November Payments

[FictionNet]

I don't think I've been paid for my November 2010 revenue. I've had a brief 'livechat' with AffUtd but it was rather hard going and the rep had no access to my stats.

Has anyone here been paid by AffUtd for November? I shouldn't really have to chase this, I know, but I can't see the payment as having arrived and I know that AffUtd have 'forgotton' to pay me before without chasing.

[FictionNet]

I'm getting absolutely nowhere with this OR with finding my way around the nightmare system that Aff Utd are expecting us affiliates to use.

I'm being told that it'll take days to find out if I've been paid or not. Really? Why on earth would this information not be immediately to hand?

Moving on. There's something called the 'cashier' but I can't access it. Why? Because apparently this requires a second, separate login which CANNOT be the same e-mail address as the main system. If this sounds naff, that's 'cos it IS naff. I haven't even got a clue what this second, separate login could be but there appears to be no way of finding it out - or registering for it in the first place.

Hmmm. Let's try 'change login details'. This is what I get:

Error Fetching http headers
#0 [internal function]: SoapClient->__doRequest('<?xml version="...', 'http://172.21.4...', '', 1, 0)
#1 /opt/afn/affnet/portal2/core/common/model/Storage/Soap.php(1: SoapClient->__soapCall('findAliasByUrlA...', Array)
#2 /opt/afn/affnet/portal2/app/default/model/storage/Soap.php(73): ST_Storage_Soap->_handle('Alias', 'findAliasByUrlA...', Array)
#3 /opt/afn/affnet/portal2/app/default/model/storage/Soap/Alias.php(15): Afn_Storage_Soap->_handle('Alias', 'findAliasByUrlA...', Array)
#4 [internal function]: Afn_Storage_Soap_Alias->match('account/login-d...', 'en')
#5 /opt/afn/affnet/portal2/core/common/model/Storage/Abstract.php(59): call_user_func_array(Array, Array)
#6 /opt/afn/affnet/portal2/core/common/model/Storage/Proxy.php(13): ST_Storage_Abstract->_execute('Alias', 'match', Array)
#7 /opt/afn/affnet/portal2/core/common/model/Storage/Abstract.php(61): ST_Storage_Proxy->_handle('Alias', 'match', Array)
#8 /opt/afn/affnet/portal2/core/common/model/Storage/Abstract.php(33): ST_Storage_Abstract->_execute('Alias', 'match', Array)
#9 /opt/afn/affnet/portal2/core/common/model/Storage/Abstract.php(109): ST_Storage_Abstract->query('Alias', 'match', Array)
#10 [internal function]: ST_Storage_Query_Helper->__call('match', Array)
#11 [internal function]: ST_Storage_Query_Helper->match('account/login-d...', 'en')
#12 /opt/afn/affnet/portal2/core/common/omega/Cache.php(44): call_user_func_array(Array, Array)
#13 [internal function]: ST_Cache->__call('match', Array)
#14 /opt/afn/affnet/portal2/core/common/model/Alias.php(: ST_Cache->match('account/login-d...', 'en')
#15 /opt/afn/affnet/portal2/core/common/omega/Route/Alias.php(66): ST_Model_Alias::getByUrlLangSite('account/login-d...', 'en')
#16 /opt/afn/affnet/portal2/lib/Zend/Controller/Router/Rewrite.php(380): ST_Route_Alias->match('/en/account/log...')
#17 /opt/afn/affnet/portal2/lib/Zend/Controller/Front.php(900): Zend_Controller_Router_Rewrite->route(Object(Zend_Controller_Request_Http))
#18 /opt/afn/affnet/portal2/html/index.php(225): Zend_Controller_Front->dispatch()
#19 {main}

[FictionNet]

Time to check out how Aff Utd present our traffic/revenue stats to us. The only thing in the affiliate system that looks like it'll give us stats is the 'traffic stats' button, so I've clicked it and requested stats for last month, November 2010.

After a loooong wait, I'm presented with 'No matching records found' despite the fact that I know there was traffic and revenue generated for 2010.

Someone (I forget who) at AffUtd told me that I must instead click 'advanced stats' (so what is the 'Traffic Stats' button for??) so I've done this, selected the correct date range and this is what I'm getting:

