Comments on: I Hate Networks that Use Direct Track

By: Tom Manspeaker

Tom Manspeaker — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 20:28:31 +0000

Yes, it is true that some information on affiliates whose accounts have been terminated for fraud reasons is available to other networks. It is similar to other “review” type systems, like eBay’s for example.

As with any such system, users understand that the data is only as good as the person who submits it (which is also seen in the record). Also, if a record appears once (out of the hundreds of networks that we power), that data is far less reliable than were that person terminated by 20 networks.

No decision made by any network can directly affect any affiliate or network’s ability to do business. Thank you for the question… this is the type of information that, if misunderstood, could reflect negatively on a piece of functionality that is widely appreciated by our client base.

BTW, “@Some Using DT” — I have yet to hear from you directly. I wonder if you were able to gather the necessary information to identify your tracking “discrepancies” through your account manager or the DirectTrack documentation? If not, I maintain my offer to assist you in this matter.

By: Direct Track Fraud Meter

Direct Track Fraud Meter — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 03:28:10 +0000

I have read that Direct Track has a system where they can flag and report an affiliate that has been terminated by a network, to all of the networks in there system. This could be very worrysome, since affiliate networks can call fraud for any such reason. All they have to do is think that you did something incorrect, and that could ban you from an entire industry.

By: Tom Manspeaker

Tom Manspeaker — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 21:44:46 +0000

To the above poster, I offer you my services directly.

Please contact me by dialing our direct line and asking for me. I will be happy to show you the tools at your disposal and identify the reason for any “lost” leads. With your cooperation, I personally guarantee that DirectTrack is not the cause — and I will back that up.

I look forward to hearing from you.

By: Some Using DT

Some Using DT — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 20:41:01 +0000

I would like to add a few things in this post here, We own a DT network but would not like to disclose it, we have our own internal offers and some we broker from our side or cross pub offers.
Bottom line – DT sucks, end of every month, we have to add leads to our affiliates accounts for not tracking properly. We have many offers, own or third party and i should say 100% of the offers don’t track correct, sometimes there is a srinkage of about 15% to 25%.
So affiliates promoting stuff on DT is losing about 15% that’s for sure, until unless the Network is crediting the leads back to your account and that too when aff id is available from the advertiser.
I have been in meetings and shows and have good contacts with networks, i remember at one of the Adtech shows, a Network owner told me, we pay off all the salaries and bonuses from untracked leads.
Guys that huge, i brought this up so many times with DT, but nothing changed.
We tried so many times to move to a different tracking system but problem is our affiliate links are all over the place promoting our internal offers, so we are kinda STUCK with them.
I am not being getting paid to post this comment nor i am a competitor of DT, i am one of the network who runs his business on DT.
I am sorry DT but you guys have to change…..

By: Ayden

Ayden — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 05:51:14 +0000

Can you share your list of networks that don’t use Direct Track?

By: Tom Manspeaker

Tom Manspeaker — Wed, 13 May 2009 13:45:52 +0000

Greg – If you have seen somewhere that indicates we have claimed 100% uptime, I urge you to send it to me – tom.manspeaker (at) directresponse (dot) com. That kind of claim would certainly not be true and I would like to know the source.

As for the remainder of your post, it is very similar to the ones above it. Stating that you hate DirectTrack because of your relationship with the networks that we power is a bit offside in my opinion.

To be fair, it is obvious that you are fairly well educated in the way the system works. You understand that the networks have tools at their disposal to use in whatever way makes sense for their business model. I am not naive enough to pretend that “shaving” never happens, but in my experience as an affiliate manager, director of a network, and now a DT expert, most cases of lead “shaving” occur due to bad data, whether from fraud or scrubbing according to the specific network’s terms (which should be available prior to an affiliate running a campaign).

It is always in the affiliate’s interest to partner with networks that they know and trust. I’m sure your experiences have enabled you to make careful decisions about who you work with… and I would tend to believe that some of your best networks are also powered by DT. Please, let’s try not to confuse DirectTrack as a platform with the relationship and communication you have with the networks.

As always, I invite anyone with interest in these or other topics to contact me directly.

By: Greg

Greg — Tue, 12 May 2009 21:14:43 +0000

::DirectTrack:: – It’s like the google of affiliate marketing, really no escape if you want to advertise online.

I have advertised online for over 10 years. I am signed up with over 14 networks that run DT, so I understand most the ups and downs of their system. I could write a column of all the “nice” features DirectTrack has but to be honest I hate DirectTrack!

Depending on the network, I have found that only 20 to 50% of the offers actually TRACK! Now they may tell you that it’s not tracking because… your IP or cookies or…… That’s not true as I have over 30 computers and plenty of IPs. Normally I would blame this on the Network level, but DirectTrack has something called “Cross Publishing” which allows publishers the ability to push their websites out to all the affiliate networks. I would like to suggest to DirectTrack to not only monitor the affiliates signing up, as you do with your “Fraud Meter” but also test your “Publishers” and kick the shavers. It’s getting old, very very old. Someone needs to be held liable for protecting affiliates, it’s not just “affiliates” that need to be checked on the “Fraud Meter”.

This is just one of the issues, I can’t tell you the countless times my statistics have just stopped counting for over 5 hour periods without warning or follow up email from ANYONE. How can you advertise 100% uptime? Do you mean on your local network? LOL

By: brendan smith

brendan smith — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 08:39:41 +0000

Ian, good stuff as always. I hear a lot these days about Direct Track people are not happy with it. I understand why networks use it. For one it is very expensive and takes time to build in house, in fact i have been very open about saying in-house in not for everyone – DT does make it much easier to build a network. However, I stick with my guns when i say the future of CPA networks is in the companies that build solid and proven in-house technology to support the business. It was a struggle when motive first built tech back in 2003 but we have come a long way. Since that time a few good companies have created decent systems but there are only a few of us.

I put together a list here

http://cpanetwork.wetpaint.com/page/Direct+Track+Vs+Non+Direct+Track

Hope that helps.

By: Do You Like Affiliate Networks Using DirectTrack? | Work at Home Money Making Tips

Fri, 26 Sep 2008 21:46:50 +0000

[...] system, while paying their monthly hosting/management costs. – Others have discussed their complaints around the internet on Direct Track as [...]

By: Do You Like Affiliate Networks Using DirectTrack? | Just Good Thinking

Do You Like Affiliate Networks Using DirectTrack? | Just Good Thinking — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 02:53:43 +0000

[...] system, while paying their monthly hosting/management costs. – Others have discussed their complaints around the internet on Direct Track as [...]