Should I use a different Affiliate Network to my competitors

[webby]

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Hi all this is my first post. Tried searching but could not find this question although I expect it has been asked before.

Which network

Should I avoid affiliate networks that host websites of my competitors?
OR
Should I actually try to join the same network?
OR
Does it make no difference?

ROI for small business

Also, because I've only been trading for just over a year I'm worried that the costs of joining a network will not be met by sales - the start-up fees appear to be there to dissuade small businesses from joining.

Is that because of the hassle we cause in return for small gains?

What proportion of your sites sales come via affiliates vs natural search vs PPC.

My site is a gift site that has average sales of £20 if that helps.

Thanks in advance for your help
Kevin

[Keith]

I wouldn't have thought that it would make a lot of difference.

Going with a network with a direct competitor on will give you a ready made affiliate base promoting your type of products.

As for costs / fees etc talk to the networks see what they can offer you and what help and advise they can give.

If it was me setting up an Affiliate program I would start by talking to these 3 networks Buy.at, Affiliate Future and Paid On Results.

good luck

[webby]

Cheers Keith

Having read a number of posts I came to the conclusion that those three were my best bet so I emailed them at end of last week.

Buy.at aren't interested as I'm too small - only want big business at the moment. Still waiting a reply from the other two which will give me an indication as to their customer service level at least.

Of the other two, one has competitors, the other does not.

[ChrisAF]

Sometimes it can take some time to get to registrations as we do get a number each day not (and the event on Thursday left us a little behind). If you can contact me directly at chris@affiliatefuture.co.uk I should be able to answer your questions.

[pricethat]

This is actually an interesting thread really as i know some merchants that take the attitude that the network is their marketing company, in that sense they believe the network should only take them because they believe thats what they are paying for. I think some merchants or at least individuals dont like the idea of competition.

What merchants should understand is the more merchants in that category ´the more affiliates in theory they should have, look at the networks that only deal in finance or insurance as a classic example, from a marketing perspective its great as well as your closer to the grapevine as to what the other merchants are doing though that can become spiralling for most merchants.

If your confident of your product or service then i would say its the very best thing you can do though within reason, remembering the larger the network the more likely you are to do business at all.