Skimlinks trial on MSE forums

JimmyTheWig

Horlock wrote: »

if MSE is so desperate for cash I think they would be better running google adds down the right hand side of the page

This would completely go against the ethos of MSE. You would end up with adverts for the very things that MSE is advising against...

crin

I mainly use the competitions forum although I occassinally venture onto some of the others.

I am very unhappy at the redirect link used as I avoid pop ups and redirects like the plague as I prefer to be in control of which sites I visit or link to. There could also be a privacy issue whereby the referred link could also access info you didn't want them to.

I am not very techy minded but I am very unhappy and if skimlinks is adopted would be very tempted to avoid using ANY links posted on mse.

meher

I see what you mean Old Wrinkly, and it makes sense thanks.

espresso

crin wrote: »

I mainly use the competitions forum although I occassinally venture onto some of the others.

I am very unhappy at the redirect link used as I avoid pop ups and redirects like the plague as I prefer to be in control of which sites I visit or link to. There could also be a privacy issue whereby the referred link could also access info you didn't want them to.

I am not very techy minded but I am very unhappy and if skimlinks is adopted would be very tempted to avoid using ANY links posted on mse.

The choice is yours, use of the forum is not compulsory!

robt_2

espresso wrote: »

The choice is yours, use of the forum is not compulsory!

You know that it is a trial and that feedback was specifically asked for?

espresso

robt wrote: »

You know that it is a trial and that feedback was specifically asked for?

Yes I do but I also don't think that a few "very unhappy" users will affect the outcome of the trial, especially if they don't understand how it works etc.

nzseries1

I haven't read through the thread fully but just wanted to give my 2 cents.

In Martin's weekly email this week, he gave a link to a thread discussing cheap towels at Argos. That thread contained links to direct products within argos, but when you right clicked them, they then changed to show the underlying affiliate link i.e. www. moneysavingexpert .com/redir/something something... so you can see this new software in action if you look hard enough.

My view is that if Martin gets a few extra pennies because I bought these towels, then that's fantastic, doesn't cost me any extra! As for quidco, the quidco help site suggests you clear all your cookies beforehand, or use a different web browser, which I do all the time anyway.

It should definitely be posted somewhere reasonably clear though so that people are aware what's going on. An option to turn it off would be nice but I don't think that's strictly required.

Former_MSE_Archna

I've posted this because MSE Dan has gone on annual leave for a week. MSE Ian, who is our developer looking at this, will still be monitoring technical issues, but the bigger issues will left for MSE Dan on his return.


Thanks

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Update note 13 August:

As we continue the trial we’ve learnt much more about how Skimlinks interacts with our forum.

a. The visible underlying link may change if you right click

One of the discoveries is if you specifically right click a link (instead of just clicking it and going through) in preparation for opening it in a new tab or window, the software changes the underlying link on your webpage. Although it does not change the post in our database.

So from this point onward (unless you refresh the page) if you hover your mouse over the link, you will now see the new underlying skimlink which will have a MoneySavingExpert referral reference.

To clarify the situation as far as we (currently) best understand it:

The text and content of your posts (what people read) shouldn't change.

The link text on the page that people read, whether it's a www.bbc.co.uk style link or a cool BBC news page style link, won't change.

The final destination when people click through a link shouldn't change. In other words, if you've linked to a specific toilet brush on Amazon, when they click the link they will get to that toilet brush on Amazon.

Yet the actual link used to send people through will change to an MSE referral link, and if you right click beforehand, when you hover over it you will see this in the bottom left of your screen.

b. Cashback sites

Some people have questioned the impact on this for cashback site users and if it will affect the tracking of their cashback.

As far as we are aware it shouldn’t affect cashback, as it’s all about the last ‘tracked link’ used, as this is the way they operate, so as long as it’s the last link you click it should be fine.

We haven’t yet had any reports of this not working, and we’re talking to the cashback sites to double check this. Though, obviously, as the trial continues we will monitor it (it’s reasons like this we’re doing a trial).

Again, to reiterate, our focus is ensuring it doesn't impact users’ MoneySaving in any way, so this is important to us.

c. Competitions Board

Some people have been worried that these links could stop people being allowed to enter competitions, because it is being tracked.

This is highly unlikely, as frankly they know where you're coming from anyway (google analytics and other standard software they will have track this). Plus links are only changed if skimlinks has a relationship with the company in which case again it's unlikely to be a problem as competitions and referrals are given to try and bring traffic in anyway.

Yet, of course, we will monitor it. If there is any practical impact on people's MoneySaving then we will look to protect that. However there have been no reports of it actually happening that we know of (please keep us informed).

d. Opt out

We are currently looking at whether it would be possible to introduce an opt out for any registered users if we do go ahead with after the trial. It looks likely, though we're not there yet.

While we'd hope if we choose to do this people won't opt out, as the increased resources amongst other things will allow us to improve the forum. But, if that's what people want, we will try and provide it (if it's possible).

Do remember most sites would have added this without telling you and say be done with it. As always, that's not our way.

Please do report any practical issues with any of this, or if you discover we’ve got this update wrong in any way (we’re trying to learn it as quickly as possible) - that's the point of a trial.

Heinz

I wish I was young enough to understand (or care) whatever you said there Archna. But I'm not.

TurkishDelight

Just wanted to say thanks for the announcement thread thingmy.

It's much better I think (and that really wasn't meant to sound as patronising as it probably did )