At this point it really does seem to be the best solution. I really do sympathize: for years my retail site was the tops (or near the top) in Google for several brands I carry – then a new “shopping engine” comes along and is dominating Google for hundreds of brands. Now of course I would mind regardless but the fact of the matter is there are other sites that are a heck of a lot more helpful than this site that has incomplete feeds GALORE. But the bottom line is: I work my butt off on my retail site and by manually managing my affiliate sites and some big-a$$ company comes along with high priced programmers and knock me down the page and I’m sure the same has happened to hordes of smaller coupon sites.

From my recollection 9 times out of 10 when I search for a coupon for some site or other RMN comes up first in Google.

seoscoop recently posted about the massive difference between appearing 1st in the SERPS and 2nd or 3rd (I’m sorry I can’t find the link right now)so darn right there is resentment out there. The number one rule in affiliate marketing is: DIFFERENTIATE yourself – offer something that other sites don’t and I fully sympathize with those smaller coupon sites who have cultivated relationships in the hopes of being able to “offer something different” only to have their exclusive co-opted by another company and if that weren’t bad enough for RMN to advertise the code as THEIR EXCLUSIVE just adds insult to injury.

“
We think HUKD disrupts traditional marketing messages and offers a disruptive network where individuals have the freedom to recommend genuine bargains and deals to other individuals.
“

Thanks and have a nice day.

Regards,

Piotr.

If you want to pander to affiliates, you make popular websites more profitable. If you want to pander to affiliate managers who want control over the content they are providing, you do it the way I suggested.

If you want the best of both worlds, you allow both side by side, and let the best deal win, and let affiliate managers decide for themselves, without creating vitriol because you personally feel wronged by someone elses success.

HOWEVER, although some affiliates have worked hard with the aff network and merchants to get the exclusive deal, I have to say others have also worked hard (and might have spent a lot) to get the traffic, where someone else’s exclusive coupons get used and commission went elsewhere. Profiting from the traffic that someone else has worked or paid for — is that stealing?

This could discourage other affiliates from promoting those codes and make them work harder for exclusives. (that seems to be the major gripe, hard workers are getting less money than people with more intelligent algorithms).

If you look at what the music industry has tried to do with piracy, and how they failed, it doesn’t look promising.

I know someone on Abest mentioned this, but why not just embed coupons in links? Seems like a pretty good idea for the time being.

Yan — I think you are running ProBargainHunter from a consumers’, or a “bargain hunter’s” point of view and I fully agree with what you are saying here. After all coupons are there to be shared, and I think most merchants won’t care as long as sales are made. Most whiners there are probably just kicking themselves thinking “hey how come I didn’t think of the UGC idea first”.

I am running a social bargain site in Australia, and have quite a few “exclusive” coupons (which I earn no affiliation commission for). I am pretty sure many ended up on sites like RMN and Tjoos. Well. More power to them to spread the good bargains around!

Your comment and the following two were automatically held for moderation (as any first time comments on this blog are held to avoid spam). Stop attacking me with no ground whatsoever.

A lot of things in this world hold potentiality of money. This comment of yours on my blog for example may end up in search for your name and I will make money off of it with the Google ads on the sidebar. Did I just steal your name from you?

As to your belief that there are no “new realities”, check the news around AACS encryption key controversy

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A.....ontroversy

A Credit card number isn’t different than an exclusive coupon code, they both hold potentiality of money … the theft of either is still theft. I’m sorry that you can’t see that.

As for your “speed of the internet” horsehockey – go back to square one and learn what’s right and wrong, morals and ethics, then go full speed ahead. Because the exculpatory nature of this morally decrepit society that condones theft will get you no where, fast.

There are no “new realities”, theft has been around since the beginning of mankind, as has turning a blind eye. ;)

Best of luck to you in your learning process.

Haiko