Originally Posted by VS brad (Post 18740601)

For those who like to cut to the chase: there was in fact a problem as the OP mentioned, we have fixed it and will only resume sending emails once it passes some additional QA + testing.

My parents taught me at a young age that when you fuck up; admit and address it. Looks like that rule applies in this case.

Description

We have four types of emails in our system: registration, triggered, automated and promotional. The first is obvious, triggered are based on user requests (like online notifications), automated are designed to get customers re-engaged with the products and the promotional emails give customers details on our discounts, etc.

In this case 3 out of 4 worked flawless, but an unhandled exception in the promo mailer logic was causing some white label customers to receive Flirt 4 Free branded emails because Flirt 4 Free is the default.

Details

1. Branding is of utmost priority for us and we sincerely apologize for disrupting the continuity of the white label branding in this case.
   
2. Sales tracking works regardless of domain or sitekey. We only email customers with accounts, so even in cases where the user saw a Flirt 4 Free branded email the original affiliate still received credit.

Going Forward

1. As stated, we?re fixing the programming issue and testing before re-activating. Our next promotional mailing is later this week and it will be fully ready by that time.
   
2. We?re going to reach out to the affected customers personally to work to address any branding confusion issues.

Our sincerest apologies that this happened. I?m happy that the sales tracking worked as designed, but very empathic to the issue of branding. We?ve worked hard to build a very solid white label system and obviously failed to achieve perfection in this case. Good lesson and one that we will certainly learn from in the future.

Internally we?re also going to make some changes. I think the Sales Department did what they were supposed to do in the correspondence with the OP; but we could and should have asked for more examples in that email exchange as it would have pointed the programmers directly to the problem (just as it did this morning). Another good lesson.


If anyone has any questions or follow-up concerns I will try to visit this thread later this afternoon and am available via email at brad at vs dot com and or you can call our office to speak with myself or Matt or Jeff in sales (818-880-9021).

Sincerely,

Brad

Originally Posted by Vendzilla (Post 18755553)

So what changed?

Originally Posted by Failed (Post 18754806)

Yeah, they sent me an apology letter and a $250 amazon gift card. I guess that's what my work was worth over the years. What a joke.

Originally Posted by Tjeezers (Post 18755731)

I emailed them in the summer last year, regarding the email send without a tracking in it, I received a roughly 2-3 days after that nothing was wrong and I was not updated on the fact they track it all. I was highly surprised to see that my returning spenders have been missing since that time, and the account is nearly dead. My email went to that red head ginger guy, and he was not so amused about the tone in my email also, what you want, when someone steals your clients, it is end of the show. Anyway, they still get a few K clicks a week from SE`s, and my white label is actually a joke now.

VS you can go fuck yourself by paying off 1 webmaster with a amazon ticket and hoping this thread would die

Originally Posted by Roald (Post 18755734)

Just wondering did you accept it?

Originally Posted by Vendzilla (Post 18755553)

So what changed?

Originally Posted by InfoGuy (Post 18755941)

Knowing that VS has been allegedly poaching WL customers, will those of you using VS WLs and who have regular customers, continue with your existing VS WLs or are you going to close your VS WLs, use a different sponsor and take the risk that your existing customers will leave?

Originally Posted by Failed (Post 18755946)

Of all the things you could add here as an affiliate of theirs as well. I know you're a big dog and probably get treated much better than everyone else at the lower levels, but I thought just maybe you would still remember what it was like to be the little fish and actually speak out here a bit about the situation.

Anyway, to answer your question, it came in a fedex envelope, I opened it, laughed, and then gave it to my mom the next day. She liked it much more than I did.

Originally Posted by Roald (Post 18755972)

no no dont get me wrong, just wondering if you accepted it as I would not in your situation.

And please, I do understand your frustration. Branding is what we focus on a lot here at FreeOnes so I would be very pissed too as I can completely understand.

So no, I am not defending VS here. They fucked up and even admitted it.

Originally Posted by Vendzilla (Post 18754630)

You are correct.

I'm sure they will fix the problem.

Originally Posted by VS_Jeff (Post 18756676)

Yes, the programmers fixed the problem within hours of knowing about it. All of the users that were sent promotional emails we still tracked under the affiliate and he still received and will continue to receive commission for the users that he referred. The problem was not a "stealing" or a "poaching" thing, it was a branding issue for camboytoys.com, a brand that gets 0 monthly searches for it or any verbiage related to that site.

We sent a gift card to the affiliate because although this issue didn't change anything in regards to his brand, we try to treat our affiliates with respect no matter how big or small.

Originally Posted by Failed (Post 18756681)

Wow, you're either a liar or incredibly misinformed. The screenshots and the email that tipped off your programmers came from my white label of camgirlssex.com which gets search engine traffic and has resulted in over 50 sales per month. Granted, I'm not huge, but that could be in result of you STEALING every referred customer from ALL white label domains.

Fucking scumbag :321GFY

Originally Posted by porno jew (Post 18756685)

sucks but if you don't like them don't use them. simple.

