Exposed: Backcountry.com’s Affiliate Betrayal and the “Out-of-Stock” Shenanigans That Leave You High and Dry
Jackson, WY – For years, Mountain Weekly News has been your trusted guide to the wildest gear and the gnarliest adventures. We’ve ridden trails, summited peaks in the Tetons, and tested more jackets than a Wyoming winter has snowflakes. We’ve driven millions of dollars in sales to online retailers, connecting our passionate readers with the gear they need from the brands they trust. And for a long time, Backcountry (dot) com was a significant part of that equation. Was.
Because it seems like somewhere along the way, while they were busy expanding their empire, Backcountry’s Brand or lack there of forgot a fundamental truth: loyalty goes both ways. They forgot that the lifeblood of their business flows from the dedicated outdoor community, a community we at Mountain Weekly News have championed for years. And now, we’re calling them out. Backcountry was once core, not they reek of corporate crook mentality.
The Boot, The “Butt Hurt,” and The Blatant Disregard for Quality
Let’s cut to the chase. Mountain Weekly News, one of the premiere outdoor gear review websites in the world, has been unceremoniously – and we believe, unfairly – kicked out of Backcountry.com’s affiliate program. Why? Officially, they claimed it was for publicly sharing commission percentages. Talk about a flimsy excuse. Frankly, it sounds like the cry of a corporate entity whose delicate sensibilities were “urked” by a partner who dared to speak truth to power. Clearly the folks at Backcountry know zero about the outdoors, guessing them gearheads are inept sales people too?
And what was that “truth”? Simple: we were doing their job for them. Our team, comprised of actual outdoor enthusiasts who use and scrutinize gear daily, consistently pointed out errors in their product listings, discrepancies in their data, and things their own internal team clearly wasn’t catching. We weren’t trying to be a thorn in their side; we were trying to make their platform better for our shared customers – your readers, our community. We were striving for accuracy, for transparency, for the kind of quality that builds trust in the outdoor world.
But instead of thanking us, instead of collaborating, they pulled the plug. It seems Backcountry.com prefers blissful ignorance to inconvenient truths. Look at this letter from Betsy Haws, whoever the heck this is, she seemed really butt hurt.
The “Fraudulent Chuckle” – Are You Being Played?
But this story goes deeper than just a bruised corporate ego. This saga unearthed a far more concerning issue that directly impacts YOU, the customer.
For months, we observed a troubling pattern: our readers would click on a product link from Mountain Weekly News to Backcountry.com, lured by the promise of an “in-stock” item, only to arrive on Backcountry’s site and find that very same product – poof! – sold out.
This wasn’t a glitch; it was a consistent, infuriating problem. Our affiliate data feed, which pulls directly from Backcountry.com’s API, repeatedly showed products as available when they clearly weren’t. Think about that for a second. How many times have you, our loyal readers, clicked on a product from us (or any other affiliate site), only to be met with a dead end on Backcountry.com?
Here’s the rub: even if the product is sold out, Backcountry.com still gets the click. They still get you on their site. They still get your data. They now have the ability to track your browsing habits across the net, even if you never make a purchase.
Is it possible, then, that Backcountry.com purposely doesn’t care about the quality of their data feed? That driving clicks and traffic, regardless of accuracy, is the ultimate goal? It’s a cynical thought, we know, but the evidence makes you wonder. We call it the “fraudulent chuckle” – they chuckle all the way to the bank with your click, even as you’re left frustrated.
The Mountain Weekly News Stands Strong: We Fight for Our Readers
For us, this isn’t just about an affiliate program. This is about integrity. This is about ensuring our readers get accurate information and aren’t led down a digital rabbit hole. This is about promoting the outdoors, which we can’t fully do if we can’t confidently recommend where to buy the best gear.
Not being able to show Backcountry.com products on our site isn’t just a loss for us; it’s a loss for you, our community, who often shop there alongside trusted retailers like REI, Evo, and Amazon. You expect us to guide you, and we take that responsibility seriously.
Backcountry.com, you messed with the wrong mountain town. You underestimated the power of an independent voice, a voice rooted in the very wilderness you claim to serve. The Wasatch ain’t got sh*t on the Tetons. We actual live in the mountains, your in Park City? It’s laughable. You thought you could silence a partner who was only trying to help.
Our Message to Backcountry.com:
Consider this an open challenge.
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Apologize. Publicly acknowledge your mistake in cutting ties with a valuable partner who was actively working to improve your service.
