Comments on: Merchant Naivete or Common Problems of Affiliate Programs http://www.amnavigator.com/blog/2009/02/06/merchant-naivete-or-two-common-problems-of-affiliate-programs/ Geno talks about affiliate marketing, leadership, etc Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:14:20 +0000 hourly 1 By: Geno http://www.amnavigator.com/blog/2009/02/06/merchant-naivete-or-two-common-problems-of-affiliate-programs/comment-page-1/#comment-578 Geno Tue, 24 Feb 2009 05:03:40 +0000 http://www.amnavigator.com/blog/?p=494#comment-578 Is that e-mail address just a general CJ's merchant (or affiliate) support address for France, or is the program managed by CJ for them? Is that e-mail address just a general CJ’s merchant (or affiliate) support address for France, or is the program managed by CJ for them?

]]> By: Issam Saby http://www.amnavigator.com/blog/2009/02/06/merchant-naivete-or-two-common-problems-of-affiliate-programs/comment-page-1/#comment-576 Issam Saby Tue, 24 Feb 2009 04:57:29 +0000 http://www.amnavigator.com/blog/?p=494#comment-576 Just giving an example of a program being set on autopilot with no affiliate manager and reliying on the network to manage it. Just giving an example of a program being set on autopilot with no affiliate manager and reliying on the network to manage it.

]]> By: Geno http://www.amnavigator.com/blog/2009/02/06/merchant-naivete-or-two-common-problems-of-affiliate-programs/comment-page-1/#comment-575 Geno Tue, 24 Feb 2009 04:45:06 +0000 http://www.amnavigator.com/blog/?p=494#comment-575 So what is your point here, Issam? So what is your point here, Issam?

]]> By: Issam Saby http://www.amnavigator.com/blog/2009/02/06/merchant-naivete-or-two-common-problems-of-affiliate-programs/comment-page-1/#comment-573 Issam Saby Tue, 24 Feb 2009 03:25:48 +0000 http://www.amnavigator.com/blog/?p=494#comment-573 Last week I sent an inquiry to a French online movie rental program asking for a product data feed and I got a response from the marketing director telling me she didn't know what a data feed was. So I asked her who was managing the program and she pointed me out to support.editeur@cj.com ... Last week I sent an inquiry to a French online movie rental program asking for a product data feed and I got a response from the marketing director telling me she didn’t know what a data feed was. So I asked her who was managing the program and she pointed me out to support.editeur@cj.com …

]]> By: Geno http://www.amnavigator.com/blog/2009/02/06/merchant-naivete-or-two-common-problems-of-affiliate-programs/comment-page-1/#comment-275 Geno Wed, 11 Feb 2009 23:28:25 +0000 http://www.amnavigator.com/blog/?p=494#comment-275 <b>Adam</b>, Shoot me your e-mail at geno /at/ amnavigator.com Looking forward to receiving it. Adam,

Shoot me your e-mail at geno /at/ amnavigator.com

Looking forward to receiving it.

]]> By: Adam http://www.amnavigator.com/blog/2009/02/06/merchant-naivete-or-two-common-problems-of-affiliate-programs/comment-page-1/#comment-272 Adam Wed, 11 Feb 2009 22:17:04 +0000 http://www.amnavigator.com/blog/?p=494#comment-272 Nancy, Thanks.... for your patience and understanding. We are indeed a little "naive" when it comes to affiliate marketing, but we're learning fast. This is a new venture for us. Reading relevant informational blogs such as amnaviagtor and dealing with "GOOD" affiliates such as yourself... should help a lot. Geno, We would love to take you up on your offer for a free evaluation! Where should I send the email to? Nancy,
Thanks…. for your patience and understanding.
We are indeed a little “naive” when it comes to affiliate marketing, but we’re learning fast. This is a new venture for us. Reading relevant informational blogs such as amnaviagtor and dealing with “GOOD” affiliates such as yourself… should help a lot.

Geno,
We would love to take you up on your offer for a free evaluation! Where should I send the email to?

]]> By: Nancy http://www.amnavigator.com/blog/2009/02/06/merchant-naivete-or-two-common-problems-of-affiliate-programs/comment-page-1/#comment-270 Nancy Wed, 11 Feb 2009 21:27:25 +0000 http://www.amnavigator.com/blog/?p=494#comment-270 Whoopee! Got a response today! They have contacted the network to see about implementing phone tracking and adding a datafeed. It won't be overnight but I won't be dropping this program. I'm including a link to this post for them, I think they are interested in running things right, just haven't got all the information they need yet. I do hope they follow through with your offer, Geno, it could help them immensely! Whoopee! Got a response today! They have contacted the network to see about implementing phone tracking and adding a datafeed. It won’t be overnight but I won’t be dropping this program. I’m including a link to this post for them, I think they are interested in running things right, just haven’t got all the information they need yet.
I do hope they follow through with your offer, Geno, it could help them immensely!

