As of this moment, I have no idea whether AffPower really is as doomed as the number of irate affiliates waiting to be paid might indicate. This program was originally touted by Brian J as an “invitation only” special back toward the end of 2004 (not long after the untimely demise of myrxforless), but the viral marketing for the program worked so successfully that eventually it grew to the point that pretty much anyone who wanted to could participate.

Within less than half a year, however, our direct experience with the program led me to have serious doubts about the operation’s sincerity and trustworthiness — not with Brian J, who was only helping promote it, but with the owner and other aspects of the program behind the scenes. After major payment hassles, I pulled the plug and sent the traffic elsewhere. The program has never been recommended by AffiliateInsight.com.

For a long time, that appeared to have been a hasty decision; for the last year or so, many braver or luckier affiliates than I have continued to rake in the sales with this offshore outfit. As of this week, however, many have been left expecting thousands of dollars of payments, with no clear answer yet being given as to whether they will ever see that money.

My own decision to cease working with them may have jumped the gun by more than a year, but I’m thankful not to be hassling with them now, along with so many other disappointed affiliates. For me, this underscores the value of getting your own experience with any program and thinking critically about whether it is one you really want to work with. It may not save you every time — in fact, it almost certainly won’t save you every time — but at least it will help you to conduct your business according to your own internal compass and not just according to what those around you seem to think is a great thing.