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Bandwagonhost banned my friend's affiliate account, one word reason: "ABUSE"
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Bandwagonhost banned my friend's affiliate account, one word reason: "ABUSE"

kyakykyaky Member
edited February 2014 in Providers

I want to say I open this thread for my Chinese friend because he can't explain this well in English. sorry for that. so please don't ban my account by opening this thread for him. I just do him a favor. I've got nothing to do with this complaint. I will only be the translator.

`
Hi community,

I'm the webmaster of one of the most famous Chinese VPS review site. I've been running the site for 2 years. I've had a few problems with providers who refused to pay after I'd done many sales for them. I'm also a good friend with @kyaky who always helps me and my community. you might find this thread is very similar to the thread when I ask for earning from Urpad but what can I do?
`

`
Before I opened this thread I kindly asked Daniel if we could discuss this in ticket, as Daniel Clay replied to me in ticket, "Let's continue this discussion at lowendtalk then.". I decided to ask for some advice from the LET community and expected for more detailed reason than this one word "ABUSE"

I did 162 sales since I was with BandwagonHost as you can see from the screenshot.
`


`
a bit more about our affiliate network:

I have an affiliate network with 300+ customers. @kyaky is one of the mod for helping people with the English tickets or translation. I understand some of you believe most frauds are from Asian areas especially China so we always try our best to stop any fraud as possible as we can. eg. If we find anyone use fake card or talking about scam in our group, we kick them out and ban them. We try to minimize the chance of introducing fraudulent sales to service providers always. Of course it can't be totally avoided.

I would like to ask Daniel for a detailed reason for banning my account besides this "Abuse" one word if he doesn't mind.

Thanks all

@gongyi

update:

@gongyi pasted me a few screenshots and said:

"I'm always a honest person running website. I don't cheat, and will never cheat. I don't like how bandwagonhost uses his knowledge to make me look like I'm cheater. I'm not good at English I can't state my opinion. but it doesn't take much for me to know the attitude of @dcc"

I welcome these following companies to investigate my affiliates and earnings to prove if they are legit and if I can continuously to introduce customers to you. These screenshots are showing during the past two years, these are only a few major providers I've served. can't list them all here.

To Bandwagonhost,

If you don't want to pay me, you don't have to insult me by saying I cheat by your knowledge.

«134

Comments

  • gongyigongyi Member
    edited February 2014

    @kyaky thank you !

    @bandwagonhost I need an explanation

  • shovenoseshovenose Member, Host Rep
    edited February 2014

    I just do him a fever.

    That is not nice.

    Oh, and none of your images work.

  • kyakykyaky Member
    edited February 2014

    @shovenose said:
    Oh, and none of your images work.

    >_<
    fixed.

  • jarjar Patron Provider, Top Host, Veteran

    said: we always try our best to stop any fraud as possible as we can. eg. If we find anyone use fake card or talking about scam in our group

    Does that mean that you create all of the accounts?

  • netomxnetomx Moderator, Veteran

    well, this is going to be interesting

  • I'm ready.

  • kyakykyaky Member
    edited February 2014

    ``> @jarland said:

    Does that mean that you create all of the accounts?

    no, this is like a community where all the customers who are interested in VPS and servers are. I called it an affiliate network because for @gongyi, it's an affiliate group. He writes reviews and post new offers to customers. Customers decide what they buy but the community kicks out the people who try to scam. but that's beside the point.

  • jarjar Patron Provider, Top Host, Veteran

    @kyaky said:
    no, this is like a community where all the customers who are interested in VPS and servers are. I called it an affiliate network because for gongyi, it's an affiliate group. He writes reviews and post new offers to customers. Customers decide what they buy but the community kicks out the people who try to scam.

    Sounds legit. The only thing that makes me reluctant to grab a picket sign and protest along side you is the line in your signature "Stay away from one of the most solid providers around." ;)

  • kyakykyaky Member
    edited February 2014

    @jarland said:
    Sounds legit. The only thing that makes me reluctant to grab a picket sign and protest along side you is the line in your signature "Stay away from one of the most solid providers around." ;)

    sorry about that, signature is from me nothing to do with this one. I will temporarily remove it.

    it's legit. Besides this, he has a something like a chat group. It's like LE* uses blog & forum. He uses blog & chat group for marketing.

