Starpartner changes commission rates

[Bonus Paradise]

Just revieved this e-mail:

Dear Marina,

Please note that from 1 March 2011 we will be amending our policy with regard to agreed flat-rate commission. After much evaluation and investigation, this decision is based on good business practice that benefits both parties and ensures strong business practice in the future.

Please note: As from the above date, we will be requiring you to produce 20 depositing players per month in order to maintain your current agreed flat-rate commission. If you are not able to achieve this, your compensation will be reset to the regular tiered commission structure offered by the Star Partner affiliate program – which we are proud to say still continues to be higher and more competitive than any other commission rate in the industry.

Unlike some of even the most prominent of our industry competitors, we do not deduct processing fees or practice ring-fencing. Star Partner continues to be the leader in providing affiliates the most competitive commission rates and business opportunities.

Working together, we can only predict growth and progress for the future.

Regards



Marko

Affiliate Manager

Star Partner

 

[Guard Dog]

I can seriously only say.....

'What the fuck??!!!!!!?'


Star Partner has been working hard to have AGD approve them by asking the GPWA folks to contact me... and this is the shit they pull? Seriously... WTF? I'm just pissed.

 

[Bonus Paradise]

Yeah, just last week had a nice e-mail conversation with Anna, and she helped me with a little player problem - a promo was not given even the player was sent an e-mail for it - Anna solved this really fast and all was fine,
She asked then what could we do that some Starpartner brands have more visibility again, and I said I will look the next days what I can do,

Well now after that e-mail, naaaa, really not!
What the heck are the thinking.

They change whatever and whenever they want.

Guess it is time to remove them total from my sites now and this time forever!

 

[KasinoKing]

Is it just me, but I don't see what the problem is here.

Looks like Star gave the affiliate a special deal and want something in return. Unless they promised this deal would last indefinitely, I don't see what's wrong if they decide to change it. Like most things in life, it's give & take, not just take.

KK

 

[Guard Dog]

20 Players a month is pretty crazy, though. BP - send me the contract you signed with them. I guess I can't say it's not something they CAN'T do, but seems pretty crazy to say the least.

I get what you are saying KK - it does depend upon the contract signed.

 

[bonustreak]

I just got this mail as well!!! WTF is this a sick joke?

 

[Jan]

I just got it too so it's not just one single affiliate they are sending this one out to:

Dear Jan,

Please note that from 1 March 2011 we will be amending our policy with regard to agreed flat-rate commission. After much evaluation and investigation, this decision is based on good business practice that benefits both parties and ensures strong business practice in the future.

Please note: As from the above date, we will be requiring you to produce 20 depositing players per month in order to maintain your current agreed flat-rate commission. If you are not able to achieve this, your compensation will be reset to the regular tiered commission structure offered by the Star Partner affiliate program – which we are proud to say still continues to be higher and more competitive than any other commission rate in the industry.

Unlike some of even the most prominent of our industry competitors, we do not deduct processing fees or practice ring-fencing. Star Partner continues to be the leader in providing affiliates the most competitive commission rates and business opportunities.

Working together, we can only predict growth and progress for the future.

Regards

Marko
Affiliate Manager
Star Partner

this decision is based on good business practice that benefits both parties

One thing is shafting the affiliate - that's really bad on it's own.

But who the hell writes these bullshit emails? Clearly Starpartner must think we are totally idiots. There is no need to rub it in with salt- we get it alright! You decided to shaft us. You know it - We know it.

This was a permanent deal - but I don't promote them a lot anymore. I do still promote them though..

Clearly they are just looking for an opportunity to shaft their affiliates.

I don't trust Star Partner to honor an agreement anymore so no need to work with them at all in the future.
Clearly they decided that they would rather pay a lower commission on the current players that I have send their way the get traffic in the future.

 

[Bonus Paradise]

20 Players a month is pretty crazy, though. BP - send me the contract you signed with them. I guess I can't say it's not something they CAN'T do, but seems pretty crazy to say the least.

I get what you are saying KK - it does depend upon the contract signed.

Have never signed a special contract Andy,
when Conrad stll was with Starpartner, he said he sets me up to 35% if we push the brands more, and that was it.
Guess they not happy anymore with me, lol

However, am also not happy with them anymore, having several player complaints lately too. Players received special offers via e-mail and then not get it. Support gives them then a few diffrents answers. Oh man.

 

[Bonus Paradise]

Another e-mail just came in:

Dear Marina,

I apologize, but the mail sent earlier was in haste and certain details need to be amended.

Please note the following information concerning our policy with regard to agreed flat-rate commission:

Our new policy comes into effect from 1 April 2011
For the month of March, your commission will remain unchanged. If in March you do not produce a minimum of 10 depositing players, your commission rate will change from the 1st of April 2011.
As we stated before, this decision is based on good business practice that will benefit all parties and ensures strong revenue in the future.

Regards


Marko

Affiliate Manager

Star Partner

 

[Engineer]

ONCE AGAIN, Star Partner shows their true colors.

 

[bonustreak]

They are lowering our rates from 35% to 27% on ALL players we have sent in the past as well everyone just so you know. I have it confirmed in a mail they plan to really screw us over.

 

[Engineer]

If the deal was "35% for life," then they really need to honor that -- at least on the players you already sent them during the time you believed the deal was "35% for life."

If they want to cut the rate to 27% on all new players, that's fine (IMO), but lowering the rate on the existing player base constitutes theft of residual income, which is unacceptable and rogueworthy.

What will this be, the 5th or 6th time they've been rogued in as many years? LOL.

 

[pdjoe]

You do what you always did and you always get what you always got.