]]> By: Geno http://www.amnavigator.com/blog/2009/02/06/merchant-naivete-or-two-common-problems-of-affiliate-programs/comment-page-1/#comment-228 Geno Tue, 10 Feb 2009 04:50:56 +0000 http://www.amnavigator.com/blog/?p=494#comment-228 <b>Nancy</b>, Wow. Sorry to hear this. Feel free to send them to my video (or this post), and tell them I'll offer them I a free optimization analysis of their affiliate program if they e-mail me back by the end of this Winter. Nancy,

Wow. Sorry to hear this. Feel free to send them to my video (or this post), and tell them I’ll offer them I a free optimization analysis of their affiliate program if they e-mail me back by the end of this Winter.

]]> By: Nancy http://www.amnavigator.com/blog/2009/02/06/merchant-naivete-or-two-common-problems-of-affiliate-programs/comment-page-1/#comment-226 Nancy Tue, 10 Feb 2009 01:23:21 +0000 http://www.amnavigator.com/blog/?p=494#comment-226 Just a note to let you know I've still not heard a peep from the merchant I had contacted about their 'deficiencies'. Their TOS gave the impression that the program was not on auto-approve so maybe that's why no basic "Welcome" email. Whether they realize it or not, it <i>is</i> on auto-approve, and they do not respond to polite questions. I'm sending them a note this evening via the SAS interface and if that does not produce a response within a few days, I'm done with this one. I try to be patient because I realize that sometimes a realistic response can take time, but it tells me that maybe they have customers not getting a response as well and that is not so good. Just a note to let you know I’ve still not heard a peep from the merchant I had contacted about their ‘deficiencies’. Their TOS gave the impression that the program was not on auto-approve so maybe that’s why no basic “Welcome” email. Whether they realize it or not, it is on auto-approve, and they do not respond to polite questions. I’m sending them a note this evening via the SAS interface and if that does not produce a response within a few days, I’m done with this one.
I try to be patient because I realize that sometimes a realistic response can take time, but it tells me that maybe they have customers not getting a response as well and that is not so good.

]]> By: Geno http://www.amnavigator.com/blog/2009/02/06/merchant-naivete-or-two-common-problems-of-affiliate-programs/comment-page-1/#comment-201 Geno Sat, 07 Feb 2009 20:03:48 +0000 http://www.amnavigator.com/blog/?p=494#comment-201 Just re-watched my above video-response, and thought it is necessary to clarify why having a prominently displayed call-now-to-order toll-free phone number on the merchant website that runs an affiliate program is not something you want to do. <i>If</i> you do not track phone orders that come through affiliate links, such a phone number becomes a classic example of a "leak", or a link through which traffic leaks from the merchant's website to contexts where affiliates are not remunerated for referring that traffic to the merchant. An affiliate does their pre-sell job, and refers the client to you. The client sees the phone number where you encourage customers to phone in, and place the order over the phone. They call in, place their order with you, and at <i>that</i> moment (unless you have a system of crediting that affiliate's account for the phone order received) the affiliate is instantly excluded from the process. When working on my "Online Shopping Through Consumer's Eyes" and polling online shoppers, I asked them this question: "All factors being equal, are you more likely to shop with a website that has a toll-free phone number prominently displayed on top of each page?" 56% of the respondents said "yes", and 44% voted "no". The decision is yours, but if you decide to have that phone number on every page of your website, you better track phone orders referred by affiliates. If you do not, I recommend you (a) place it only on the "Contact Us" page, and (b) do <i>not</i> call customers to phone in instead of placing their order online. Just re-watched my above video-response, and thought it is necessary to clarify why having a prominently displayed call-now-to-order toll-free phone number on the merchant website that runs an affiliate program is not something you want to do. If you do not track phone orders that come through affiliate links, such a phone number becomes a classic example of a “leak”, or a link through which traffic leaks from the merchant’s website to contexts where affiliates are not remunerated for referring that traffic to the merchant. An affiliate does their pre-sell job, and refers the client to you. The client sees the phone number where you encourage customers to phone in, and place the order over the phone. They call in, place their order with you, and at that moment (unless you have a system of crediting that affiliate’s account for the phone order received) the affiliate is instantly excluded from the process.

When working on my “Online Shopping Through Consumer’s Eyes” and polling online shoppers, I asked them this question: “All factors being equal, are you more likely to shop with a website that has a toll-free phone number prominently displayed on top of each page?” 56% of the respondents said “yes”, and 44% voted “no”. The decision is yours, but if you decide to have that phone number on every page of your website, you better track phone orders referred by affiliates. If you do not, I recommend you (a) place it only on the “Contact Us” page, and (b) do not call customers to phone in instead of placing their order online.

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