YouTube channel spells out the shady practices from the Honey browser extension that is “sold” to find you the best coupon deal on the internet. If you have the honey browser extension installed, the following may be happening to you.
if you followed an affiliate link from someone who actually convinced you to buy, Honey automatically takes the affiliate deal so they receive the affiliate commission. Even when there isn’t a coupon available, Honey poaches the affiliate commission. (This doesn’t appear to directly impact the buyer)
Honey previously advertised as finding you, the buyer, the best coupon on the internet. This claim was quietly removed when some realized that the stores, via a contract with Honey, can prevent large promo codes from being applied by Honey. Bigger kickback to Honey. Honey no longer actively makes the “best discount coupon available” claim. This change was after a Better Business Bureau investigation. But thousands of older but active, sponsored YouTube videos still state this fraudulent claim.
Honey has a reward program that actually gives them more avenues to poach a sales commission while sharing an extremely small kickback with the buyer. Once again you could have saved more NOT using Honey.
feels like this opens PayPal to some class action lawsuits from affiliate marketers and consumers. FYI, PayPal bought them in 2019 for $4B.