Bye LinkShare! A member since '06

I spent years marketing products and services of companies connected to Linkshare.  I also recommended many people join the company and never saw referral credits.

Overtime, I noticed a pattern with my Linkshare account, it seemed the minute I started noticing commissions through heavy promotion, a company would soon after leave the program.  Other times, I saw months of no commissions, so I would send a variety of affiliate links from different companies out to people I knew so that I could test the integrity of this company and its tracking tools. Those relatives and friends I knew who made purchases, including myself, through some of those links, their purchases didn't show up. I got one small commission check a month later for $1.10 from a popular company.  After several times of doing this, I backed off.  But before I did that, I connected my banking info. with my account so that I could get a direct deposit, just in case my commissions caught up with me, so that I didn't have to get a check in the mail.  One day, my banking information was not in the system and the selection was back on paper checks.  I continued taking down links after I found out that two affiliate marketers didn't receive pay checks as large as $800 plus.  This year I disconnected from this company.

I advise that if you are going to connect with any company on or off line and promote their products using referral or affiliate links, keep a close watch, send links out to those people you know to test the integrity of their system.  I also would suggest don't spread your affiliate links around all at once, instead focus on one way of marketing for a time so that you can better control your links and watch your traffic.  Each month I had thousands visit my links for a stretch of time and then I would promote less during times of the year when I was busy with other projects.  There are so many ways to market, but when you do, like I mentioned before, keep track of where you place your links.  When the company or companies don't deliver, take down your links.  If you have them everywhere, it will be hard to take them all down at once--that was my issue that is why it took me so long to get rid of banner ads, text links, etc.  Don't waste any more time promoting when you don't see commissions!  Remember it's not always about marketing techniques, sometimes people just don't bother with companies because they aren't popular, their prices aren't competitive, they charge shipping and handling costs, limited selections, have no beneficial coupons, bad reviews, etc.  None of which you can control!  Happy marketing!

Linkshare Reviews:

http://www.ripoffreport.com/Search/linkshare.aspx

http://www.imreportcard.com/services/linkshare/

http://affiliate-marketing-forums.5staraffiliateprograms.com/linkshare-forum/17402-unpaid-payments-45-000-sales-student-universe.html

I also used to be with Commission Junction.  I noticed with this site as soon as I saw the light at the end of the tunnel, my account was suspended.  I wrote articles and connected my affiliate link to those articles and somehow I was in violation?  Go figure, meanwhile I followed the advice of gurus back then (this was around 2006-07).  Anyway, here is information about Commission Junction, a competitor of Linkshare.

 http://www.ripoffreport.com/department-outlet-stores/cj-com/cj-com-third-party-company-of-3cccc.htm

http://promotedprofits.com/commission-junction-lawsuit/

http://www.webproworld.com/webmaster-forum/threads/100754-CJ-com-Commission-Junction-is-a-Joke-and-a-Scam