Comments on: The FTC Drop an A-Bomb on Internet Affiliates http://www.affiliatetraining.com/the-ftc-drop-an-a-bomb-on-internet-affiliates/ Affiliate training guides, affiliate articles, affiliate podcasts, affiliate software, affiliate strategies, affiliate tools, and more, to help you make more money from affiliate programs. Fri, 21 May 2010 10:01:07 +0100 hourly 1 By: Misato Katsuragi http://www.affiliatetraining.com/the-ftc-drop-an-a-bomb-on-internet-affiliates/comment-page-1/#comment-1317 Misato Katsuragi Thu, 07 Jan 2010 07:40:17 +0000 http://www.affiliatetraining.com/?p=3099#comment-1317 Hi Paul, I don't share the same opinion as a lot of these doomsayers say, but then again, I don't think this is something that isn't going to cause a lot of collateral damage in the form of some honest affiliate marketers being trounced right along with the so called 'vagabonds', as you put it. First off, the law isn't as explicit as it needs to be. Also, the fine is not enough to cause the big time scam artists to change any of their marketing tactics. It will cost many of them a lot more money in lost sales than the $11,000 fine will, if they start marketing honestly all of a sudden. This is not to condone dishonest marketing, but we all know it is far easier to make a killing if you don't have pesky little things like morals, honor and ethics standing in the way. On the flip side, the $11,000 fine will usually be more than enough to severly cripple, or put out of business altogether, the honest ma and pa affiliate marketers. As a result, what you will be left with is a new playground for the affiliate scammers, created specially for them by the FTC. Hi Paul,
I don’t share the same opinion as a lot of these doomsayers say, but then again, I don’t think this is something that isn’t going to cause a lot of collateral damage in the form of some honest affiliate marketers being trounced right along with the so called ‘vagabonds’, as you put it.

First off, the law isn’t as explicit as it needs to be. Also, the fine is not enough to cause the big time scam artists to change any of their marketing tactics. It will cost many of them a lot more money in lost sales than the $11,000 fine will, if they start marketing honestly all of a sudden. This is not to condone dishonest marketing, but we all know it is far easier to make a killing if you don’t have pesky little things like morals, honor and ethics standing in the way.

On the flip side, the $11,000 fine will usually be more than enough to severly cripple, or put out of business altogether, the honest ma and pa affiliate marketers.

As a result, what you will be left with is a new playground for the affiliate scammers, created specially for them by the FTC.

]]> By: Wanda http://www.affiliatetraining.com/the-ftc-drop-an-a-bomb-on-internet-affiliates/comment-page-1/#comment-1294 Wanda Tue, 15 Dec 2009 00:32:08 +0000 http://www.affiliatetraining.com/?p=3099#comment-1294 Nice to read a sensible take on this. I have read so much hype about the FTC's legislation, so it was a pleasure to read your article. There is certainly a requirement to get rid of or try and control unscrupulous online traders. I agree with both you and Walter that we just have to wait and see how it all pans out and adapt accordingly. Nice to read a sensible take on this. I have read so much hype about the FTC’s legislation, so it was a pleasure to read your article.
There is certainly a requirement to get rid of or try and control unscrupulous online traders.
I agree with both you and Walter that we just have to wait and see how it all pans out and adapt accordingly.

]]> By: Paul Graham http://www.affiliatetraining.com/the-ftc-drop-an-a-bomb-on-internet-affiliates/comment-page-1/#comment-1277 Paul Graham Fri, 27 Nov 2009 01:15:33 +0000 http://www.affiliatetraining.com/?p=3099#comment-1277 Ditto, ditto, ditto. The thing is that this time not a lot has actually changed. They're simply tightening up their legislation because it was totally outdated, but it isn't going to create a flurry of prosecutions... there's not a chance in hell of that. All of the hype and propaganda about it, from people who should really know better, was just scaremongery. That's it, in a nutshell. Hope all is well with yourself and Mr Fennell Jr :) ~ Paul Ditto, ditto, ditto.

The thing is that this time not a lot has actually changed. They’re simply tightening up their legislation because it was totally outdated, but it isn’t going to create a flurry of prosecutions… there’s not a chance in hell of that.

All of the hype and propaganda about it, from people who should really know better, was just scaremongery. That’s it, in a nutshell.

