September 2, 2008
Will Chrome Incognito Kill Affiliates
This is my first post using Google Chrome and first impressions are a little lacking and one feature has me just freaking out. There is an 'Incognito' feature that provides a safe and secure browsing experience for the user, but it also destroys any cookie's after the window is closed, BAD for affiliate marketers.
You've gone incognito. Pages you view in this window won't appear in your browser history or search history, and they won't leave other traces, like cookies, on your computer after you close the incognito window. Any files you download or bookmarks you create will be preserved, however.
Going incognito doesn't affect the behavior of other people, servers, or software. Be wary of:
- Websites that collect or share information about you
- Internet service providers or employers that track the pages you visit
- Malicious software that tracks your keystrokes in exchange for free smileys
- Surveillance by secret agents
- People standing behind you
This leaves me asking myself some questions, namely how popular will this browser become? Furthermore, how popular will the incognito browsing become? I'm hoping there are some affiliate marketers out there that are much larger than I that will be able to track such things, as far as impact on their daily/weekly/monthly earnings.
The only light is that the cookies will remain effective for as long as the user has the window open. However as soon as said Google Chrome user abandons that window and moves along, that cookie is lost. So, if you are not getting immediate buyers with your sites, you can kiss those commissions goodbye. In terms of programs like eBay where a cookie length will be up to 7 days, count only earning 1/7 of your existing revenue, in regards to visitors using Google Chrome.
Hopefully this won't have any impact at all, or at least not much of one anyway. Chances are 'Incognito' mode in Google Chrome won't be used for anything other than surfing porn anyway. Keep that surfing history away from your spouse. 
Filed under Making Money, Web Development by cldnails
Comments on Will Chrome Incognito Kill Affiliates »
I think merchants need to evaluate their self proclaimed right to track the origin of customers.
Affiliate marketing was never a clean and legitimate way to make business. Imagine a real world application of the same methods..
My guess is that you just don’t understand marketing Loptr, otherwise you wouldn’t make such bold statements.
As far as real world applications…it goes on all the time and has been for years. Any sales force could be compared directly to affiliate marketing. For example, I used to work for a company that I made outside sales too, which typically required a lengthy presentation. After making the sales call to the customer they were entered into our database. Anything that customer purchased from us after that point I received credit for. Just like online affiliate marketing, it’s all commission based.
As far as our ‘right’ to track customers, we are not tracking your movements around the web. The only thing that is tracked is if you purchase an item through a link you clicked on in one of an affiliate’s sites and for however long the cookie duration may be.
If you have another example of how it does not compare to real world, let me know. As far as your statement on the legitimacy of affiliate marketing I’m just confused. But again, I suspect you don’t have any sales or marketing experience.
F you marketing bastards. I want porn with no strings attached. Your worried about the financial impact of incognito mode. Big woop. This crap is in the noise. Its going to be years before anyone even figures out how to download the software and run the setup app, and by anyone I mean everyone on the uphill side of the bell, not us hot and sexy downhill side marketing types.
Hey, who are you calling hot and sexy?
I did a study a few days ago trying to recover data that supposedly is wiped from your computer. A forensics expert assisted and scoffed at the idea of the incognito window really being ‘incognito.’ Anyhow, I put him up to the challenge and he tried to beat Google and its infinite wisdom. The results were startling.
Unfortunatly Chrome’s Incognito mode isn’t really private. It keeps so-called “flash cookies” even after leaving the Incognito mode. So every website can still keep track on you using this technique. And other users of your computer can see where you have been surfed too.
Loptr’s, thanks for showing us how little some people understand how the internet (& the modern economic world) work. I remember thinking the same thing… affiliate marketers… it’s just a fancy way of engineering a pyramid scheme.. i thought. Boy i was wrong! I wonder how many businesses would survive if no body referred them?
A for the browser… i can’t imagine it’ll be a hit. People like consistency, most people use either internet explorer (?!?) or Firefox. Google’s never made memorable software, i don’t see this Chrome being anything to worry about.