I have an affiliate refer a friend link with expotv, which I was happily promoting their website with:
http://www.expotv.com/raf/greatawakening
That is until I noticed that if the person who finds the link and joins up does not click the goofy little box, the referring individual will not get paid. This works well for ExpoTv and likely saves them a lot of money on paying referral fees. I understand Expotv doesn’t want to pay innumerable referral fees and has the link (among other monetary saving reasons) to avoid paying out twice, three times and beyond for people continuously joining up under bogus names.
Yet if someone joins because of my link and doesn’t click their little box, I still should be paid. This is how it works with every other major link affiliate in referral arrangements (commission junction, link share, and click bank being among the big referral affiliate providers).
ExpoTV offers its videographers / product reviewers $5 per friend referral, if (and this is a huge if, as expotv cleverly has their website designer implement this) they click the box indicating the following:
Looks like you were referred by this member: greatawakening
To qualify this member for our Refer-A-Friend program, please check this box stating that this is the first account you have created at Expo under any username.
The Content Submission Terms and Conditions are located here:
http://www.expotv.com/legal/content_submission_terms_conditions
It states:
Pay-Per-Play ProgramBeta: To qualify a video view for payment under the Pay Per Play promotion, a
video must be played in its entirety. A video play will be determined and recorded by Expo in its
sole discretion. Additional restrictions may apply.
Details about our Refer-a-friend program can be found on the FAQs:
http://www.expotv.com/faqs#refer-a-friend_program which specifically states:
Can you change a Refer-A-Friend status if a friend forgets to click on the link?
Unfortunately, we cannot change a Refer-A-Friend status. If the specific link provided was not
clicked, we are unable to credit your account. Make sure your friend knows that they should click
the link provided!
Expotv claims: “We have no way of knowing if your friend was referred unless they click on the link and sign up
through your referral so you must make sure they sign up under the link.”
Uh, whatever happened to ip address and web traffic tracking? Expotv’s claim they have no way of tracking a referral is not believable and seems misleading to say the least.
www.PaulFDavis.com – consumer advocate and watch dog for corporate malfeasance and abuse
