[dhelle]

Bryan,

Is it your practice to automatically extend all sales ???

As you know I just joined your program ... But I have a problem with ANY Merchant who holds my money for 2 months.

Dave

[Bryan Rhodes]

Dave,

In order to allow for returns, we do extend transactions. But it isn't to hold onto your money. The commissions are already deducted from our CJ account. Why they take so long to process them after the final approval I don't know. I've inquired for our affiliates before without getting a decent answer.

I haven't been able to come up with a better way to handle Affiliate transactions while allowing for returns. If there is a simpler way that gets you your money faster, I'd be all for it. I'm doing these by hand so it would make my life easier as well.

I'd love to hear any and all suggestions.

Thanks,

Bryan

[dhelle]

Bryan,

ALL Merchants have a return policy and of the 100+ Merchants I have from all providers ... not one of them extends all transactions.

It's your call ... But I believe it will hurt you in the long run. I know I won't be promoting any other products than the two I tried out regardless of conversion%.

Ask Andy over at Tiger Direct ... He's worked on getting us paid 10 days after the close of the month.

Are your returns THAT high?

Dave

[jbresee]

Hello,

Once again I'm troubled by the assumption that the merchant is attempting to defraud the affiliate.

Bryan makes his money based upon the APPROVED transaction total in CJ every month. It's to his advantage to approve transactions.

The issue of returns is a thorny one however, according to the just released survey by Shop.org online retailers average 10% return rate. That is across all industries, jewelry, sports, whatever. A merchant can't run a cost effective program if they do not correctly handle returns and fraud. It's an endless challenge but our promise and our gaurantee is that we pay every penny that our affiliates earn on all good transactions.

We love to pay our affiliates more, we love to pay Bryan more, because when you guys make money, and Bryan makes money...then we absolutely kill it.

Affiliates are our most important marketing channel and one that we protect as feircely as a grizzly bear protects its cubs. Our goal is to grow our affiliate program into a huge world class program...I'm thinking pink Cadillacs here...or the outdoor equivalent.

[dhelle]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Once again I'm troubled by the assumption that the merchant is attempting to defraud the affiliate. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Where did you get that from?

I'm only pointing out to you what the mainstream is doing and they are NOT extending all transactions.

Dave

[eaglefire]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Where did you get that from?
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I was wondering the same thing.

[Bryan Rhodes]

Dave,

Would it be better if we accepted those transactions only to reverse returned merchandise before they locked? That seems to me to be worse.

I will ask Andy about the policy at Tiger Direct. I posted this question in the Merchant Forum and I'll make him aware of this thread.

Before you drop our program altogether, stick around and let's see what can be done to resolve the issue. I'd hate for you to drop what started as a successful partnership.

Regarding returned merchandise, we are well below the industry average. That's a different figure than the CJ Reversal Rate. let's not start that discussion again.

I'll see what Andy and other merchants have to say. Maybe Todd has some insight that I'm not getting from others at CJ.

Thanks,

Bryan

[Bryan Rhodes]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by dhelle:


Where did you get that from?

I'm only pointing out to you what the mainstream is doing and they are NOT extending all transactions.

Dave<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I think John starts to get excited when he sees more than one ???????????????

I sent a PM to Andy. I'll contact Todd next.

thanks,

Bryan

[deelz]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>ALL Merchants have a return policy and of the 100+ Merchants I have from all providers ... not one of them extends all transactions.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Sure, most merchants do not extend transactions to cover the return/money-back guarantee period.

BUT...what if one of them gets a return and issues a charge against your account to recover the commission already paid to you? That's perfectly honest, legitimate, and above-the-board. But it would raise your hackles, wouldn't it? It's not a good feeling.

Better to wait for a payment that you can put in your pocket, and not have to take back out again.

[dhelle]

Bryan,

Thanks,

I'll keep the links up and see.

I've been doing this full time for awhile now and I can tell you this is not a common practice.

I know of one merchant who extends ... But only for red flag items like - Unusualy large sales and such.

Zappos.com dosnt extend every sale ... They just reverse 35% on the 10th of every month. :eek:


Dave

[Andy Rodriguez]

Hmmm,

We are lucky to have a very low return rate. We will reverse the commish if it's already paid out though.

Most of our deals though, especially if they are closeouts will state on the order no returns.

We don't really have a huge problem with that.....

Sorry we couldn't shed more light on this....