    Thanked by 1jar
  • dccdcc Member, Host Rep

    I do not know if there is anything to discuss here. The account in question was banned because they used an invisible (hidden) image on a popular blog to basically mark all their visitors as their "affiliate".

  • Only recommend customers,but customer to buy what has been done(even though abuse) should not be borne by the recommender.

  • @dcc said:
    I do not know if there is anything to discuss here. The account in question was banned because they used an invisible (hidden) image on a popular blog to basically mark all their visitors as their "affiliate".

    I personally would like to know that too. It didn't make sense to me. please enlighten me

  • @dcc said:
    I do not know if there is anything to discuss here. The account in question was banned because they used an invisible (hidden) image on a popular blog to basically mark all their visitors as their "affiliate".

    You only pay commission on who buys a plan. So why would it matter if what you say is true?

  • dccdcc Member, Host Rep
    edited February 2014

    @Zen

    Say, your affiliate link is your-host.com/aff.php?affiliate_id=123

    You insert the following HTML code to your blog template:

    img src=...your-host.com/aff.php?affiliate_id=123 width=1 height=1

    (and possibly wrap that in an invisible div)

    Now all visitors to your blog will be served a cookie from our website, and if they EVER bought a VPS from us, you will get your cut as if you have genuinely referred them.

    Thanked by 2marrco willK
  • dccdcc Member, Host Rep
    edited February 2014

    Now since I posted that, I feel like I ruined many affiliate programs out there

  • jarjar Patron Provider, Top Host, Veteran
    edited February 2014

    @dcc said:
    Now since I posted that, I feel like I ruined many affiliate programs out there.

    Hold on, changing every website I've ever made. Time to cash in! :P

    Can we add that to our signatures here? (then you can blame me for REALLY screwing it up by saying that ahahaha)

  • kyakykyaky Member
    edited February 2014

    @dcc said:
    Zen

    Say, your affiliate link is your-host.com/aff.php?affiliate_id=123

    You insert the following HTML code to your blog template:

    img src=...your-host.com/aff.php?affiliate_id=123 width=1 height=1

    (and possibly wrap that in an invisible div)

    Now all visitors to your blog will be served a cookie from our website, and if they EVER bought a VPS from us, you will get your cut as if you have genuinely referred them.

    whmcs affiliate function is designed like that. and he doesn't use the image way like you said.
    Your guess is wrong.

    by the way check his site out, www.zhujiceping.com

    It's just a wordpress with a mask redirection plugin for external links. I don't see anything wrong, mate. If you don't wanna pay, You gotta find a better excuse.

  • jarjar Patron Provider, Top Host, Veteran
    edited February 2014

    kyaky said: mask

    Let me ask you this, what made you decide to mask it? It isn't like masking is the default, so this was a clear effort to do what exactly? Hide something? Surely, as that is what masking is, hiding. Then couldn't it be said that the clear intention is to deceive?

    I'm not picking a side just asking a question.

  • @dcc said:
    Zen

    Say, your affiliate link is your-host.com/aff.php?affiliate_id=123

    You insert the following HTML code to your blog template:

    img src=...your-host.com/aff.php?affiliate_id=123 width=1 height=1

    (and possibly wrap that in an invisible div)

    Now all visitors to your blog will be served a cookie from our website, and if they EVER bought a VPS from us, you will get your cut as if you have genuinely referred them.

    Gotta quote this.

  • dccdcc Member, Host Rep

    @Zen

    You are right, I could have explained that better, and I know I probably should have.
    On the other hand, when you deal with your 10th abuse ticket in the last hour, explaining to everyone what they did wrong can get pretty annoying. I know one solution to the problem, it is to get out of the LEB market, but I am not sure if that is the best decision...

  • jarjar Patron Provider, Top Host, Veteran

    dcc said: when you deal with your 10th abuse ticket in the last hour

    Is that all? :)

  • @jarland said:
    I'm not picking a side just asking a question.

    I have a same question. why does godaddy use shortlink mask their aff system as well? x.co

  • jarjar Patron Provider, Top Host, Veteran

    @kyaky said:
    I have a same question. why does godaddy use shortlink mask their aff system as well? x.co

    Wrong question. You're not godaddy. Why do YOU (or your friend) mask the link? I know a guy who shot his son in the face, that isn't a valid justification for me shooting someone in the face. I want to hear your friend's reason for masking the link.

