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A note from your Moderator - POSTS ABOUT CRAFTSY SALES ARE SPAM (updated)

post #1 of 34
12/22/12 at 8:24pm
Thread Starter 
There has been new members that have become Craftsy affiliates. They are posting links for Crafty sales in their threads. If you click on THEIR link and buy a class, they get paid. You have no idea, you just click on the link and you are at the Craftsy website, but you are really being filtered thru a different site that tracks the sale then pays the person that owns the link. This type of solicitation is prohibited here but besides that, the members are not letting you know any of this - they are posting like they too are buying classes and just want to spread the word. Totally deceptive and uncool.

I have literally just deleted 6 different threads all started today, all by members looking to make a free buck from this forum. I will be deleting and banning any member that is continuing to violate our terms of service and posting about the sale when they are clearly affiliates that get paid for selling the classes.

If you want to take advantage of the Craftsy sale, you should do it by using one of the Cake Central banner ads. Why? Because Cake Central gets paid as an affiliate, and these types of sales are what keep the lights on here!

UPDATE: I heard from the wonderful people at Craftsy and their affiliate terms of agreement totally prohibit this type of posting. They too ask that if you see these types of posts in the future you please flag them as SPAM.

Feel free to discuss the value of the classes or even to talk about the sale, but people that post links to it that is not the Cake Central affiliate link or a direct link to the Craftsy website will be banned.

Thank you. Now go buy a Craftsy class. From us!
Edited by FromScratchSF - 12/23/12 at 11:29am
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post #2 of 34
12/22/12 at 9:14pm
I've seen other forums where user-created links to retailers (with or without referral IDs) are automatically replaced with affiliate links that benefit the forum. You may want to talk to the folks at Huddler to see if they can do this.
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My experimental blog: The Bakery Business Perspective
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My experimental blog: The Bakery Business Perspective
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post #3 of 34
12/22/12 at 10:38pm
Oh! So that's why everyone is so friggin enthusiastic about them so suddenly. Yeah, they're pretty cool, but all this syrup was making my teeth hurt....

I would rather make 1 cake for $150, than 3 for $50 each.

The person who works for nothing will always have plenty to do!

My sarcasm is good-humored. People generally really like me, in person ;-) 

Licensed, inspected, insured, home-based commercial...

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I would rather make 1 cake for $150, than 3 for $50 each.

The person who works for nothing will always have plenty to do!

My sarcasm is good-humored. People generally really like me, in person ;-) 

Licensed, inspected, insured, home-based commercial...

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post #4 of 34
12/22/12 at 11:09pm
Thread Starter 

And please, if any of you see these links posted, please flag them as SPAM because that's what they are.  

 

Thank you!

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post #5 of 34
12/23/12 at 11:31am
Thread Starter 

This is the Cake Central link to the sale!

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post #6 of 34
12/23/12 at 11:40am
I, too, wondered about all the sudden enthusiasm! I mean, if one is tacky enough to self-promote in such a vulgar way, at least do it with more discretion.

Hero of the month:   Amina Tyler

 

 

The Christian right is neither.

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Hero of the month:   Amina Tyler

 

 

The Christian right is neither.

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post #7 of 34
12/23/12 at 1:07pm

My apologies to CC.  I got the original link from Craftsy in my email, and placed my order for 2 classes through the Craftsy site.  May I give credit to CC "after the fact"?  I can cancel my original order and then re-order thru the CakeCentral link above.

 

What do you suggest?   I appreciate you being on top of this and letting the CakeCentral membership know.  If I can help CakeCentral by purchasing something cool; I'm all for it!

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post #8 of 34
12/23/12 at 2:02pm
Thread Starter 

Apti, if you were sent an email direct then no worries or if you go directly to Craftsy then A-OK!  I'm specifically talking about threads started here by members titled "Craftsy sale!" or similar.  You go into the thread and it says "HI!  I just wanted to tell you all about the big Craftsy sale, I just bought a bunch of classes for myself!  Click on this link blablabla dot com for 70% off!"  

