[Jorge - JRami]

Dear shop4tech.com affiliates,

Effective immediately, 2-1-05, Jrami Consulting will no longer manage the shop4tech.com affiliate program.

Within the past few days shop4tech.com and I have discussed a recent event http://forum.abestweb.com/newreply.php?do=newreply&noquote=1&p=406013 (http://forum.abestweb.com/newreply.php?do=newreply&noquote=1&p=406013) whereby eBates.com was allowed into our program without my knowledge.

I deactivated eBates on 1-28-05 from our program but performics emailed me that eBates was a trusted affiliate of performics and many of their merchants and that shop4tech management had approved and requested their re-activation.

I have communicated with shop4tech management several times within the past few days why affiliates disapprove of eBates with many accompanied links and posts throughout the web not just on ABW, but they have requested that performics allow them back in, even after I deactivated them. Therefore, per our Jrami Terms of Service Agreement and our stance on parasisites we cannot continue to support this program at this time.


I believe that shop4tech.com was misguided and duped into thinking that eBates will benefit their program and therefore do not hold shop4tech or their management responsible for their actions.

You may continue to contact shop4tech.com and their affiliate program at:

Marketing Dept affiliates@shop4tech.com (affiliates@shop4tech.com)

Jorge Ramirez
Jrami Consulting
www.jrami.com (http://www.jrami.com/)
786-277-9863
jorge@jrami.com (jorge@jrami.com)

[Nature Boy]

...therefore do not hold shop4tech or their management responsible for their actions. I do. :Titanic:

Thanks for the effort Jorge :thumbup2:

[Drewbert]

Put another gold star under JRami in the "has ethics" column, team.

[Andy Rodriguez]

Jorge,

WTG my friend, you did the right thing....

No worries, have plenty of leads to send your way. Count on my support for whatever you need, you know where you can find me....:thumbsup:

[webpartner]

jorge...
Kudos to you my friend.... and thank you... http://abestweb.com/smilies/yelclap.gif (http://abestweb.com/smilies/#)

It’s rare for someone to take a stand based on
their conviction of what is right and what is not...

Especially when it’s going to cost them money...
And I know it cost you to resign the shop4tech account...

We are affiliates of jewelswarehouse through share a sale....
And I guarantee you that we will probably affiliate with any
new company that you come to represent....

You have the right stuff.... Keep up the good work... and

Thanks again for doing the right thing...

http://abestweb.com/smilies/applause.gif (http://abestweb.com/smilies/#)

fwiw

Bob

[Billy Kay]

WTG jorge

I'll be happy to add links to whatever you find to replace them. I'll give my support anytime anyone takes a stand.

[Haiko de Poel, Jr.]

Much proudness! :super: Asi lo hacemos! :medalofho

[Kellie aka Ms. B]

Congrats for standing by your beliefs Jorge. A company that will circumvent the AM doesn't seem like ideal relationship anyway. I'm sure much better partnerships are coming your way. :)

[Donuts]

I wish I promoted jewelry so I could join your program listed at www.jrami.com
I'll be looking for other programs that you're involved with!

[ecomcity]

Find a wider range computer products seller or go get someone like Computer Geeks to come out of the closet and start converting. Heck move them out of BeFree and to CJ as their new AM. Wide open market for computer AM's as the existing majors all need their AM's replaced for pillaging their clients Ad budgets with double dippers.

[Jorge - JRami]

Thanks everyone for the kind words and encouragement.

I started as an ethical affiliate and will always be an ethical affiliate supporter. Period!

Thank you again.

Jorge

[UncleScooter]

Amazing. It makes me wonder what Ebates is telling these people.
I am sure you made it clear to them that their natural traffic will now become Ebates affilaite traffic.
Do you think Ebates is giving merchants cash or prizes to join their program?
You did the right thing Jorge. Kudos to you on that.
In the next week or so, I will make a point to find one of your merchants who I can work in to one of my sites and do just that. We need more like you.

[raywood1]

Dang it, Jorge! After reading your rants about Shop4Tech and getting the thieves out, I was already working on getting their products into one of my sites. Now I have to go to plan B. Too bad they can't understand what they are doing.

Now that you've cut them loose, I predict that your business will double with new honest merchants. I'll be on board with any that I think I can promote.

Kudos.

[jrrl]

You the man, Jorge. :approval: :applause: :clap:

A bit frustrating as I do like those Leda desks. On the other hand, I got my $10 and I don't feel any need to promote them now, so that's something. (I hope that $10 came out of their pocket and not yours!)

-John.

[bedelman]

Impressive stand, Jorge. I sent a note to affiliates@shop4tech.com for good measure -- sent them some links to articles and videos that I would expect to make a sophisticated decision-maker reevaluate.

[loxly]

Jorge,

If that $10 came out of *your* pocket, go reverse mine please!!! I won't promote them even at Shareasale if they are convinced that eBates is reputable.

[Billy Kay]

Jorge,

I know I already posted, but...

