Pharmacy Shark Patrol

[medsback]

Awesome idea - GO GET EM CLIVE

[clivew]

Awesome idea - GO GET EM CLIVE

Thank you Medsback. Really appreciate your support.

We have been pretty distracted building new program of our own. So very sorry about delayed posting up here. I welcome your feedback.

Frankly, we do not aim to please everyone - we just can not stand to see people getting ripped with no where to go to get their money back.

When we started as a 1 order per day affiliate - we got pretty scared being on our own. So nearly 5 years ago we started keeping track of who delivered and who paid. Then we gathered our friends around and formed a sort of self help cooperative.

We rely on two tier programs. We feel they at least recognise the benefits of working to support each other, instead of seeing everyone as a competitor - like in single tier programs.

The good programs work with us and often offer the "group" better commissions as well as better communications. For the good programs its better to work with a good group of productive affiliates.

[clivew]

Pharmacy Shark Patrol has always recommended to pharmacy customers, before ordering, always look for the presence of an affiliate program.

There are several good reasons - but the main reason:
Affiliates monitor the performance of a supplier very closely so this ultimately adds a greater level of feedback, security and credibility for a customer.

We have also stated new program coming soon - but when we do that the program has always come online and delivered.

The latest trick doing the rounds is to add an affiliate link which only links to a page with affiliate program coming soon. Unless you know the affiliate manager, a comment like: "Visit frequently to avoid missing out on the start of the affiliate program " will only help the trickster build their traffic/ranking .

Even more devious are some new sites that add a signup form to a program that does not relate to their products or site.

One recent site that promises hard to source weight loss drugs, including Didrex allow affiliates to sign up in an existing EBilling Secure affiliate program - a DirectTrack system.

No site in the EBilling Secure system relates to the referring site or products. This level of deception does not give an expectation of good product or customer service.

At Pharmacy Shark Patrol we are often invited to evaluate new programs by genuine affiliate businesses. The best are added to Pharmacy Shark Patrol monitored lists. Please refer to our lists when considering spending your time and money promoting a new online pharmacy.

If possible please avoid promoting or link to any online pharmacy that does not provide real world contact details or is not on the monitored lists of Drugstore Best Buys Affiliate lists - top 8 Brand and Top 8 Generic and the full list of monitored pharmacies.

Although we frequently update the AVOID list there are so many new template sites and spam sites it is hard to list them all. Please refer to our full lists of monitored pharmacies with affiliate value ratings for peace of mind.

Your feedback here is very important to help make online pharmacy shopping an easy and safe experience for all customers. This will in turn provide long term wealth for affiliates by helping to out the bad guys. We have no hestitation in outing bad sites.

[clivew]

Online Pharmacy Performance Survey

Please take a few moments to share your views, help identify the good and the bad pharmacies for the good of the industry. Ensure you and others can shop for Rx online with peace of mind.


Your feedback is a valuable way of making the online purchase of prescription drugs a safer process for all. This is a place to report good service or share warnings about bad services to avoid. View summary of results to be posted on the Survey Results page. We will also include summary of comments.


Consumers want to avoid embarrassment, save money and enjoy the convenience of buying online, without taking risks with bad pharmacies.

Smart pharmacy affiliate publishers have survived the online pharmacy industry upheavals by picking the pharmacy winners and avoiding bad pharmacies.

When you use this survey to report poor customer service or possible scams Pharmacy Shark Patrol will investigate.

You can find the survey on : http://www.drugstorebestbuys.com/suppliers/affsurvey.php

[clivew]

Hi - If anyone is interested in taking part in an online Pharmacy survey and sharing in the results please let me know below or PM me.

[killroy]

Is Shark Patrol still active?

[clivew]

Membership growing by the day and still free to join - yes very active.
Two opt-in emails went out this week on new pharmacy options and a gift offer $100.

The teamwork is proving very effective providing advance notice on issues affecting delivery and also ensuring outstanding commissions get paid.

[molumania]

When my affiliates were stuck with not paying OP programs Pharmacy Shark Patrol got the OP manager to pay them after all!! Thanks PSP for supporting our affiliates!! They will ask you next time before joining some junk!

[clivew]

thks molumania :) - no problem - just good business sense to do the right thing for the long term.

