Well, the recent 75k Amex credit card offer led to a frenzied orgy of bloggers getting their own affiliates link out as fast as you can type Vanilla! It was totally ridiculous to watch this unfold! Some even shamefully had several posts on the same day!
Folks, just so you didn’t know that this community has been totally overcome by the greed flowing down from the banks….
And you can not do anything about it! No, maybe YOU CAN do something about it! Only patronize bloggers who benefit you personally with their wisdom. Avoid the ones who are credit card pump machines who never miss the opportunity to bombard you with affiliate links several times per post daily while offering nothing of value!
Yes, we all realize it is a good offer. But it was NOT the best thing since sliced bread and it will likely happen again for a few days in the next few months. You look totally ridiculous hyping it all up! You look like a used car salesman trying to come up with ever glorious reasons to get people to click on your link!
There, I feel better.
The only solution for this sales/greed hysteria is for the banks to cut the credit card pumping. I do not see it happening. Then again black swans happen regularly and nobody sees them. They are black, get it?
Non affiliate link bloggers got in the fun and deservedly made fun of the card pumping bloggers. Here are some samples for your entertainment:
Will Run for Miles “MY BLOGGER READER LIST“
Very Good Points “Hurry! The Sky is Falling! The Sky is Falling!”
The Wandering Aramean “So, just how big a deal was the 75k AmEx signup bonus?”
In the past 24 hours no fewer than 21 posts were published about the deal, often using terms like “amazing” or “incredible.
Four different bloggers felt it was so incredible that it deserved to be talked about more than once in the same 24 hour period. One felt it deserved three separate posts. At that level I start to wonder just how much of it is trying to help readers versus themselves.
Twitter follower @ljsbrooks sent me this pic:
A few gems from my Blog Comments section follow:
From the J:
75k offer.
Won’t last.
Get it now.
75k offer.
Won’t last.
Get it now.
75k offer.
Won’t last.
Get it now.
75k offer.
Won’t last.
Get it now.
75k offer.
Won’t last.
Get it now.
75k offer.
Won’t last.
Get it now.
75k offer.
Won’t last.
Get it now.
75k offer.
Won’t last.
Get it now.
75k offer.
Won’t last.
Get it now.
Goddamn.
From an Anonymous poster:
TPG has taken it a step beyond, truly to the realm of self-parody. He’s done a second post on the 75k Amex offer “if you like that, I have 10 more cards for you to consider applying for at the same time!”
Gee, let’s see, if you’re going to apply for this link right now anyway it might be time to do all your apps at the same time, with these convenient links…
Cough. OMG.
The J refers the deal making it to SlickDeals site:
Oh they already heard about it and milked it for 23 pages worth!
Here’s some choice tidbits. (paraphrased by me)
# “What is a charge card?”
# “how long do we usually have to wait to reapply to be eligible” asked by atleast one person per page.
# “What does 75k in point equate to in different rewards?” Please do the research for me, since I’m too lazy.
# “You’re doing it wrong…Try THIS browser” Yes, because I know exactly what I’m doing.
# “How many gift cards can you get with 75k points” By far the most popular question.
# “I don’t have a business. Can I apply for this card? HOW?”
# “What is MR points?” :facepalm:
# “Best value is to sell the points…I know a guy…” Don’t we all? 😉
# “What is financial review? I’ve never heard of it” Don’t worry…you soon will.
# “Don’t worry about financial review…you only get that if you miss a payment” Lord help me!!!
And my personal favorite.
# “What is VR”……someone then posts a link to MMS.
“Can someone simplify this further? I don’t get it.” LOL.
No cool links from The Chive tonight? Boooooooo…
I am working on a Buzz post. It will take a little longer. I am in Vegas and everything stays here:-)
Wait…you threaten me with eternal damnation in the title and can’t deliver on the blog immediately? :)- Hell hath no fury like a demon scorned.
Wait…so you clicked on the link…which one did you use? And why? It will make for a good blog post “Thought processes of a miles addict deciding which blogger’s aff links to click?” 🙂
VGP beat you to it, did a better job of pointing out the ridiculousness of one blogger after another pimping the same offer, and shared more link love than you did.
I include VGP’s link in my blog post. S&S, you are slipping!
George, your title is so hilarious, well done!
Keeping it real Brad, keeping it real:-)
I can imagine travel bloggers begging on the street with a hand written sign on cardboard saying ‘will blog for frequent flyer points…’ 😉
Maybe but most can be seen with “will pump for affiliate $$)” 🙂
While we moan here, each of the bloggers are laughing at us with $25k pay day with simple firesale. This time SD actually led to the offer ending this go around, but they have done this in the past, and will do it again.
