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“When the walls came tumbling down
When the walls came tumbling down
When the walls came tumbling down
Everybody ran as they screamed at the sound’… Def Leppard

More titillating tidbits on my WAHM Affiliate Marketing experience!

Today I resigned from all but maybe two, of the small WAHM companies I belonged to as an Independent Consultant for Affiliate Marketing.

That’s it, I’m done, I’ve heard, seen and had enough of it.

I got an e-mail today from a company I was a rep for ~ Beautiful Diva.

The email indicated that affiliate links would no longer take a customer directly to your shopping cart, but rather a “landing/splash” page.  The customer would then have the option to search for a representative by entering their zip code, name or other methods.

WTH?  I’m going to put up a banner link to a site ~ have a potential customer click through to it ~ and then have that potential customer enter their zip code to find a different rep?

Who are they going to search for under “name” ~ Moomettesgram?  My full name used to be displayed before they did a U-Turn on their marketing tactics.

I don’t think so.  Down came that banner and ~ exit, stage left.  No more rep for that company.

My advice to anyone who’s thinking of becoming an Affiliate Rep, is this:

Before you sign up with a new WAHM company, check to see where your customer is going to land.  Otherwise - all you’re going to be doing is putting up a banner for the company gratis, and you won’t see any sales.

How many of my readers know what my zip code is?  I speak often of living in New England ~ Connecticut specifically ~ but I don’t think anyone is going to find me through that method.

If you blog and use banners, do all your readers know what state you live in?  Do you use your real name, or a by-line?

Really, young ones, think this one through.  Don’t just blindly do everything these companies ask you to do.  You are going to be taken for a ride if you do.

Another reason I’ve left several companies is that many are signed up with JROX.  One particular company made their reps sign up at least 3 times for a new JROX affiliate ID.  Talk about confusion.  No sales there ~ the website was down ~ the affiliate IDs didn’t work~ excuses, excuses.  I’m outta there.

Nope.  The only companies I’m with now are basically through big-name affiliate sites.  I’ll stick with those for awhile, and see how it goes.

No more small potatoes.

If anyone has any other experiences and you find you’re rolling in dough, speak up, and add yourself as a subscriber if you’d like to hear my continuing saga!

“Cruella De Vil, Cruella De Vil.

If she doesn’t scare you, no evil thing will…“

Well, well, well. As a follow-up to my post forewarning my young, nubile readers who are eager to enter the cut-throat world of work-at-home mom online ecommerce entrepreneurship, I am again chronicling my experiences.  As a Baby Boomer, I’m a little thicker-skinned than some of you younger moms.  But listen-up to Gram here ~keep up your guard and keep your ears & eyes wide open.

I’ll cut to the chase early.  One of my businesses got skinned alive by Cruella Hosting Services.

Read between the lines here.

For those who want to continue reading, this may get lengthy. But it’s interesting, so take a chance.

Continuing my experiences in the Hell Hall world of a WAHM, I posted here about all the e-mails I got to sign up for early renewals of this, that and every other thing. I canceled my annual subscription to Cruella’s hosting and design service that my business was on since it was scheduled for  ‘auto renewal’ through Paypal. I wanted to make sure this site didn’t charge me again because I was going to use the affiliate links provided through the respective companies, rather than having them all on a mini web site that I had created.

Coincidentally, at the same time, I contacted Cruella Hosting Service to ask for a URL redirect for one of my banners. Days went by, and I heard nothing. Surprise Surprise.

I fired off emails to every address I had from Cruella Hosting Service. This WAHM Dame Houdini has more email aliases than a Moose has Ticks at any given time (per recent news articles, that is about 35K).

I finally got one response today, and I am providing a synopsis of the flimsy excuses here:

…you have a yahoo email and some reason on Julie’s server I am not able to write to people with yahoo. I am not sure why. You need not be immature and treat people with respect if you want to get anywhere in business. I don’t take demands. I must of not got your email request. I removed you from my server you need to find another host. I hold the right to refuse service to anyone who acts in a bad or disruptive matter.

…I am sorry I don’t take demands. Your site is being removed. No one demands me to do something.

