Topbucks redirects my traffic :(

[grundic]

there is an example:

hosted gallery link:
http://www.pinkvisualhdgalleries.com...l&a…evid=51962


it is redirected to pinkvisualtgp

Does this shit happens only with my hosted galleries?

[Alex B]

There was some maintenance going on as I saw.

[grundic]

seems that problem is fixed

[ronnie]

Thought it's not related, One thing I recently noticed about them and ticks me off, on their site tours they have an rss feed button for updates that is not affiliate encoded. Course the webmaster links are not either, so guess can't expect much.

[Toby]

I don't promote TopBucks, so I can't speak specifically about what they may or may not be doing, but there are many many ways for programs to shave sales from affiliates. Very few of them actually involve manipulating sales data after the fact.

One of the other things that I see some programs do that chaps my ass are email "newsletter" signup forms on site tours. Certainly no affliate links included in any of those newsletter emails.

[RageCash-Ben]

Originally Posted by ronnie

Thought it's not related, One thing I recently noticed about them and ticks me off, on their site tours they have an rss feed button for updates that is not affiliate encoded. .

Hmmm I had never noticed that.

[nastymed]

well i dunno if they shave or not but topbucks is my main sponsor on my traffic. They make more than most of the sponsors i used. Maybe it's just my traffic though :2cent

[TopBucks Lilit]

Hello Grundic!

We had some issues on server last week that's the reason why some of our galleries were redirecting to PV tgp for a short time. We apologize for any inconveniences it might cause.

Aside from the server downtime the only reason a gallery that once existed would go to the PV tgp is if the file ends up MIA. We QC gallery links daily to make sure everything's working properly but it's possible to miss a few so please report the redirecting links to us.

Thanks,

[ronnie]

Originally Posted by TopBucks Lilit

Hello Grundic!

We had some issues on server last week that's the reason why some of our galleries were redirecting to PV tgp for a short time. We apologize for any inconveniences it might cause.

Aside from the server downtime the only reason a gallery that once existed would go to the PV tgp is if the file ends up MIA. We QC gallery links daily to make sure everything's working properly but it's possible to miss a few so please report the redirecting links to us.

Thanks,

I don't mean to hijack this thread. I have re-state my post, it appears the RSS links are affiliate linked, or they changed recently? Or there are some not yet linked?

I am curious, why the webmaster links on the tours are not using affilaite links. Why?

[TopBucks Lilit]

Originally Posted by ronnie

I don't mean to hijack this thread. I have re-state my post, it appears the RSS links are affiliate linked, or they changed recently? Or there are some not yet linked?

I am curious, why the webmaster links on the tours are not using affilaite links. Why?

Ronnie,

All of the RSS feeds on the tours were supposed to use affiliate links, but recently it has been brought to our attention that some of them are not linked properly, our programmers are working on eliminating the issue. As I've already told in my previous post we'd like to apologize for the issues. We do our best to prevent such things from happening and we're thankful to webmasters who report them and let us fix the bugs asap.

[ronnie]

Originally Posted by TopBucks Lilit

Ronnie,

All of the RSS feeds on the tours were supposed to use affiliate links, but recently it has been brought to our attention that some of them are not linked properly, our programmers are working on eliminating the issue. As I've already told in my previous post we'd like to apologize for the issues. We do our best to prevent such things from happening and we're thankful to webmasters who report them and let us fix the bugs asap.

I agree, topbucks has been quick these fix the errors. Sure every one appreciates it.

Still, what about the "webmaster" links on the tours, they do not have affiliate links. Topbucks does have an webmaster referral program, so seems the links would be coded.

[Toby]

Originally Posted by ronnie

I agree, topbucks has been quick these fix the errors. Sure every one appreciates it.

Still, what about the "webmaster" links on the tours, they do not have affiliate links. Topbucks does have an webmaster referral program, so seems the links would be coded.

