Is signing up with your own affiliate code to a site considered fraud?
 

If you join a site via your revshare code. You aren't ripping them off of money, just getting a half off membership.

or you could ask for an account.

If your sending other sign ups I cant imagine anyone caring that much

but most will give you a membership if you ask nice and send them some traffic

Lol. Im not looking for a membership. I see too much porn as it is.

are we talking about a website access or a tangible product here ;) ?

You can just ask for a password :2 cents:

Yep. As long as you make it clear you are using the membership info to get a better idea re their product for promotions purposes. At this point, the password they give you (barring any abuse) is a promotional tool that can only benefit both parties. :2 cents:

Then what possible reason would there be to do this? :Oh crap

As long as it's on revshare = you don't get more back from the program for the join than you payed for it.. Then i doubt anyone would have a problem :)
Don't do it on PPS though :1orglaugh

1. to check the sites.. allways good to know what your selling

2. to check the program.. Never hurts to do a test signup on your own once in awhile to see if sales are tracked.. do that myself, and actually encurage our affiliates to do the same..

Read the TOS.. Any program that catches you doing this will terminate your account. The reputable programs will allow you to do test signups but you have to report them once you've made them.

Bingo. :winkwink:

:thumbsup :thumbsup

What he said...

off-topic

i am afraid if i give affiliates user/pwd's to hotelheiress that they will never get any work done, but we do it anyway.


self-joins are all different and it depends on each situation. there is no one right answer.

If you to a test sale report it to the program operator or your rep.

It's as easy as that.

If you pay $1 and then take home $40, that's fraud if you don't report it. Has nothing to do with "testing" to make sure everything is working right.

We encourage our webmasters to do test sales, but report them.

Best way is to always tell the company that you did it to be on the safe side. Probably better to tell them before you do it too.
WG

I don't think any sponsor will you accuse of fraud if you email them right afterwards saying you did a test signup or that you wanted to check out the members area...

Thats why i said revshare. I want to see the members area and test the affiliate program at the same time without ripping them off.

can't agree with reason 1. any good program will give you a temp password to check the members area.

However reason 2. is a fucking great idea and I recommend it to all affiliates. You should always check to see that the program works before you start sending hits to the sites. Just make sure you report it so the proper refund and deduction and be credited immediately after you verify everything is kosher.

So if you are going to do a test signup to see if a sponsor is shaving your ass you'r suposed to tell them... before you do it ?:winkwink:


Btw, to some of the other posts here.. I think he said revshare, so if he has no gain from it (other than his normal %) then why should he report anything.. he just gave you anb extra sale ???

It really depends in my book. If it is an establish affiliate signing up for an account
for himself, thats fine, but if its the one-time affiliates whos only referal is themselves,
then no way.

Then again, I'm in hosting -- not adult stuff, but I know what thats like ;)

Some dont give out passes till you sent x # of joins/traffic and others are anal about it.

And what would your reason for that be?

Joining under your refcode is a reason to terminate your account, so I'd rather get paid and tell them upfront.

WG

'Can be' a reason to terminate....
Guess that would depend on the program.

Can't see why it should be a problem though.. First of all he's helping you test your program making sure sales are tracked right..
Second, he just put money in your pocket giving your site an extra sale.

Its still better I think to tell the program upfront, for example buying a merchandise item like a sex toy, even though its revshare, its still a way to obtain the product at a lower cost.

WG

So how do you check to see it tracks

If i do test sign ups i post it on the wm`s board as soon as the SU appears in my stats. So far every single test sign up has appeared over 4 sponsors.