Just for your information I didn’t ask for money I offered early renewal for discount rate. You no longer need that…

I told you you were removed from our services. You don’t demand your host and designer to do something imediately. I never got your update email. I have a form everyone fills out for updates. I have a forum for people to get the updated info. You don’t go tell your host to do the work imediately specially when I do free updates. You never paid me to work imediately. Updates are sometimes on tuesdays but mainly 1st and 15th. The form makes sure i get the updates. You will need to find you a new host. You can’t go back to Julie because you left her services. You probably owe her money. (proviso, NOT.) I am not sure. We are on the same server so you left Julie to stay on the same server. Respect is demanded with my services.

sorry for the small amount I charge I offer no refunds.

Judy

Keep in mind that Cruella has the audacity to blame me for being impatient because she didn’t respond to my numerous requests for the redirect. I filed off a grievance to Paypal for services not received, although I don’t believe I’ll see any relief.

Here’s my response:

Your excuse is ridiculous about my using a Yahoo email address.

You have more than 3 email addresses I have been writing to.

There’s this one, there’s xxx
There’s the one that payment was sent to on Paypal, there’s the one that’s listed on Paypal
There’s also xxx
I had written to them all, and never heard back from you. I requested the URL redirect quite some time ago, which more than covered your day of the week that you work to make the requested changes. It’s easy for you to use the excuse that you never got an email. I don’t buy that.

And you have the audacity to blame me because you’re not performing up to snuff, and I am the paying customer. And what does bringing up that other person you referred to have to do with our business transaction? Squat.

Not to worry. I have a WAHM tips blog.

No loss on my part.

Some people are just so shady and slick, and operate their market place mama businesses like flea or tick central dot info hell halls.

If you want the down and dirty of it all, just let me know.

Update: And then for some strange reason, after this post went to press, with no warning, I got kicked out of The Mom Pack tonight. No emails, no nothing, just no access.  Coincidence? Technical hiccup?   Gossip Wag?  Wicked Stepsisters from Mom Pack?

What do you think?

Well, the saga of my experiences as an Affiliate Marketer continues. My faithful WAHM readers may be familiar with my promise to keep you informed on how things are going with being an Affiliate Marketing Independent Consultant.

It’s not going. In fact, it’s going bye-bye.

My list of banners and buttons is getting smaller. Tonight I resigned from 4 more companies. Another one bites the dust. Why you may ask?

Well, I’m sick and tired of having to meet “Quota” each month or quarterly. Many of these Affiliate sales companies require you to make a quarterly purchase of at least…$25.00, which, I don’t feel like spending on something I may or may not need if I haven’t had any sales. There’s only so much I can put aside for Christmas, or give to my DDs.

I’ve decided to take the advice of a member of a WAHM forum who had commented on the same issue. Instead of spending money on Quota items, I’d rather spend the money and invest it into inventory for my own stores, either my eBay store or my Moomette’s Magnificents Olde Towne Shoppes. Actually, the way the economy is going right now, my gas tank might even be a good place to spend this “new-found” money.

The competition on the forums is fierce, with too many moms hawking the same affiliate products. They’re hawking the products through Yahoo Groups (don’t get me started again on those); through traffic exchanges; through forums. Not only that, turf wars exist. For example, before tonight’s drop and run, I had posted on a forum and apparently had stepped on someone’s toes ~ and heard about it. Give me a break. Thinking there were too many cooks in the kitchen, I resigned.

Here’s another example of why I dropped out. I invested in a domain name for one of the companies, and had it redirected to my affiliate URL. Each time I thought I had made a sale, I got an email from the company owner saying “we’re having a problem with the server ~ sorry, it came through the main site, not your affiliate URL ~ commission denied.” This happened one too many times. I wasn’t born yesterday, lady.

To add to this headache, I know I have “downlines” who signed up under me. One company refused to give me the name of my downline, except under pressure when I asked. Think I’ve seen any money in my Paypal account from any of her sales? Not.

I’m still giving the companies a shot that don’t require a sign-up fee, nor require that you meet a monthly quota.

So tonight ladies, I’m just here to suggest that ~ perhaps your hard earned money can be better spent someplace else, rather than trying to meet a company owner’s mandated quota each month and fattening their pockets.

