Affiliate Disclosure
OCR411 may earn a commission when you purchase a product or service through certain links on this website.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
These are commonly called affiliate links.
If you follow an affiliate link and make a qualifying purchase or transaction, the third-party company may pay OCR411 a commission or referral fee. OCR411 does not add a separate charge to you for using an affiliate link.
The Important Part
An affiliate relationship does not determine what OCR411 says about a race, product, service or company.
A company does not receive a favorable review, recommendation or editorial conclusion simply because OCR411 may earn money from a link to that company.
Where Affiliate Links May Appear
Affiliate links may appear in articles, gear guides, resource pages, race-related content or other areas where linking to a third-party product or service is useful to readers.
Not every external link on OCR411 is an affiliate link.
Many links are included solely as references to race organizers, research, public-health information, rules, products, services or other resources. OCR411 does not receive compensation merely because a normal external link appears on the site.
Affiliate Links Will Be Disclosed
When content contains affiliate links, OCR411 intends to identify the commercial relationship in clear language near the relevant content rather than relying solely on this page.
A typical disclosure may state:
Affiliate Disclosure: Some links on this page are affiliate links. OCR411 may earn a commission if you make a qualifying purchase through one of those links.
The exact wording or placement may vary with the format of the page, but the purpose is the same: readers should be able to recognize when OCR411 may have a financial relationship connected to a recommendation or link.
Editorial Independence
Affiliate participation does not give a merchant, race organization or affiliate network editorial control over OCR411.
Affiliate status does not determine whether something is covered, whether criticism is removed or whether a product or service receives a favorable conclusion.
If OCR411 believes something is overpriced, inappropriate for beginners, unnecessary or a poor fit for a particular use, an available commission does not change that conclusion.
Likewise, the absence of an affiliate relationship does not prevent OCR411 from discussing or recommending something that appears useful.
For more information about how commercial relationships are separated from editorial decisions, see the Editorial & Independence Policy.
A Link Is Not a Guarantee
An affiliate link does not mean OCR411 controls the third-party product, service, website, inventory, pricing, shipping, refund policy, event operation or customer service.
Products change. Prices change. Race policies change. Inventory disappears. Companies revise specifications and terms.
Readers should review the current information provided by the seller or service provider before making a purchase or other financial commitment.
Your Transaction Is With the Third Party
When you purchase through an external affiliate link, the transaction is generally processed by the third-party merchant or service provider, not by OCR411.
The third party’s own terms, privacy practices, return policies, warranties, pricing and customer-service procedures may apply to that transaction.
OCR411 does not control those policies simply because an affiliate relationship exists.
Affiliate Relationships Can Change
OCR411 may join, leave or change affiliate programs over time.
A link that generates compensation today may not do so in the future, and a previously ordinary link may later become part of an affiliate relationship.
The existence or absence of an affiliate relationship should not be interpreted as an endorsement, partnership or statement about the quality of the company involved.
Sponsored Content Is Different
Affiliate links and sponsored content are not necessarily the same thing.
An affiliate relationship generally means OCR411 may receive compensation if a reader completes a qualifying transaction. Sponsored content involves separate compensation or consideration connected to publishing particular content.
If OCR411 publishes sponsored or paid content, that relationship should be identified separately and clearly rather than being hidden under the general affiliate disclosure.
Complimentary Products or Services
If OCR411 receives a product, race entry, service, discount or other material benefit in connection with coverage, that relationship should be disclosed when relevant to how readers would evaluate the content.
Receiving something without paying the normal price does not guarantee favorable coverage.
Questions About Affiliate Relationships
Questions about affiliate relationships, sponsorship disclosures or commercial connections involving OCR411 may be submitted through the Contact page.
For broader information about OCR411’s approach to independence, sourcing and corrections, see About OCR411 and the Editorial & Independence Policy.
The Bottom Line
Some links on OCR411 may generate revenue.
The existence of that revenue relationship should be disclosed, and it should not determine the editorial answer.
If an affiliate relationship exists, readers deserve to know about it. If something is worth recommending, it should still be worth recommending without pretending the financial relationship does not exist.