## **🤔 Why You're Asked to Choose an Alternative**

When you buy a placement through Link Laboratory, the publisher occasionally cannot complete the order. This happens for two main reasons, and the platform shows a different message for each:

- **Publisher rejected** — the site's editorial team declined your content or topic.
- **Publication unavailable** — the site is temporarily out of inventory or paused.

In both cases, an **Alternatives drawer** opens on your order with up to three suggested replacement publishers that are matched to the original site's metrics, niche, and price.

## **📋 Your Options in the Alternatives Drawer**

Before requesting a specific site, review the built-in options:

1. **Accept a suggested alternative** — pick one of the up-to-three publishers shown, and the order continues as normal.
2. **Choose for Me** — let our team select the closest matching replacement for you.
3. **Refund HDC** — cancel the placement and return the credit to your account balance.

If none of the suggestions work for you — for example, all three are in the same niche you want to avoid — you can request a specific publisher instead.

## **🎯 How to Request a Specific Alternative Publisher**

You can ask for any publisher in our catalog, such as bmmagazine.co.uk. Follow these steps:

1. Open the order in Link Laboratory: go to the **top-right corner (avatar) → App Ecosystem → Publisher Exchange tab → Go to Link Laboratory**, then locate the affected order.
2. Copy your **order number** (for example, #26388) and the **exact domain** you want, including the extension, such as bmmagazine.co.uk.
3. Open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type **human teammate**.
4. Share your order number, the exact domain you want, and a short note explaining that the suggested alternatives do not fit your campaign.

A team member will check availability and confirm next steps with you before anything changes on the order.

## **✅ What Happens After You Submit a Request**

- We confirm the publisher is currently accepting placements in your niche and language.
- If the site's price differs from your original order, we tell you the difference up front — you can pay the difference or request a partial refund.
- If the site is not available, we suggest the closest matches from the full catalog, and you make the final call.
- If you would rather not wait, you can still use **Choose for Me** or **Refund HDC** from the Alternatives drawer at any time.

## **💡 Tips for Faster Resolution**

- Check the catalog first: search the domain in Link Laboratory to see if the publisher is listed and in stock.
- Send the exact domain with the correct extension (.co.uk, .com, .net) to avoid mix-ups.
- Include your target URL and preferred anchor text so the replacement can start without another round of questions.
- If timing matters, say so — we can prioritize orders with deadlines.

## **💬 Still Need Help?**

If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type **human teammate** to be connected with a member of our team.