It’s brutal out there, and besides, it’ll cut down significantly on the junior high chit-chat e-mails when I unsubscribe from those Yahoo Groups.

A new highlight of my Blog will be featuring and offering site reviews of WAHM (Work-At-Home Mom) eBiz ventures. I would like to try to offer a “Best Of WAHM Site Award” Banner to a WAHM who’s site has been featured.

It’s great to see so many young women taking the plunge and becoming business owners and self-employed. This was essentially not an option when I was younger!

I’d like to start out by letting you know about a young, WAHM who is venturing into the Virtual Assistant services field.

Erin Hall has recently launched her EH Virtual Assistant Services website. Proud mom of a toddler daughter, Erin and her husband are expecting their second child . Describing herself as a team player and Varsity College Lacrosse Letter Winner, Erin’s drive and determination are certain to assure this mompreneur success in whatever she sets out to accomplish!

A Virtual Assistant (or simply VA), is an independent contractor providing administrative, technical, or sometimes creative assistance to clients …Wikpedia

Erin holds a B.S. in Communication, concentrating in Advertising and Marketing, with a Minor in Business Administration. Erin is experienced in all aspects of the sales and marketing area, with extensive experience in the Advertising and Pharmaceutical fields.

A sampling of the services that EH Virtual Assistant Services is able to offer are:

- Marketing/Advertising /Cold Calling/Mailings

- Business Promotion/Event Promotion & Conference Planning

- Advertising Copy and Articles

- Press Releases

- Creation of Training Materials

- Consulting Services

- Travel Arrangements

As each business has a different budget and need, one can request a free initial consultation.

Please take a moment to visit Erin’s site and see what areas she may be able to assist you with in your business!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If you would like the opportunity to be a featured WAHM on my blog, please drop me a note or comment to have your WAHM site or Blog reviewed and be considered for an Award Banner!

I recently did a post about the sluggish economy and how it might affect businesses. I’m a Bronze eBay Power Seller, as well as an affiliate independent consultant for several companies, and recently formed a Virtual Assistant Services ebiz.

Whenever I package an item to ship to my eBay customers, I cross-promote my Shoppes site and the companies that I rep for and include my business cards.  In order to qualify to be a Bronze Power Seller, I have to sell a minimum of 100 items per month. That’s quite a few business cards that I hand out ~ and that’s just to my eBay customers alone!

Though various eBay forums and business forums I belong to, I found out about Vista Print. Vista Print is a once-stop source for all your promotional business needs. I get many of my company business cards for FREE! There’s a wide selection of nicely designed templates that you can customize to personalize your cards and make them ‘your own.’ There’s also the opportunity to upload your own logos to design your business cards. Vista Print has a category design for everything – boutiques, mineral makeup, spa, beauty, gardening services, house cleaning services – you name it, they have it!

Additionally, VistaPrint offers a wide array of very affordable printing services including:, checks, rubber stamps, announcements, and car magnets! They even offer window decals. You can customize all of their products to your liking!

Since many are free, I order often, and leave my card in  the establishments I patronize: local hairdresser; restaurants; banks; and also supply the whole family with cards to pass out to anyone they think might be interested in my businesses! Grow your business with Vista Print!

In my continuing quest to retire, I’ve recently become an Independent Consultant for Seriesse International.

This time I think I got it right. Seriesse International was established by Jennifer Flavin-Stallone, who is featured on HSN. Even though I’m a Baby Boomer, I’ve been using the Serious Skin Care products for years and years, and I can’t say enough about them! It doesn’t hurt that I’ve been blessed with pretty good skin genes… you should have seen my grandmother who lived to be 101. You would have thought she was in her 70s. These products will benefit people of all ages.

This is not a paid post. This is my honest opinion. I came across a banner on a WAHM forum that I belong to, and recognized Jennifer’s picture. Once I saw that there was an opportunity to become associated with her products, I jumped at the chance!

I have my own website, and now I can get my favorite products at a discount! The launch is recent, and from what I hear and understand, it is supposed to be B-I-G!

I’m glad I got in on the ground floor!

Visit today to see how to become an independent consultant and what it’s all about!

