Whats a traffic leak?

I have seen this term used on the boards in a few places...

anyone care to elaborate?

Anytime traffic is re-directed or otherwise sent off-site.

i.e. pop-ups, pop-unders, banner ads, link lists, etc.

Sometimes they're good, sometimes not. They're annoying to affiliates when sponsors use them because they typically don't receive credit for any sales or business the sponsor makes from them.

When there are outgoing links on the free area of your site.

Some feel that if surfers come to your site, and don't want what you have, it's perfectly ok to give them options via links in your free area, or banners, to other sites they might be interested in.

Others feel that having "traffic leaks" means they are sending you traffic that will ultimately go to sites you promote, and they make no money on traffic they send to you.

I'm of the thought that web analytics research is correct and that via clickprint, and surfing speed, many surfers know if they want to purchase your goods within seconds of accessing your site and that giving them other options is only good business, as all mainstream sites use this technique.