I'm just a little steamed, but not at SR

[sammielynn]

I guess I'm just being a grouch today, but it just gets to me that you make a purchase through the only rewards site that you use and they say gave the credit to another site. I know that missangie tried to get my credit but they refused because someone else got the credit. I have never ever used another site for anything. I have shopped with that merchant before and never had a problem with my orders crediting. How in the world can this happen?
Sorry, just had to vent.
And a big thanks to missangie for trying.

[sunshinecindy]

I guess I'm just being a grouch today, but it just gets to me that you make a purchase through the only rewards site that you use and they say gave the credit to another site. I know that missangie tried to get my credit but they refused because someone else got the credit. I have never ever used another site for anything. I have shopped with that merchant before and never had a problem with my orders crediting. How in the world can this happen?
Sorry, just had to vent.
And a big thanks to missangie for trying.

Searching the net for coupons can result in the same thing also. Is there any chance you googled or put in the name of the merchant you were going to shop to see if there were any coupons out there. If you ever do that, make sure you clear you cookies afterward before you log into your SR account. If you click on one of those coupons, whoever has that coupon up there will get credit for your sale, even if you come back to SR without clearing cookies as they have stored it on your computer.

[sammielynn]

Nope, didn't do that. It's just a case of a computer glich on their part as far as I'm concerned. But it is good to know that you need to clear cookies after you search for coupons.

[mia214jia]

Ouch! I know that I have had a few issues with other senerios and the issue there was that someone else had the same IP address as I did. And they are a member of SR and I still dont know who they are :rotfl: anyway, where I am I use a local online and they (the co) uses only 3 IP addresses but a prgram which masks our id so they all look as if we are the same address.
Sounds confusing but that is how I understand it. Could that be a possibility for you as well?
I know it doesnt give you the credit, but maybe help you know what maybe happening.
I still keep trucking along taking what credits I can when I can.
On my end its first come first serve. I still love SR and I still hang in there.

[missymouse]

I seem to be having more problems lately with shopping credits tracking correctly also. Merchants not showing a click through when I am absolutely positive that I went through SR because I wouldn't have known how to get there without going through SR. Things being dropped. I used to never clear cookies, now since I need to clear them to get surveys I seem to be having more problems. In fact usually if I do clear cookies I don't get credits for offers. Maybe my computer is just weird. Also there are a few other sites that even if you just do paid e-mails they put something on your computer to get the credit. Are you a member at any other site and read their e-mails?

[SunshineGirl]

I seem to be having more problems lately with shopping credits tracking correctly also. Merchants not showing a click through when I am absolutely positive that I went through SR because I wouldn't have known how to get there without going through SR. Things being dropped. I used to never clear cookies, now since I need to clear them to get surveys I seem to be having more problems. In fact usually if I do clear cookies I don't get credits for offers. Maybe my computer is just weird. Also there are a few other sites that even if you just do paid e-mails they put something on your computer to get the credit. Are you a member at any other site and read their e-mails?

Correct about the paid emails. We've had a couple of cases lately where our member clicked on a paid email from another site and it set a cookie and that site got credit. And some merchants are related...so if you click on a paid email for beauty.com or visiondirect (I think), it sets a cookie for drugstore.com.

There is also a movement in the affiliate world that if you click on another website directly or through a google search or whatever and THEN click on a rewards site, the rewards site does not get credit. You have to ONLY click on our link EVER for us to get the credit. They are really starting to crack down.

[faithhope]

There is also a movement in the affiliate world that if you click on another website directly or through a google search or whatever and THEN click on a rewards site, the rewards site does not get credit. You have to ONLY click on our link EVER for us to get the credit. They are really starting to crack down.

EVER?!? that is crazy... I may have heard of store X and looked at their site... but it is the chat on the forums or product reviews here that inspire me to make a purchase... and for that SR should get credit.

Personally if I found out about a store with the EVER policy... I would probably not shop there anymore... I would find another store with a more reasonable policy.

Thanks for the heads up though... since I take a long time to browse I usually visit a site and make a list before I clear cookies and shop...
I'll have to be more careful in the future.

[bartleby1]

Correct about the paid emails. We've had a couple of cases lately where our member clicked on a paid email from another site and it set a cookie and that site got credit. And some merchants are related...so if you click on a paid email for beauty.com or visiondirect (I think), it sets a cookie for drugstore.com.

There is also a movement in the affiliate world that if you click on another website directly or through a google search or whatever and THEN click on a rewards site, the rewards site does not get credit. You have to ONLY click on our link EVER for us to get the credit. They are really starting to crack down.

EVER is ridiculous. I guess they are starting to track by IP address then? Not sure how else they could since cookies can be deleted. Wow. "EVER" just doesn't seem quite right.

[sammielynn]

Wow, that's a lot to remember. But if you know the rules you can play by them. But SR is my one and only site:sunshine2:

[cglaura]

.....

There is also a movement in the affiliate world that if you click on another website directly or through a google search or whatever and THEN click on a rewards site, the rewards site does not get credit. You have to ONLY click on our link EVER for us to get the credit. They are really starting to crack down.

Can you clarify this. Do you mean never click on thisparticularstore dot com link through another rewards site, just here.

Or can you not click on thisparticularstore dot com link from a search engine or even type the address into your browser to look at the site.

So say I want a shirt, I can't even go to the site directly from my browser to "window shop" so I know what to order when I do go through SR?

I understand the not clicking on another rewards site, but if it is the latter scenario that is just an insane rule from the advertisers.

