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The concept of a shave in traffic arbitration and how to deal with it

A Shave is a deliberate reduction in the volume of traffic or the number of leads received from an affiliate program or advertiser. As a result of this action, the affiliate program or advertiser reduces payments to the webmaster without explaining the reasons for such an action. This can happen without notice and often causes dissatisfaction among webmasters who do not receive part of their well-deserved income.


Types of shave


In the affiliate sphere, there are several main types of shave that can be used by unscrupulous PP. Let's look at some of them and talk in more detail about each type:


"Understating statistics" in the world of affiliate programs is one of the most common types of fraud. This method is based on changing the data in advertisers' trackers so that some of the leads are excluded from the calculation. For example, let's imagine that a webmaster has attracted 500 customers, but due to understating statistics, only 400 customers will be counted in the advertiser's tracker. Thus, 100 leads will be incorrectly counted, and the arbitrageur will receive an incomplete payment for his work.


This method is effective mainly among beginners who do not monitor their statistics on their own and do not use their own trackers to traffic. Scammers can use this method to discreetly cut off some of the leads and reduce payments to webmasters. To combat such practices, it is important to have reliable traffic tracking tools and regularly analyze your data to detect any anomalies or inconsistencies.


"Changing the lead status" is another common method of shaving in the world of CPA networks. In this case, all attracted leads are accepted by the CPA network, but after verification, some of them are declared substandard and rejected by the advertiser. This process takes place without the participation of the webmaster, and he only learns about the decision after the final check has already been made. Thus, the webmaster can only accept the results of the verification and receive only a part of the payment for the attracted leads.


This method of shaving complicates fraud tracking, since all accounting and processing of information about leads takes place on the advertiser's side, and the webmaster does not have access to this information. To prevent losses from such practices, it is important to choose trusted CPA networks with a transparent lead verification process and, if possible, establish terms of cooperation that reduce the likelihood of shaving.


"False fraud" is another method of shaving, which is based on false accusations of fraud on the part of an advertiser or an affiliate program. Fraud in arbitration is considered to be fraudulent actions when working with traffic. However, if the arbitrageur encounters suspicions from the advertiser or the affiliate program, he may be refused payments and partnerships are severed, even if there was no fraud in fact.


This method of shaving is used to evade payments for attracting traffic by accusing the arbitrageur of fraud without valid evidence. This can happen even in the absence of any unfair actions on the part of the arbitrator. It can be difficult to prevent such situations, but it is important to have honest and open relationships with partners, as well as document all actions and agreements to protect your interests in case of disputes.


The method when a webmaster's account is blocked without the possibility of recovery after making false accusations of fraud can be considered extremely dishonest and violates all the principles of affiliate marketing. This type of shave, called a "clean scam", is an extremely aggressive and unscrupulous action that seriously harms the reputation of both advertisers and affiliate programs, as well as the entire industry as a whole.


Blocking an account without the possibility of recovery makes it almost impossible for a webmaster to protect his rights and evidence of his innocence. This is unfair and can seriously endanger a webmaster's business, especially if they rely on affiliate marketing revenue.


To prevent such situations, it is important to choose reliable and honest partners, as well as actively protect your interests by documenting all agreements and cooperating with professional legal consultants, if necessary. It is also important to report any cases of violations or unfair practices in the affiliate marketing industry in order to reduce the risk of similar situations for other participants in this field.


How to fight with shave


These are really good tips to protect against cheating by affiliate programs and ensure that you receive fair payment for your efforts:


  • Keep statistics on your own:


Use special trackers to track and analyze your traffic. This will help you to have a complete picture of your traffic and, in case of suspicion of shaving, provide evidence of your income.


  • Cooperate only with trusted PP:

Before starting to work with an affiliate program, conduct a thorough analysis of its reputation, rating and reviews. Avoid cooperation with little-known or suspicious affiliate programs.


  • Check the quality of the PP's work:


Before starting work, leave your personal information on the offer page or place an order. This will help you evaluate the managers' reaction and check the quality of the conversion.


  • Spread the information about the seam:


If you have encountered shaving, share this experience in telegram channels, arbitration chat rooms and other communities. This will help other webmasters avoid unscrupulous partners and reduce the likelihood of similar cases in the future.


Following these tips will help you protect your interests and get fair pay for your work in affiliate marketing.