wants to help others out. I am a genuinely nice person. If there is a way I can help someone out, I do it. Thats why I put the note about emailing me for the link. I would have to locate it if it was wanted. And like I posted, I am pretty sure its an affiliate link, and because it might break the rules, I didnt post it. Never EVER has a Mod warned me on any of my posts- that says alot right there. CrazyJ, you need a nap.

Barbaralarry

Mayor, I think people who suggest banning others should be banned. What do you think? lol

[mayor]

Merry Christmas!

barbaralarry, I don't think we will ban CrazyJ, but maybe the nap isn't a bad idea. ;-)

However, for the record, CrazyJ is correct about the link. There is no reason to link to another site that then links to the final destination. Rather than point to another deal site to display the sale on the Deep Blue Sea DVD, the correct way to link is to point directly to the destination site.. in this case, it is Buy.com. Here is the proper link.

http://www.us.buy.com/retail/product...141479&loc=107

Happy Shopping!

Mayor

[barbaralarry]

Hi Mayor,

Boy, I think I have been WAY off. I couldnt understand your last response about the link clickthroughs. It finally dawned on me that what I thought is an "affiliate link", is not. Please help me figure this out.

When I wrote on the BBS forum about the link for $10 off $30 but thought it might be an affiliate link, would not have taken two clicks. I would have copied and pasted the link off of the other board, it would have been a direct link to the coupon. I had thought that when an actual link was used, somehow in the unintelligible web address, someone somehow got credit for that click. THATS what I thought I might be doing, giving someone else credit for the click through the coupon. Thats why I thought it wasnt allowed, and I couldnt locate a coupon from the board I was writing on. I also assumed the poster of the thread would have listed a coupon link had he had one. I wasnt going to post a link to a site that offers coupons. That wasnt the idea at all!

Mayor, you have been very patient with me in my curiousity, newness and misunderstandings. Thank you for everything. I agree with you that this forum would get very messy if affiliate links were allowed on this page. I think its great you do offer a place for them... for those that follow the rules, that is.

I have something I would like to send by email to you and JSalba- can you please tell me how I can do that?

Many thanks, and happy holidays! Barbara

[barbaralarry]

I see the icons now! Be looking in your emails. Thanks

[jsalba]

Barbara,

Got your e-mail so you figured it out perfectly. Thanks for taking the time to do that. I'm working midnights right now at my real job so I've been asleep all day today and didn't get it until a minute or two ago. But, I did reply to your e-mail. I have also forwarded it to Mayor for his attention. Thanks again for jumping in and helping out. Have a Happy New Year and let me know if you run into any other trouble.