Just noticed this when i logged into one of my favourite networks (AWIN).
Apparently it was necessary to technical reasons (see here). Bit of a shame as i enjoy logging into affiliate networks that dont make me hunt to find out how much i have earnt that day. The new solution still allows this, but the since last login was an added bonus for complusive stats checkers like me.
Image credit: foxypar4
***Happy New Year***
Having been inspired by Kierons, Jasons and Rays forward and backward looking blog posts i have decided it is a good idea to come up with a few goals of my own. 2009 was mostly spent on the road, so deep and meaning full goals were not really required. However, to make a success of 2010 i feel i really need some direction. So here goes…
Most of the countries we visited had internet about as fast as an Henry apology which made uploading videos a little tricky. Now that we are back it’s time to share them. Now please bear in mind that these videos were taken with our tiny little camera, and i know even less about making films as i do about taking good photos…
As some of you know, one of the niches i like to dabble in is Experience Days. There are some really great sites out there, and one of the best ways to get across the message of how exciting an experience is via the medium of photos. Now you would think that companies providing experience day gifts would have plenty of their own photos to show how great the experience is right? Well imagine my surprise when i was asked to promote the new Exhilaration program and i saw this…
Cant see it? How about here? Notice the watermark?
I guess Exhilaration were in a bit too much of a rush to get their new front page online!
Oops.
Thanks to Neil for the spot.
Image credit: orangachang
Reading Clarks excellent blog post on how affiliates could be missing out on hard earned commissions reminded me of a post i noticed whilst travelling by Doug Scott titled “Super Cookies for Super Affiliates“. As is Dougs style, the post caused a bit of a stir, but my general understanding was that some affiliates cookies are “worth more” than others. I.e. a “super affiliate” places a cookie, then no other cookie can overwrite it. Or if they do, the sales get cancelled.
At the time i was somewhere in Northern Argentina so didnt really have time to look into my own stats. But now that i am back at my PC i thought i would investigate a little bit…
I have a merchant that i make around 800 sales a month for. Doug published his blog post on the 4th of April, so i thought i would look at my cancellation rates before and after this date (see below). The theory being that Dougs exposé might have some affect on cancellation rates.
Januray cancellation rate: 4.23%
February cancellation rate: 5.01%
March cancellation rate: 5.01%
April cancellation rate (after the 4th): 1.24%
May cancellation rate: 0.74%
June cancellation rate: 0.83%
Now it could be just be pure coincidence. My numbers are by no means big enough to prove anything. It could be that this merchant changed their cancellation policies around this time anyway… it could be that i suddenly started sending better traffic… it could be seasonal… but as a paranoid affiliate it does look suspicious.
I think the point that i am trying to make is that the affiliate industry really needs much greater transparency. At times it feels like a bit of a boys club, or at least that some “dodgy practices” go on. I know that the industry has been taking massive steps forward in recent years, and that has come in no small part from the IAB (who are talking at this years A4U). So i thought i would submit a question from my blog, and twitter.
What can the IAB do to help improve transparency within the industy, inparticular regarding “dodgy” cancellation policies by merchants?
© 2012 Peter William Anderson. All Rights Reserved.
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