Mike Abolafia
July 8th, 2003, 08:10 AM
Of these theoretical Commission and Cookie duration combinations which do you prefer? Your comments to back up your choice are greatly appreciated.
Commision / Cookie Duration Preference
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jasonco12
July 8th, 2003, 08:20 AM
I really don't like any of those. I would go for at least 8% and a 30 day cookie. However if you have to have a answer based upon the following I would go for 5% and a 30 days.
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McDonald's to Announce Internet Expansion-wireless Internet service in about 75 restaurants http://reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=internetNews&storyID=3052120
midnightcoder
July 8th, 2003, 09:14 AM
The best sports program I promote offers 8% with a 6 month cookie.
happypoon
July 8th, 2003, 09:17 AM
Ahhhhh,
At least you're in the ball park showing signs of seriousness. The last affiliate program I recall suposidly improving their program went from a 5 session minute cookie to a 15 minute one.
Here are a couple of questions :
1) Is your cookie nullified after the first sale? If it is, the higher duration cookie terms wont mean as much to me.
2) What is your average shipping time. If a customer places an order today how long before they get it?
3) Assuming the cookie is not nullified after a sale - do your follow up customer emails set / overwrite / place an affiliate cookie on the users computer from followup emails you send (or that you have someone send for you)?
All of these factors would influence my decision for a short or longer cookie duration but not knowing, I'd opt for the 7% 14 days myself.
At least you're in the ball park showing signs of seriousness. The last affiliate program I recall suposidly improving their program went from a 5 session minute cookie to a 15 minute one.
Here are a couple of questions :
1) Is your cookie nullified after the first sale? If it is, the higher duration cookie terms wont mean as much to me.
2) What is your average shipping time. If a customer places an order today how long before they get it?
3) Assuming the cookie is not nullified after a sale - do your follow up customer emails set / overwrite / place an affiliate cookie on the users computer from followup emails you send (or that you have someone send for you)?
All of these factors would influence my decision for a short or longer cookie duration but not knowing, I'd opt for the 7% 14 days myself.
Julian
July 8th, 2003, 09:33 AM
It depends on what you are selling. How many sport items do people buy straight away? Do people tend to come back after 5 days, 14 days or 30 days?
Why not offer 8% with 30 days? If we send you the traffic, you should pay us if that person buys from you even after 100 days. We supplied the buyer, you should pay us a fair percentage
www.cjshoppingnetwork.com (http://www.cjshoppingnetwork.com)
Why not offer 8% with 30 days? If we send you the traffic, you should pay us if that person buys from you even after 100 days. We supplied the buyer, you should pay us a fair percentage
www.cjshoppingnetwork.com (http://www.cjshoppingnetwork.com)
midnightcoder
July 8th, 2003, 09:38 AM
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> If we send you the traffic, you should pay us if that person buys from you even after 100 days. We supplied the buyer, you should pay us a fair percentage <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Exactly!
There are some big ticket items on those sites, $1000+... a short cookie duration must exclude a lot of those sales
Exactly!
There are some big ticket items on those sites, $1000+... a short cookie duration must exclude a lot of those sales
Mike Abolafia
July 8th, 2003, 09:44 AM
Happy......
1. I recognize the cookie the importance of the Action Referral Occurrences to your evaluation of the cookie duration. I do not have an answer for you at this time but it has been noted as a major point to consider with any other changes.
2. The timespan for a package delivered by ground is is 3-8 days. Of course the time is decreased if a quicker shipping option is chosen
3. Our confirmation emails do not and will not contain code to overwrite your cookies.
1. I recognize the cookie the importance of the Action Referral Occurrences to your evaluation of the cookie duration. I do not have an answer for you at this time but it has been noted as a major point to consider with any other changes.
2. The timespan for a package delivered by ground is is 3-8 days. Of course the time is decreased if a quicker shipping option is chosen
3. Our confirmation emails do not and will not contain code to overwrite your cookies.
Julian
July 8th, 2003, 09:51 AM
I have read a lot of criticism of the programs that you run. However, I am very glad that you have taken the step towards working things out with your affiliates.
I personally have almost no links for any of your programs, because of the negative comments from other affiliates.
However, I will definately look deeper into the merchants that are part of your group.
