Shopping app Honey claims that it helps save shoppers money… but if that were so, why would PayPal pay $4B to acquire the extension? The answer: Distribution. For over a decade, shopping apps and portals have generated money through affiliate marketing, earning commissions by referring customers to online stores. However, the apps reportedly have a downside.

• A viral YouTube exposé has accused Honey of allowing its shopping partners to moderate and remove coupons and deals in its app while taking a larger share of commissions.
• The revelation is a reminder to avid shoppers that not all shopping apps pay equally — one website, Cashback Monitor, compiles the highest-paying affiliate portals and marketplaces for various merchants.

Word for the wise: MegaLag says that what Honey is doing constitutes “fraud” by depriving content creators of affiliate revenue. That’s after influencers and creators took millions from the company to promote their product, read their scripts, and ask no further questions. It’s a friendly reminder of an old adage, true for Honey and true for the influencers that promoted it to their followers — if you’re not paying for the product, you are the product.