chrisbrogan.com - Latest Comments in Why I Use Amazon Affiliate Links When Reviewing Items

Re: Why I Use Amazon Affiliate Links When Reviewing Items

TrevorY — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 16:06:21 -0000

Why is it some people are so good at finding the cloud in every silver lining? I'll be happy to contribute to your beer fund any day.

Re: Why I Use Amazon Affiliate Links When Reviewing Items

mtuckerb — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 10:50:07 -0000

If I take the time to say something good about a product I like and use, why on earth shouldn't I get credit for the sale? Good grief people.

Re: Why I Use Amazon Affiliate Links When Reviewing Items

vona — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 07:51:25 -0000

here, here. i've been seeing people complaining about this stuff as well as affiliate links and it pisses me off. I will recommend something if i think its good. And dammit, i will put up my affiliate link. If you dont like it go somewhere else. Im trying to earn a living so are you. people are so disingenuous.

i love your stuff. keep it going?

Re: Why I Use Amazon Affiliate Links When Reviewing Items

2Clean — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 09:05:39 -0000

I like your style and I like your disclosure policy
"I sometimes use Amazon Affiliate links to point to books I’ve reviewed. "

BUT I would however, for the benefit of people that don't know you and for the benefit of you being clear to those people on a first time visit put something which actually positions yourself more clearly in terms of the relationship. The statement does not explain this.

Something like as follows that no doubt you can rewrite much better!
"I sometimes use Amazon Affiliate links to point to books I’ve reviewed, and this is more for ease than anything else. I write the reviews for free, if there is a directl relationship between me and a product vendo I will disclose it clearly!"

Re: Why I Use Amazon Affiliate Links When Reviewing Items

Robert Metras — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 23:13:34 -0000

Chris you are oh so right. If you have a privacy or terms of use or other disclaimer on your website. It makes perfect sense to be able to monetize and inform at the same time. Get a life if you dont think so.

Re: Why I Use Amazon Affiliate Links When Reviewing Items

Adam — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 17:41:57 -0000

Chris:

I definitely respect your choice. I'm not sure I disagree. But even if I did, it's nice to see someone take a stand. And then stand by their stand (which, I think, is the whole point of a stand).

Re: Why I Use Amazon Affiliate Links When Reviewing Items

Chris Brogan — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 17:31:35 -0000

Hi Adam--

I certainly have no intentions of being a saint. I sin too often to get the application card filled out, for one.

Mean-spirited? Yes. Absolutely. I wrote the post out of frustration for a recurring issue that has been around since blogging has been around, but that has been hovering around me personally since last December.

It's an interesting question about newcomers. Whoever started on my blog at this very post probably thinks I'm an ass. That's okay. I'm willing to accept that, should the opposite be to not voice my frustration. I think it's a calculation. My answer's not right, but it's definitely in line with my comfort.

The question of bias deserves an entirely different post, but let's just start here: I'm not paid to write reviews. I guess you could split hairs and say that when someone sends me a product, that's payment, but I'm not given currency to write reviews. The person who complained did so because he was "disappointed" to see that I offered Amazon affiliate links as pointers to the products. If you count that as pay, then it's a question of whether $4 or whatever is enough to sway me. I'm going to jump up and say "no" before you get to that one.

Is ANYONE unbiased? Hell, no. I'm very biased. However, I also do my best to disclose as many potential conflicts on my About page.

There are no rules in this space. In fact, I'm doing MORE than most people by disclosing.

I always discuss.

The "get the hell out" stands, I'm going to say. Not to you. I'm saying that at this point, if someone wants to doubt me, go find another blog. There are more blogs than there are humans on the earth. I no longer choose to defend my credibility on a post-by-post basis. That's my decision.

I'm grateful for your time and thoughts.

Re: Why I Use Amazon Affiliate Links When Reviewing Items

Jim Connolly — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 16:11:15 -0000

Chris,

As you know - I love your blog and what you are doing here. In fact, your blog (and Scoble's) were a large part of the inspiration for me dumping my website and starting a blog (thank you.)

I genuinely have no idea what more you could possibly do, to make your blog more transparent or more valuable.

Keep on,

Jim Connolly

Re: Why I Use Amazon Affiliate Links When Reviewing Items

Dawn Baird — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 16:04:03 -0000

Ah, fer flip's sakes!