When my DD was pregnant with ‘Lil Moomette, she developed preeclampsia and was relegated to bed rest for the remainder of her term. Now, mind you, when this child was 2, I purchased the book entitled “The Difficult Child” for my easy reading pleasure. To envision her on total bed rest doing puzzles or watching TV…I have to say I’m glad she was finally induced.

I belong to several networking forums, and one of the gals indicated she is somewhat of a shut-in and recovering from surgery, on bed rest and is looking for a way to pass time. Forum members wished her a speedy recovery and mentioned that we’ll be looking forward to her posts on her progress. I suggested she start a blog or ezine to promote her eBay business!

Why The Most Popular Home Based Business Opportunity These Days Involves A Blog

by Carael Knight

Today more than ever, chances are that if you have found a successful home based business opportunity, then most likely it involves either the heavy use of a high traffic blog or two or alternatively you’re making use of some effective classified ads to generate your targeted traffic.

It is no secret that popular search engines love blogs because of the fresh and constantly updated content found in plenty in this amazing new medium. Most bloggers have no problem enthusiastically updating their content daily or on a regular basis because they love their blogs since they give them “a voice” and a unique chance to publish their views and comments on a subject that they are usually crazy about. This powerful combination of factors has ensured that blogs have grown in leaps and bounds. The result has been the emergence of a powerful and effective medium that is by far the best for promoting any home based business opportunity.

In actual fact what happens is that the blogger uses the blog to work their home based business opportunity by directing some of the huge traffic to appropriate affiliate programs they have already signed up for. They mostly do this by making good use of affiliate links pasted at prominent and very visible positions all over the blog site.

So what happens is that the blogger has lots of fan blogging while at the same time working their home based business opportunity.

But blogging admittedly is not for everyone. And that is why there are those who use carefully selected effective classified ads to direct targeted traffic their home based business opportunity site.

Why just about anyone can make money online

Most people think that making money online is one of the most difficult things in the world and yet the reality is that anyone can make some serious money online. It really is easier than you think.

What makes it difficult is the attitude and the approach of most people. Many have plunged in blindly and inevitably the have failed. The net is full of these failures and they are constantly busy telling others that it cannot be done, just because they themselves failed.

Actually one of the biggest hindrances and obstacles to folks making money online is that most of us want to do it overnight and without having to learn anything first. This is a really strange mindset when you think about it because doctors train for years before they can be allowed to practice and commercial airline pilots also train for years before they can be allowed to fly passengers. So why should you expect to start an online business today and start making money tomorrow. Is that really realistic? Is it any wonder that so many people have failed in their efforts to make quick money online?

The big secret here that should not even be a secret is that anyone who takes a little time to learn the ropes and takes their minds off making money for a short time only will quickly find that they can earn much more than doctors and airline pilots after just a few months (instead of years) of learning. In other words anyone who is prepared to take the time to learn can make money online.

Carael Knight is a very aggressive Internet marketing expert.

MajorEnterprise is an Independent Internet Marketing And Advertising Company That Specializes In Boosting Website Sales.
Article Source: The WAHM Shack Article Directory

The beat goes on, the beat goes on

 Drums keep pounding a rhythm to the brain 

La de da de dee, la de da de da

Sonny and Cher

You know, being a Baby Boomer has its advantages.  I’m so happy the Internet evolved.  It’s the perfect platform for Boomers to continue to protest and grandstand.  As I came of age in the early ’70s, I was in college during the Peace Rallies, Love-Ins and Protest Demonstrations.  So hang on to your Jimmy Choo’s, now that I have a Blog, I can fulfill my inner New England Curmudgeon, feminist, bra-burning, march-to-the-tune-of-a-different-drummer beat.  “And the Beat Goes On…”

So goes the continuing saga of my experiences as an Affiliate Rep.  I’m beginning to question whether this is something I really want to be associated with.  The products are great, but the methods and tactics some of you WAHMs use to promote and peddle your wares are definitely questionable.

Come’ on ladies, if you’re a WAHM signed up to be an Affiliate Marketer, you a) either have young kids or b) have grown kids.  Don’t you read the news, Blogs, whatever?  - there’s a whole generation of kids being raised  with a bad case of the “gimmies”  who think they should be living a life of entitlement and instant self-gratification.   I posted about this awhile ago during the holiday shopping season here.

