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Ask HN: Do you knowingly avoid affiliate links?
6 points by ljoshua on Jan 7, 2014 | hide | past | favorite | 5 comments
I recently noticed a behavior that I am actively trying to change: I used to avoid clicking on affiliate links, even if I wanted to get to the provider in the end (I'd strip it out or type it in myself). I don't know why I did this, but I've talked with others who've done the same. Realizing that this does no harm to me but benefits others, I always click through affiliate links now.

Have you done the same? Any reason for why we do this? Are affiliate links a sleazy way to get in on something or a legitimate way to earn a buck for sending people somewhere useful? (Okay, not so much that last question, but the previous two.)



Absolutely. If you point out that it's an affiliate link, I'm perfectly fine with letting you get the upside.

Otherwise I look at the anchor URL and get rid of the ref code. It's not a big deal but it's annoying seeing people use blog posts or forum comments to post stuff they normally wouldn't if they weren't incentivized.


I click them knowingly. Personally, if they have provided a resource that is of value to me, and I am not losing anything in the process, then fine, let them have their incentive. I win a good resource, they get a few dollars, no one is losing here.


It depends. I like to support blogs/etc that are free to use and, if they suggest something I like/want, I will click it. If it's just some random person in a forum/facebook/search result, yes I'd avoid it.


This is my usual behavior as well - if it looks like an advertisement or low-quality post to show something off, I wont. If it's someone I follow and they occasionally share something that is genuinely helpful I will click through.


If the person posting the link mentions that it is an affiliate link, I follow it.

Otherwise, I'll strip it out.

Same with ad.fly etc. etc. If they provide an alternative, I'll generally follow the link. Otherwise I won't.




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