Rant: Confusing Payout Structures

[Johnny]

I thought I saw a thread about what sites can do for affiliates to make things better/easier, but I couldn't find it. My addition to such a thread (if it existed) is that sites should keep payout structures simple and admit when a mistake was made.

This morning I've been working with a site that owed us a small amount of money. We were over the $50 min payout for a few months, but we never received a check. Someone replied saying that we signed up with a $100 min payout. However, their Terms & Conditions don't indicate anything about a $100 min payout and there is no info in my account details about different min payments. So, they had me send an email to someone asking them to switch.

Because there is no information what so ever on the site about a $100 vs $50 payout, I'm guessing someone made a mistake and they are just covering their asses. The only problem is, it just makes them look fishy.

I would have loved to get a "I'm sorry. We'll send a check out now." but would settle for a "I'm sorry, we'll send the check out in the next pay period".

The "you're signed up for a $100 min payout that isn't mentioned anywhere on the site" makes me go, "Really?!!"

:bang:

[gaydemon]

Unfortunatley it happens only too often. A lot of sites have difficult or confusing setup and pay structures. Let alone before anyone reads their Terms and condition. How many read those anyway?

The problem is specially with these smaller outstanding amounts is that it can feel that they couldnt care less. But to me every cent counts! And affiliates should be treated same way no matter the amount of traffic or sales. Besides if a sponsor cant make up for something like $50, why would anyone want to trust the same sponsor with larger amounts of traffic and sales?

Funny enough to me it seems its the larger programs that have these sort of issues.