sabluedesign
Joined: Dec 05, 2004
# Posts: 4
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Posted: 2004-Dec-05 19:58
I have used looksmart for the past 2 month. all the clicks form looksmart ( vistor ) are stay less than 10 seconds on your site. ROI is zero !!!
And they don't even notifiy you when you refill your budget and bill your credit card without your knowledge. And they fraud their own reports.
according to my website live statices reports.
Since 12/01 till today, I have 1034 unique vistor 1034 and 591 visitor is from Bravenet affiliate link. and funny thing is according to looksmart they also delivered 589 vistor to my site between 12/01 ~ 12/03.
591+589 = 1180 visor > 1034, and I have not include the clicks from yahoo, google and other link exchange site yet.
I am still busy contact them and ask them give me an explanation, but I think all I will get is a standard response from them.
[ Message was edited by: bhartzer 06/06/2005 11:04 am ]
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chman0024
Joined: Eons Ago
# Posts: 173
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Posted: 2004-Dec-05 20:24
sabluedesign, thanks for the info. I normally don't use Looksmart but now I am definitally not going to use them.
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net_finder
Joined: Nov 20, 2004
# Posts: 34
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Posted: 2004-Dec-07 20:19
It is possible the numbers don't add up because the sent visitor from looksmart close's the window a second after they click the searched for link, Not allowing your website stats to record the visitors info. thus looksmarts records show more visitors sent than your webstats. This could mean fraud is happening. What kind of fraud prevention does looksmart offer to prevent this? When you sign up with them did it state you would be charged automaticly? If not you could go back to your card company and request a chargeback. Card companys are very happy to do charge backs as they are paid around $10 per chargebacks. You should check looksmarts terms before doing so.
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flyingrose
Staff
Joined: Oct 30, 2003
# Posts: 3361
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Posted: 2004-Dec-07 21:13
When you open an account with any PPC company you are presented with options regarding how your advertising will be charged and what type of notification you will receive.
Many offer an option to have their system automatically charge your credit card. I do not recommend using it; however, if you do usually your card is charged and no notice is sent.
These systems are usually designed to allow you to go look at your own reports including one that shows you when your credit card is charged and how much.
Advertisers who choose to use services such as Google, Overture, Looksmart, and others are responsible for learning how the systems work and managing their own accounts. No one else is going to do it for you and your results and costs depend on the decisions you make.
As for tracking statistics, all tools that analyze logs must be properly configured. Because each is programmed slightly differently results will vary; however, they will hopefully be fairly close.
I do see conversions from Looksmart campaigns so they do have at least some good traffic. Conversions of clicks into sales relies as heavily on what is being offered and the Web site design as it does on the actual ads and keywords chosen.
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infiniteloop
Joined: Feb 17, 2005
# Posts: 2
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Posted: 2005-Feb-17 22:51
Has anyone else had a problem w/ looksmart charging you for traffic you never received? I track EVERYTHING. I'm spending about $150k across all of the PPCs. Looksmart says they've sent 7,020 clicks this year. I see 878 visits. That's off by a factor of eight. They said they're not going to do a thing about it. Anybody else having problems w/ them? Also, they never told me about the recurring billing. It's a scam.
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sem4u
Joined: Dec 16, 2003
# Posts: 262
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Posted: 2005-Feb-18 09:24
I gave up on LookSmart after they were dropped from the MSN results. Many people gave up on them before that when they introduced CPC listings instead of just a one off review fee.
I would call them if you have tracked everything. Also, show them threads like these where people have problems.
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joemnz
Joined: Eons Ago
# Posts: 27
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Posted: 2005-Mar-04 18:51
Yes, I had a problem on looksmart and some people gave me some good solutions. you can read it on a posting called look stupid on looksmart...
FLYINGROSE;
Looksmart is the only company ive seen that does not give the billing an option... Its strictly auto... I dont belive google does either but they let YOU set a budget.... looksmart TELLS you your budget.
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flyingrose
Staff
Joined: Oct 30, 2003
# Posts: 3361
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Posted: 2005-Mar-05 04:52
I have a suggestion for anyone who feels they have been charged for either fraudulent or non-existent traffic. The click fraud companies can often do retro-active analysis if you can get access to your old log files.
They can then build a business case for you to request a refund. I know of a couple companies that have been successful in obtaining substantial refunds.
Any advertiser with a significant amount of money at stake might want to seriously consider consulting with one of these companies.
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bizguy
Joined: Eons Ago
# Posts: 80
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Posted: 2005-Mar-15 01:07
I've been on Looksmart well over a year, and I am now really beginning to question them. (As an aside, JUST TRY to reach someone there BY TELEPHONE...they don't even have an operator on their main number...troublesome.)
My billing month starts on the 11th. Well, an average month shows 3,000 or so clicks from them. This month, less than one day after the start of the new month, it told me my budget was already exhausted and I had received 3,000 or so clicks. ABSOLUTELY IMPOSSIBLE in one day from a minor search engine! Furthermore, it shows my "SPEND" at several thousand dollars OVER my "budget." How can that be? Makes you wonder about their tracking and accounting.
