The partners in PureCash, Web Entertainment Group and Hirise, Inc., announced they would be closing their program yesterday, due to the fact that Hirise is leaving the partnership to pursue mainstream opportunities.
Although the Web Entertainment Group also runs affiliate programs WEGCash and G3X, it was announced that the PureCash sites would not be incorporated into them. Nor will they be sold.
Affiliates have been directed to remove links to PureCash sites by midnight on March 14. All remaining payouts are being made according to the current schedule and revshare affiliates are being paid on average member retention for the last three months for any remaining members.
Web Entertainment Group marketing director Cory Hedgepeth made the following statement to AVNOnline.com.
“A decision was reached to close the program due to our resources already being devoted to two varying and dynamic programs. The program’s profitability was never in question, nor was its quality; it was just a matter of pragmatism on our part. Affiliate programs require a tremendous amount of involved resources, such as webmaster support, programming, design and fraud to name a few.
The sites could not easily be sold, nor instituted underneath of the WEG family of sites. Both options were examined by all parties and it seemed an illogical resolution. The functionality of WEGCash, from all spectrums, created too many points of contention with regards to importing the sites on a multitude of levels. We did not feel it would be possible to reach a satisfactory deal in selling the program, which is just an aspect of business that happens. In terms of selling an affiliate program, things can be more complicated than they seem when the pen and papers come out. There are a broad range of business aspects that must be considered when selling an affiliate program, most of which I will not go into; however, I will say, if it were a viable and logical option, we would have undoubtedly done so.
With both options off the table, the logical subsequent move was to shut the program down. In doing so, we ensured that webmaster traffic, something we consider the single most vital aspect of our online ventures, would not be compromised. That said, we have given webmasters notice to change the links; if that notice is not enough, I will personally change the links to direct to a link of their choice for an extended time period. We have insured that everyone will get paid. I of course do hope that everyone decides to use our programs, but that is the webmasters option to do so.”