[clivew]

HSN Takes unilateral action and Shuts Down Oz Afiliates :

Are Oz Affiliates aware of the unilateral action taken by HSN without discussion with their long term honest affiliates?

While we have only ever generated a few sales a week through HSN our operation has been around for over 5 years and never hacked or used black hat methods. We will keep you posted on the outcome on the forum and through the Pharmacy Shark Patrol.

Like us others may be still sending traffic unaware that they have been cut off and had all their customers removed.

We await an outcome. Hopefully it is just a small mis understanding and will soon be amicably fixed.

We will let you know.

[clivew]

To answer a few PM's just received - Oz is our slang for Australian. eg : Same place Steve Irwin - Mel Gibson - Kate Blanchette - Rupert Murdock come from

[RxRob]

To answer a few PM's just received - Oz is our slang for Australian. eg : Same place Steve Irwin - Mel Gibson - Kate Blanchette - Rupert Murdock come from

Oh. In that case they are doing the right thing. :p

[clivew]

Oh. In that case they are doing the right thing. :p

I am surprised that you would condone an OP arrogantly ripping off affiliates - regardless of where they are from?

As they say what goes around comes around.

[drugsdr]

HSN Takes unilateral action and Shuts Down Oz Afiliates :

Are Oz Affiliates aware of the unilateral action taken by HSN without discussion with their long term honest affiliates?

While we have only ever generated a few sales a week through HSN our operation has been around for over 5 years and never hacked or used black hat methods. We will keep you posted on the outcome on the forum and through the Pharmacy Shark Patrol.

Like us others may be still sending traffic unaware that they have been cut off and had all their customers removed.

We await an outcome. Hopefully it is just a small mis understanding and will soon be amicably fixed.

We will let you know.

Get beaten by the All Blacks at rugby to lose the Tri-Nations and Bledisloe Cup and now all get kicked out of HSN. Sucks to be an Auzzie really doesn't it.

Last time I checked HSN still liked Kiwi affiliates.

[RxRob]

I am surprised that you would condone an OP arrogantly ripping off affiliates - regardless of where they are from?

As they say what goes around comes around.

Sorry, clive, it was just a little humor to help lighten your mood. Notice the smiley face? Of course I don't condone it. If they feel that they need to cut you all lose, that's their business, but they should keep crediting you all for your referred customer's refills.

[DaveM]

Any program has the right to terminate their association with any affiliate. Whether they notify the affiliate of the action is stricktly courtesty and I guess would depend on the reason behind the termination (read the OP T&C prior to joining).

But my question is why HSN would specifically target Australian affiliates for termination?

My other question is why you would decide to post this allegation within the "Bad Program" section and not present the question directly within their portion of this forum?

[learning]

I think there's some kiwi in the HSN staff very envious due the Two Rugby Australian World Cups.
Now, if there is some brit too, then you're dead man Clive...

[RxRob]

What the fuck is rugby? :confused:

[Pharmgroup]

For info on Rugby "the sport" go to http://www.rugby.com.au/

[clivew]

Dave - if we dont get the right answers I'll post the entire dialogue under the relevant thread and you can judge for yourself.

We never sent much trafic to HSN, but we did build up to over 200 customers over many years - many of whom were repeat order people. We never used any blackhat or spam or hacked anyone. 2 months ago that business was terminated without any contact or discussion, with commission for 12 orders unpaid.

Hence, the reason I have posted in what was originally the Pharmacy Shark Patrol thread.

What really anoys me is when pharmacies treat small turnover affiliates with such contempt. We started small and grew some. Mostly supported by people who realised we care and were not just there for the commission. Now we carry a bite.

If HSN tries to act like bullies making unilateral decisions with affiliates - well I can tell you that is what gets me the maddest.

[clivew]

hey PharmGroup

I guess you are still getting over the last thrashing the Wallabies gave the Boks? :p

[DaveM]

Not sure why you keep using the term "unilateral". Are they supposed to confer with all the other OP programs or all of their affliates prior to making a decision? Has the U.N. come to Online Pharmacies?

Looks like molumania was notified according to his thread (http://rxaffiliateforum.com/showthread.php?t=4943).