- - -

Error Fetching http headers
#0 [internal function]: SoapClient->__doRequest('<?xml version="...', 'http://172.21.4...', '', 1, 0)
#1 /opt/afn/affnet/portal2/core/common/model/Storage/Soap.php(1: SoapClient->__soapCall('getAdvertiserSt...', Array)
#2 /opt/afn/affnet/portal2/app/default/model/storage/Soap.php(73): ST_Storage_Soap->_handle('TrafficStats', 'getAdvertiserSt...', Array)
#3 /opt/afn/affnet/portal2/core/common/model/Storage/Abstract.php(61): Afn_Storage_Soap->_handle('TrafficStats', 'getAdvertiserSt...', Array)
#4 /opt/afn/affnet/portal2/core/common/model/Storage/Abstract.php(33): ST_Storage_Abstract->_execute('TrafficStats', 'getAdvertiserSt...', Array)
#5 /opt/afn/affnet/portal2/core/common/model/Storage/Abstract.php(109): ST_Storage_Abstract->query('TrafficStats', 'getAdvertiserSt...', Array)
#6 [internal function]: ST_Storage_Query_Helper->__call('getAdvertiserSt...', Array)
#7 /opt/afn/affnet/portal2/app/default/model/TrafficStats.php(14): ST_Storage_Query_Helper->getAdvertiserStats(Object(Afn_Entity_AdvertiserSt atsSearchCriteria))
#8 /opt/afn/affnet/portal2/app/default/controllers/TrafficStatsController.php(672): Afn_Model_TrafficStats::getAdvertiserStats(Object( Afn_Entity_AdvertiserStatsSearchCriteria), 89801, 'AdvertiserStats')
#9 /opt/afn/affnet/portal2/app/default/controllers/TrafficStatsController.php(140): TrafficStatsController->_processAdvertiserStats('advertiser')
#10 /opt/afn/affnet/portal2/lib/Zend/Controller/Action.php(512): TrafficStatsController->advertiserAction()
#11 /opt/afn/affnet/portal2/lib/Zend/Controller/Dispatcher/Standard.php(28: Zend_Controller_Action->dispatch('advertiserActio...')
#12 /opt/afn/affnet/portal2/lib/Zend/Controller/Front.php(936): Zend_Controller_Dispatcher_Standard->dispatch(Object(Zend_Controller_Request_Http), Object(Zend_Controller_Response_Http))
#13 /opt/afn/affnet/portal2/html/index.php(225): Zend_Controller_Front->dispatch()
#14 {main}



- - -

I can't believe that anyone manages to get anything out of this system. It's clearly broken to pieces and not fit for purpose. AffUtd, we affiliates need and deserve a better system than the junk you're expecting us to work with.

Help us to work with you. There are loads of alternatives for affiliates - you're making it VERY EASY for affiliate to give you the boot.

[yanshoof]

Hi Fictionet,

Yes, we sent all November payments in time as we always do...
If you failed to receive an answer for your query, please contact me in private at eran.arad@williamhill.com and I'll personally check it for you in up to 48 hours...

Oh, and about the stats, let me surprise you
We recently started a project to completely restructure the way statistics is presented for affiliates. This will be conducted in steps, but you'll notice them from next week already... I'm sure at the end of the process you like what you see...

Finally, I can't finish this post without wishing all of the readers, affiliates, customers and yourself, a fruitful, rich (in any way possible) and happy new year!

[FictionNet]

Thanks, I've now received the payment. Do you know if Dec 10's revenue will be paid any faster?

It's great news about the new stats system - I can't tell you how much better it should be for us affs

[yanshoof]

Hi all,

Fictionet, I'm happy to hear that you received the payment.

December revenues will be release for affiliates in the coming days, I can assume it would be faster, we're doing our best

We started to work on the stats project, some changes are live already, not the ones you are looking for, but some that will make some navigation inside the reports easier...

It's a good time now to come up with more ideas for us... How do you want to see stats presented? Write me at eran.arad@williamhill.com - I promise to answer everybody in up to 24 hours.

I hope the new year starting good for all of you

[FictionNet]

Any news on improving the stats? I still can't get much out of the system. For example, after logging in, where/how can I find stats for last month's earnings?

[yanshoof]

Hi again,

I hope all is well (apart from the stats giving you hard times).
We're still working our way through revising the stats presentation, step by step, taking our time in order to make it right so we won't have to patch it later. With that, I'll try to push it to go live faster.

I appreciate your patience and understanding, I'm sure you'll be satisfied at the end!

Thank you for your business, and please, feel free to contact me with anything!

[FictionNet]

Quick update. I've had a couple of MSN chats with AffUtd and things are slowly becoming more clear. For some reason, my 'columns' (in the stats) don't include a column for 'top level revenue' so your finance dept have been asked to add this to my stats. Could you please chase this up as it's been a few days?

My aff ID is 94747I. Perhaps you could also check the status on March revenue? Cheers.

[yanshoof]

Hi,

I will check it all.

Regards,
Eran

[FictionNet]

Hi, Eran

Thanks - please do. I did receive an e-mail yesterday from Lara, advising "your commission should be processed this week" and also that "we would also like to notify you that the Top Level Revenue column has been added to your statistics"

Unfortunately, the column has not been added so I still can't generate any revenue stats (commission) for previous months.

[yanshoof]

Hello again,

I verified that both items are in process.
Looking forward to fruitful cooperation,

Eran

[FictionNet]

Hi, Eran - yep, the payment for March rev has arrived - thanks. Still waiting for the stats column issue to be sorted.