 

Or if someone responds to a thread asking for help, "Hey, I learned how to do that fondant technique on Craftsy!  They are having a big sale, go to blahblahblah dot com and the classes are 70% off!"

 

These links are tracking links for the affiliate to get paid on any classes you purchase.

 

If you bought classes thru one of these links your info is perfectly safe and there isn't much we can do at this point except flag these threads/posts as they come up.  And don't feel bad, I'm totally one of the people that saw a post last month right here and used an affiliate's link to buy a class and had no idea.  

 

This is NOT a reflection on Craftsy - they are an awesome site and the classes rock.  

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post #9 of 34
12/23/12 at 2:59pm

The way to tell if you've clicked on an affiliate link or not is to watch the tab of the browser when you click on a link. If it's a craftsy link it will go directly to craftsy. If it's an affiliate link it will change to "shareasale.com" or whatever other affiliate company they're going through first, then it will change to craftsy.

 

I'm an affiliate for a couple of sites and I have badges on my blog, but you're supposed to disclose that when you post a link that you're working for. It's basically like saying "advertising" at the top of the magazine story so that people know it's a paid ad and not editorial. If you don't disclose it, or if you post it where you don't have permission, you are a spammer!

http://www.acaketorememberva.blogspot.com
http://www.facebook.com/acaketoremember
http://www.youtube.com/karabuntin
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http://www.acaketorememberva.blogspot.com
http://www.facebook.com/acaketoremember
http://www.youtube.com/karabuntin
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post #10 of 34
12/24/12 at 11:56am

Thanks for the info.

 

Have a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS EVE AND CHRISTMAS DAY!

 

I love and cherish my cake buddies.

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post #11 of 34
12/25/12 at 11:09am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Apti View Post

Thanks for the info.

 

Have a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS EVE AND CHRISTMAS DAY!

 

I love and cherish my cake buddies.

 

And right back to you, Apti! And to all the members of this site!  Love that I found you all.  Love the support and stories here! Wishing all a Merry Christmas, a wonderful  Holiday Season, and a very Happy New Year!

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post #12 of 34
12/26/12 at 9:03am

Has anyone taken the purse class with Elisa Strauss on craftsy?  Would you recommend it?  Any classes that are good?  Thanks. 

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post #13 of 34
12/26/12 at 10:01am

Here's an idea. . . if you want to purchase something from Craftsy. . .or any other website, why not just go to that website?  Why would you go through some other random thread? Craftsy.com.  seriously. Course, then there's the person that posts their EBAY link every time someone on here asks where to purchase any kind of cake decorating tools or supplies. . . and so far, I haven't seen that person's remarks deleted or addressed even though they are sooooo blatant!!  Or it it just wrong if the other retailer is in competition with what CC sells? 

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post #14 of 34
12/26/12 at 10:03am

I'm going to do some class reviews on my blog, and believe me I'll tell whether they stink or not. The problem with most of them (problem for me) is that they're all designed for beginners for the most part, so while that's good for everyone being able to follow the lessons, they're not always teachy enough for me. I wish they'd rate them by skill level, that would be helpful.

http://www.acaketorememberva.blogspot.com
http://www.facebook.com/acaketoremember
http://www.youtube.com/karabuntin
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http://www.acaketorememberva.blogspot.com
http://www.facebook.com/acaketoremember
http://www.youtube.com/karabuntin
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post #15 of 34
12/26/12 at 10:08am

XXXXXXXXXX repeated posts about buying supplies at XXXXXXXXXXXXXX on XXXXXXmight be spam. . . . . . obviously XXXXXXXXXX is affiliated with this XXXXXXXX seller. 

 

*edited to remove further advertising.

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Cake Central › Cake Forums › Cake Talk › Cake Decorating › A note from your Moderator - POSTS ABOUT CRAFTSY SALES ARE SPAM (updated)