I won't remove all banners and whatnot but this is just another reason Rewards get my players every month. Plenty of good Microgaming programs out there that don't make changes every 3 months or when they need the cash.

Bad move once again by Star Partners

 

[bonustreak]

My emails with them after this latest move.. see I am one of the affiliates that decided to most but not all banners after a few other eposides, I mean the constant changing of affiliate programs which caused all affiliates to update all links at least what 3 times in the last 3 yrs. Then there was the splitting off of the USA players to another program etc.

I am sorry so your saying now it is 10 and not 20 required players which was noted in the email? I would think that an email of this nature would have been double checked before it was sent out. Also will you still be paying 35% on all the players that were sent before this change is made? If so how will this appear on the back end stats?

I have to say something like this is not making me jump to push your brands again that is for sure.

The point of contacts response...

Hi Christine

The choice is yours. The affiliates that continue to promote us aggressively, continue to earn aggressively, as per special arrangements made.
We have always made it a condition with all affiliates, that we have increased commissions for, that we will pay a higher commission only on condition that we are aggressively promoted.
We look after all those affiliates that look after us, in this partnership.
The others that choose not to, still earn according to their tiers with a minimum of 27% for lifetime of players.

Kind regards

My response

Oh of course your aggressive tactics are making me want to run right out there to bust my rear end to get more exposure on my sites for you only to have you come at me again in say 2 months time with.... We have decided it is in our best interest that your not producing enough activity so we are going to make a predatory retroactive change to the terms AGAIN by saying if you do not send us 30 new players a month you will be also lowered to 19%.


You lowering my earnings on all my players that I have sent to you up to this point to 27% is retroactive and predatory!!!! I have plenty of space to give others exposure now!! I am adding Warren onto this mail so CAP can see what is happening as well.


Have you ever thought the reason so many affiliates including myself have lost faith in your company is because of changes such as these in the past 12 months?

Contacts response

Hi Christine
When you joined our program the terms are exactly what they are now.
On condition that you promoted us aggressively, we agreed to increase your commission percentage while you did. You did that for a while. You have chosen to no longer promote us, however we are still giving you that opportunity to do so.
If you choose not to, you will still earn exactly what you did when you joined.
Nothing is changing retroactive nor predatory, terms are remaining exactly what they were when you joined.
Kind regards

 

[Tovey]

This specific issue I've taken up with a commercial attorney in the past.

The fact is one party can not retroactively change a deal to solely benefit them without the consent of the other side. Without such a basic tenant of commercial law agreements would be meaningless really.

Such term changes like this are therefore not legal and a breach of the agreement which in our case was a fixed percentage for the life of the player.

If StarPartner wants to make this apply to only new players that's their choice, but to apply it to OLD players is a breach of contract and would not be legal if both parties do not consent.

 

[Antoinette]

Please keep in mind the terms are exactly the same as when you joined Star Partner. They are in way retroactive or predatory as the commission rate is reverting back to the original deal you signed up for.

These special deals are on condition that an affiliate pushes our brands and drives traffic aggressively and by no means have we ever made these deals indefinite.

We are here to be partners. It is a two way partnership and as KK mentions it is a give and take. You cannot just take.

 

[bonusgeek]

I were running a program I think my goal would be to drive business, not push it away by giving affiliates one reason after another not to work them. They can't get out of their own way - all I see are negatives about this program. It's business 101, don't piss off your bread and butter!!!

 

[bonustreak]

I need to be paid 35% on all the players I sent to you under that agreement for you to revert the pay back to 27% is a breech, we agreed on 35% on lifetime of the players I brought in. Any new players from hence forth I would understand the 27%. You know the time frame that I was under this agreement, I believe it to be around 15 months so you need to go in there and map over all the new players I brought during that time and get them on a 35% tier some place in my stats to make me satisfied plain and simple.

 

[Tovey]

Please keep in mind the terms are exactly the same as when you joined Star Partner. They are in way retroactive or predatory as the commission rate is reverting back to the original deal you signed up for.

These special deals are on condition that an affiliate pushes our brands and drives traffic aggressively and by no means have we ever made these deals indefinite.

We are here to be partners. It is a two way partnership and as KK mentions it is a give and take. You cannot just take.

Changing the commission rate is a retroactive change if it effects players already sent. This isn't allowed otherwise there would be no firm obligation on the program and any agreement would be meaningless.

The way to implement this type of policy change is to have it effect only new traffic going forward.

In our specific case, there was no undertaking to provide "aggressive promotion". In fact, there was no minimum traffic commitment at all, so to impose one now is a huge retroactive change to the deal if that effects players already sent.

This could have been quite readily ascertained had we been approached in discussions ahead of time. Instead this was arbitrarily announced without regard to following specific deals nor contract law.

I'm curious, did you even ascertain a legal opinion regarding this?

Further, if we weren't to be paid for the lifetime of our players at the rate agreed, how long were we entitled to commission on our players for? 90 days? 60 days?

Lastly, an agreement has two parties. How long would it take you to say "that's not a change we agree to" if we tried to change the deal in our favour oh by say requiring minimum lifetime values per player and financial deposit guarantees in this regard? I can safely wager it wouldn't take long at all. Is it your position that only Star Partner may change the agreement and change it to whatever it likes?

Finally, of course there is give and take.

If we never gave there would be no players and no one would be interested enough to voice their opposition here.

So we did give and now we get what we are due.

If you want to encourage more giving, this is not the way to do it.

Honouring agreements, and hard work at retention and support etc. is what will get us all to give more.

 

[Engineer]

Great post, Tovey. I agree 100%.