The fact that you have posted on this forum is a step in the right direction. I will keep looking in on this topic to see what you are going to offer the affiliates who work so hard to bring you the visitors
www.cjshoppingnetwork.com (http://www.cjshoppingnetwork.com)
I personally have almost no links for any of your programs, because of the negative comments from other affiliates.
However, I will definately look deeper into the merchants that are part of your group.
The fact that you have posted on this forum is a step in the right direction. I will keep looking in on this topic to see what you are going to offer the affiliates who work so hard to bring you the visitors
www.cjshoppingnetwork.com (http://www.cjshoppingnetwork.com)
Leader
July 8th, 2003, 10:36 AM
I didn't vote because I wouldn't want to sign up for any of those choices.
I look for 10%/45 days.
No reason to accept peanuts in either part of the equation!
10% because anything less just doesn't cut it.
45 days to give the people a serious chance to buy something that's not in the "impulse buy" price range.
There's plenty of merchants who offer the compensation I'm speaking of. I have no need to sell in any particular category, so if one industry can't pay enough, or offer long enough cookies--that industry simply doesn't get represented on my sites. In other words, you (GSI) aren't just competing against other sporting gear places--you're competing against every other affiliate program on the Net.
~Revenue is King
I look for 10%/45 days.
No reason to accept peanuts in either part of the equation!
10% because anything less just doesn't cut it.
45 days to give the people a serious chance to buy something that's not in the "impulse buy" price range.
There's plenty of merchants who offer the compensation I'm speaking of. I have no need to sell in any particular category, so if one industry can't pay enough, or offer long enough cookies--that industry simply doesn't get represented on my sites. In other words, you (GSI) aren't just competing against other sporting gear places--you're competing against every other affiliate program on the Net.
~Revenue is King
Julian
July 8th, 2003, 10:48 AM
I have tried to limit to merchants that offer higher %.
However, what about Amazon? I am due to get $106 at the end of this month for the last quarter earnings. That is at 5% with 1 day cookie (I read somewhere on here that they offer 1 day)
The Amazon links are mostly dvd's and books. I have tried to offer alternative merchants who offer higher rates. However, none of them ever converted as well as Amazon have for me.
By avoiding lower percentage merchants, aren't you missing out on some potential earnings?
I do well with Boscov's as well. They only offer 5%, but I get a check every month.
www.cjshoppingnetwork.com (http://www.cjshoppingnetwork.com)
However, what about Amazon? I am due to get $106 at the end of this month for the last quarter earnings. That is at 5% with 1 day cookie (I read somewhere on here that they offer 1 day)
The Amazon links are mostly dvd's and books. I have tried to offer alternative merchants who offer higher rates. However, none of them ever converted as well as Amazon have for me.
By avoiding lower percentage merchants, aren't you missing out on some potential earnings?
I do well with Boscov's as well. They only offer 5%, but I get a check every month.
www.cjshoppingnetwork.com (http://www.cjshoppingnetwork.com)
Mike Abolafia
July 8th, 2003, 11:28 AM
Cjshoppingnetwork..........I appreciate you giving us a chance. I know it will take time to build back the trust of the affiliate world. I realize that I have to take small steps. The fist of these steps is to get the feedback of as many affiliates as possible. Again I wanted to thank everybody for their constructive criticism.
I wholeheartedly agree with your post about conversion of merchants with various commission levels. I have found this to be very true as an affiliate as well as from working within affiliate programs within other verticals.
I also wanted to point out that it is an unfair to compare our commission and cookie duration to a "fan shop" style store that specializes in licensed gear. Very simply the margins on these products are significantly higher than full line sporting goods products.
Mike
AAE
GSI Commerce, Inc.
I wholeheartedly agree with your post about conversion of merchants with various commission levels. I have found this to be very true as an affiliate as well as from working within affiliate programs within other verticals.
I also wanted to point out that it is an unfair to compare our commission and cookie duration to a "fan shop" style store that specializes in licensed gear. Very simply the margins on these products are significantly higher than full line sporting goods products.
Mike
AAE
GSI Commerce, Inc.
jimh009
July 8th, 2003, 11:38 AM
For sporting goods, BCS offers 120 return days, unlimited sales occurrances and a commission rate starting at 7% and going up to 10%. The terms you're proposing fall a bit short, in my opinion.
Jim
Jim
walleyewarrior
July 8th, 2003, 11:57 AM
I am joined up with fogdog but stopped because of no sales.
