Is it only about the money for you?

[Gobala Krishnan]

Hi Friends,

I came to an awkward situation recently. I have been an affiliate for a Ecommerce Website Solution which i will not name here. I have also been using their software for one of my sites, so I felt okay promoting something that i was using...

But i recently realized that this product is inferior compared to alternatives you can get for the same price. Also, there are some aspects of it which is not ethical and may go unnoticed by newbies...

So i stopped using their system. But the thing is, their affiliate program pays good money and there seems to be some demand for their "website in a Box" type of software.

So I am in a dilemma....should I promote something that I DO NOT believe in, even though the money is good?

I'll do a poll, and anyone can vote for this. Let me go first...

-Gobala-

[A8ch]

Gobala,

While money has its place, so does ethics and conscience. The same way you discovered that the product was inferior with some unsavory aspects, and it resonated with your moral standards, that would also be true of others.

Newbies don't remain newbies forever and as their knowledge and understanding grows, it's fair to expect they would eventually recognize the flaws in the product and have a similar reaction.

If they felt they were duped and exploited, they may quit the program and warn everyone they know to avoid it. That directly affects your income.

And if they believed you knowingly witheld this information, you could have quite a challenge trying to remove the stain any negative fallout may leave on your reputation. You know the saying: You can't fool all the people all the time!

Here's what I would do if I were in that predicament.

I would invest my time to locate a reputable replacement product and affiliate program to promote. There are several in high demand that pay handsomely. Then I would alert my downline to the questionable aspects of the old product and recommend the new program for its superior quality and income potential.

I'll bet that my honest and direct approach would:

- bolster my credibility
- increase the retention and loyalty in my downline
- earn me more income in the longterm
- allow me to continue sleeping really well at night

As you'd say: Just my 2 cents.

By the way, mine was the 2nd "No" vote.

Hermas

[Vishal P. Rao]

Gobala,

[Gobala Krishnan]

Hi Hermas & Vishal,

Yes I agree that conscience is the most important. I think it would take a cold-hearted, ruthless person to make money out of something that does not deliver what it promises, especially if he is well aware of the fact that it is an inferior product...

The majority of us I guess would feel bad about not being truthful to themselves. It feels good getting paid if you are sure that people benefit from what you sell...

I think I might also start a review page on my site, for software, ebooks and services that I have tried personally, so that I get to tell people about programs like this that have lots of ethical issues concerned...

For the sake of the poll not being biased towards "NO" I wish I can change the words "rubbish products" to something more neutral like "inferior products" but that does not seem possible

[Vishal P. Rao]

[Gobala Krishnan]

Hey thanks Vishal!!