How many affiliate Networks to use?

**gregsands** · 07-07-05

Of course the Affiliate Network i use recommends only using 1 affiliate network. What do other merchants do? I am with a good affiliate network and I am happy with their performance but I dont know if i am missing out on some strong affiliate partners by sticking to only one network? How many networks do most merchants use?

Thanks for your help

**Mogga** · 07-07-05

What can you gain by using more than one network?

More affiliates?
Possibly not - unless you've joined a very new network you'll get a huge number of affiliates with access to your program.

Work with existing affilis to find out what they like about your offering and how you can improve it for them.

**Malcolm Cowley** · 07-07-05

Depends on your set up.

I think these days most Big brands will want at least 2 networks - one main one and a fall back network in case of any problems.

If I was a merchant Id throw my net as wide as possible depending on fixed costs and then consolidate to the networks I got most value from being with.

As a representative of a network I think more can be gained from consolidating but also think this needs to fit your needs like the example of a fallback network above.

I also think that if you a brand new entrant then organising an exclusive with one network from day one is not the right thing to do - consolidate yes but only when you have thrown your net out.

Thanks

Mal

**pricethat** · 07-07-05

I think malcoms post sums it up, though the comment about not gaining new affiliates by joining different networks is quite wrong. Just because someone is signed with a network doesnt mean they are doing anything with them.

From my personal point of view i will and do promote quite heavily programs from affiliate window and tradedoubler but i wouldnt touch others because its just not worth my effort, others praise paidonresults much more highly

horses for courses

**gregsands** · 08-07-05

Thanks for the help. I think having 1 main afiliate network is probably a better strategy so you devote your time to promoting yourself through that network and its promotional tools - product feeds etc. If you do it well then hopefully affiliates will spread the word and others will come to your network.
Possibly with a second network who have a different set of affiliates.

I guess i asked the question because there are so many networks out there and new ones keep cropping up, makes you wonder why? After all isnt it the quality of the affiliates that really make the difference to your sales and not the networks? or is that a difficult question to answer?

**Gavinio** · 08-07-05

We've got a few programmes running across a couple of networks (and soon will have another

)

You'll find (for whatever reason) that some affiliates will prefer one network to the other, and it's not as straightforward as you'd think. We've got big affiliates who prefer networks that no-one else touches. Validations of sales can be difficult across networks, and steps need to be taken to stop duplication of sales. I'd say more than 2 networks is a bit pointless though - all affiliates are going to like one of them, surely? On Mobileshop, we offer a different commission structure on DGM from that on AF - giving affiliates maximum choice (CPL on AF, CPA on DGM).

If a programme is on two networks, I don't think it's unfair on either network, so long as they all know where they stand. There may also be some element of competition between networks to get the big affiliates pushing the sales through them, which can be no bad thing for the programme overall. Mal's point about a back-up network is also pertinent here - if a programme has a tech problem, then they will do everything to stop the affiliates changing links by getting the programme sorted. It also acts as a useful 'check' for tracking (eg if one network's conversions are much higher).

Overall, if as a network, if you think your network is the best, then you shouldn't lose out too much by having the programme elsewhere, but the programme as a whole may well benefit.

**affiliateguide** · 08-07-05

Hi Perfiliate,
I am new in this process. I want to know that is it okay to have more than one network for big brands?Does it increases the number of Affiliates
how many affiliates are there in UK?

**Malcolm Cowley** · 08-07-05

Hi

There are a vast amount of affiliates in the UK but dont be fooled into thinking that quantity means anything at all.

A copy of frontpage and some cheap hosting and voila your an affiliate all of a sudden - there is a big gap between that and actually making enough money to hit the radar of a merchant .

There are only about 300 - 450 affiliates in the UK who make the vast amount of business being done for the current affiliate networks. Wiht that in mind having 80 000 affiliates on the books is a bit of a drain on your resources as a network so maybe other areas suffer due to support clogs and other managment issues.

Id say a lot of large brands will want a second network just as a backup as the industry has moved on from a couple of years back and merchants have some experience of the volumes that can be achieved and the decisions of how to work with affiliates through networks have taken a more prominent place on a companies agenda.

Risk has become more of a factor and having a second network open helps decrease this .

Like I say if I was a merchant and could get set up with every network and facilitate it short term I think thats what I would do intially and then slim back to maybe one or two networks depending on how I viewed my risk vs positives of concentrating efforts into one network only.

The one thing I would never do is sign an exclusive. Exclusive smell of fear of loss and I think they are weak but thats just my personal opinion. I would never ask for one and would only take one if it was thrown at me.

For a merchant why tie yourself down - if your important enough to get asked for an exclusive then with a bit of haggling you will get your terms anyway if you dig your heels in.

Kind Regards

Mal

**fieldandtrek** · 12-07-05

We now use two networks (TD and Buy.At) and will probally not expand to anymore (although as we get charged a monthly fee by one of those we may switch to another different network one day). It works for us.

Saying that, I used to work at Onetel, where we were signed up to quite a few networks - they had the money to throw around though!

**iddiboy** · 14-07-05

Hi,
I mainly work with Affiliate Future, Affiliate Window, Trade Doubler, DGM, OMG and paid on resutls. I am looking forward to work with Web Gains and Buy.at. Commission Junction is in my list to review setup and monthly admin fee.

**gregsands** · 15-07-05

Isnt that a lot of networks to manage and promotions to coordinate at the same time! .....So whos the best then !

**SillyJokes** · 15-07-05

I'm not sure Iddi is a merchant. Affiliates might work with all networks in order to get all the merchants.

I reckon you would have to be doing a terrible lot of sales to make it worth while joining more than one or two networks as many of them have a monthly service charge, possibly around £200 which is quite a few sales before you are into profit on the month there.

I suppose it just depends upon how affiliate dependant you are. Some merchants do 30+% sales via affiliates, others far less.

Some products like Digital Cameras are virtually impossible to buy except through an affiliate.