Network buys Affiliate???

[honest]

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Netfreestuff.co.uk is now part of IBG.

Seen here:

http://www.affiliateblog.co.uk/ - great blog

Its an interesting progression?

http://www.ibg.co.uk/Media/Default.asp

How do affiliates feel about this?

[angelabx]

Anyone know what they paid for it?

They can buy my sites if they like - open to offers!

[Azam.net]

Yeh, I thought it was an interesting step. Some of the networks have their own means by which to market merchants like Afform (GreasyPalm) and PrimeQ (dozens of their own proprietary websites) and acquiring Netfreestuff and the travel sites last year are an attempt by AF to be less dependent on third parties - affiliates - I suppose. Makes business sense.

Only thing that comes into play is the independence of Netfreestuff now. The very top promotion on Netfreestuff when I checked a few days ago was EasyFlirt.com, one of our Affiliate Management clients. But the affiliate program is not on AF. I wonder if Netfreestuff will continue to give prominence to programs on other networks?

[MazDarvish]

Hola

We paid £120k for NetFreeStuff in late January 2007. IBG owns both AffiliateFuture and IBG Media, which is run as a distinct division. This really isn't an attempt by AffiliateFuture to compete with its affiliates. If anything, we're expecting the opposite effect: through close feedback from IBG Media to AffiliateFuture, we're hoping to improve AF to better serve ALL affiliates.

IBG Media operates independantly of AF and as it can be seen, promotes offers from other networks as well. I hope this helps to clear things up a bit.

Thanks
Maz

[Mogga]

If they want to buy any more freebies sites I have a couple

[Azam.net]

Hola Maz,

Thanks for clearing that up and, yep, I see it as a wise strategic move.

Keep up the good work, and I'll pop by to see your new office one day soon... with the location I have to trek more than 500 metres from my computer which begins to make me feel queezy

[loquax]

IBG/Affiliatefuture have previously/still do run Plentypoints and Pickthem - so it's nowt new for them to "compete" with affiliates.

It's an interesting move though.

Jason

[sgpratley]

Not to mention Henoo and a few other travel properties as well. I don't think it's really an issue given how transparent they are about it.

I've always seen IBG's experience as a merchant, network and affiliate as a good thing. There are very few people who understand the issues of all three parties.

[honest]

Is there any comment from the person that owned netfreestuff?

Why was it sold?

Was there an approach or was it put up for sale?

I am sure an auction would have been popular?

[Mogga]

Why was it sold?

I'd imagine there were 120,000 reasons why it was sold...

[John]

To save answering the same questions over again, I've given an exclusive interview to Kieron to use on his blog - The interview should be up this afternoon.

[KieronD]

Its live now at www.here.org.uk. Thanks for the interview John, and congratulations on the sale.

Cheers!

[hirschnathan]

Thanks for the link very informative

[DutchRomano]

well done & congrats

[Lee_Owen]

It's dodgy that networks work as affiliates but then it's dodgy working with agencies who run many programmes, you can't keep much close to your chest in this business, you've just got to out do everyone else in what you do, go to war with networks, agencies, and other affiliates and maybe make good partnerships and beat them at their own game.

I'm in a war mood, I've had a rubbish week, well done on the sale, a shame it was to a network though. AF have to be careful, although I'm sure once they produce more accessable data feeds across the board and stop hoarding travel for henoo, we'll see a much fairer platform.