Many content affiliates already lament the potential loss of commission to cashback sites and voucher codes, but surprisingly the threat of the rebate catcher seems to have bypassed many! This begs the question should we be concerned?

A rebate catcher is a piece of software or toolbar that activates when a user (who’s legitimately downloaded it) arrives on a merchant site. They’re told about a possible discount code or reminded to get cashback. At the moment they’re not that widespread, but with the arrival of this post at A4U regarding Tradedoubler’s codes of conduct, could this mean we’re about to see more of them?

Whilst it’s nice to see a code of conduct in place before the effect (rather than afterwards as is in the case of click to reveal), there are some serious points missing and not mentioned.

For example would the toolbar activate for a merchant who currently doesn’t have a voucher code? Call me cynical but I’d not put it past an affiliate to show a “does XYZ merchant have a code, click here” via their toolbar or rebate catcher even if the merchant doesn’t have a valid code.

Also when Greasypalm launched their rebate catcher I’m pretty sure there was a “check to see if there was an affiliate cookie live”. If there was nothing popped up. Now I might be wrong, but it was at least a fair way to do things.

As I see it, if you’re a content affiliate who’s remembered to include all the voucher codes and latest offers etc in your well crafted promotions, you could still lose out when your visitor clicks your link. If they have one of these rebate catchers or toolbars up will pop a reminder, they then could go off and pick up another cookie from the usual suspects.

They get the commission, you get nowt!

Hopefully there are real rules in place within the rebate catcher/toolbar code of conduct, or if they’re not they get put in place now! Not next year.. now! And if they’re not in place now I’d go as far as to suggest all toolbars/rebate catchers are banned until all issues are analysed thoroughly.

Interestingly rebate catchers were mentioned on this blog back in November 2008 when the IAB unveiled voucher codes best practice. It concerns me that we now have best practice for what in my opinion is nothing more than legitimised adware designed to benefit the big guys, yet the debate has been fairly mute.

If nothing else this blog will get affiliates, merchants and networks at least thinking about the impact toolbars/rebate catchers will have on the industry – and make sure the loopholes and ways to cheat are nullified from the off.