merchants on more than one network and ppc

[pricethat]

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Ok had a call from a merchant who to be fair hasnt got a clue, as some people know im a little ill at the moment so i thought i would take the time to explain to him via this board but also so other merchants can read it and stop complaining about having to pay for this or that when they run on two networks and or ppc at the same time.

Okeeee the scenarios (also in other forums threads)

User goes to merchants site via an affiliate url which cookies the browser, user leaves merchants site but later returns to the site via a ppc link, merchants ends up paying for the sale through an affiliate network as well as having to pay for the click himself.

Solutions:

1: Quit whining and let the affiliate worry about the ppc campaigns for you if your not doing it as a merchant then they will do it for you, anything you pay them is purely on results so its not like it will break the bank.

2: Accept the fact that if your operating two similar channels sometimes there is going to be cross over, do you not want to pay for a television advert in one home because the radio already played to that house

3: Technical solution, when a visitor comes to your site you can cookie them as well, just store the value of the network as an id and be done with it, when visitors enter your site from a PPC link that you have paid for identify it as a ppc Visitor in your own site sessions and of course cookies. If for example the PPC click was the last one in current session or in the cookie then you dont have to show the affiliate network tracking code upon checkout, thus your not paying for sales that you generated yourself.

If an affiliate refers traffic to you after the ppc click then you do the same kind of thing, you overwrite your own site cookie information with an id that triggers the affiliate tracking code.

Next scenario

Two different affiliate networks, at one point or another a visitor has come to your site on two different occassions through two different affiliate links and possibly through ppc clicks as well.

Again, cookie your own users and create a session value that is stored server side for the length of the session (or store it in the cookie if you must), when a user checks out just read the cookie and display the relevant tag.

Considerations

Some affiliates consider that they should get the sale as well because they might of only gone back to your site because of the original presell done by the affiliate. Some are a bit past that, but you have to draw a line somewhere and if you want to run efficient tracking that isnt getting messed up by dual networks or other online marketing practises then this is the only feasable way to do it, also to consider is doing it this way would allow you to go with as many networks and or spin offs as you like and be sure that your paying only for the sales you made and not in duplicate all the time.

Regards

[marky]

To be honest, I am amazed that a merchant using different marketing channels would not automatically use scenario three .....

[pricethat]

Its amazing how many merchants shouldnt be merchants

[Paul Wright]

Indeed. And where merchants are running the same program on two different networks should be able to detect whether the last referring link was on network A or network B and only present the correct tracking code and therefore only pay commission once. No need for deduping and unnecessary removal of commissions from affiliate accounts.

[dmorison]

To be honest, I am amazed that a merchant using different marketing channels would not automatically use scenario three .....

Not all networks buy into the local cookie solution, taking the view of "Solution 2" (original post).

[KirstyM]

Its amazing how many merchants shouldnt be merchants

lol... it is quite scary the amount of people in affiliate management jobs who make fundimental errors due to lack of knowledge and end up with their affiliates explaining the basics to them.

Perhaps a better way to put it is "it's amazing how many merchants need proper guidance from people with an approprite skillset".

I think these errors are down to a lack of people in the industry with approriate skills and knowledge, but more importantly a lack of understanding from employers about the skills a good AM needs. How can you get the right person for a role when you've no clue what the role is!?

[pistol101]

You'll probably missed the most important point of the lot...number 4. Why are your visitors leaving without buying the first time!

It's vital that merchants do actually look into buyer behaviour, ie all the various stops on the advertising chain. You shouldn't implement any of the solutions without actually looking at what could happen. Number 4 is really the only option!

[pricethat]

I would have to disagree with option 4, simply because unless they deal effectively with the tracking issues then the problem still exists.

People do browse online, i dont think i have ever bought anything without at least having a minute or two peaking around, so in this case i would say option 4 is idealistic and unachievable, whereas the rest are.

From my experience its purely lack of education, technical spec for tracking are passed to the tech departments of merchants (who often are less than technical) and implemented in context of the tracking solution, many tech departments dont even have the thought to think well what happens If this or if that and so it continues.

I took note of the posts regarding networks not buying into the local cookie thing, i guess its not their decision to tell the merchant what he or she can do with their own site, however i think some of them have got clauses in contracts that the tracking tag must always stay present. In any case thats down to the merchant to iron out with the networks.

Other comments welcomed, im sure this will be much help to newbie merchants

[DomainsUnlimited]

Virgin messager here!...I have many domains / merchants /affiliate networks and only a couple standing up amongst the rest at present (ie AF and TD) but I too agree with Kirtsy earlier if a merchant uses more than 1 network they should know what they are doing... www.InternetRetailer.co.uk