I work in the sports feld with my agency, and while knowing margins aren't always great they are certainly enough to offer the 5 - 10 % rate on most occassions.
Oh and by the way thanks for coming in here. Most definately a right step to get some faith built up in your programs. I especially liked the content info Fogdog had available to use but conversions and program needs to be reviewed further before I would look at reviewing it.
...............
WW
Make a difference! Support your local Cancer Care providers.
I work in the sports feld with my agency, and while knowing margins aren't always great they are certainly enough to offer the 5 - 10 % rate on most occassions.
Oh and by the way thanks for coming in here. Most definately a right step to get some faith built up in your programs. I especially liked the content info Fogdog had available to use but conversions and program needs to be reviewed further before I would look at reviewing it.
...............
WW
Make a difference! Support your local Cancer Care providers.
Mike Abolafia
July 8th, 2003, 01:11 PM
Thank you Walleye and jim for your comments.
Jim, your point is noted concerning BCS's terms compared to the terms that I placed in the poll. While I respect the BCS affiliate program you do have to note that we carry a much larger variety of sporting goods than BCS.
Like Walleye commented on we have a great selection of products and informative content. I am excited to be taking the first steps to building an affiliate program that people will be proud to promote.
Jim, your point is noted concerning BCS's terms compared to the terms that I placed in the poll. While I respect the BCS affiliate program you do have to note that we carry a much larger variety of sporting goods than BCS.
Like Walleye commented on we have a great selection of products and informative content. I am excited to be taking the first steps to building an affiliate program that people will be proud to promote.
jimbo2002
July 9th, 2003, 01:41 PM
Depends on the type of affiliate you are looking for.
If it is the parasites, the cookie does not matter. They don't even care about the % either so far as I can tell.
Couponers probably don't care about long cookies either. They specialize in luring people who are already in the chekout anyways.
If you are looking for affiliates who promote you for products, then you probably need to dump the parasites, extend the cookie, and not diminish the %.
It is just not competitive otherwise. You are not a deep-discounter, so your margins should be plenty high to offer 10%/45days to the real sales-drivers.
If it is the parasites, the cookie does not matter. They don't even care about the % either so far as I can tell.
Couponers probably don't care about long cookies either. They specialize in luring people who are already in the chekout anyways.
If you are looking for affiliates who promote you for products, then you probably need to dump the parasites, extend the cookie, and not diminish the %.
It is just not competitive otherwise. You are not a deep-discounter, so your margins should be plenty high to offer 10%/45days to the real sales-drivers.
davidh
July 15th, 2003, 10:40 PM
Commission rates and cookie durations have nothing whatsoever to do with each other.
There is no honest reason for a cookie duration to be any shorter than is practicable.
If an affiliate refers a customer to you, the affiliate should get his/her piece of the pie, whether they buy today, tomorrow, or next month.
There is no honest reason for a cookie duration to be any shorter than is practicable.
There is no honest reason for a cookie duration to be any shorter than is practicable.
There is no honest reason for a cookie duration to be any shorter than is practicable.
There is no honest reason for a cookie duration to be any shorter than is practicable.
If an affiliate refers a customer to you, the affiliate should get his/her piece of the pie, whether they buy today, tomorrow, or next month.
There is no honest reason for a cookie duration to be any shorter than is practicable.
There is no honest reason for a cookie duration to be any shorter than is practicable.
There is no honest reason for a cookie duration to be any shorter than is practicable.
davidh
July 15th, 2003, 10:44 PM
A FOUR-HOUR cookie for Dick's Sporting Goods.
Come on.
You could offer a commission rate of 50% and the affiliate is not going to ever see a penny in most cases.
Come on.
You could offer a commission rate of 50% and the affiliate is not going to ever see a penny in most cases.
Bryan Rhodes
July 29th, 2003, 11:38 AM
Hi Mike,
Welcome to ABW! It should be a fun experience for you. Give me a call if you want any help with CJ/ABW.
I'm not in the habit of posting in other merchants forums but I wanted to clear up a couple things.
[QUOTE]Originally posted by MikeGSI:
Jim, your point is noted concerning BCS's terms compared to the terms that I placed in the poll. While I respect the BCS affiliate program you do have to note that we carry a much larger variety of sporting goods than BCS.