I think an affiliate referral code on the webmaster link on hosted galleries is optional. I consider it part of the price for using the sponsors bandwidth instead of hosting my own promo galleries.

[ronnie]

Originally Posted by Toby

I think an affiliate referral code on the webmaster link on hosted galleries is optional. I consider it part of the price for using the sponsors bandwidth instead of hosting my own promo galleries.

Is there an option on the FHG's? I was just asking about the tours.

[Toby]

Originally Posted by ronnie

Is there an option on the FHG's? I was just asking about the tours.

No, not an option for the webmaster. An option for the program owner.

My opinion would be the same for webmaster links on tours as it is for FHG's. It's up to the program if they include the referral codes. I don't consider it a given that webmaster links have affiliate referral codes.

[ronnie]

Originally Posted by Toby

No, not an option for the webmaster. An option for the program owner.

My opinion would be the same for webmaster links on tours as it is for FHG's. It's up to the program if they include the referral codes. I don't consider it a given that webmaster links have affiliate referral codes.

Why shouldn't it be a given? It's a traffic leak, even if it's webmasters. If a program has a webmaster referral program and does not have affiliate links on the tours, it's like they are trying to keep more money from webmasters. I work my ass off for my traffic, I want to make as much as possible, whether from surfers or webmasters. Why wouldn't I?

I don't know why any webmaster should think they owe a sponsor or need to help them? Don't make sense to me. If I worked a regular job, I wouldn't be giving any of my check back because they provided me with a bathroom, or a lunch room ,or the materials I needed to do the job. It's a part of doing business and we know sponsors make out quite well.

[Toby]

I think traffic leak is a bit of an exageration. It's not a leak in as much as the surfer isn't going to go there and buy something that you won't get credit for.

What you're saying is that you expect to get both surfer referrals and webmaster referrals from the same traffic. Nice if you can get it, but I don't feel I'm being cheated if I don't.

When I make my own galleries I don't even put the webmaster links on them any longer. I used to add them to the bottom of all my galleries, if the sponsor paid for wm referrals. It became pretty obvious over time that the few referrals I was getting wasn't worth the extra time and link space. I get 100 times the milage out of referrals posted here, on other boards, or via ICQ and spend 1/100th the time to do so.

[TopBucks Lilit]

Originally Posted by ronnie

I agree, topbucks has been quick these fix the errors. Sure every one appreciates it.

Still, what about the "webmaster" links on the tours, they do not have affiliate links. Topbucks does have an webmaster referral program, so seems the links would be coded.

Ronnie, to tell the truth I don't know any program using webmaster referral links for "webmaster" links on the tours. It's going to add some headache to tracking system since it's a completely different link than those ones with your account numbers you use to link to sites and galleries, but I'll see if we can have it implemented.

[TopBucks Lilit]

Originally Posted by TopBucks Lilit

Ronnie,

All of the RSS feeds on the tours were supposed to use affiliate links, but recently it has been brought to our attention that some of them are not linked properly, our programmers are working on eliminating the issue. As I've already told in my previous post we'd like to apologize for the issues. We do our best to prevent such things from happening and we're thankful to webmasters who report them and let us fix the bugs asap.

Hello,
Our programming dept has updated the footer for all the tours that use the RSS link and forced an update on all of our generated sites. This is now passing the WM ID correctly on all the tours.

Please let us know if you see any further issues with this.

[Jel]

Originally Posted by TopBucks Lilit

Ronnie, to tell the truth I don't know any program using webmaster referral links for "webmaster" links on the tours. It's going to add some headache to tracking system since it's a completely different link than those ones with your account numbers you use to link to sites and galleries, but I'll see if we can have it implemented.

Mine does

[TheDoc]

The majority, of pay per signup sponsors do not credit the webmaster referral link or anything outside of a direct tour sale.

Newsletters and webmaster links don't create traffic leaks, and some sponsors do track newsletters and pay on them too, just not all.

Normally you see revshare sponsors that try and credit every little thing on the tour, or they get blasted for it if they don't.