This is an actual portion of a post from a WAHM (I’m led to believe) that appeared within the last day or so  on a Yahoo Group Affiliate Membership forum that I belong to:

….I don’t have any teen girls, How is the best way to find them with out seeming like the creeping lady on the corner outside of school? Most of my friends have small kids, (under 10) Thanks for any help.

This person was trying to infiltrate the ‘tween set to peddle products that might be of interest to ‘tweens.

And here was my posted response:

 Hi ~

There are many charitable organizations out and around that are really looking for volunteers to help with teen mentoring  programs or the disadvantaged.

I would suggest checking with your local social services agencies, church groups, school PTA’s, after school programs, YWCAs and the like.  I’m sure they’d be more than happy to assign you to work with and get to know some teens!

Sarcasm intended.  Get real.  Now I’m a mom of 2 grown daughters.  One’s a college grad ~ the other’s finishing her Junior year in college.  Ever hear about the credit card offers that come in daily targeting these kids?  Ever wonder why they’re graduating with a mountain of credit card debt (mine did Not and are Not) and student loans before they even get a chance to cash their first post-college paycheck?

Are you WAHMs that desperate that you have to go after the middle school set to push your products?  Shame on you.

While I believe in many of the products I offer, I’d like to think I’m not desperate.  If you click on my banners and like the products enough to make a purchase, fine.  But you won’t find me trying to be a pusher and sell to kids who should instead be learning about money-management.  They get enough of that in ‘tween magazines, radio, TV and peer pressure.

 Anyone out there have a conscience?

Well, after my diatribe the other night about Yahoo Group Swap, Trade, Barter and Shopping groups, I feel it’s necessary to bring to the forefront my experiences so far in Affiliate Marketing. Read on. This is important stuff I’m going to tell all you WAHMs.

Back in February I posted a very good article concerning the advantages of signing up to be an Affiliate Marketer ~ here. The article made some excellent points. While I still believe there are benefits to being an Affiliate Rep, I am now adding a proviso to my previous comments.

I’m specifically referring to the section concerning..

Remember that not all affiliate programs are good. Many of them only offer products that you would not want to give away for free to your mother-in-law. Furthermore, the support program and training offered is not always top quality.

As you can see from my blog header, yes, I am an affiliate for a number of companies. However, not all the companies I started out with have their banners on my site any more. Let me explain why.

I thought I carefully researched each company I wanted to represent. If you’re considering joining as an affiliate for supplemental income, just don’t make your decision based on the the fact that the company has a “pretty banner” (I didn’t). The point in the article is to believe in the product you will be representing.

What the article doesn’t say…and mark my words…is ~ here I go again, pay attention to what’s going on in the Yahoo Membership Groups that you’re required to join. Pay attention to the chit-chat and bantering between the reps. It’s almost like being in a room at a party - you have to be in tune with the “body language” of people ~ or in this case, “virtual body language” ~ the nuances of the conversations going on.

Case in point. One of the affiliate companies I belonged to, I noticed that reps were constantly asking “I ordered, but my product hasn’t been sent out yet.” Red flag. I hadn’t had an order (yet), so not to worry for me. As time went on, I noticed the owner kept making excuses (not exactly exaggerating here) ~ there were: floods; tornadoes; ice storms; the electricity was out; family emergency out-of-state; doesn’t work on Sundays; someone broke into her house ~ you get the picture. And this was when she did bother to show up and answer any rep questions on her own site. Sometimes she had a friend post on her behalf. Click, “delete the banner” ~ I’m outta there.

Two recent examples ~ I was an affiliate rep for a company where the Yahoo Group posts from the company owner included “Please donate to my 18-year old daughter who’s in a family way, and make a virtual shower purchase from Walmart (here we go again) and have it sent to Walmart Store # xxx.” Nice photo of the kiddo.

Yahoo Group chit chat included details of the birth, blah blah. Then the posts started showing that the owner was having financial troubles, and conducting all her business from the local library, because her electricity was shut off. Reps wanted to know why their customer orders were taking so long. The final straw for me again ~ some “friendly, loyal reps were starting a “fund” to help the owner with her financial troubles. Click, “delete,” banner gone from my site.

