Affiliate reporting statistics. Who guards the guards?

[Agamemnon]

Hello all. Apologies if I've posted in the wrong area.
After lurking for a long time I finally decided to start posting over the past few days and I'd like to thank everyone for making me feel welcome.

As it happens I run a small website that focuses on a niche in the market (Greek). Made some choices about casinos where I've played (and lost mostly ) and I recommend in a manner that will let me sleep at night.
Just wondering in trully newbie fashion:
What's to stop affiliate programs from giving false data to small affiliate sites.
It's not like they are generating that much on a case-by-case basis.
Given what they pay out in percentages (don't forget to include affiliate program management overhead costs), I don't see how some would resist to lying to a small affiliate. It could not harm them and in fact would make perfect financial sense on their part.

You guessed it. My initial data doesn't make any sense.

I'm not insinuating anything. Really. I'm perfectly able to consider a statistics glitch but nonetheless,
A player has a problem he can go say Casinomeister or Spearmeister (heck, even I've tried to help some of my players).
Who guards us?

If this is all some sort of given in the industry alow me to repeat my apology,
yet nevertheless I'd appreciate if someone would enlighten me.

 

[YuraK]

You can join gambling webmasters community e.g. www.gpwa.net/forum

 

[webber286]

you can also join the www.casinoaffiliateprograms.com forums...dominique does a good job of resolving affiliate issues directly with the affiliate program managers...several affiliate managers are also members of that forum and can help you with any specific questions about their programs, especially if you are seeing issues in your statistics...

 

[The Dude]

And there seems to be some misinformation floating out there that I don't assist affiliates when they are having difficulties. I know most of the managers, so I think it would be a given that a PAB would be a logical step.

 

[Petunia]

*well there is a bit of information i was not fully aware of! thanks bryan! *

 

[dominique]

What's to stop affiliate programs from giving false data to small affiliate sites.

Nothing whatsoever. Nothing stops them from doing it to large sites either. We call it shaving, and there is no way to prove or disprove it. Lots of stories and rumors circulate, and they may well be true, and they may not. Short of some voluntary auditing system we will never know - and this will never happen.

The best way to protect yourself is to stick only with programs that perform well for you, where you can speak to a manager anytime, where mail is answered promptly and where the stats are extensive. The more comprehensive the statistics are, the more trustworthy I feel they are. I won't promote programs with bad stats. But unresponsiveness is the biggest red flag! If they don't answer your mail, don't promote them!

Some casinos rely heavily on affiliates, others mostly rely on bought ads. This makes a difference in how they treat you - it makes a difference on how much you matter.

Become a member of one of the affiliate message boards - the two are already mentioned here. At CAP you will have immediate access to a good number of managers - they maintain forums there and are available to you anytime. That alone is some indication that they are eager to work with you.

You also need to interact with other affiliates - we may all be in competition but we ARE a community and we do exchange experiences. When you have a lot of affiliates agree that a program is shaving, maybe it is and all the responsiveness they may show is worthless.

It is always a very good idea to watch closely what casinos do with players. If there are player problems, what makes you think they will be honest with affiliates?

That, and basic morals, is why it is important to come here to Bryan's place or also WOL regularly.

I don't know who spread the rumor that Bryan won't help affiliates (well, I do but it has no place here) but we have cooperated in the past and Bryan is in an especially great position to reach out and snatch some of the more elusive programs.

 

[The Dude]

*well there is a bit of information i was not fully aware of! thanks bryan! *

There are a number of managers who are members here as well

 

[dominique]

Heck Bryan, I can't even think of anyone in this industry who isn't a member here or quietly monitoring Casinomeister.

That speaks for itself. You run a top site here, and it's not always easy, either.

 

[Simmo!]

Heck Bryan, I can't even think of anyone in this industry who isn't a member here or quietly monitoring Casinomeister.

That speaks for itself. You run a top site here, and it's not always easy, either.

Agamemnon - i can vouch for both CAP and CM too

Simmo!