Whingers, go read some blogger who blogs for the love of it. The rest of us will exist in the real world.

Re: Why I Use Amazon Affiliate Links When Reviewing Items

Justin Parks — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 14:58:33 -0000

Anyone who complained about your using affiliate links needs their head looked at. Plain and simple. Its actually making me mad thinking about it.

Re: Why I Use Amazon Affiliate Links When Reviewing Items

Adam — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 12:57:39 -0000

Chris:

I am personally fine with you doing whatever you want. It's a free country. I can choose to believe you or not. And you make that easier through your disclosures.

I don't personally get the ethos that seeks to turn bloggers into saints.

However, I find your post a bit mean-spirited. I haven't seen the complaints you've seen. But maybe someone is just tuning in to your blog. Your post above sort of assumes that someone has been reading your blog for years. I can certainly understand getting peeved at someone who has but still questions you this way. But a newcomer?

Also, isn't there a legitimate question - notwithstanding your disclosures - that someone who stands to benefit in any way is less credible? That is a structural and not a personal issue. One could be of the highest moral character and still be in a strange position when there is financial compensation tied to a review.

Again, I am fine with your use of affiliate links. But I do think it is fair to question people who review products and are somehow compensated. That questioning should be done in a polite manner of course. But your disclosures don't really answer the bigger issue. Human motivation is complex. We don't understand ourselves well enough to be absolutely certain that a potential payment had zero influence. And others can't be certain about you either.

Sure, you're not going to recommend a product that you think sucks just to get paid. But can you be absolutely certain that you are writing your reviews exactly the same as you would have without the potential compensation? Are you sure you're not just a tiny bit more positive than you would have been?...

I think this is why such rules exist. We recognize that this structural situation compromises integrity - not just for people of loose moral character but even people of the highest moral fiber.

If you don't want to engage in the discussion of this issue, that's totally OK. But the "get the hell out" strikes me as mean. Why not simply say: "Folks, I'm comfortable with my beliefs and practices on this issue and I don't plan to address the topic anymore."

Re: Why I Use Amazon Affiliate Links When Reviewing Items

davidleeking — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 10:55:07 -0000

Hmm... makes me think I should write a little disclosure blurb and dump it on my about page ... I use affiliate links to books (always on my own book) and use adsense ads as well. It pays for my web hosting.

No one's complained yet, but when they do, I'll have something to point to if i write that. thanks for the tip!

Re: Why I Use Amazon Affiliate Links When Reviewing Items

juliefogg — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 10:19:57 -0000

This post really irritated me. I belong to a group called LeTip (www.letip.com) and I pay a lot of money to belong to a sales networking group that provides monthly reports on how much money members make off of my referrals (obviously I hope to receive leads too but my offerings cost 5-6 figures so I know it will take time for the reciprocity thing to get rolling due to scale).

Why am I irritated by this post: people don't understand that EVERYONE is in sales. Sales at it's core is persuasion. A job candidate sells a decision maker that they are the best choice. A customer service person sells their co-worker in credit to rush an approval for a client to ensure a great customer experience. My profession happens to be sales. I know that I sell a product/service and I know I'm always selling other things like persuading my 8 year old to eat breakfast so she won't be crabby at school.

I'm glad you told people to get the hell out that aren't in the know that we are ALL in sales in one way or another. The difference with you is that you have the courage to disclose this to many cultures that have such a negative perception of persuasion and influence.

I'm heading to your affiliate link to check out a new Kodak digital camera you suggested right now by the way. Not doing it looking for quid pro quo - I'm doing it because I happen to enjoy reading your posts every time they hit my email and I'm a fan of your writing. If I didn't like you, I wouldn't bother to click on your affiliate link. Step 1: like the messenger and Step 2: like the product/service. If both steps look good, I will buy (These critics are acting like you are offering kool-aid and consumers don't have the will power to resist your magical influence!). Ludicrous.

@juliefogg

Re: Why I Use Amazon Affiliate Links When Reviewing Items

Chris Brogan — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 10:03:46 -0000

And the thing is, I don't even mean it in anger. I just don't have time to convince people whether I'm the right guy for them. As one of my favorite bosses ever said to a girl who was threatening to quit, "There are no bars on the doors."

