Both affiliates and merchants should be aware of this contextual adware application which is already acting as an affiliate in multiple affiliate programs. Here’s a screenshot of their information from Commission Junction (taken off their today’s application into an affiliate program):
Why should you be concerned?
Well, they are not exactly a “Virtual Mall” as they try to portray themselves on CJ. Kellie Stevens has more:
This is a contextual adware application which displays a web site (the ad) based on the web site the end user is currently viewing. The trigger for the ad display can be based on a URL or keywords from the viewed web page…
Revenue Generation Behavior
We observed two primary revenue sources for the LinksAdor adware:
- Affiliate links belonging to LinksAdor. We have found multiple affiliate accounts on various web sites owned by LinksAdor.
- Displays of ads purchased by advertisers on a CPV/PPV model. These ad buys can be by other affiliates and we have documented such instances. Merchants may also engage in these ad buys directly. In other instances, the ad buys may display PPCSE listings [source and more detailed information].
Why you do not want this affiliate aboard your program? Because LinksAdor has been documented to:
(a) Open up new browser tabs with affiliate ads of competing merchants, or diverting traffic from one merchant to another, but through an in-between affiliate site of their own [see this video]
and
(b) Hijack browsers, redirecting visitors to the page of user’s choice but through a LinksAdor’s affiliate link, or interjecting themselves into the sales channel without actually adding any value: neither to the end consumer, nor to the merchant [see this video]
For more details please read the following material, and stay away from LinksAdor: