Stealing Hoplinks

By now you should all be familiar with what a standard Clickbank affiliate hoplink looks like.  But just to remind you:

http:// {your clickbank id}.{publisher}.hop.clickbank.net/

or sometimes you will see:

http://www.{website name}/?hop={your clickbank id}

I am sure you come across many products sold by Clickbank publishers.  When you see the hoplink what do you do?  Do you appreciate the fact that someone wrote an ad compelling enough for you to click on?  Do you immediatly think that the affiliate is not deserving of his / her commission and type in the URL with your own hoplink?

Let me tell you why I think stealing hoplinks is not such a good idea. 

Fisrt and foremost, an affiliate that put the product in your sites is deserving of what is coming to them.  They have done their job, and done it well.  You may think you have tricked the system when you type in your own affiliate id.  But, as it turns out, Clickbank saw you coming.

It is a common childish act to try to take something that is not yours.  Clickbank is doing their part by enforcing their CDA - Customer Distribution Requirement.

The CDA states:

ClickBank accounts cannot be used for the sole purpose of collecting rebates or otherwise extending credit to yourself or others. In compliance with US law, ClickBank will withhold payment of any account balance until it contains standing sales made with 5 or more different credit card numbers, including at least one Visa card, and one MasterCard. PayPal purchases do not count toward the minimum.

(So if you have made your first Clickbank sale and are wondering when you will get your check, read the above again.  You need to meet the minimum sales of the variety discussed before you will see a dime)

So everyone who is thinking they are so smart by hijacking affiliate income, think again, you won’t get paid unless you are an established affiliate with several unique sales under your belt.

So you are not doing yourself any good.  Not only that if you actually do go out and start getting your own sales, what would you think if people started taking your commissions?

Work as a Clickbank affiliate honestly and dilligently and you can make your internet fortune.  Try to circumvent the system and most likely you will just get your account suspended.