I suppose I should throw in my opinion here.
Networks do not deal with all the queries affiliates have, particularly minor affiliates, by which I mean 90% of them. Affiliates still contact the merchant direct with some queries which means the merchant must deal with them. The point i'm trying to make is, having a network does not mean zero input from the merchant.
You pay the network and you still have to do the work if you want the program to succeed.
I've always felt a lot closer to 'my' affiliates. I have either found them or they have found me. Effort has been made and therefore they are far more likely to actually put finger to keyboard and promote my site, rather than sign up to every single merchant offered by a network.
Having a network does not mean you have a lot more productive affiliates. I have more productive affiliates on my indy than on my network. The network has a higher proportion of people who sign up and do nothing.
For a smaller merchant I would think one of the few advantages of a network is that some affiliates prefer to be with networks for the reasons detailed above, however in my experience I had affiliates who were doing fine on the indy who moved to the network when it was introduced and are now costing me more. If I never had the network I suspect they would have continued with the indy.
Another major advantage, if a rather miserable one, is that the likes of Kelkoo and Pangora prefer to work with a network and it is difficult to work with them unless you are on the networks they are prepared to work with. Therefore remember this when picking your network if you plan to promote your site through these channels.
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