[SunshineGirl]

If you go directly to the store or do a google search and come across the store, they will record your visit on their end. If you browse their site and then come to our site and click on our link before making the purchase, they reserve the right either to not pay me at all or to pay me only a minimum amount.

Their justification (which in part is true) is that you found them without me and would probably have made the purchase even if they were not on my site. So why do they owe me any money for the purchase?

Of course, we argue that you might have decided NOT to make the purchase if you did not get cash back or that you maybe bought MORE because you were getting cash back or I gave you a good coupon. But that's only rhetorical and we can't prove it.

[askomsky]

If you go directly to the store or do a google search and come across the store, they will record your visit on their end. If you browse their site and then come to our site and click on our link before making the purchase, they reserve the right either to not pay me at all or to pay me only a minimum amount.

Their justification (which in part is true) is that you found them without me and would probably have made the purchase even if they were not on my site. So why do they owe me any money for the purchase?

Of course, we argue that you might have decided NOT to make the purchase if you did not get cash back or that you maybe bought MORE because you were getting cash back or I gave you a good coupon. But that's only rhetorical and we can't prove it.

Wow they are cracking down... I can attest that there are some purchases I would have never made on the internet if it weren't for the good deal thru SR and getting the % back. Kohls and Target are the last 2 I can think of. I have quite a few of each store nearby, but the savings going thru SR was much better then in-store.

Oh well, we know now.... Make sure you don't click on anything else after you've cleared cookies to make a purchase!

Thanks for keeping us informed!

[missymouse]

I know that I never went to the site that I purchased my Pancake Puff from other than through SR and they have denied the credit because they have no record of the click through. I probably visited the site about 5 times before finally deciding I did need the Pancake Puff and I am absolutely positively sure I went through SR all 5 times. But I do like the Pancake Puff so while disappointed that I didn't get my $1 credit I am happy with my purchase.

[cglaura]

If you go directly to the store or do a google search and come across the store, they will record your visit on their end. If you browse their site and then come to our site and click on our link before making the purchase, they reserve the right either to not pay me at all or to pay me only a minimum amount.

Their justification (which in part is true) is that you found them without me and would probably have made the purchase even if they were not on my site. So why do they owe me any money for the purchase?

Of course, we argue that you might have decided NOT to make the purchase if you did not get cash back or that you maybe bought MORE because you were getting cash back or I gave you a good coupon. But that's only rhetorical and we can't prove it.

Ok, while I don't agree with their policies, at least I know why they are doing what they do. Thanks for the explanations Tricia! Maybe they'll at least lengthen the time of the cookies, as I know some can expire in as little as an hour. I think that would be fair for us that have like to look around alot. I don't do a whole lot of shopping and don't usually have issues with credits, but it is good info to have.

[lanny76]

I read some advice earlier, a few weeks ago, on the shopping forum about maybe looking at the site to see what you want, and then clearing cookies, and doing your shopping so you didn't take a long time - as apparently if your session is too long, your cookie might expire and you don't get credit. Anyway, reading through these posts makes me wonder if this is the sort of thing that might lead to not getting credit sometimes? I mean, if you didn't go thru SR, but just looked at say Old Navy to see what you wanted, and then, after clearing cookies, went thru SR to make your purchase, is this the sort of thing they're cracking down on?
I guess I have gone thru SR to look at the site first - cleared cookies then. Usually I go back the next day to buy, and so haven't really had problems with things crediting. Just wondering about this sort of thing more now after reading this thread.
I don't shop online thru any other means than SR - and I would never have thot my credit could end up somewhere else anyway, so I will certainly be more careful about what I might click or other sites/stores I might visit before buying something!

[Ellen aka Snow White]

This could explain my problem with getting credit from Office Depot. When we need something here for our home office I always go directly to their site and another office suppy store (not a SR merchant) to compare the prices. When comparing, I always figure in my % back from SR - if Office depot has the better price (usually the % back gives them the edge), then I come here, log in and shop, therefore if it wasn't for this site - I would be purchasing from the other supply place!
Ellen

[Blessing and Miracle]

When I'm browsing, I go through SR! If there is something that I think I might want I put it in the basket, create an account and close it out. If I want the items, I go back later through SR and sign into my account. Most of the time the items are still there. I even do this if I think I've been browsing too long and as Angie has said, if you browse too long, they lose track of your cookies!

Sorry you didn't get your credit!

[MdCaterer]

If you go directly to the store or do a google search and come across the store, they will record your visit on their end. If you browse their site and then come to our site and click on our link before making the purchase, they reserve the right either to not pay me at all or to pay me only a minimum amount.

Their justification (which in part is true) is that you found them without me and would probably have made the purchase even if they were not on my site. So why do they owe me any money for the purchase?

Of course, we argue that you might have decided NOT to make the purchase if you did not get cash back or that you maybe bought MORE because you were getting cash back or I gave you a good coupon. But that's only rhetorical and we can't prove it.

Well this may be flawed thinking BUT when I think of or see something I want to buy be it from an ad or whatever. I usually check the site for the price and then check SR to see if they are a merchant AND if they aren't I will try and find it through SR first. IT is crazy that when you go to purchase and you click through SR they don't give credit because you have been to their site before. That is like saying I can't buy a shirt in Penneys if I saw it at Walmart first. Sheesh. I bet that is what happened with Disney and I have stuck to my guns and not purchased anything from them since December and I have found other gifts at other sites SO they may get too far ahead of themselves.