[jbresee]

Perhaps I over-reacted...I'm known to do that...Bryan is usually the recipient of my disproportionate reaction. :rolleyes:

[iucpxleps]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by John Bresee:
Perhaps I over-reacted...I'm known to do that...Bryan is usually the recipient of my disproportionate reaction. :rolleyes:<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Nope I dont think you over reacted. Maybe we dont mean/imply that but some X person could have get that meaning if it wasnt mentioned just in case. I think this was better.. /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

[webmarm]

**asbestos suit on**

I have a bunch of merchants that routinely extend. Sure, it makes it return 60 days rather than 30, when the terms say 30, but I don't mind. Of course, I'm whacko enough to market Amazon who pays me only quarterly, with the check usually arriving a month after the quarter ended /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif.

I suppose it would ideally be one of those things that I'd love to see on a full disclosure, really open marketplace of each merchant. Does the merchant as a matter of policy extend to cover a return guarantee?

Just so we all know where we stand rather than get into a business relationship and find that things were not as we expected.

However, in my limited experience there is not such a huge correlation between reversal and extension. I have merchants who extend everything and reverse very little, and those who extend everything and reverse a ton. I keep an eye on the extensions with new merchants, to see into which category they fall.

Now if only my pages for bcs would get into the SE's already!

[net4biz]

Bryan,

Do you erase cookies after a sale?

Your 180 day cookies is great(360 would be better) but if I am going to make BCS a featured merchant I need to know about the 'cookie erase - yes or no.'

You guys have a huge opportunity to leap into the real big time.

Long cookie, cookie not erased after a sale,
great customer and partner communication and service.

[dhelle]

I'm surprised I have not had more support from my peers on this one...

Looking back at the last 45 days ... Besides BCS ... I have only had 2 extensions from - You guessed it - EBAY!! This is out of hundreds and hundreds of transaction over all providers.

I have over 100 active Merchant partners ... Which ones are you using that extend all sales? I must have a knack of picking only the ones who do not.

Dave

[ 07-12-2002: Message edited by: dhelle ]

[Bryan Rhodes]

Do we erase cookies after a sale?

That's a good question and one I'm trying to figure out the answer to. Our policy is NOT to erase cookies. That being said, I looked through our code and couldn't find an obvious "Keep=yes" or "keep=no". I'm talking to Cj today and our super tech guy is looking into it. We do have multiple orders come through the transaction reports from time to time, so I believe that cookies are not being erased.

Until the subject was brought up here on ABW, I didn't know it was an option. We structured affiliate commissions so that we can pay our Affiliates for those sales every single time. It doesn't matter if the sale is $40 or $800, you will be paid.

Hope you'll get on board, Professor.

Thanks,

Bryan

[net4biz]

Bryan,

I'm onboard...I have beenbuilding a site to promote you guys. Hope to finish it this weekend.

[Bryan Rhodes]

I just got the shopping cart code from CJ to ensure that we are not deleting cookies. So any and all sales for 180 days after a customer first visits our site from yours will be credited.

As for the Returns and Extensions, I'm working on a major redo of our Affiliate Info in CJ and on our site. I'll include clear statements of our return policy, how we do extensions and cookie policies.

Thanks for your input. You have all helped make our program better.

Bryan

[Cedric]

>>Which ones are you using that extend all sales?<<

My biggest extenders are clothing merchants and independent merchants. But, like webmistress, I just don't see it as a big issue... like her, I haven't found any correlation between extensions and reversals, so... what the heck?

Before anyone asks -- of course, I'd rather get paid sooner, but I would NOT want to get paid and THEN have reversals.

[cowox]

Bryan Your program Awesome <IMG src=http://www.abestweb.com/ubb/icons/icon14.gif> just try some your best seller products for several pages. so far this month got 5 sales with $$, not bad for me....about extended sales just hope it will locked not reversed.. /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

[Bryan Rhodes]

Z,

Thanks for the positive feedback. Your site is doing great with us. Keep it up.

Bryan

[webmarm]

My biggest extenders are the apparel merchants. Clothing, jewelry, accessories, and some of the As on TV stuff seems to routinely extend.

IMHO the problem lies in the lack of disclosure to merchants and to affiliates about exactly how the cookie works.

Glad your cookie sticks, Bryan. That means that you have a big perk that will scream, "Use this merchant" whenever I have a niche filled by products you sell.

Given a merchant who
- makes a presence here
- has a 180 day cookie
- Keeps the cookie after the initial purchase for the full 180 days

I'll much more likely keep looking for ways to market bcs products!

[deelz]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>your cookie sticks, Bryan. That means that you have a big perk that will scream, "Use this merchant<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Amen.