Look, I'm not a spokesman for HSN. I just think that the issue should be presented within their section before it's dropped into the "Bad Programs" section just to be fair. If they don't respond then have at it.

Personally I like Australia. They've got great beaches, good food, and hot chicks. It's just to bad the plane trip takes so long from the US.

[RxRob]

...got great beaches, good food, and hot chicks. ....

You talking about those aberiginal(sp?) people, Dave? Half man, half ape?

[molumania]

......Looks like molumania was notified according to his thread (http://rxaffiliateforum.com/showthread.php?t=4943)......

if I wouldn't get the Pharmacy Shark Patrol Newsletters every week, I would have probably found that out way too late.

Thanks again PSP!! :rolleyes:

[clivew]

I think there's some kiwi ............Australian World Cups.
Now, if there is some brit too, then you're dead man Clive...

Note the brit bit - the hours I work Learning it's more like zombie :eek:

[TonyTony]

Sadly misinformation was once again published regarding HSN on this venue without regard to accuracy. On August 31 and September 1, HSN's security system observed abnormally aggressive traffic patterns that required closer scrutiny. The aggressor's IP addresses were noted and a very narrow range of IP address were denied the ability to enter the system. None of these appeared to be HSN affiliates as a thorough examination of the very few active affiliate store fronts of the fewer than four Australian affiliates was conducted prior to disabling this narrow range of IP addresses. AUSTRALIA WAS NOT TURNED OFF!

It appears that Clive took a partial bit of information and twisted it around for an unknown reason. We certainly hope that any of our "Down Under" affiliates call or email us directly for the proper factual picture.

[clivew]

Tony I expect an apology please - here is what I received from Howard unedited, apart from what I have underlined to prove a point - if anything I am understating - I want a solution not an arguement - I can now see the reason you guys get so much flak - you bring it on yourselves by inflaming the situation instead of just fixing your stuff ups.

From: Howard
Sent: Wednesday, 6 September 2006 3:49 AM
To: clivew
Subject: RE: Orders not recording

Clive,

We recently turned off all our affiliates in Australia. This was due to virtually no business coming from Australia however we were getting many hacking attempts from that area. Since we were doing no business from Australia as a whole, we decided to pull out.

Tony what you are now saying is that Howard got it wrong ? all I have done is tabled the email I received. Since then Howard has asked me to let him know what commission is outstanding - and I have know sent him details of orders etc and I hope that you are right that you have not ripped off my repeat customers and that my account is still active and not turned off.

The bit that really anoyed me was when I asked why no communication before action was taken - having been a steady affiliate who has managed to send hundreds of orders to HSN over the years, I got this response.

From: Howard
Sent: Wednesday, 6 September 2006 10:15 PM
To: Clive
Subject: RE: Lack of communication here: Orders not recording

Clive,
We didnt really bother because we do virtually no business from any of our affiliates located in Australia. I figured it wouldnt be a big deal since you do not send any business anyway. Sorry for the inconvienience.

Well several hundred orders may be small - but it is certainly incorrect to state that it is virtually nil? (of course you now say Howard was wrong and apart from 4 hackers so all is well?)

I do not think I am asking for much - just courtesy, common sense answers and payment

[TonyTony]

Clive, at the time you talked to Howard all the information he had was that access from Australia was going to be limited. Some Australian affiliates may not be able to get to the backend.

Once we found the hole the attack was trying to exploit, we closed it off and removed the IP block from our firewall.

We have not taken any orders away from you. Your production has been down from when you first started with us but we have paid every commission owed to you. I can't find a website where you are promoting our products, so it is possible that is the reason you have not been seeing many customers.

It is unnecessary for you to start trouble in this forum. If you want to discuss an issue, you know how to reach us.

[clivew]

TonyTony,
Thanks at least for a reasonable level headed response.
I sent copies of 10 orders with unpaid commissions to Howard earlier this week.

As I said it was the offhanded responses that got me going. Happy to contact you by email from here onwards.

NB: Since the issue of unpaid commissions arose it is hardly surprising that we have removed traffic links from your program.

However, I can send you the traffic logs and sales stats from earlier times and right up to August, which you do not seem to have. Although I do agree, we only ever used low key and moderate traffic links, from my records anyway, only generating around 20 or 30 orders in good months.