Re: Why I Use Amazon Affiliate Links When Reviewing Items

Barry Moltz — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 09:56:51 -0000

Chris- that is what I love about your blog and site. You have a disclosure section and you tell us each time there is an affiliate link! What is wrong with having someone else buy the beer every once in a while?

Re: Why I Use Amazon Affiliate Links When Reviewing Items

WebForSuccess — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 08:59:55 -0000

The occasional aff. links are a good way to earn a little compensation for quality information while still allowing all of us free access to this valuable resource. Right on Chris!

Re: Why I Use Amazon Affiliate Links When Reviewing Items

Eco-Office Gals — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 07:25:50 -0000

If you wrote about a product that I thought may be useful, If you didn't provide a referral link then I should try to contact you to see if you have one. I mean we're all in this online thing together, If we can't help each other make a buck we all go down with the ship.

Re: Why I Use Amazon Affiliate Links When Reviewing Items

markjamesjewell — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 07:21:40 -0000

Yes! Chris your ending here is abrupt and surprising - thoroughly effective. Thank you.

Re: Why I Use Amazon Affiliate Links When Reviewing Items

Daniel Sevitt — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 03:22:00 -0000

I guess I'm walking into someone else's fight here.

I do think that any blogger with any audience has an ethical responsibility to disclose who is paying for his opinion. I think Chris does a good job of that.

I don't think that affiliate links, specifically Amazon affiliate links, detract from a blogger's credibility as they are added after the fact and represent no contractual commitment on the part of the blogger.

I have no problem when a blogger adds affiliate links to a piece. I am less keen when a blogger points to his affiliate links and asks readers to click them, but I think this is just 'poor form' rather than full-on immoral.

Whether they like it or not, bloggers should be held to some kind of journalistic standard, but let us not forget that the primary object of journalism throughout history has been to fill the space between the ads.

Re: Why I Use Amazon Affiliate Links When Reviewing Items

DMC — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 21:07:54 -0000

"Seriously, if you’re still not sure whether or not I’m steering you straight, get the hell out."

Best. Line. Ever.

People get all bent out of shape about affiliate links; personally, I don't understand why. It's only with the internet that people get nuts about advertising. When Ford buys time on NBC television for one of their new vehicles, nobody *ever* thinks that NBC is endorsing Ford or that there should be disclosure about whether or not, or how much, Ford paid for the spot - but put an ad, or an affiliate link, on a site, and some people assume that the webmaster is crooked or is being bought off in some way. Ridiculous.

I wrote about this a few weeks back when the FTC-going-after-bloggers news broke at danielmclark.com. It's lunacy. Great post, Chris.

Re: Why I Use Amazon Affiliate Links When Reviewing Items

Kevin Bondelli — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 20:50:07 -0000

I think 95% of people agree with you completely. Most readers want to easily be able to click to the product they are reading about, and you might as well be rewarded for bringing those potential customers to Amazon. I don't understand how someone can believe you are going to be influenced by a possible small % of sale on reviews you are choosing to write.

Re: Why I Use Amazon Affiliate Links When Reviewing Items

Denise O'Berry — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 20:02:13 -0000

I love this:

"Seriously, if you’re still not sure whether or not I’m steering you straight, get the hell out."

My sentiments exactly. Well done.

Re: Why I Use Amazon Affiliate Links When Reviewing Items

Peter Weissenstein — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 19:05:53 -0000

Sorry - just re-read my post. I meant if the product was poor you'd post a poor review...

Re: Why I Use Amazon Affiliate Links When Reviewing Items

Peter Weissenstein — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 19:05:09 -0000

Chris -
Since one can assume from your writings that if you were compensated to review a product and the product was poor you would still post it with disclosure (and let the provider of said product know) one should not have an issue with you having affiliate links. Those that are shills for a product will, over time, be found out and it's their credibility. Use the links. Beer money is always good. There's nothing wrong with that. It's a choice.Your disclosure list is really well done; you don't hide it in small tiny print - it's out there. If someone feels you are being "paid" to review a product then they don't understand you. I used to be accused of the same thing when I wrote for the paper and did product reviews - even on reviews which panned a product! There are always going to be people out there who think that way. Throw the negativity out of your life and let it skid like water off your back.
Cheers.

Re: Why I Use Amazon Affiliate Links When Reviewing Items

Chris Brogan — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 18:50:25 -0000

Understood, and yet, the swipe was at me. "Huxter-ish" was one quote and "disappointed" was the other.