Disclaimer: This report is a condensed version of our adware testing and focuses on revenue generation mechanisms of adware applications. We make every reasonable attempt to provide accurate information, however adware applications are ever changing. AffiliateFairPlay.com disclaims any responsibility for inaccuracies in the contents of this report. If you feel there errors in this report, please contact us with details.
Name: DealAlert
Report Date: February 15, 2010
Type: Desktop Application (a FireFox plugin is also available but not included in this report)
Revenue Source: Affiliate Marketing
Merchant Partnerships
Description
This is a desktop application for Windows promoted by PocketDeal.com as a shopping assistant. The software displays instant alerts of product deals and coupons added to the Pocketdeal web site. It also allows end users to perform comparison shopping searches and create shopping lists
General Behavior
DealAlert has two main areas of function: a) instant notification to the desktop of deals and coupons published on the PocketDeal site and b) a desktop application, residing in the systray, where the end user can search for coupons, deals for merchants, price comparison search, access deals/coupons provided through the instant notifications and organize shopping lists and prior purchases.
The DealAlert software provides the end user with some basic setting options as shown in the screen shot below. The default settings at installation are shown in the screen shot.
Instant Alerts Delivered To The Desktop
User Interface of Desktop Application
End User Setting Option For DealAlert
Revenue Generation Behavior
Below is a summary of the observed behavoir of the DealAlert by PocketDeals application as related to revenue generation:
- The software is not activated by visiting certain merchant’s domains, that is it is not contextually activated
- Clicking on an Instant Alert will bring the end user to the merchant’s web site via an affiliate link
- Highlighting an offer in the software interface and then clicking “Open In Browser” will load the merchant’s site in a browser via an affiliate link
- Highlighting an offer in the software interface and then clicking “Coupon Details” will load the offer page on the affiliate’s web site
- Incidents of the affiliate tracking link being set were preceded by a physical click by the end user. We found no evidence of the software engaging in forced clicks
Revenue Behavior Through Desktop App
