jayeff

It's interesting to note that the fees in that case were only $16K although obviously in more complex cases they could be much higher. Still - even if they have to be covered by the plaintiff in the event of a loss or there being no assets to collect against - the amount is relatively small compared to the sales of some of the sponsors who are being abused.

Nevertheless, the choices are not only legal action or no action. Someone just posted "will76 will come to the rescue", but not only IMO did will blow it (I have already said this here and to him directly) by turning his "crusade" into something too personal instead of attempting to give it some clear direction, change will not come from affiliates, but from sponsors themselves.

There are simply too many affiliates who are not in this business full time, nor for the long term for enough affiliates to care about this industry except as a source of pocket money for a while. So long as sponsors do not impose a code of conduct on each other and on their affiliates, well... the expression "p*ssing into the wind" comes to mind.

Sponsors' lethargy is much harder to understand. Some have been in this business for 10 years, surely long enough to get the message that short-term thinking has saddled us with rising fraud, unwanted Visa regulations, costly and time consuming legislation, etc, etc and much more to come. Without in any practical sense compromising either their independence or competitiveness, the example of other industries makes it plain as day that it is in their interest to legitimize the positive aspects of this business and outlaw the negative.

What tiny percentage of their income would it cost forward thinking sponsors to fund a trade association which could not only set a code of conduct for their behavior in respect of each other, but also towards customers and affiliates. Logically it would include standards which affiliates had to meet to be members and if done and promoted properly, would put sponsors in the position of being able to demand that affiliates were association members.

Not only could such an association enhance our everyday transactions, but it would/should be the obvious body to present a united face when issues arise which affect the whole industry. We would not then be thrown back on the too little, too late solutions which are the best we have managed to date.

It seems absolutely crazy that a bunch of people who have got rich from this business, many of whom know each other and even meet regularly, whether at shows or whatever, haven't taken such an obvious step.