I'm still trying to figure out how exactly to put a freeze on that account--hope I don't have to contact my credit card company for assistance. But to actually TALK to someone there, you have to LEAVE A MESSAGE, which indicates something entirely negative to me. And I'm still waiting on that call.
Lesson here: stay on top of your clicks and payments if you choose to use Looksmart.
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sabluedesign
Joined: Dec 05, 2004
# Posts: 4
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Posted: 2005-Mar-15 06:20
Login your Looksmart account and change your Credit card number, so they won't be able to charge your anymore.
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openxs
Joined: May 03, 2004
# Posts: 177
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Posted: 2005-Mar-15 18:06
Intrestingly, I found Looksmart to be using Google Adsense Listings in its directory today. Shocking!
I doubt if looksmart will stay in the business for long.
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RECAR
Joined: Oct 10, 2002
# Posts: 10
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Posted: 2005-Jun-06 17:51
Just to follow up on this matter, I thought I would let you know of my expieriences with Looksmart. I can only and seriously confirm that everybody should stay clear of Looksmart for now.
During the end of December 2004 and January 2005 I noticed that our Looksmart account suddenly created thousands of visits, only staying for a couple of seconds.
After getting in touch with their customer support and supplying our access log files at the end of January, they finally got back to me beginning of April, after I had to enquire 2 times for the latest news on the matter. I told them that I supected click-fraud by one or more of their partners.
In fact when they got back to me they said that they had ended their relationship with lopsearch.com network but without any further details. Lopsearch was one of the sources for visits that only stayed for a few seconds (A few hundred even visited www.website.com/favico.ico How believable  )
They also offered a coupon for US$100 for future spendings !! I find this to be more like an offense than a recompensation, especially taking into account that a far larger charge was created by those 'false' visits. They offered no refund whatsoever.  Not very nice if you ask me.
And top things off, they now deactivated the account for the 'lack of funds', even though the balance is at US$ +200. Just because currently I don't have a valid CC number on record with them. I want to avoid further unwanted charges. Not a very serious business behaviour in my eyes.
In my book these guys nowadyas are really fishy and won't get very far (i hope) with this kind of attitude towards their customers. Although I remember them being a
respected Directory listing like 7 or 8 years ago.
I hope this post will maybe help to decide some of those that are still undiceded about Looksmart. I say, don't use Looksmart and you may avoid some headaches.
best regards
Sascha
[ Message was edited by: bhartzer 06/06/2005 11:05 am ]
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anand101
Joined: Feb 11, 2005
# Posts: 8
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Posted: 2005-Jun-07 03:24
hi
same experience, most small and minor engines are hiring directly or indirectly clickers in india and thousands are employed, check the advertisments in hindustan times and you will get the idea,
i dropped looksmart after 5 months of bogus billing
thanks
andy
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openxs
Joined: May 03, 2004
# Posts: 177
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Posted: 2005-Jun-07 17:02
hi
same experience, most small and minor engines are hiring directly or indirectly clickers in india and thousands are employed, check the advertisments in hindustan times and you will get the idea,
i dropped looksmart after 5 months of bogus billing
thanks
andy
A greater portion comes from China and poland, if you didn't know. And I think, you're an Indian yourself, arent you? You seem quite unpatriotic.
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webcerver
Joined: Jun 09, 2005
# Posts: 3
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Posted: 2005-Jun-23 17:51
WOW, I really thought that LOOKSMART was good, I guess not.
Hey what do you guys think about NBCSearchs PPC company?
I have mixed feelings about using them, just want to get a more solid feel of what to expect before using them.
Thanks
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webcerver
Joined: Jun 09, 2005
# Posts: 3
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Posted: 2005-Jun-23 17:51
????????????????????????????????????????
[ Message was edited by: webcerver 06/23/2005 10:06 am ]
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xnate
Joined: Jun 22, 2005
# Posts: 6
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Posted: 2005-Jun-23 18:01
Webcerver,
Well I've been using NBCSearch.com's XML Feed for a year now and I've had no problems with them. They have very good results.
[ Message was edited by: xnate 06/24/2005 09:10 am ]
[ Message was edited by: xnate 06/24/2005 09:16 am ]
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ultra2004
Joined: Jun 15, 2004
# Posts: 96
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Posted: 2005-Jun-29 15:19
We've been using them for a month, after reading this post we double checked the figures they were quoting as opposed the figures we were actually getting. According to them we should have received about 10000 visitors in the month, Webtrends shows ZERO.
Me thinks it's time to stop them now.
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dk
Joined: Jan 27, 2004
# Posts: 24
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Posted: 2005-Dec-01 08:09
Lee,
NBCsearch did have some issues with reporting in the upgrading of our backend from Jackhammer to a new developed system. All stats should have been resolved. If you are still having problems please feed free to send a email to support@nbcsearch.com.
Regards,
Daniel
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