Originally Posted by Roald (Post 18755972)

They fucked up and even admitted it.

Originally Posted by PornMD (Post 18756698)

IMO there's a difference between admitting a one-off fuckup and admitting that it's been fucked up for years. It's good they admitted it was fucked up and fixed it, but they still haven't addressed Failed's indication that it's been like this for years. A $250 Amazon card would be an awfully cheap way to try and bury this issue after they've gained lord knows how much from it.

Originally Posted by VS_Jeff (Post 18756676)

Yes, the programmers fixed the problem within hours of knowing about it. All of the users that were sent promotional emails we still tracked under the affiliate and he still received and will continue to receive commission for the users that he referred. The problem was not a "stealing" or a "poaching" thing, it was a branding issue for camboytoys.com, a brand that gets 0 monthly searches for it or any verbiage related to that site.

We sent a gift card to the affiliate because although this issue didn't change anything in regards to his brand, we try to treat our affiliates with respect no matter how big or small.

Originally Posted by VS_Jeff (Post 18756676)

Yes, the programmers fixed the problem within hours of knowing about it.

Originally Posted by Failed (Post 18756712)

It's right here in this thread, the screen shots. Flat out lies!

Originally Posted by VS_Jeff (Post 18756774)

I didn't say that you get no traffic, you do and we pay you for the referrals. I said that many people search the term "Nike" (a brand), nobody searches for "cam boy toys" or any variation because it is not a brand like you are trying to make it seem it is.

This issue meant that a small percentage of the users were sent F4F promo emails. In order for the user to not be attributed to you, they would have to purposely create a new account with new identity, with a new cc, a new address, AND get through our fraud department. It would be very difficult for our system to "steal" any customers and not pay you for them.

Originally Posted by Failed (Post 18755953)

What changed? Haven't you read the thread? What changed is I discovered F4F was stealing our white label customers. What changed is I started doing this full-time in the beginning of January and could actually pay attention to what I was doing instead of just a glimpse between work, school, and other obligations. What changed was I stopped believing the bullshit you were being fed and then shitting on the affiliates to feed us.

Originally Posted by Failed (Post 18756681)

Wow, you're either a liar or incredibly misinformed. The screenshots and the email that tipped off your programmers came from my white label of camgirlssex.com which gets search engine traffic and has resulted in over 50 sales per month. Granted, I'm not huge, but that could be in result of you STEALING every referred customer from ALL white label domains.

Fucking scumbag :321GFY

Originally Posted by Vendzilla (Post 18757868)

Like Samuel Clemens, I don't lie, I have no use for it. If you want to continue to slander me, have the balls to say it to me in person. A lot of my old accounts are still contacting me for help. Because I helped them! Like you yourself have said!

I worked with you to make an improvment in the WL, that's the only thing we have worked together on, You were not my account, so if you want to call me names for that,. bring it asshole! I see a big future for someone that calls people that work with them names!!!

I'm done with you, putting you on ignore. I have a problem being attacked by someone that I helped and even admitted to me helping you. What a fucking asshat!

Originally Posted by Vendzilla (Post 18757868)

... I worked with you to make an improvment in the WL, that's the only thing we have worked together on, You were not my account ...

Originally Posted by plsureking (Post 18757967)

what he said was your brand is not important to them, so they sent emails to your customers under their own brand to strengthen their own brand name. its not right, but that is what he said - twice. lol

MORE/EDIT: it would be like me requiring PornCMS customers to keep a PornCMS logo in the header of their sites and our brand name in their titles, emails, and all site branding. its a pretty fucked up way to do business, but in their mind, they are the sponsor and you are just an affiliate. they don't see you as a reseller.
#

Originally Posted by Paul Markham (Post 18758040)

So you never said that piracy sites were affiliates and then changed it to VS bought space?

So you now admit VS buy advertising on piracy sites giving away recorded porn. Nice when V.

Originally Posted by Adraco (Post 18758075)

I have no part in this at all, but do find it peculiar that if one, for example you, would work for an affiliate program, being the big name announced on the board (having one of the most royal email addresses I've ever seen!) and stuff, then I find it a bit disturbing that one would care if one was your account or not.

Take TopBucks for example, Sly is my account manager. Should I ever need to ask Kristin something, she WILL respond and she WILL solve my problem. Same as Nastydollars, whomever I happen to contact, WILL help me out, being their account or not.

To even bring that up as an argument, that "I only help if you're my account, those are the only ones I care for" is a strange way to perceive one owns job, reputation and most importantly the firm or brand one is working for.

Now, you mentioned that you DID in fact help out, so noted. From the affiliate point of view, I would say that's what I would expect you to (given that what was asked for was reasonable and beneficial to both).

Not here to criticize you or how you work, and most importantly not interested to pick a fight. I just find it very peculiar how one would bring up such a thing, to tell an affiliate "I don't have to do this for you, because you are not my account".

