Kamiel,
Thanks again for your reply. I do feel, however , that you are missing my main point – taking care of the affiliates interest first.
I would have thought, as has been the case with many casinos launched that the affiliate program testing is part of what happens BEFORE a casino is even launched. Bearing in mind the experience I would assume one would have from having an existing program, I would also think (as a person with a lot of computer/programming project type experience – where things are ‘similar’ in similar projects), that it should be relatively straight-forward (not necessarily simple, and maybe time-consuming) to create and test an affiliate program before a casino launched.
Whilst you have asked affiliates to pull ads, you MUST know there are LOADS of forums that are not as well managed as many CAP affiliates – who let people post whatever/wherever – and potentially where they *could be* earning – I see that as their issue, but when it comes to the casino picking up free players – it’s basically free marketing from those posting the promos – and you know how viral this is – it only takes one post on one forum and it’s everywhere.
I can’t really believe that this wouldn’t be considered – in fact if it was considered it’s the cheapest and a fairly effective way of getting a bunch of new players – with no affiliates to pay (nice for the casino!)..
However, and this is my real point …
By pre-launching this casino in this way, without an affiliate program – I don’t see as maximising affiliates potential – we’ll lose out on all those players we could have got in via the affiliate route – as we all know that the casino is not going to reject new players whilst they’re in ‘pre-launch’!
Anyway, that is my point, and as I said, and have posted on my forum now – I will not be recommending Grand Prive to our members purely for the fact we don’t feel that we are being treated very well as affiliates compared with the many other programs and casinos out there.
I should point out that I’ve NOT suggested to them that Grand Prive Casinos are unsafe or dodgy and my message is more geared to our loyal forum members who regularly deposit at casinos registered via our site, from which much of our earnings go back to them (helping us to help them get more for their dollar).. Grand Prive will still be advertised but only on a minimal basis (only in relevant topics as posted by our members).
If this form of ‘free marketing’ was unforeseen then perhaps you’ll consider that as ‘more experience’ to use in the future – as far as I’m concerned – I’m done with those not taking care of the best interests of affiliates.
Regards,
Geno/CC