Advantages to a Merchant? What's Your Pitch?

"Quite a few media press media agencies (representing blue chips) know foxtrot oscar about affiliate marketing...let alone understanding it...of course they know how to exploit it." Nail on the head!

I did make a posting in answer to Paidonresults but it looks like it's gone, how ever Wouter makes the point for me!

Jess

Do you guys use the same computer at home as it might explain the double posting? Also anyone else noticed in this thread that it always shows a post that was done before the last person posted, not noticed it on any other threads but this one.

Super: No we have two putters and two different connections. I noticed a few problems on Saturday night with ref to the top of the page where the banner and navigation buttons are.

Jess

A great debate.

I think Paidonresults summed it perfectly

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just because you pay a set-up fee doesn’t for 2 seconds say "I am serious about affiliate marketing" we all know of big brand jokes that run programs on some networks[/quote]

As a part time affiliate it really amazes me that this is even an issue:

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What really gets my goat is when a network turns around and says "if you don't get paid we don't get paid"[/quote] (QJG)

I won't harp on about AF guaranteeing payments etc etc, but I do believe some of the other networks look up to the big name merchants, I can safely say most of AF look up to the affiliates and probably aspire to be a super affiliate ourselves, I mean what would you rather be - a pen pusher in a large company or starting the day with coffee and croissants in the garden with a wireless laptop (Jon from netfreestuff - you make me sick!)

It is my personal opinion that all we need now is an effective EPC system (and every other network!), our CEO is up for it and is looking into how we could do it.

Then you can see who our kick ass merchants are and we now have a few

Maybe a "Conspiracy Theory"...but it happens in other industries...nature of the beast..

Does anyone think there is a "Cartel" going on between "some" of the media agencies, major portals and indeed the internet media press.

For example many have tried to little avail to get performance based marketing : sub-section affiliate marketing : into media magazines....the recent G2G had an excellent attendance but from the pitiful press media that graced us with their prescence just highlighted their ignorance (and arrogance for non-attendees).....has anyone yet seen any recognition of the event which has proved far more successful than many other pretencious gatherings within the hob-nobbing circles of internet media. You read their mags which are interesting in their own respect but yawn on the half page which gets dedicated to some company because they have created a 120x600 rich media creative to serve on major portals....Woo-Whoopedy-Bloomin-Doo...hey look i'm doing cart-wheels.

"No Bells & Whistles, Just Nuts & Bolts".....with all this jargon busting tripe...they should be cutting to the chase of what is and who is driving traffic...more importantly creating sales at a more cost effective ROI.....somewhere in there a small proportion is our little world which nobody dares mention.

The "dark art"...remember the film "Candyman"?..well some Media Agencies dare not say the words "affiliate marketing" infront of the mirror three times.....look behind you?...spooky...

Anyway back to serious business....

Are "some" media agencies mis-representing their clients' (the merchants) interests in favour of self-greed and preservation?

By discouraging them to direct a significant proportion of their allocated budget and resourses to this successul stream as part of (not exclusive) their marketing mix, claiming it's unsuccessul etc..etc....because they realise they would need to be more accountable on ROI to their clients, hence, they would rather broker high commission, with some parties accept back handers to secure the deal, preferential treatment in search engine algorithmns with other aforementioned parties....thus they cream it from both ends at the expense of their trusting client.

I think someone above got it right in his analogy, we don't need to look at too many more merchants to dilute the arena but focus / concentrate on improving the quality of the affiliate programs that already exist.

Let "some" media agencies friverously waste blue chips money and encourage more SME's to compete on what is a level playing field...with start up grants from the government to assist running costs.

All the above is purely speculation.