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A few months ago I tested a shopping cart/affiliate program/autoresponder program called TotalMarketer.Com. The service itself is sound and I don’t regret anything that I wrote about it’s functionality or ability to streamline your cart/affiliate/autoresponder/membership site tasks. It’s a private label of the Ebizac.Com system and is a very good system if you want to manage all of those tasks under “one roof” so to speak.
However, I feel it’s only fair to my readers to let you know that I am switching to a different provider for my own business. I know many people who review products and services quietly switch between solutions without saying the reasons why. Maybe it’s to not confuse the reader (which I am probably doing to some of you right now) or maybe it’s to not degrade the quality of the previous review (which I totally understand as well).
Whatever the reason, it’s hard for me to recommend one thing and use another myself. It just sort of goes against something I believe about product reviews. I think that if you write a review, you should have used the product or at least have some intimate knowledge of the product and/or creator. I write promotional copy all the time, and yes…sometimes my promo copy is not a “review” per se, but just that…promotional. But if I tell you I’ve used something, read something, or gained some sort of benefit from something you can bet your bottom dollar that I actually did. It’s just the way I roll I guess.
Anyway, since I am no longer using TotalMarketer, I thought I’d mention it and let you know what I am using instead. Does this mean you should stop using TotalMarketer too? Heck no! If it is working for you and you like the system and have things set up the way you like, then by all means stay their customer.
I will say, in all honesty, that a part of my finding a new solution provider was due to a bit of a personal tiff with the owner of TotalMarketer which we are working out right now. It deals with an issue of payment of affiliate commissions, which some of you may have run into as well. I’ve been assured that after a particular personal situation is worked out that commissions will be paid, and as someone who can understand how personal stuff interferes with work, I’m willing to wait it out and see what happens. In my family right now we are dealing with some health issues and I would like to think that if I were in the same position someone would cut me some slack too, so that’s what I’m doing for now.
Anyway, bottom line: If you like TotalMarketer (it *is* a really slick service) please don’t feel compelled to switch. It’s your choice. I made a decision to go with a different system to handle my product links, affiliate program, coupon codes, and autoresponders. It’s called Cartville and it’s a private label of the 1ShoppingCart service you may be familiar with. I’ll write an actual review tomorrow to let you know what I think of it. But for now, I just wanted to make you aware of the switch I have personally made because I take my relationship with you, my reader, very seriously and never want to steer someone down the wrong path.
4 responses so far ↓
1 Brenda Nicholson // Nov 16, 2008 at 3:56 pm
Will you be able to switch your subscribers, or will they have to re-join? I have a pretty big list and would hate to lose anyone.
Brenda Nicholson´s last blog post..Re-framing Your Focus
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Twitter: JenKnox
// Nov 17, 2008 at 10:31 am
Yes, I need to ask them to sign up again which could cause some attrition. That *is* a downside, which is why I’m not encouraging anyone to switch unless they are truly unhappy with the service.
Making a switch like this shouldn’t be taken lightly. I’m perhaps a bit of a daredevil though when it comes to this sort of thing, so I don’t encourage people to follow me just for the sake of following me. Totalmarketer is a sound system and perfect for many people. Because I’m a bit implusive, I switched. I don’t recommend this for the faint of heart!
My biggest concern was making sure that people knew where I stood with my cart/affiliate solution and I didn’t want to mislead people who would read my review of TM and then see that my links all go through Cartville. That could cause some confusion or at worst, thoughts that I write reviews and say I use things when I don’t. It was mostly done for clarification.
But if anyone who is using TM is happy…by all means, continue to enjoy it!! What works for one person doesn’t necessarily mean it works (or doesn’t work) for someone else.
Make sense?
3 Brenda Nicholson // Nov 17, 2008 at 12:53 pm
Yes, it makes total sense. I would want to do the same thing under the circumstances – that is, be perfectly clear with my readers.
I am happy with TM, but am still a little concerned. As you noted, we are all small business owners with lives that sometimes spill over into our business, but just the same…
I guess I will stay with TM for now, until I feel a need to do otherwise.
Thanks.
Brenda Nicholson´s last blog post..Re-framing Your Focus
4 Shelley Cox // Dec 7, 2008 at 11:40 am
Yes, I am having the same issues with affiliate commissions not even being acknowledged let alone received – very disappointing. I’m hanging in there for now but certainly want the issues sorted out.
All the best with your move to your new system.
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