Here is an example of how to not treat affiliate websites: Embedding The Cookie With An IFrame. Long ago, in the beginnings of the web one could do sneaky things and get away with it, but no longer.
An IFrame allows you to embed another HTML page inside the current webpage. What you do is load the affiliate page into your current page with an IFrame but make the IFrame so small that the readers can’t see it. Here is the code to do it.
<iframe src="www.your-affiliate-site.com" frameborder="0" height="1" scrolling="no" width="1"></iframe>
The only way to create affiliate links is with an actual link. The above method is called cookie stuffing/force clicking/cloaking and is not allowed on any affiliate program I am aware of. These are the same tactics used by spyware and adware.
Mr. Chow is a savvy affiliate and he should have known better. However, this story made great linkbait and got him a traffic boost, which should soften the blow of being kicked out of AuctionAds.
Jangro gives a great writeup on why this is a bad idea and lists specific TOS from the major affiliate websites:
Non End-User Initiated Events. Publishers may not use invisible methods to generate non End-User initiated impressions, clicks, or transactions. All click (“Click”) events must be initiated by an affirmative End-User action.
Link well and link often, just don’t use subversive and deceptive links.
