Moose on the Loose

As you are aware I firmly believe Ebay UK and/or their associates are in collaboration to bid on a vast number of urls of major retailers & organisations, basically infringing on their trademarks or intellectual property rights. And quite possibly using the reporting on CJ for their own campaigns.

So here is an example of one of literally hundreds: On Google UK, Ebay UK are bidding on the url “www.rspca.org.uk” which is an animal charity site known as the RSPCA which stands for the The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

Click Here : Note Geo-targetting may effect what you see so we shall put the screen grabs up soon.

Now you may have read my previous posts & comments about Ebay UK

Click Here for The Ebay Challenge

Beforehand they were using CJ (Commission Junction) links, now are they are doing it themselves with Ebays own rover technology (i realise this is also available to their affiliates as well & is currently compatible with the CJ system). When you view the link properties it reads as follows:

By the way, will the real PID=2021892 please stand up

www.rspca.org.uk

SID=r_uk156_39883 suggesting someone is tracking a lot of keywords

Ascertained from:

http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=L&ai=…zQmLpZuPAvv4hp
QF0IYDEAUYBSC2VCgFMAE4AFCz-bJgYLsGmAGHiAGYAcyeBqoBGm9yZy5tb3ppbGx
hOmVuLUdCOm9mZmljaWFsyAEB2QNQpQUqIqSdl-ADCA&num=5&q=
http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/710-5232-2978-1/1%3F
SID%3Dr_uk156_39883%26AID%3D9479574%26
PID%3D202189 2%26loc%3D
http%253A//search.ebay.co.uk/search/rspca.org.uk*_W0QQfclZ4Q
QfnuZ1QQflocZ1QQsaslcZ3&usg=AFrqEzcJtdJdwnCBAg7cgkyJtILSp-9KPg

However, analysis of other links might suggest it’s Ebay own paid search activity, once the full database is compiled is presentable enough, we should be forthcoming with it.

eBay Announces their own affiliate infrastructure

I do wonder if CJ are still reluctant to pursue any further because of Ebay being one of their main clients.

Anyhow, back on track .. this is the landing page

Click Here for Landing Page

As you see there is no relevancy, which illustrates another of non-existant Google’s Quality Score Algos. Plus Google have declared in communication by email & telephone that in their opinion there is nothing wrong with Ebay bidding on other organisation url’s and don’t see anything wrong with page relevancy, when all its displaying is yet another bunch of Google Adense. Hence, an MFA.

We have come across not only numerous url’s but many other obscure terms, some so strange maybe only one or two people bid on (where did they acquire this data from?) Whereby all of these simply point to Google Adsense Ads.

Now I have no objection to MFA sites and as for ourselves we don’t use Google Adsense. They have contacted me intermittently to try and persuade us to adopt it on our sites which we have always declined .. in the current climate there is no chance when there are better & more flexible options available … however examing the vast number of keywords we are aware off … Ebay seems to be a Glorified MFA Site!

The brand intrusion is my biggest gripe when “some” networks and merchants are too yellow to take on or question Ebay, yet they will happily yield a big stick & ride roughshod over affiliates, whilst Google simply permits the big boys to do as they please whether ppc or seo.

Here is a related thread from KirstyM, which may eleviate part of the problem.

No More Blue Bums & Fanny Magnets For E-bay Affiliates

Here is a simple way to ascertain whether Ebay UK is encroaching on your company trademark or url (website address) or other well known ones that you are aware off.

It’s Quite simple really:

• Step 1: Within Google UK, type in the URL’s of 10 well known charities & then search i.e. www.barnardos.org.uk, there are dozens of them.

• Step 2: Into Google UK, type in the URL’s of 10 well known retail or finance or holiday companies i.e. www.butlinsonline.co.uk, again there are hundreds of them.

• Step 3: Into Google UK, type in the URL’s of any sites you have which are popular or other affiliates you are aware of. i.e. one good affiliate site is www.reviewcentre.com

Remember to try the above without the prefix “www.” as well

Please note the results maybe geo-targeted and may not show for your specific location.

Objectives : Observe the number of sponsored ads featuring “Ebay” & even “Ask” encroaching on the owners of those trademarks or intellectual property.Where is the ethics on taking money away from charities?

Spread the word to any companies you work closely with. Because this has been directly addressed with Ebay, as well as Google who in my opinion have the same hypocritical mindset & was also addressed with the affiliate network Commission Junction (as it’s CJ links which are being used at the time of this post).

Yet still none of them have had the decency to address this effectively.

If it’s your company being affected are you too yellow (chicken) to take on Ebay & ask / insist they stop this practice, whether it be them or close associates?

Report Ebay UK to the following:

Advertising Standards Authority, Office of Fair Trading, Trading Standards or the DTI,

or Alternatively send an email to any Newspapers or industry trade magazines like NMA or Revolution then perhaps this may then cease.

They are potentially taking away business & customers away from you !!!

If you are one of the very few who has arrived here via our Google Adwords Advert via the search on my name or namesake, then a warm welcome to you.

As of the time of this post it has only received 22 impressions & 4 clicks with a CTR of 18.18% and Avg. CPC of $0.04

For the record, unlike what the Ebay advert suggests on the following link, I am not for sale nor up or auction on Ebay, I cannot be bought .. oh … unless it’s my my favourite curry … and no it doesn’t contain Moose Meat as an ingredient … that would be cannalbilsm.
For those who are wondering what the heck I am on about, visit the following links which is a search on my name & read the relevant thread in the A4U Forum. It questions Ebay’s or their partners unethical practice on bidding on protected trademarks and/or properties & inappropiate phrases whether it’s deemed as passing off … or .. derogatory words or keywords that clearly contravines Google so called Quality Standards.

Click Here for A4U Forum
Click Here for Google Adwords Ad

I am a little disappointed nobody has bidded on me, oh well, at least my children love me.

Let’s see how long it takes Google Adwords to disapprove our relevant advert & allow Ebays irrelevant one as seen here at the current time of posting.

Just incase they do, we have taken the liberty of collecting a screen grab for you.

The simple intention of this particular blog is an amusing send up of Googles questionable & irelevant Quality Score with a suggested bias against affiliates in it’s algorithmic behaviour, in favour of the bigger, deep pocket corporations like Ebay, and the double standards & unfair practices we feel are happening in the industry which will be well documented in due course and should be brought forward to industrial bodies.

I will add to this at a slightly later date but for the time being enjoy the thread on the A4 Forum, but remember the serious undertones in the infringement of your business & trademarks whether you are an affiliate or merchant, and ascertain for yourselves where the faults & reasons lie … Because this blog will eventually attempt to uncover the answers to the question “How Deep Does the Rabbit Hole Go!”

A Message to Ebay & Google: ” Pack It In You Moose Pimps .. This is Moose Abuse & The Moose Cannot Be Bought” … Quote kindly suggested by a friend.