In the second example, the owner of the company posted on her Yahoo Group board, whining that no one was contributing to her “fund” to send her two kiddos to Girl Scout Camp. Apparently they didn’t qualify for a scholarship this year. She had a fund set up with some internet-based group called “Chipin” where you get to donate money to whoever the whiner of the day is. My take on this was, which I posted before I hit the “delete my banner & remove me from this group” key (again), was ~my DH & I worked hard at our own FT jobs to send our own two DDs to summer camp when they were younger without asking the extended fam, much less strangers to contribute. Should you be in a philanthropic mood you might rather consider contributing to (and at least get a legitimate tax deduction)  the Paul Newman’s Whole In the Wall Gang Camp, or to the Petit Family Charity Fund. Get a life.

My point with this blog is, if you sign up to be an affiliate rep, try to make informed decisions. Do your research. And just don’t sign up for Yahoo Group notifications from the site administrator. Pay attention to what the posts are saying. You may not need daily emails, but check in at least once or twice a week on your own ~ read the posts, see what’s going on.

Again, most of it’s not pretty. There are some excellent companies out there, but then again, not.

If the banner’s still up on my site ~ so far, so good. Believe me, my eyes are watching.

Back in January or so, I did a couple of blog entries here and here praising the benefits of joining Yahoo Swap, Barter & Trade Groups, as well as Yahoo Shopping Groups, as a means of shedding excess eBay inventory and meeting quota for the various companies I’m an affiliate rep for.

Well, I’m eating humble pie now, and am here as a hard-working WAHM to tell you, whoa nelly, slow down before you do anything like that and make the same mistakes I did.

I’m so much wiser for it now, and I’d like to tell you why. If I had come across any blogs telling it like it is before I joined, I would have thought twice.

I played by all the rules. One rep per company, listed my items, tried to join in the conversations, promoted my specials, yada yada yada.

But it’s not pretty. On the swap groups, I got taken for a ride. I’ve withdrawn from all I ever joined. I listed pretty good inventory from my eBay store - NWT (New, With Tag) kids Baby Gap PJs, Webkinz, etc. I sent my items with Delivery Confirmation when the vultures snapped them up. Any time I went online (which was really, really often) to try to “grab” an item - nothing was listed. What was on there? Pacifiers (used?)…. I’m not kidding here; coasters, probably just junk that was lying around the house.

All the gals were begging for “Walmart” gift certificates, and grabbed anything they could get their hands on, leaving nothing else. What really was the last straw for me on one group was that someone was offering to “burn DVD’s” to swap. Now, anyone with an ounce of ethics knows that it’s illegal to do that. As a paralegal, I protested and said I didn’t want to be any part of that ~ guess what ~ the group owner decided to hold a “vote” to see what the group thought about burning the DVDs. Well, I was outta there - and withdrew faster than you could hit “enter.” And I left behind probably several hundred dollars in “points to spend” and figure the Walmart gals could use them more than I need them.

My latest rant today is about the “Shopping Groups” that promote one rep per company, and you get to be Consultant-of-the-Month (COTM.) I belonged to two groups. Each month, I faithfully placed my order, and waited my turn to be COTM.

There’s supposed to be two COTM per month. As a COTM, everyone is supposed to place an order with you, and theoretically, you can get 4-5 orders, which would allow you to meet quota. Well, the other rep got all the orders, and I only got one.

I got an email from one group member in response to my withdrawal, who had this to say about me: …. maybe no one wanted what i had to offer that month?

At this point, I’ve had enough of these cliquey, greedy groups. When I withdrew from one other shopping group today, one nice gal e-mailed me and said she was in agreement with me and ‘right behind me on her way out.’ Fortunately, there are some nice, honorable people that I met on these groups, but they’re  few & far between.

Am I whining? Yes, in a way, I admit it. But the only positive experience that I feel has come of this, is that I’m brazen enough to post it here and try to warn anyone who’s thinking that this is the next best thing since sliced bread, to think twice. You don’t want to end up with a bad taste in your mouth.