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Affiliate commissions generate a lot of fake reviews. I think this is a good move by Apple; although I believe they should simply shut down the entire program.

by caiob 9y ago

Operyl 9y ago
Ok, I've sat and thought about it for a bit but have yet to figure it out. How would this cause fake reviews in the specific case of the App Store?
- porpoisemonkey 9y ago
  Write a fake or cookie cutter review about popular app X, link to app X in your article and then collect commissions on people who buy it through the link.
  - Operyl 9y ago
    Ah I see. I was considering reviews only in the context of a purchaser on the App Store writing a review on the App Store.
- 45h34jh53k4j 9y ago
  fake reviews on the affiliate site: more unique affiliate site links to more apps, more revenue fake reviews on the app store: increase app profile and visibility, secondary feeder to your affiliate site via organic; Maybe affiliate site uses app store category top 20 lists to generate its links?
- Gaelan 9y ago
  If I give a good review you're more likely to click my affiliate link.
  - drawkbox 9y ago
    True, but on the flipside, if revenue is cut, to make up revenue, many sites will probably only write about big apps/games and make them good reviews, or do 3x the reviews again biased to be good.
    - p49k 9y ago
      As someone who earns some revenue from affiliate marketing, I doubt this. It's already hard enough to compete with others for a 7% cut. For 2.5%, it's probably a better investment of time for others to find a different source of revenue entirely.
anigbrowl 9y ago
Cutting affiliate revenues by 2/3 without warning hurts honest players more than it hurts scammers, who will just move on to the next scam. Also for anyone who has invested time and effort in developing this as a legit business activity it's really horrible. I don't think companies should be able to unilaterally alter contractual relationships this way, it's unconscionable.

Affiliate commissions generate a lot of fake reviews. I think this is a good move by Apple; although I believe they should simply shut down the entire program.

by caiob 9y ago

Affiliate commissions generate a lot of fake reviews. I think this is a good move by Apple; although I believe they should simply shut down the entire program.

Operyl 9y ago

Ok, I've sat and thought about it for a bit but have yet to figure it out. How would this cause fake reviews in the specific case of the App Store?

porpoisemonkey 9y ago
Write a fake or cookie cutter review about popular app X, link to app X in your article and then collect commissions on people who buy it through the link.
- Operyl 9y ago
  Ah I see. I was considering reviews only in the context of a purchaser on the App Store writing a review on the App Store.
45h34jh53k4j 9y ago
fake reviews on the affiliate site: more unique affiliate site links to more apps, more revenue fake reviews on the app store: increase app profile and visibility, secondary feeder to your affiliate site via organic; Maybe affiliate site uses app store category top 20 lists to generate its links?
Gaelan 9y ago
If I give a good review you're more likely to click my affiliate link.
- drawkbox 9y ago
  True, but on the flipside, if revenue is cut, to make up revenue, many sites will probably only write about big apps/games and make them good reviews, or do 3x the reviews again biased to be good.
  - p49k 9y ago
    As someone who earns some revenue from affiliate marketing, I doubt this. It's already hard enough to compete with others for a 7% cut. For 2.5%, it's probably a better investment of time for others to find a different source of revenue entirely.

anigbrowl 9y ago

Cutting affiliate revenues by 2/3 without warning hurts honest players more than it hurts scammers, who will just move on to the next scam. Also for anyone who has invested time and effort in developing this as a legit business activity it's really horrible. I don't think companies should be able to unilaterally alter contractual relationships this way, it's unconscionable.