QUOTE]
While there is some overlap in the products and categories offered from BackcountryStore.com and GSI stores, we aren't in the same business. BackcountryStore.com sells premium outdoor sporting gear and clothing - no stick and ball stuff allowed. While GSI has a larger selection of general sporting goods, we have a much better selection of outdoor gear and clothing. There is a reason we are in CJ's Recreation and Leisure>Outdoors category and most if not all GSI stores are in the Sports and Fitness>Sports category. We tried being in both categories for a while since some of our products overlap but it created some confusion about our product selection.
I don't know what the margins are like on golf balls and baseball bats. Our program terms work for the high value products we sell so that's where we've set them. I'm sure Mike will make the correct decision for his business. Whether that's acceptable to the ABW community we'll have to wait and see.
Thanks,
Bryan Rhodes
Affiliate Marketing Manager
BackcountryStore.com
Phone: (435) 657 2468 ex. 116
Welcome to ABW! It should be a fun experience for you. Give me a call if you want any help with CJ/ABW.
I'm not in the habit of posting in other merchants forums but I wanted to clear up a couple things.
[QUOTE]Originally posted by MikeGSI:
Jim, your point is noted concerning BCS's terms compared to the terms that I placed in the poll. While I respect the BCS affiliate program you do have to note that we carry a much larger variety of sporting goods than BCS.
QUOTE]
While there is some overlap in the products and categories offered from BackcountryStore.com and GSI stores, we aren't in the same business. BackcountryStore.com sells premium outdoor sporting gear and clothing - no stick and ball stuff allowed. While GSI has a larger selection of general sporting goods, we have a much better selection of outdoor gear and clothing. There is a reason we are in CJ's Recreation and Leisure>Outdoors category and most if not all GSI stores are in the Sports and Fitness>Sports category. We tried being in both categories for a while since some of our products overlap but it created some confusion about our product selection.
I don't know what the margins are like on golf balls and baseball bats. Our program terms work for the high value products we sell so that's where we've set them. I'm sure Mike will make the correct decision for his business. Whether that's acceptable to the ABW community we'll have to wait and see.
Thanks,
Bryan Rhodes
Affiliate Marketing Manager
BackcountryStore.com
Phone: (435) 657 2468 ex. 116
Mike Abolafia
July 29th, 2003, 05:00 PM
Thank you for your warm welcome Bryan.
Bryan is correct that our business models do differ. He is also correct that due to the large span of categories that we offer our margins do differ.
I abestweb viewers to to look at Fogdog's camping section at:
Fogdog.com camping section (http://www.fogdog.com/category/index.jsp?categoryId=976999)
By no means is our camping selection shabby. Please let me know if you feel that our inventory is lacking in any area.
Thank You,
Mike
AAE
Affiliates@GSICommerce.com
Bryan is correct that our business models do differ. He is also correct that due to the large span of categories that we offer our margins do differ.
I abestweb viewers to to look at Fogdog's camping section at:
Fogdog.com camping section (http://www.fogdog.com/category/index.jsp?categoryId=976999)
By no means is our camping selection shabby. Please let me know if you feel that our inventory is lacking in any area.
Thank You,
Mike
AAE
Affiliates@GSICommerce.com
Nova
July 29th, 2003, 05:48 PM
Inventory is fine.
Parasite relationships, very low cookie durations, refferal occurances and commission level suck!
This is Happypoon not Nova! http://abw.infopop.cc/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif
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What does the COC http://abw.infopop.cc/greamlins/deal.gifstand for? Crooks Overwriting Commissions.
Don't worry! Tracking is infected!
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Love Life to the fullest. we only get ONE chance! :-) !
Parasite relationships, very low cookie durations, refferal occurances and commission level suck!
This is Happypoon not Nova! http://abw.infopop.cc/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif
------------------------------
What does the COC http://abw.infopop.cc/greamlins/deal.gifstand for? Crooks Overwriting Commissions.
Don't worry! Tracking is infected!
------------------------------
Love Life to the fullest. we only get ONE chance! :-) !
Mike Abolafia
July 29th, 2003, 08:46 PM
Thanks Hapypoon for the blunt reminder of what you feel our affiliate programs need help with. http://abw.infopop.cc/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif All these topics are being assessed.
Mike
AAE
Affiliates@GSICommerce.com
Mike
AAE
Affiliates@GSICommerce.com
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