I don’t really like affiliate links. It often feels dishonest and I always ask myself whether the person recommending a product is doing it for the right reason, though there are exceptions.
I will say that website rubs me the wrong way, especially if they’re all affiliate links.
It says this in small text at the bottom of their website.
Some links on our site may be affiliate links, which help support our free service.
Does there have to be an affiliate link for it to be on that site? If yes, or even if most are, calling that a free service is misleading.
I struggled before adding affiliate links for FluidTouch. However, I genuinely feel the Elecrow display is suitable and people are buying them because of my contribution which adds real value that involved cost and effort on my part. (I still would have made it just for fun…)
I also don’t have a problem with your affiliate links or @DougJoseph, since they are links to things to build something.
I guess my question is what are you trying to accomplish with affiliate links. It’s basically some form of marketing? Do you actually want to drive them to the V1E store? Or drive them to the forum? I know you try to keep your prices reasonable all the time, so you don’t have sales. It seems you may need to raise prices to make room?
If you added affiliate links, how hard would it be for someone to get one? Can they just come to the website and get one, never having bought, built, or used a V1 machine? Need to have a build thread on the forum? This is where like you mention YouTube videos can make more sense since if it’s showing them building or using a machine, maybe that’s ok?
I guess your goal is to compensate people but I guess I’m slightly concerned if those links are misused, it could have a negative effect.
I do have full control of who could have access, and how long links last.
The goal would be to let people that inspire others to come to V1E share in some of the benefits of that. If you are making fun videos or informative articles, it would be cool to earn a couple free end mills or something worth of cash. Also not be high enough to make people go out of their way just to get a cash grab or make me raise my prices.
I am 100%, on the fence about this. I do not see an easy way not to have these seem kinda spammy. I know affiliate links typically kill the authenticity of someone’s recommendations but does not always have to be that way. For example, dropbox referrals get you more free storage space, no money involved. Obviously I use and like the product if I want more space, that sort of referral seems better than others. So maybe it is as easy as Referrer, and referrer get a free end mill. Not much just a little thank you, and of no value to spam AI site. And referrer only get them dropped into there next order, not just shipped for free every time. Or boost up the crew points system, basically does the same thing, saves a couple dollars.
I am not trying to get on the top 10 list or anything that just use affiliate links, I want to somehow incorporate a reward system for high quality content, or Docs edits, cool new wireless interfaces, etc.
I have never had a problem with affiliate links in instructions. If you take the time to write real actual instructions, not even invent a new thing, just quality instructions freely available. Affiliate links are a no-brainer.
If I want to take the time to find that item somewhere else I can, but click your link costs me nothing and you get a little kickback…awesome. (PS, I know that cost does actually come from my pocket but…you know what I mean).
I don’t trust any review that ends up in affiliate links. If you don’t tell me until the end, it feels like you stole my time and pushed impressions into my head.
It is a transaction, and I need to get something for it. If you’re giving me something (like instructions, or a design, or even a BOM), then I don’t mind if you get paid for it.
It has to be worth it. Cheap AI or low effort content for affiliate links is not.
Affiliate links are a great way to make many projects possible or even slightly more beneficial that otherwise wouldn’t be.
I absolutely hated that magazines that you would pay for, would have ads, and then the articles were all dressed up ads for the same products. If it feels like that, then I don’t want anything to do with it.
It occurs to me that I didn’t respond to your specific question, Ryan.
If you are wondering what would happen if you offered money to places that referred customers to buy a LR, it would depend entirely on who recommended it and how. But it should be a good way to increase volume.
It would be awesome if someone thoughtful, like teaching tech, would be able to promote the LR and share in the benefits of that. But I don’t know if you can control the content that well.
I wouldn’t get into anything that you couldn’t get out of if it didn’t feel right. And nothing automatic.
Same here, a friend recommended V1E to me ~2021, but it’s @teachingtech fault and his neat LR2 videos that convinced me to try building a LR3 as a b.day present, have been stuck here ever since.
Personally don’t have a strong opinion on affiliate links, I get the trust concerns/arguments. I appreciate when people are open and transparent. I appreciate people have bills.
Honestly, out of all the nefarious things people get up to, affiliate links is really low on my list of things to worry about.
They’re tool that can help businesses be discovered by Customers that don’t yet know they want a thing. A tool to help scale marketing/sales. A tool that can be used responsibly, or not.
Personally would try them out, but put some guardrails/guidance in place to minimize risk of misuse/abuse and long term trust damage. Not sure they’d massively influence, or change the weighting of random things I share, but would be interesting. Especially if a big credible cnc experienced youtuber influencer type with lots of followers makes a LR4 and gives their honest take… If only we knew someone
