"user negotiated deals"

Commercial Sellers' Spot BLF User Negotiated Deals
21

^
This,
I have some tab’s open in web browser to quick check some of those pages.
It still takes a bit of time to check wether it’s a good deal or not for me as a noob here, but I am getting there slowly now with a more extensive participation in the hobby from a my previous general interest.

So I like those dreamy stuff to browse through and found some very good stuff/prices so far and what is not to like about that? :slight_smile:

But!
I would not like to see the forums front-page unreadable with to much of it and especially no good ones, because my main reason being on the forum is to learn and read what other’s have come up with and do contribute with during there spare-time.

These days I really hate searching on Google just for the absolute over-saturation of useless information and commercials that you drown in looking for something specific.

So a balance is good, and so far I do not have any complaints of the mix on the front-page.

A guaranteed certified noob opinion :slight_smile:

-lyse99

22

To me, it’s sort of a necessary evil. On one hand, I could see how it might be irritating to some people that others are spamming the forum with sale links. On the other hand, having those links in the “Recent Posts” filter is how I’ve found out about some great deals and group buys.

I don’t know how flexible the menu is, but perhaps a solution (if it’s possible and not too much of a PITA) would be to add a menu choice for “Recent Non-Commercial Posts”. I wouldn’t use it, but perhaps it would be useful to others.

For me, it hasn’t gotten to the point where it irritates me. There are a lot of “Recent Posts” which don’t interest me. If I’m not interested, I don’t click in. There are some sneaky people out there who post catchy titles like “SMALL SHINY ITEMS IN HERE” which forces me click in. Once trapped, if I decide it’s not for me, I don’t sub.

It might be nice to have commercial members use a single thread for their items, but that too can be problematic.

Also, I don’t have a problem with people out there trying to make a buck, especially if they can do it while saving me a few, too. Then again, I have no use for people posting items for full retail and expecting that full markup.

My $.02 FWIW

23

Hey, I found out that with code “2fak3” your $.02 will be reduced to only $.01. Maybe someone can use this code as well? Hurry, maybe it will expire! Have a great day!

24

OK I have some important information
We all know that some really work hard to get a very low price, like Martin.
But when people click on an aff link of another person, have the tab open and then pm Martin or use acode he gives via mail or posted in his sheet , even when clicking on his aff link the cookie holds the aff link of the first person one has clicked on
This means that if you leave a tab open from person A, then use code or aff link from the hard worming real negotiated lower price of person B the commissions go to person A and that is not just. Close browser completely or clear cookies before using the codes and links from the people who really work for it (Freeme and M4DM4X as prime examples) to keep it fair.

25

Also to comment on “but it really is kind of ripping them off, if you dont respect their AF link and just “steal” the code to use without giving them credit for the sale” who is to say who worked for the code?

Does BG/GB/FT just email a few select people in the morning with new codes? If so why do we need mutliples of the same thing.

I’d like it if it was a first come, first served basis. If someone posts the same code with a different aff link AFTER someone else it should be deleted.

If you’re working for the codes and getting good deals then that’s all good to me.

26

Well we know of a few who work hard for discounts (just think M4DM4X and Freeme)
Not only are their prices lower but well make aff links from flashsales we all can do.
First come first serve means somebody has to check, police, just not on pat with the BLF spirit.
I think mist people know who to contact but that is why the warning should be posted in OP that leaving a tab open after clicking on a aff link means that aff link is used when you buy IS EVEN if you use somebody else’s aff link and code afterwards.

27

Anybody concerned with making (or losing) a buck connected with any of the above had better include/post a ‘primer’ on how this all works and why anybody should care or nobody will. It’s easier to just claim (understandable) ignorance and conclude that if somebody wanted something then they certainly should have asked for it.

28

See I thought that when I was at school. I’d turn up to class in the morning, I’d photocopy someone elses homework and I’d hand it in.
No one ever told me that was wrong. Sure, cheating is wrong but all I did was photocopy their work………… :innocent:

29

I do not understand what you try to say here.
I simply state how things work with the cookie thing because IMHO it is not cool that somebody who merely copy pastes flash deals with his/her own aff ID added gets paid when people use codes and even aff links of somebody else who did real work (really talking to vendors, negotiating deals and lower prices, always open for the community, asking for deals when a BLFer wants something)
Important info i think, because click on a aff link leave browser open and then if you want to pay less and use somebody else’s aff link most people will not know the first aff is getting paid even if they choose to buy via another.

30

thanks for adding more details regarding the complexity of using AFF links

none of this would happen if the Vendors gave unique codes to each Affiliate. Just the discount code. No AFF link.

It is the Vendors that issue AFF links. It is the Vendors that are managing a system of multiple Affiliates, using duplicated discount codes.

In another thread Martin posted that discount codes “last longer” if they are not shared. I think that is because there are specific numbers of units available per code. But, sharing those codes (with an AFF link), does not reduce Martins comissions, in fact, they come faster, than if the code (with his AFF link), is not shared.

this whole “do not share” thing stinks. It feels like someone is running a scam. I think that someone is the Vendor, who “plays” multiple Affiliates, using them to promote the discount code in multiple threads. This helps the Vendor, but not the Affiliates.

