Ok guys. As discussed in a million other threads, scrubbing and shaving is getting to be a problem. So this thread is meant to be a running list of merchants and advertisers that scrub and shave unacceptably high amounts.
Don't use this thread for ones that are scrubbing legitimately (low amounts that truly could be duplicates, piss poor traffic, etc). Just the rat bastards.
The networks aren't policing it, so I guess it's time we do.
This post is going to be kind of long. I just want to get some rules out of the way, and ways to recognize issues that are NOT scrubbing/shaving.
Also, in pretty clear cut cases, I'll do my best to track down who the merchant behind the offer is, their other offers, etc.
Some Ground Rules For Posting Here:(open to suggestion/change)
1 - Don't just say "they shave". Explain the situation, what leads you to believe this, etc.
2 - Screenshots are good. Blur what you want, but show some different date ranges, and describe what happened. IF you adjusted anything significant within the campaign, analytics data is preferred instead of data from a network.
3 - For right now, only WF regulars should post in this thread. At least until we see how it works out.
4 - If you are running anything other than the mainstream traffic sources, tell us. Be as specific as you can without hurting your own business. Same thing if you're running a somewhat misleading ad ("How much does insuring a Lamborghini cost? Click here to find out!")
5 - Before you post, if possible, try to find someone else that corroborates your issue (if possible). If not, try to find a competitor's conversion rates. Niches DO die off. Really. So do traffic sources. Make sure that's not the case here.
6 - No matter how you cut it, this is going to be an aggressive thread. If an advertiser or network responds, please keep a level head. Dialog is good. Dialog fixes problems.
-----------Spotting a Heavy Scrub/Shave Accurately------------
When You See a Sudden conversion rate Decrease: Make sure EVERYTHING else stayed the same. The different traffic sources, landing pages, avg. position, etc. There's a lot of factors that affect this stuff, and scrubbing/shaving should be the last thing you check, not the first. Also keep in mind that niches go cold. So do offers and traffic sources. If you're running more than one source, make sure the dive is across the board.
When your test lead doesn't go through: Clear cookies, make a new e-mail, get a new IP. Make sure the zip code enters matches up with the IP you used. Talk to the network if you do this, as some could regard it as fraud(especially if you didn't run any volume on it)
When It seems Like it's Just You: It might be a justified scrub. If you're sending piss poor traffic, the issue is on your end.
With that said, let the games begin.
Don't use this thread for ones that are scrubbing legitimately (low amounts that truly could be duplicates, piss poor traffic, etc). Just the rat bastards.
The networks aren't policing it, so I guess it's time we do.
This post is going to be kind of long. I just want to get some rules out of the way, and ways to recognize issues that are NOT scrubbing/shaving.
Also, in pretty clear cut cases, I'll do my best to track down who the merchant behind the offer is, their other offers, etc.
Some Ground Rules For Posting Here:(open to suggestion/change)
1 - Don't just say "they shave". Explain the situation, what leads you to believe this, etc.
2 - Screenshots are good. Blur what you want, but show some different date ranges, and describe what happened. IF you adjusted anything significant within the campaign, analytics data is preferred instead of data from a network.
3 - For right now, only WF regulars should post in this thread. At least until we see how it works out.
4 - If you are running anything other than the mainstream traffic sources, tell us. Be as specific as you can without hurting your own business. Same thing if you're running a somewhat misleading ad ("How much does insuring a Lamborghini cost? Click here to find out!")
5 - Before you post, if possible, try to find someone else that corroborates your issue (if possible). If not, try to find a competitor's conversion rates. Niches DO die off. Really. So do traffic sources. Make sure that's not the case here.
6 - No matter how you cut it, this is going to be an aggressive thread. If an advertiser or network responds, please keep a level head. Dialog is good. Dialog fixes problems.
-----------Spotting a Heavy Scrub/Shave Accurately------------
When You See a Sudden conversion rate Decrease: Make sure EVERYTHING else stayed the same. The different traffic sources, landing pages, avg. position, etc. There's a lot of factors that affect this stuff, and scrubbing/shaving should be the last thing you check, not the first. Also keep in mind that niches go cold. So do offers and traffic sources. If you're running more than one source, make sure the dive is across the board.
When your test lead doesn't go through: Clear cookies, make a new e-mail, get a new IP. Make sure the zip code enters matches up with the IP you used. Talk to the network if you do this, as some could regard it as fraud(especially if you didn't run any volume on it)
When It seems Like it's Just You: It might be a justified scrub. If you're sending piss poor traffic, the issue is on your end.
With that said, let the games begin.
I just hope it doesn't get ruined/closed due to people making baseless accusations.
