How Hydra Affiliate Network Screwed Me Out Of $25,000
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or anyone else for that matter.As a rule, Hydra does not like to get into public discussions regarding confidential issues in regards to any specific publisher. Given that the publisher involved in this thread chose to go public with his grievance, and the fact that it has raised so many questions within this community, we are breaking with this general policy rule in this instance.
The specific issue that launched this thread is one publisher’s claim that Hydra refused to pay $25K for conversions he delivered. Without getting into specific details, our testing showed the publisher in question promised consumers coupons on his site to gain traffic, sent consumers to campaigns unrelated to the offers promoted on the coupon site, and did not provide any coupons to consumers. This practice is in clear violation of Hydra’s Terms and Conditions. Our advertiser’s complaints of lead quality led us to discover this was happening. Until this point, we paid this publisher for the leads he generated. In fact, we overpaid this publisher since the leads were generated in a prohibited manner.
When the problem was discovered, there was only one week of outstanding payouts at issue with this publisher. Despite the publisher’s clear violation of our T&C’s, we offered a compromise solution. The publisher refused to compromise, and communicated that if we did not pay the full amount, he would widely publicize that Hydra didn’t pay what he claims he was owed.
Since our founding in 2003, we have consistently been fair with our publishers. Countless times we have distributed payouts on traffic delivered, for which advertisers did not pay us. As a network, we recognize that our publishers are our lifeblood and thus accommodate their wishes significantly more often than not. The fact that we pass the lion’s share of every offer’s payout to our publishers reflects that fact. However, in the case of flagrant violations by a given publisher – violations that result in our inability to collect from our advertisers – we believe we are justified in enforcing our T&C’s.
That Hydra is a leader in this market is a direct result of the fact that we support our publishers fairly, represent our advertisers in a professional manner, and provide value to both. We work hard to help grow both our publishers’ and advertisers’ business. When everyone plays by the rules, it is a win-win for everyone involved. But by the same token, when someone breaks the rules, it also hurts everyone.
We hope this communication helps replaces rumor with reality. If there remain any lingering questions specifically raised by this thread, or any issue in regard to Hydra’s practices and policies, I urge you to contact me or any one of our Affiliate Managers. They’d be happy to help.
Best,
Scott Jablow
Director, Affiliate Network
The specific issue that launched this thread is one publisher’s claim that Hydra refused to pay $25K for conversions he delivered. Without getting into specific details, our testing showed the publisher in question promised consumers coupons on his site to gain traffic, sent consumers to campaigns unrelated to the offers promoted on the coupon site, and did not provide any coupons to consumers. This practice is in clear violation of Hydra’s Terms and Conditions. Our advertiser’s complaints of lead quality led us to discover this was happening. Until this point, we paid this publisher for the leads he generated. In fact, we overpaid this publisher since the leads were generated in a prohibited manner.
When the problem was discovered, there was only one week of outstanding payouts at issue with this publisher. Despite the publisher’s clear violation of our T&C’s, we offered a compromise solution. The publisher refused to compromise, and communicated that if we did not pay the full amount, he would widely publicize that Hydra didn’t pay what he claims he was owed.
Since our founding in 2003, we have consistently been fair with our publishers. Countless times we have distributed payouts on traffic delivered, for which advertisers did not pay us. As a network, we recognize that our publishers are our lifeblood and thus accommodate their wishes significantly more often than not. The fact that we pass the lion’s share of every offer’s payout to our publishers reflects that fact. However, in the case of flagrant violations by a given publisher – violations that result in our inability to collect from our advertisers – we believe we are justified in enforcing our T&C’s.
That Hydra is a leader in this market is a direct result of the fact that we support our publishers fairly, represent our advertisers in a professional manner, and provide value to both. We work hard to help grow both our publishers’ and advertisers’ business. When everyone plays by the rules, it is a win-win for everyone involved. But by the same token, when someone breaks the rules, it also hurts everyone.
We hope this communication helps replaces rumor with reality. If there remain any lingering questions specifically raised by this thread, or any issue in regard to Hydra’s practices and policies, I urge you to contact me or any one of our Affiliate Managers. They’d be happy to help.
Best,
Scott Jablow
Director, Affiliate Network
My landing page was based around coupons. To get coupons they filled out their name and email address, and clicked submit. They signed up to my newsletter to get coupons and the submit button brought them to a free household items offer. People looking for coupons and free stuff are not really that unrelated. Both Hydra and The advertiser saw where the traffic was coming from for 2 months and failed to tell me I was breaking their questionable terms and conditions until the end of the 2 months. I had daily contact with my AM Charlie, and never once had anything to tell me about questionable leads. My traffic was all legit based on "coupons" and user was sent to a "free sample" offer ultimately. Oh I guess people looking to save money are most certainly not interested in free samples.
As for the fact that Hydra is saying that I never sent the user the coupons they signed up for is complete libel, which will be used in my case against them. The user joined my newsletter for coupons. They were sent various coupon offers and related offers to their email.
As for the fact that Hydra is saying that I never sent the user the coupons they signed up for is complete libel, which will be used in my case against them. The user joined my newsletter for coupons. They were sent various coupon offers and related offers to their email.
Hey, I promoted quality health for awhile... I thought the whole point of the lead was the user signing up for quality health's newsletter or whatever to get coupons for all sorts of kitchen items from quality health, the merchant!! I think my ad said something like "get coupons and more from quality health" Am I wrong?
Also, what was the compromise? Why didn't you take it BTP32?
Also, what was the compromise? Why didn't you take it BTP32?
from the amount of posts and anger Hydra definitely lost more than 25k in publisher money it would have been cheaper in the long run just to pay him out. Bad publicity on wicked can have pubs jump ship faster than you can spell H-Y-D-R-A. If your a network known not for paying out even a small doubt makes me 2nd guess running with a network like that. The CPA network space is huge now its not just 3 networks anymore you need and better treat pubs like gold or your done
Good job Hydra on deciding to not defend yourselves. There are always two sides of a story, but refusing to tell us yours isn't exactly a great way to have people here believe you're in the right.
Wow... Atleast cover his traffic costs. Ugh, advertisers with lead gens that don't pay are so annoying.
I think Azoogle are great and shouldn't be in that boat. My AM Jon Olsen is on top of his game for sure. If you feel that way, try swapping to Jon. He sure knows how shit goes down and how this all works. I think he's here on WF too, which is a big plus.
Dude, if you're really planning to follow up on the threat of legal action, you shouldn't be posting online.
I mean, are you going to call Sumitdhawan09 to the stand?
"Your honor, no gay butt sex. Good Luck Bro!".
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