TOPCASHBACK a fraud

Scarpacci

Sheldon_Cooper wrote: »

These cashback sites really need to do more to overcome the 'set cookie' problem.

It may be a problem for the cashback sites (or more realistically, their users), but it's a feature to the affiliate networks, affiliates and merchants. It allow merchants the option to pay for the last click, first click or however they wish to reward affiliates for pushing sales. Cashback sites would be going into very dodgy waters if they somehow attempted to unset other legitimate cookies.

dacouch wrote: »

It would be interesting if someone who has not received a cashback from one of these websites for the above reasons to issue a Subject Access Report to see the information.

I doubt it would be interesting. The cashback sites will have no information on the final transaction at all - it will not appear to them if they're not credited for the sale. The affiliate network and merchant will not share information with them because the sale won't be tagged to them.

The only records the cashback site would have is you clicked this link on our site and we directed you to this merchant with this tracking ID, and no sale was ever reported. It would not prove who actually got credited for the sale.

N9eav wrote: »

Thanks for the posts. I know that most of you get your cash back. But what gets me is that they cannot or will not tell you where the money is gone.

Because they don't know. They only get information about the transaction if it's successfully tagged to them. It would be insane for every random affiliate marketeer to be able to ask where all the other sales are going when there's no connection to them.

N9eav wrote: »

Topcashback should be questioning Best Buy on my behalf and not be content with sorry we sent it somewhere else. Where is the money now?

Topcashback didn't send it elsewhere, it never went to them. The commission will have been paid by the affiliate network based on the relevant terms (first click, last click, etc.) and on the cookies present on your computer. The money will have gone to those who legitimately earned it under the conditions of the commission, which in this case happened not to the cashback site who would have passed it on to you.

Sheldon_Cooper

Scarpacci wrote: »

It may be a problem for the cashback sites (or more realistically, their users), but it's a feature to the affiliate networks, affiliates and merchants. It allow merchants the option to pay for the last click, first click or however they wish to reward affiliates for pushing sales. Cashback sites would be going into very dodgy waters if they somehow attempted to unset other legitimate cookies.

I was thinking more in terms of advice (e.g. keep a browser just for using cashback) rather than manipulating cookies (which I don't think is technically viable).

N9eav

Scarpacci wrote: »

Topcashback didn't send it elsewhere, it never went to them. The commission will have been paid by the affiliate network based on the relevant terms (first click, last click, etc.) and on the cookies present on your computer. The money will have gone to those who legitimately earned it under the conditions of the commission, which in this case happened not to the cashback site who would have passed it on to you.

Since my first post things have got better, but I still missed almost £50 last year.

I still don't know how it can be so difficult to track something? I go to TCB. I choose say Play.com. I press the tab that says buy now. I buy something from play.com. How can't anyone see that at that time I bought an item after directly going through TCB?

If I did look for voucher codes hours or days before, it must be obvious that I did not buy through 'the other' site. Or is computer technology more of an abstract mystery?

custardy

N9eav wrote: »

Since my first post things have got better, but I still missed almost £50 last year.

I still don't know how it can be so difficult to track something? I go to TCB. I choose say Play.com. I press the tab that says buy now. I buy something from play.com. How can't anyone see that at that time I bought an item after directly going through TCB?

If I did look for voucher codes hours or days before, it must be obvious that I did not buy through 'the other' site. Or is computer technology more of an abstract mystery?

are you clearing your cookies pre topcashback click through?

StaffsSW

It's eye-opening to see how many cashback cookies are over-ridden by third party comparison sites & programmes... MSE are culprits themselves for leaching payouts.

custardy

stevew8975 wrote: »

It's eye-opening to see how many cashback cookies are over-ridden by third party comparison sites & programmes... MSE are culprits themselves for leaching payouts.

having recently taken out new car insurance.
I actually got a better price going via a comparison site than via TCB and the insurers site direct.
I did try and paste in the TCB referal but it got tracked as £0.00
worth a try though

N9eav

custardy wrote: »

are you clearing your cookies pre topcashback click through?

I mostly do. But I guess someone ought to come up with a better way. So that if you advertise a discount by going though a site, you actually get it every time.

custardy

N9eav wrote: »

I mostly do. But I guess someone ought to come up with a better way. So that if you advertise a discount by going though a site, you actually get it every time.

but that is the exact way the tracking works.
if you don't clear the cookies(or use a different browser) then you are leaving you chance of a failed cashback way open.

sillygoose

custardy wrote: »

having recently taken out new car insurance.
I actually got a better price going via a comparison site than via TCB and the insurers site direct.
I did try and paste in the TCB referral but it got tracked as £0.00
worth a try though

Car insurance is definitely a weird one. Recently got our car insurance renewal offer from Aviva £284. Did a fresh quote via TCB with exactly the same details - came out at £350 so even minus the £60 cashback would be £290!

But Greenflag breakdown cover is cheaper via TCB and a fresh quote every time than the renewal offer (that supposedly includes no claims discount!)

lurkylurky

I bought car insurance in January 2011 from Sheila's Wheels and despite clearing cookies before clicking through to Topcashback it never tracked. I submitted a claim on 9th March and sent a couple of nudges but didn't hear anything so wrote it off.

Then last Friday £9.58 showed up on my account as "Payable". It's not quite the £10.10 it should have been but I'm well chuffed.