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Reinstate. Bring Mountain Weekly News back into your affiliate program. We drive millions in sales; you know our value.
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Renegotiate. And this time, we’re talking about a commission percentage that truly reflects the immense traffic and sales we generate.
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Fix Your Feed. Commit to real, tangible improvements in your API data feed to ensure product availability is accurate. Our readers, your potential customers, deserve better.
We’re not just some fly-by-night blog. We are Mountain Weekly News, forged in the grit of Jackson, Wyoming. We are powerful, and we will not stand idly by while corporate arrogance harms our readers and the integrity of the outdoor industry.
Backcountry.com, the ball is in your court. You can come back to the table, make amends, and genuinely help your bottom line – and ours – by helping our readers find the best outdoor gear. Or, you can continue down this path, facing the full force of an embarrassed reputation in front of the very community that sustains you.
Choose wisely. The mountains are watching.
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Your AI photo of the group clearly misspelled as “Weekily” instead of “Weekly” — if you’re gonna go after the bigger guys do a spell check. Unless that was an actual photo, which then would be worse because as a blog/writer/posting agency you’d wanna make sure you’re employing the best possible comms teams 😉 Good luck and well wishes on taking on BC…a worthy cause!
Thanks man, Were just having fun and tossing daggers at corporate America!
And getting pitted in pow!
-Mike
Good afternoon,
Your article caught my attention enough to read through it in its entirety.
I have a couple of questions;
1. Did this really take place in January of 2022? Have you been doing business with them, as usual, for another nearly three years?
2. If your agreement really stated that your compensation program was confidential in nature, why did you breach that agreement and disclose it publicly?
The answers may be disclosed in your statement and i merely overlooked them. If so, I apologize for asking. I am a former small business owner and do have sympathy for your plight if you have been wronged. Believe me, I have been in several business threatening confrontations with national suppliers. Not fun.
Be careful when putting another business on social media “blast”. They have employees that can be negatively impacted as well.
Yes back in 2022, we pivoted to REI, EVO, Amazon etc. Driving business to other companies vs BC. We worked with them for a decade plus. I helped there affiliate internal team with many a things. When Brian Boyd ran the program, things were good. As they grew it became a fast cash grab vs making sure the backend and affiliate system was working as it should.
We don’t actually sign agreements. You want to join an affiliate program, I am with hundreds. You click a button and hit accept. They had this in the fine print somewhere. We dont read em, never have and really never will. This was simply BC finding a loophole. I often talk about my commissions on calls I lead with AvantLink and other affiliate networks. This shouldn’t be secret? Sales and negotiation 101.
Thanks for the part about their employees. I like working, they do too and they work for a rad company. It just sucks said rad company didnt see my value and got butt hurt when I simply offered to help. I spent easily 20+ hours consulting AvantLink, Backcountry Staff and Accelerated Partners on this issue. I found what the techs and internal team could not. Even though I’m a college drop out I learned a thing or two publishing for the last 25 years.
I really appreciate your comment!
-Mike
I’m trying to understand the timing here. From your own account, it looks like the affiliate relationship ended back in early 2022 after you published referral rates (which most affiliate contracts prohibit). That part makes sense. If you broke the agreement, the termination would follow.
What I’m less clear on is why this story is surfacing more than three years later. If the problem is about misleading inventory data, do you have evidence that this is still happening as of 2025? Since you’re no longer in the program, I imagine it would be difficult to verify without access. If there are independent examples or reader reports, I’d be interested to see them. I imagine this is exactly the type of behavior Google or Amazon etc would love to hear about.
I fear Backcountry may not take this threat seriously given that it’s been over 3 years and I am first to comment on this article. Maybe Backcountry is colluding with Google search results to ensure this story stays buried.
Trey,
We don’t read the affiliate agreements, I look at commission rates. I am able to talk publicly on calls about my commission rate but writing it down is different? What are the scared of? Best part was I accidently shared it, trying to help BC talking about conversation rates and lack there of. We saw 3% of our visitors make sales with REI, EVO, Amazon etc. yet BC somehow was around .5% which caught my eye, started researching and BOOM. Here we are.
It’s old news, I saw an archived email from years back. Triggered me and wanted to vent.
-Mike
PS We actually don’t want to work with BC, this was more of a slap to the face. IF, and when they want to come back and negotiate we might send em some sales. We’re about to blow up. And I’m sure there competitors enjoy the ROR and ROI I provide.
Thanks for reaching out!!! and a local too!~!
Cringe!