    Thanked by 1darkshire
  • BK_BK_ Member
    edited February 2014

    I'll just throw it out there... The technical term for what @dcc is describing is "cookie stuffing". TL;DR - it's common knowledge, and is considered a method to generate illegitimate affiliate sales.

    I'm not picking a side here, but the 5769 visitors referred would likely be a lot higher if the website is as popular as it is said to be and if it is actually stuffing the affiliate cookie.

    Thanked by 1upfreak
  • dcc said: Say, your affiliate link is your-host.com/aff.php?affiliate_id=123

    You insert the following HTML code to your blog template:

    img src=...your-host.com/aff.php?affiliate_id=123 width=1 height=1

    (and possibly wrap that in an invisible div)

    Now all visitors to your blog will be served a cookie from our website, and if they EVER bought a VPS from us, you will get your cut as if you have genuinely referred them.

    Another Tutorial :p
    Kidding lol.

    Continue..

  • BK_BK_ Member
    edited February 2014

    @BK_ said:
    I'll just throw it out there... The technical term for what dcc is describing is "cookie stuffing". TL;DR - it's common knowledge, and is considered a method to generate illegitimate affiliate sales.

    I'm not picking a side here, but the 5769 visitors referred would likely be a lot higher if the website is as popular as it is said to be and if it is actually stuffing the affiliate cookie.

    In addition to what I said above, I did take a quick look at a few pages on the website in question and did not receive any 'unsolicited' cookies for affiliate sales. @dcc

  • @dcc said:
    Zen

    Say, your affiliate link is your-host.com/aff.php?affiliate_id=123

    You insert the following HTML code to your blog template:

    img src=...your-host.com/aff.php?affiliate_id=123 width=1 height=1

    (and possibly wrap that in an invisible div)

    Now all visitors to your blog will be served a cookie from our website, and if they EVER bought a VPS from us, you will get your cut as if you have genuinely referred them.

    CS?!What a joke!If CS,i think he would have more $$$,not only $74.20 USD,LOL

  • kyakykyaky Member
    edited February 2014

    @BK_ said:
    I'll just throw it out there... The technical term for what dcc is describing is "cookie stuffing". TL;DR - it's common knowledge, and is considered a method to generate illegitimate affiliate sales.

    I'm not picking a side here, but the 5769 visitors referred would likely be a lot higher if the website is as popular as it is said to be and if it is actually stuffing the affiliate cookie.

    He said "The conversion could be much higher if I cheated using "cookie stuffing" what he talked about. I don't have the knowledge of what you said cookie and hack something. I only know wordpress and regular plugins and simple linux commands. I started the aff with bandwagonhost since May, 2013. for 8 months 5769 visits is quite normal. and conversion rate is 2.8%. What is the problem? This doesn't make sense. but it's a good try you introduce a technical method trying to say I cheated. but I don't even know how to do it"

    Thanked by 1World
  • BK_BK_ Member
    edited February 2014

    kyaky said: He said "The conversion could be much higher if I cheated using cookie stuffing. I don't have the knowledge of what you said cookie and hack something. I only know wordpress and regular plugins and simple linux commands. I started the aff with bandwagonhost since May, 2013. for 8 months 5769 visits is quite normal. and conversion rate is 2.8%. What is the problem? This doesn't make sense. but it's a good try you introduce a technical method trying to say I cheated. but I don't even know how to do it"

    I don't think you understand me. I'm giving information to help you. I'm saying there would likely be more visits if it's cookie stuffing.

  • jarjar Patron Provider, Top Host, Veteran

    kyaky said: What is the problem?

    Judging by your evasion of the question surrounding this statement you made:

    kyaky said: a mask redirection

    I can conclude that the clear intent was to send people to the site and make sure that they did NOT know that they were using an affiliate link. This could only have come from a thought process where it was at least considered that the users might either get angry or not click the links if they knew they were affiliate links. This would mean that you took advantage of them by hiding it from them rather than presenting them with an honest choice. Dishonesty and attempts to hide the truth are not good, would you disagree with that? If you don't think they want to click your affiliate link, then perhaps you shouldn't be using an affiliate link. If you think they do want to click it, then you have no motivation to mask it.

    Thanked by 1darkshire
This discussion has been closed.