We buyers are just the end of the food chain. It is not our job to police a system that is designed by the Vendors to create low likelyhood that Martin will get paid, when other Affiliates are being given the same codes.

IF the system was legitimate, each Affiliate would get a UNIQUE code that gets them paid, and no one else, no matter how many Affiliates “steal” the code from other Affiliates…

It is the Affiliate system that is a scam. The vendors are using it to create multiple spammer threads, and here we are trying to figure out how to do the right thing by the Affiliates we respect.

None of this cookie clearing, browser closing, window closing, etc, would be needed if each Affiliate received a UNIQUE discount code.

but then, the Vendors would not have as may spam threads, and that would reduce their exposure, and sales.

its complicated… Im not sure I know the answer.

I can tell you that a system that requires me to clear my cookies is quite inconvenient for me. It forces me to reenter all my passwords, for all the sites I go to, that I allow to store my login.

fwiw, another aspect of this whole, who do you buy from, whose codes do you use, is the country we choose to buy from. Some affiliates are in Asia, Some are in Europe, then there are vendors in Asia, and others in Europe, or North America. If a US buyer wants to buy from a US vendor, or use a US affiliate, can they get as good a price? I do not think so. imo the best price comes from an affiliate in Europe, for a Vendor in Asia… more food for thought :slight_smile:

31

To me I appreciate the work of people choose the affiliate you choose or don’t. The codes help everyone in this hobby with cheaper prices. The commission doesn’t come out of your pocket. Lots of things we would have passed on if it was for these deals. I honestly have enough going on in my life to not put much thought into it. There are a couple people who have been here doing this a long time for us. And I appreciate it. If I see a code and want it. I click and use it if one person has the code and another doesn’t they get the commission it keeps getting us good deals. Competition is a good thing. Maybe multiple affiliates can put pressure for better deals. I always appreciate a discount for blf. We are a small majority of business for these sites. We only purchase a very small selection of products they offer. But big amounts of it.

32

Here is how it works (I was asked but declined):
One gets a unique ID
Any link to a product of a store can be adapted to incorporated the aff ID making it an aff link.
So people can apply for the aff program or are asked and then can make their own aff links
Some do just the flash deals, no contact with vendor needed it is all automatic.
Some put in work and try to get real deals
The vendors system just makes a cookie when entering the site and if the link used is from person A all sales are added to that person.
So if you want a better price after clicking on an aff link from A, and then browse to M4DM4X site and see a better code that sale is making person A money and not Martin.
Close the browser, or delete cookies and enter via Martins link and he gets the small percentage.

This is how I understand it works.
And since some really put effort in it and really are part of the community I think it is fair to use those links and well compare it and it also is cheaper so apart from the occasional flash deal or specific vendor going with a few known BLFers is better for you.
In case of flash deals just apply for the aff program, get your own ID and use that :smiley:

33

I think my browser just goes to any link you click on. (?)

34

Yes lol
But each session creates cookies, these have all sorts of info, such as the entry point where a user came from (AdSense, aff link, direct whatever)

And edit an example, when I want to buy something at Gearbest I can do five things:
1 type in Gearbest and buy
2 browse to BLf and go via an ad
3 go via an ad on a website I visit (AdSense shows me a lot of GB AMD BG ads)
4 go via an aff link from somebody on BLF
5 go via a link I make with my Aff ID (I got one lol never use it)

I choose 2 most of the time and sometimes 1
I like to support BLF :wink:

35

hey, you took my avatar. give it back :slight_smile:

36

Ditto.

I asked what’s an “affiliated link” once before, kindasortamaybe remember, but ultimately don’t really care.

I got one recently from Fin17, saved some bux, so yay me.

37

Can someone out there answer this? What if I open the affiliate link in a private browsing session? Right click, open in private window. If I then purchased the item in that window, wouldn’t it be isolated from other cookies in my normal browsing sessions? Granted I’d have to enter my GB/BG user name/password, etc… but I don’t save them anyways. I appreciate the savings passed forward from Martin, Freeme and others and I want to see their efforts compensated, EVEN if it means mildly inconveniencing myself to do so. That being said, if there is a simply way (like using private browsing sessions to purchase) to accomplish this, all the better, right?

It would be nice if each seller had their own codes, however that would also make it possible for manufacturers to figure out who specifically is violating MAP, making it easier to single them out. Furthermore, I’m not sure if it’s something that the vendors are willing to do.

For me, bottom line is the people setting up these purchases/group buys, etc… are saving me substantial money in a way that I wouldn’t on my own. Without them, I’d be either spending more money or buying less lights. While they don’t require that we use their aff links, I’m perfectly willing to use them to see that they are fairly compensated.

38

Learned quite a bit from this thread

39

why should “do not share code” stink like a scam?

The codes are often limited numbers
MadMax and others use non share codes wants to have those codes only being used by flashaholics
not by people using google for Flashlight XYZ coupon getting routet to our forum

40

hm I missed all this, what I KNOW is that M4DM4X and sometimes Freeme have codes they CANNOT openly post because it is not some flash sale codes everybody can find browsing to a shop no they are codes getting the price way down to a point a lot of manufacturers are not happy with and even forbidding (that is a whole different discussion I know)