Originally Posted by Failed (Post 18758207)

To be honest, I'm not here looking for money. I didn't even expect the gift card. I just want to move on from this company and their dishonest ways of doing business. The only thing I wanted from this thread was to bring all of the information I had to other affiliates. Which I think has been done, so I'm satisfied.

Originally Posted by Adraco (Post 18758075)

I have no part in this at all, but do find it peculiar that if one, for example you, would work for an affiliate program, being the big name announced on the board (having one of the most royal email addresses I've ever seen!) and stuff, then I find it a bit disturbing that one would care if one was your account or not.

Take TopBucks for example, Sly is my account manager. Should I ever need to ask Kristin something, she WILL respond and she WILL solve my problem. Same as Nastydollars, whomever I happen to contact, WILL help me out, being their account or not.

To even bring that up as an argument, that "I only help if you're my account, those are the only ones I care for" is a strange way to perceive one owns job, reputation and most importantly the firm or brand one is working for.

Now, you mentioned that you DID in fact help out, so noted. From the affiliate point of view, I would say that's what I would expect you to (given that what was asked for was reasonable and beneficial to both).

Not here to criticize you or how you work, and most importantly not interested to pick a fight. I just find it very peculiar how one would bring up such a thing, to tell an affiliate "I don't have to do this for you, because you are not my account".

Originally Posted by Vendzilla (Post 18758654)

WTF is your point? He wasn't my account and I worked with him, does this escape you? Need hooked on phonics or something? He's a whiny bitch that if he didn't get his email answered at 9 pm, he posted on GFY about it at 9:05 pm.

Originally Posted by Vendzilla (Post 18758654)

WTF is your point? He wasn't my account and I worked with him, does this escape you? Need hooked on phonics or something? He's a whiny bitch that if he didn't get his email answered at 9 pm, he posted on GFY about it at 9:05 pm.

Originally Posted by FORGOTMYSCREENNAME (Post 18758737)

a few points were made.

1. Failed tried to point out this "Oopps E Daisy" problem a few months back and nothing happend.

2. Once he pointed out the problem on gfy..suddenly not only do the parites resposible reply but they come up with a great excuse why this happend and then send Failed a $250 gift card as a STFU thank you note

3. You got pissy and acted like you were doing a favour for helping out an affiliate that wasnt actually making YOU money ..then call him a whiney bitch for?..for poitning out VS is in theory taking affiliate join emails to send out freebies in an attempt to hijack future earnings from the affiliate.

4. you got fired.

just sayin:2 cents:

EDIT..you got fired and got pissy at Failed because in reality if he didnt expose this problem here and you didnt open your mouth about it..you would probably still have a job...in your eyes..Failed is the reason you wont be getting a paycheck on friday ;)

Originally Posted by FORGOTMYSCREENNAME (Post 18758737)

a few points were made.

1. Failed tried to point out this "Oopps E Daisy" problem a few months back and nothing happend.

Originally Posted by TarPy (Post 18758766)

I'll weigh in on a few things.

1. "Cam Boy Toy" is a brand, people do google strange domains
2. I appreciate that you feel the affiliate is being dramatic, but it's a pretty serious error. At best, it shows a major failure to do some basic testing before you made a system live to people, at worst deliberate fraud.
3. At this point, you're expecting us to "trust" the way you say your system works, and people getting credit for joins with no links on them, etc. This would be more believable if you had been quicker to respond to the affiliate's initial problem e-mails.
4. When you fuck up, don't belittle your affiliate. It's unbecoming.
5. We're evaluating white labels, and Failed has given me some things to consider, and some tests to run on all of our partners before we select one. I believe this was his goal.

Bugs happen, but "bugs" are also used to cover a lot of "fraud" so the suspicion is fair.

Originally Posted by Vendzilla (Post 18759144)

The problem he went to the forums last month was taken care of. It was explained to him. This is a new one, try to keep up. He waited 5 minutes after he sent the email before whinning to GFY. That was about commisions, try to keep up asshole. He didn't even bother contacting the program this time.,

Originally Posted by signupdamnit (Post 18759930)

And 3 or 4 months ago I remember him sitting here and vehemently defending VS when many affiliates were trashing them. As I recall he was claiming that he was making good money with VS. It's ridiculous to say that he is out to get VS for no reason because that's just not true based on the evidence and common sense. It's almost never good in the short term for an affiliate to break relations with a sponsor who is performing. It's not something that most of us do lightly because it can severly hurt us in the short term. However it's just like anything else in that once you catch someone being shady or cheating chances are they will do it again so you have to. You learn that with experience.

But even if I dismissed this incident and all the past things I have heard about VS based on the responses of the VS reps and yourself I wouldn't be caught dead promoting VS as an affiliate.

Originally Posted by Vendzilla (Post 18758654)

WTF is your point? He wasn't my account and I worked with him, does this escape you? Need hooked on phonics or something? He's a whiny bitch that if he didn't get his email answered at 9 pm, he posted on GFY about it at 9:05 pm.