Yep, I completely agree! They are laughing all the way to the bank…
Which makes me a complete loser for not getting into the act lol!
When SD picks up on it, it is a matter of a few hours at best…
Don’t feed the madness by using their links!
but what do you do if the best offer is only through affiliate links?
I always go direct because I do not want to feed the madness and to keep the independence and high standards of my blog…
not sure for how much longer:-)
Wow. I actually made the front page!
WooHoo!
And yeah…that SD thread was ridiculous!
Loved the creativity of your comments;-)
Well…one is glad to be of service. 🙂
George, please keep track of how many bloggers use this (or similar) the next time an offer comes out:
“Remember, the limited time Amex Bus. Gold offer in May lasted for less than 24 hours, so sign up NOW!”
I did this some time ago with a US Air card offer. Took a very long time as we now have so many bloggers in the act! I started doing it for this offer but the post just got away from me too fast!
I am an Amex affiliate and decided to not post about that deal. My reasons were twofold: Amex affiliates had been warned that we were not allowed to discuss browser manipulation or promote any type of private browser functions for deals on their affiliate cards and the other reason was that it just took too much work for the offer to pop up and I did not want to overly frustrate my (relatively newbie) readership. Just my two cents on the whole deal…
Respect. Since you did not post links to your blog, I am going to respect the idea behind it and not ask for specifics.
Respect.
Feel free to ask! I just did not want to use that post as a different way to push links by putting my blog address in it. 🙂
And…you are?
ok abbreviate your blog/ or some other roundabout. Thanks.
Please elaborate.
Sorry wanted to reply to the anonymous blogger who didn’t post links to his blog.
Ok, this is SO MUCH WORSE than credit card pimping.
HOT TRIPALERTZ DEAL – 7 NIGHTS ACCOMMODATIONS FOR ONLY $395 – WORLDWIDE LOCATIONS!
http://milesmomma.com/tripalertz-7-nights-accommodations-for-only-395-up-to-8-guests/
No disclosure that she gets referral credit, and promoting crappy deal that costs readers actual money.
This ain’t HOT!!!!!!!!!
that blog has a sure place in my bottom 10.
My favorite part of that post is the obvious transition between the cut-and-pasted marketing text and her actual writing, which is atrocious.
To wit:
“From what I’ve read, I believe this deal if [sic] filling vacancy for empty timeshare weeks worldwide. The deal doesn’t state this but my knowledge of the timeshare industry leads me to this conclusion. … Also, you can purchase more than 1 voucher. I believe you could then book 2 weeks back to back for only $790.”
She also has reading comprehension problems. Below are from the T&C on the deal:
“Vouchers may not be combined for an extended stay.”
For those who are curious, here are some of the possible properties: Kahana Falls, Maui; Scottsdale Links Resort, AZ; Oasis Villa Resort, Palm Springs. In short, you too can pay $56/night+tax (no food included) to stay seven days at resorts in the bottom 50th percentile of Tripadvisor reviews for their towns. Awesome.
harvson3
bottom 50th percentile of Tripadvisor reviews…lol
The comments on MMS’s posts are second only to the comments found here.
Thanks a lot for the compliment. Please feel free to post some of those comments at MMS you find worthy for all my readers to read!
thank you
I’m not sure what’s the surprise here
Some bloggers had multiple posts on the Lufthansa Mastercard, let alone this offer
It was the speed and the incredibly alarmist language that just elevated this offer to unimaginable heights…
Expect more…
I’m still amazed at all the complaining that goes on regarding all the hype over the current credit card promo. Read the promo once from your favorite blogger, then move on. It’s 2013 people.
When TBB starts with the links, we should all go out of our way to make him feel welcome too. Wink!
dhammer53
I like you:-)
I wish I can outsource this function, stick them all in one page and continue doing what I am doing. I have no time for researching this stuff…it will only take time away from trying to keep up the quality of the content.
You keep winking at me and I keep doing my thing…obviously, there is something very wrong with me lol.
When I see 30 bloggers all incessantly humping the same card with the same “end of the world” faux-enthusiasm, the first thing I do….
… is head over to FrequentMiler’s to see if he has the link up on his credit cards page
But so many newbies fall for this crap…It takes some time to figure it all out. And newbies keep coming…Not sure how it will all end