[chopsticks]

Hmmm.

Why doesn't either the Aussie affiliate (Clivew or molumania) or the Affiliate provider (HSN) filter out non-USA based traffic from the ordering process?

Since non-American customers can't purchase anyway... it doesn't make a lot of sense to be allowing the entire world to access the eCommerce system.

(I've had geoIP tracking on my websites for 3+ years already.)

[clivew]

100% chopsticks

We are already doing that at our end for the past 5 years.

We have never aimed at any sales in Australia where there is an extensive national medical benefits with subsidised prescriptions. Unlike US where the internet offers fast access to affordable medication.

[clivew]

ok guys - just to let everyone know, all appears to be back on track - we received a confirmation order today - the 1st since our repeat orders "went missing" over the past 2 months.

Now all that's left is the orders I know existed July - August and commissions from mid May - August.

I will post a confirmation when that happens as I am sure HSN will fix.

[clivew]

Has anyone else rececieved their July-August Integra checks? :(

[jrmlang@msn.com]

any problems with xlpharmacy ??

[clivew]

Paying like clockwork - never miss a beat - but sales slower.
Are you having a problem here?

[clivew]

Direct Pharmacy and Global Pharmacy are down and not answering emails.
We are out hunting for them - post me if you have outstanding payments and need help to get your money.

[molumania]

Direct Pharmacy and Global Pharmacy are down and not answering emails.
We are out hunting for them - post me if you have outstanding payments and need help to get your money.

Do you thinks the cops raided them?

[clivew]

Both DP and G are back online - discussing issues now. Stay tuned.

[molumania]

I'm sure Direct will answer everybody over the next days. PSP will be first to know.

Molu

[rx_one1]

any way u can get RXSOURCENETWORK To pay affiliate id: 200927 ? anyone?

[rx_one1]

any way u can get RXSOURCENETWORK To pay affiliate id: 200927 ? anyone?

[molumania]

any way u can get RXSOURCENETWORK To pay affiliate id: 200927 ? anyone?

if you're not lucky with them, then please post all their URL's here so that PSP can add then to the "To Avoid" list to warn others.


Thanks

Molu

[clivew]

Care needed with any new or exisiting programs - the tightening of merchant processing rules has made the credit card selected one of the biggest issues affecting viability of online pharmacy.

Bottom line effect - low conversion rate due to higher level of credit card rejections.
Lower payouts - lower ROI.

This is an area we have elevated when we determine the ratings score for all programs.

[clivew]

Overdue commissions from Direct and Global available here:

Back on 27th November 2006 Global and Direct closed. Pharmacy Shark Patrol has negotiated through a third party a payment program for commission outstanding for people registered in our downline.

The Direct P and Global P owners wish to maintain a good name with PSP members as they do expect to re-enter the market.

I can pay you by epassporte or, if over $100 wire transfer.

I am able to contact some who are in my downline and registered in the PSP. However in most cases I just have an ID no matching email address. As there is a significant $ amount involved, please contact me with your Direct/Global ID and confirm $ owing so I can match the amount and ID to your request.

Payment will be made in 5 equal instalments. Starting this week with 20% of the amount due. The balance instalments will be paid each month for next 4 months.
Please contact me to confirm the amount you believe is oweing to you.

If you are not in my downline - the 3rd party contact refuses to give me any details. So I am sorry but we can not help you, although I did try.

As you know Pharmacy Shark Patrol service is free to you. If you join in our affiliate downlines we will back you up. Being in our downline will not affect your commission, but the small amount we are paid via T2 instalments is your insurance. Good Pharmacies really appreciate the work we do, because we can refer good affilaites and good customers. Pharmacy Shark Patrol also acts as a good moderator when there is a dispute. So outcomes generally benefit all parties.

I will not charge a fee for service or accept cash rewards (even though we have had many offers made) for the follow up we results we have achieved. However, we will continue to post useful information for all, where we are given kind permission on forums like this.

[clivew]

Sorry to those folks who tried to PM - my in box was full - please try again.

[clivew]

Hi - PSP has just undertaken a major review of all programs. Interesting to see if any programs move up or down or new ones appear.

I am sure all the many feedback notes from affiliates will also result in changes.