Comments on: Affiliate Advice: FTC Rules and Regulations http://www.handmaderesults.com/1001/affiliate-advice-ftc-rules-and-regulations/ Jewelry Marketing that Gets Results Fri, 03 Sep 2010 23:24:44 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Christine http://www.handmaderesults.com/1001/affiliate-advice-ftc-rules-and-regulations/comment-page-1/#comment-492 Christine Sun, 27 Dec 2009 16:05:54 +0000 http://www.handmaderesults.com/?p=1001#comment-492 Maureen, How I understand it, is that is you're not US based, then the FTC can't seize your assets, but if you use an American webhost, you could get penalized somehow that way. I'd hate to lose my business because my webhost pulled the plug ovedr something like this! It still remains to be seen as to how this transpires so I like to err on the side of caution. Even though I'm in Canada, I use a US based webhost (Momwebs), and I use Clickbank to promote my WireWorkSecrets affiliate program (also US based). As an affiliate manager as well as a promoter, I need to ensure that my affiliates follow the FTC guidelines since the majority of my customers are in the US. At least that's how I'm reading it. I'm not freaking out, but I'm still applying the guidelines as time permits - especially on new content. (At time of writing I still have to put up blanket statements somewhere in my TOS. It's on my to-do list, but not on my OMG-I-have-to-do-this!-list. If I was U.S. based maybe it would be on the OMG list). SBI! doesn't emphasize it, but they are also Canadian based, but SiteSell (the company name) is encouraging people to follow the new guidelines regardless. I understand that the U.S. Customs people is also not shy of turning back visitors at the border for the smallest reason either, so the FTC might flag you if you fail to comply. A little paranoid, maybe, but I've heard strange search and seizure ask questions later stories about the FTC (that's why affiliate marketers are all flipping out) so if you travel to the U.S. that might be something to think about too. Better safe than sorry! Maureen,
How I understand it, is that is you’re not US based, then the FTC can’t seize your assets, but if you use an American webhost, you could get penalized somehow that way. I’d hate to lose my business because my webhost pulled the plug ovedr something like this!

It still remains to be seen as to how this transpires so I like to err on the side of caution.

Even though I’m in Canada, I use a US based webhost (Momwebs), and I use Clickbank to promote my WireWorkSecrets affiliate program (also US based). As an affiliate manager as well as a promoter, I need to ensure that my affiliates follow the FTC guidelines since the majority of my customers are in the US. At least that’s how I’m reading it. I’m not freaking out, but I’m still applying the guidelines as time permits – especially on new content.

(At time of writing I still have to put up blanket statements somewhere in my TOS. It’s on my to-do list, but not on my OMG-I-have-to-do-this!-list. If I was U.S. based maybe it would be on the OMG list).

SBI! doesn’t emphasize it, but they are also Canadian based, but SiteSell (the company name) is encouraging people to follow the new guidelines regardless.

I understand that the U.S. Customs people is also not shy of turning back visitors at the border for the smallest reason either, so the FTC might flag you if you fail to comply. A little paranoid, maybe, but I’ve heard strange search and seizure ask questions later stories about the FTC (that’s why affiliate marketers are all flipping out) so if you travel to the U.S. that might be something to think about too.

Better safe than sorry!

]]> By: Maureen Shafer http://www.handmaderesults.com/1001/affiliate-advice-ftc-rules-and-regulations/comment-page-1/#comment-491 Maureen Shafer Sun, 27 Dec 2009 04:01:13 +0000 http://www.handmaderesults.com/?p=1001#comment-491 Are citizens of countries outside of the U.S. bound by this? I don't see how they could be. Are citizens of countries outside of the U.S. bound by this? I don’t see how they could be.

]]>