Here’s the thing that everyone seems to be missing. AAG mentioned that she requested her payout when her account showed that she was owed over $200 and yet, everyone seems hung up on the fact that recently the program changed to $100 payout and that her $205.00 payout didn’t show up, that she received a check for about 70% of that, which is about $140 with no explanation as to 1. where the balance was and 2. a reasonable explanation as to why the late payout and 3. the unprofessionalism involved with Liberator as to unanswered emails.

I realized that less than 2% of sales of any company come from their affiliate programs. However, that doesn’t give the affiliate owners permission to treat their affiliates, basically people who have volunteered to be sales people for them, like crap. I don’t care how good of a product someone makes if you are going to shoot your affiliates in the foot, refuse to do payouts, not answer their questions, etc. they are going to let people know. It’s how things work. No company is going to go out of business if they loose their affiliates, but at the same time, how the affiliates are run and how their affiliates are treated tells the world a good deal about how the company is run and how much they really do care about people.

Also, this is the first time you’ve admitted that there was any delay in payments. Thank you for that!

I’ve got to say that the way you’ve responded to this post makes you sound angry and defensive. Probably not the best way to attract future affiliates and customers.

Is that really what you want?

As far as the minimum balance, these are the terms she accepted when joining the program. I wasn’t with Liberator when the author joined but can for sure tell you that ANY company reserves the rights to make changes to their affiliate terms over time. Do I understand correctly that now the author is complaining about the past change from $200 minimum to $100???

Thank you everyone for your comments, honest opinions and in some cases understanding of fair policies and the strive to be fair. Bottom line: if you do not like our terms, please do not join us as an affiliate and be aware that we have the right to terminate any affiliate at any time for any reason as we also have the free right to choose who to do business with.

To those affiliates who currently work with us, or to our customers, please feel free to contact me personally with FAIR complaints at socialmedia@liberator.com. I cannot promise every issue solved over night (if there is any) but I CAN promise that I will listen to you, respect your opinion and address it immediately on personal level.

Peace.

However, did you read Liberator’s paragraph (above) about returns? They’ll BILL YOU for returns made after they write the check?

Bwahahahhahahaaha.

Yeah. Good luck with that one.

Essentially, when one becomes an affiliate, what you are agreeing to is results-based consignment advertising. The company is asking the blogger to trust them and promote their products, not even on the premise that they WILL make money, but on the premise that they MAY make money, if the stars are aligned properly, and readers have some extra cash kicking around. To take this big a leap of faith and experience – at the least – conflicting stories when looking to collect on some honestly-earned cash tends to leave a bad taste in one’s mouth.

And xtine, while I agree with you in principle, the reality of it is that returns do have to count against earnings, else a less honest affiliate may have their buddies buy, say, $500 worth of products and return them a few times. It’d essentially be stealing money, and you can’t track customers the way you can track IP addresses.

The whole situation stinks. Perhaps when we get screwed, shouldn’t we run the other way? And not help invite others to get screwed as well?

I had never even heard about Liberator products until I read about them on this blog. They seem really wonderful, and I am thinking about treating myself to both the Esse and the Throe!!

AAG’s reviews have *definitely* influenced my desire to purchase them. Even though I know there is a financial incentive here for AAG, I have taken and been happy with AAG’s recommendations for products in the past, so I trust them!! And I also want to support her ability to write and review/recommend great products.

So, Liberator, please don’t downplay the importance of individuals in selling your products, and be fair. You will be rewarded with many customers that way.

And, AAG, please keep on backing up great products/companies.