In December - at the height of Christmas season - I removed some of my money making merchants. It was out of principle, not money. They were using Liveperson, and despite their claims to the contrary, I saw the proof they were taking my commissions.

Each removal was a tough - and emotional - decision.

I spent January removing a lot of merchants while doing annual house cleaning. Even the non-performers were are hard decision to remove.

Recently, Haiko posted an ebates thread. And I removed more merchants on principle. Some were money makers. But even though I was happy they made me $100, it was shown I should have made $150. And again, each removal hurt.

And 5 seconds ago, I finished removing all traces of Dell - again soley on principle.

It's like breaking up with a girl when you know the relationship isn't going anywhere, but you have some sort of history. It hurts in the beginning, but something better will come along.

I can state with 100% confidence that yes, there was pain, but I feel truly liberated. hec! If I were the type to carry a pink parasol on a hilltop meadow and spin around in slow motion and sing - I'd do it!! (What an ugly image!)

And even if I only make $90 instead of $100 because of the removals, it still feels good.

And... out of the blue... other opportunities came along. Merchants who for a long time were nameless and unknown to me, (and basically just had a general link or 2 on my sites) have been contacting me wanting a better relationship. With their own suggestions: This will fit here. That should do nicely there. Lemme make a custom ad that fits your look.

In theory, the replacements for the dropped merchants should bring me back up to $100 in no time. PLUS, we're developing a relationship/partnership - rather then just making links - which I have always found to lead to more money. I expect to improve on the $100 soon!

I hope your replacement comes quick - and it proves to be a better relationship - and more profitable.

[Jorge - JRami]

Billy Kay,

With an inspirational post like that you can post here as many times as you like my friend. Not only have you lifted my spirits but you will also do the same affiliates that have cleaned house time and time again. Something better will come along, definitely, for you, me and for others here in this business we call affiliate marketing.

I envision the day when honest affiliates, merchants and networks will stand together and fight for one cause, to reach consumer's confidence to shopping online. It will happen, but it will take people like Billy Kay to finally lead the way.

loxly, jrrl, and others,

Don't worry, your $10.00 Bonus will not be reversed. It was a great promo and thank you to those that participated. Hint, I WILL have similar bonuses on other programs for sure.

bedelman and Kellie

Your sites and posts were on the first set of links I mailed as evidence and also listed on my site since day one. Thanks for your continued research and the dedication you have put forth to help the affiliate industry. I encourage all present and future readers to learn from your many posts and reviews so that no one falls trap to such un-ethical behavior from others. New merchants will always get links and posts beforehand to both of you, as required study material.


raywood1,

Thanks buddy. I get several emails per week from merchants with requests for more info and the "what needs to be done to start a program", it is great to teach, help and support many merchants, but I am not really looking for volume but quality merchants with quality products that are willing to be the best, where we can all win.

scohaz,


> I will make a point to find one of your merchants who I can work in to one of my sites and do just that. We need more like you.

Thanks, and I need supporters like you too. Good point, I am not sure what offers were on the table for them to allow this to happen, but I am sure they do not realize what it really means yet.

ecomcity,

There are allot of computer merchants out there true, and since my background is computers, should be no problem.

[ecomcity]

Hey Billy PM me if your looking for a 10% product program that has never converted worse then 1/20 for 5 years straight. If you can produce 500 clicks you average $100.00.

[Billy Kay]

Mike,

I don't seem to have the option to "Send a private message to this member". Where that option usually is, it says visit your website

[Haiko de Poel, Jr.]

Mike has to turn it on

Mike go to http://forum.abestweb.com/usercp.php and turn on PMs.

[jrrl]

loxly, jrrl, and others,

Don't worry, your $10.00 Bonus will not be reversed. It was a great promo and thank you to those that participated. Hint, I WILL have similar bonuses on other programs for sure.


I wasn't worried that it would be reversed. But if it came out of your pocket, please DO reverse it. No reason you should pay for promoting parasitophiles.

-John.

[Donuts]

I came across the ShareASale description of the Shop4Tech affiliate program today.
I also saw that the aff signup from the shop4tech site itself points to Performics.
Do both SAS and Performics run aff programs for shop4tech?
Doesn't SAS stear clear of eBates bangers?
If so, anyone told SAS about what's happened?

[Jorge - JRami]

Donuts,

> If so, anyone told SAS about what's happened?

Yes, they are aware.

Also, I would like to state that eBates was never a part of ShareASale or an affiliate through ShareASale. I urge all ShareASale affiliates to remain with ShareASale, a trusted "Parasite Free" network.

:thumbup2:

[DarkRain]

Hi Jrami,

Since Feb 2nd the day you quited from shop4tech.com, I haven't seen any conversions or orders for shop4tech.com. However, I am pretty sure that our websites still drive traffics to their website. Usually, we should have 10~15 conversions for shop4tech.com. Do you know what is going wrong? Do they still have people take care of their affiliate programs? Otherwise, I have to stop driving traffic.