Let’s say you’re at an auto dealership looking to buy your next car. The salesperson tells you about the features of one particular model you’ve had your eye on for a while. The color, the features, the price — everything about it is just what you’ve been looking for. But then the salesperson says that he gets a commission off the sale.
Do you turn around and walk off the lot? No, you wouldn’t because you need that car and you know that the salesperson has to make their money somehow.
Now, what if we take this scenario and apply it to something we buy online from an affiliate marketer promoting a product? She tells you all about the bells and whistles “product X” has to offer. It sounds great! You decide to buy it, but you read on to find out that she gets a cut of the purchase.
Do you feel any different than you did in the car scenario above? In my opinion, you shouldn’t.
This is something I’ve seen others do from time to time. In fact, I’ve probably done it myself. From the perspective of the marketer, I surmise that she feels she’s not being completely honest unless she exposes the fact that she’s getting a cut of the transaction. But wouldn’t you agree that stating such a fact most likely works against the marketer more than it helps?
In some cases, the marketer offers both an affiliate link AND a non-affiliate link, leaving it to the buyer to decide whether they, the buyer, should get a commission. Why do such a thing? Of course, we want to assume the marketer is being truthful in her description of what “product X” can do. But as buyers we need to research as much as we can to protect ourselves, no matter if it’s a car or a software package, right?
“But Mark, sometimes marketers aren’t truthful about the products they promote and are only interested in making a sale.”
I absolutely agree with you! The same goes for car salesmen. We want to trust them. They should be truthful. But as we all know, there are a lot of scam artists out there, peddling the latest solution to whatever ails us, especially from the MMO crowd. So it’s “buyer beware” at all times, online or off.
What do you think? Is there such a thing as too much disclosure? Leave me a comment to discuss.
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Agreed completely…. in fact I ask friends for their links before buying anything online now… If they have the product I also know I will get their support if I get stuck so it’s a win win situation.
Most digital products can be returned, no questions asked, so there is no real risk in buying through online recommendations.
Good point, Forest.
Nope, no ones business if there’s a commission behind it or not; you’re either going to trust me or you’re not.
Well said, Dennis. It’s about trust!
Great post man! I like what Dennis said at times too. Sometimes I say it, sometimes I don’t. I think it’s pretty evident, if there is something I’m telling you about and it’s not free…then I’ll get a piece. Sometimes I mixx it up and say “here’s my super secret link” or something…not really being secret but just stating the obvious.
I don’t know if I’ve ever posted an aff link and non aff link, I would imagine most would click the aff link anyway, just because you gave them the choice.
Of course, it all comes down to your audience and if they trust you or not, without trust it doesn’t matter which way you do it, they won’t buy from you lol.
I say make sure you’r being trustworthy and these things will not be an issue.
Trust is so important and very powerful. There have been times when I’ve said no to a product only to have it promoted by someone I trust and then I end up buying it.
It’s interesting when that happens and sometimes discouraging as well. When it’s happened to me, I then reevaluate why i turned it down, and also reevaluate my trust in the person now promoting it.
I’ll be honest, I’ve dropped a trusted associate or two with that scenario.
I agree with the rest of you that there is no need to post both an affiliate link and a non-affiliate link. If I don’t want someone to get the commission (I don’t know why but IF…) then I can easily find my way around it. Affiliate links are mostly quite obvious (even those being disguised as something else) so if you’re not a newbie you know it is there.
But I think it is a valid point to ask. But another question is what we as affiliate marketers can do about the people that don’t want us to take a commission? Or should we even care about these people?
/Mikael
@Mikael
Welcome to MeAndMyDrum. Thanks for all the comments you’ve left on my blog.
I think we should just continue to provide the truth in what we promote and let the reputation build. Give the audience one more reason to buy that way.
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