Comments on: Ask Shawn Collins: Affiliates That Stuff Cookies

By: Shawn Collins

Shawn Collins — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 19:27:26 +0000

It’s immaterial whether you consider it unethical if an affiliate program forbids it.

You should contact the affiliate manager to ask if you’re not clear whether it’s permitted.

By: gm

gm — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 19:17:26 +0000

Cookie stuffing has it’s place. Say for example you want to send a customer to a vendors page but no tracking link is available like on CJ. You can either provide the link and not get paid (no point in doing this), try to get the aff mgr to get you a custom link (if they ever respond to you) , not provide the link (taking away possible sales) or you can provide a link to a script that first cookies them with one of the other available tracking links, then redirect them to the exact page you want. Another possibility which I do not see as unethical, is say you have a form that performs some sort of function that is related to the product (savings calculator or what have you). I see nothing wrong with cookie stuffing the person AFTER they submit the form and get their result..

By: Punk Girl

Punk Girl — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 18:27:08 +0000

I wanted to try it once but got scared away by all the people who’ve had their accounts suspended over it.

By: Shawn Collins

Shawn Collins — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 03:25:05 +0000

And you’re proud of that?

By: Jonathan Zittrain

Jonathan Zittrain — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 01:58:20 +0000

It depends on what you consider short term. I have been doing it for 7 years without any problems.

By: Shawn Collins

Shawn Collins — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 13:57:41 +0000

Alfa -

Some people think short term.

By: alfa parf

alfa parf — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 05:26:15 +0000

I had heard of cookie stuffing but wasn’t quite sure what it was. Seems like it would be easily discoverable so why risk reputation and accounts over it?

By: Vincent Lim

Vincent Lim — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 07:06:38 +0000

Great explanation and easy to understand…

Thanks for sharing your experience.

By: Shawn Collins

Shawn Collins — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 15:44:21 +0000

Hi Simon -

In my opinion, anybody who is forcing a click in this fashion is cheating.

Many years ago – probably 2002, I think – I actually game permission to my affiliates to use IFRAMES with their affiliate links.

That was because I wanted to compensate them for branding the company, and also I was seeing an increased degree competition.

But since then, I’ve been solidly against it as it has become widespread to do this sort of thing with all affiliate programs for some affiliates.

I would say that if you are unsure whether an affiliate program is OK with a certain practice, just ask them.

By: Simon Bolton

Simon Bolton — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 08:27:52 +0000

Hi Shawn,

Great article, but where do you stand on this?

Is cookie stuffing right, as the affiliate is getting the commission for someone that came to their page?

Is it wrong to get someone to buy through your link without them really knowing?

What do you think affiliates should do?
Come clean and work harder, or slip in a bit of code and make money?

Just some thoughts

All The Best
Simon