Hope all is well with yourself and Mr Fennell Jr :)

~ Paul

]]> By: Paul Graham http://www.affiliatetraining.com/the-ftc-drop-an-a-bomb-on-internet-affiliates/comment-page-1/#comment-1275 Paul Graham Fri, 27 Nov 2009 00:36:30 +0000 http://www.affiliatetraining.com/?p=3099#comment-1275 Yes, I agree Walter. A lot of people jumped on the bandwagon there with all of that "affiliate marketing is dead" nonsense, just to get visitors in the door, but like you say all we need to do is evolve, if necessary, and adapt our websites accordingly. No big deal ;-) ~ Paul Yes, I agree Walter. A lot of people jumped on the bandwagon there with all of that “affiliate marketing is dead” nonsense, just to get visitors in the door, but like you say all we need to do is evolve, if necessary, and adapt our websites accordingly.

No big deal ;-)

~ Paul

]]> By: Tammy http://www.affiliatetraining.com/the-ftc-drop-an-a-bomb-on-internet-affiliates/comment-page-1/#comment-1269 Tammy Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:12:45 +0000 http://www.affiliatetraining.com/?p=3099#comment-1269 Hey Paul - been following this story for a while. Why is our gov't so scared (and yours for that matter) to let the market decide?! Everytime there's a chance someone could get hurt, they come in to control, when in fact, what happens is TONS MORE people get hurt. B/c good people running fair and honest businesses get slapped with fines and red tape. It hurts the economy, etc.... Good lord, why everyone in this world isn't a libertarian is truly beyond me. Fraud laws TAKE CARE of this problem already, but i know, lets add MORE bureaucratic nonsense to it to complicate things. Plus.... the market will decide. Any snake oil salesmen out there will quickly lose their audience if they are in fact liars. It's like spam on twitter - it tends to take care of itself b/c people just simply stop following. Sigh, if we could only leave the market alone! ;) Hey Paul – been following this story for a while. Why is our gov’t so scared (and yours for that matter) to let the market decide?! Everytime there’s a chance someone could get hurt, they come in to control, when in fact, what happens is TONS MORE people get hurt. B/c good people running fair and honest businesses get slapped with fines and red tape. It hurts the economy, etc….

Good lord, why everyone in this world isn’t a libertarian is truly beyond me. Fraud laws TAKE CARE of this problem already, but i know, lets add MORE bureaucratic nonsense to it to complicate things. Plus…. the market will decide. Any snake oil salesmen out there will quickly lose their audience if they are in fact liars. It’s like spam on twitter – it tends to take care of itself b/c people just simply stop following.

Sigh, if we could only leave the market alone! ;)

]]> By: Walter http://www.affiliatetraining.com/the-ftc-drop-an-a-bomb-on-internet-affiliates/comment-page-1/#comment-1258 Walter Thu, 22 Oct 2009 02:14:59 +0000 http://www.affiliatetraining.com/?p=3099#comment-1258 It's too early to make an assumption about the consequences of FTC's new ruling. We might as well observe further. Also, I believe that affiliate marketing will evolve with this changes. :-) It’s too early to make an assumption about the consequences of FTC’s new ruling. We might as well observe further. Also, I believe that affiliate marketing will evolve with this changes. :-)

]]> By: Paul Graham http://www.affiliatetraining.com/the-ftc-drop-an-a-bomb-on-internet-affiliates/comment-page-1/#comment-1126 Paul Graham Fri, 09 Oct 2009 04:44:06 +0000 http://www.affiliatetraining.com/?p=3099#comment-1126 Thanks Michel. No offence was intended by what I said about you there BTW... I just found it all rather amusing. It seems like a bit of a storm in a tea cup to me. I'll be very, very surprised if it's a "game changer" as many people have said. Thanks Michel. No offence was intended by what I said about you there BTW… I just found it all rather amusing. It seems like a bit of a storm in a tea cup to me. I’ll be very, very surprised if it’s a “game changer” as many people have said.

]]> By: Michel Fortin http://www.affiliatetraining.com/the-ftc-drop-an-a-bomb-on-internet-affiliates/comment-page-1/#comment-1117 Michel Fortin Thu, 08 Oct 2009 14:49:21 +0000 http://www.affiliatetraining.com/?p=3099#comment-1117 Thanks for posting this. I posted an important update based on recent clarifications made by the FTC... http://www.michelfortin.com/affiliate-marketing/#update2 Thanks for posting this. I posted an important update based on recent clarifications made by the FTC…

http://www.michelfortin.com/affiliate-marketing/#update2

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