Should affiliates have to give networks notice to swap links

[drivetowin]

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OK, as it seems to be the season to have 'should........... polls' - I thought I would start this one which came about from having lunch with the head of one of the UK networks recently.

Much has been made (and yes I shout louder than most on this one) about merchants not giving fair notice before closing their affiliate programme - and so over lunch this developed into:

If as an affiliate you are promoting merchant x through network A and merchant x then open on network B, should you have to give 30 days notice of your intention to swap links from network A to network B?

For the sake of clarification, this assumes the merchant is staying on Network A - i.e. it will be dual network.

An interesting one, and if you think you shouldn't have to give notice, why not? - are we asking for one rule for us and another for them?

[hpops]

Wicked post Keith, and astonishingly, I'm going to vote Yes. I don't think it will ever happen but I'd like to get people thinking about the tri-part business relationships that exist and how the flexibility in the market really only sits in one camp.

Imagine a merchant switching networks - taking several days to turn on their tracking, no notice given to any other party. (well don't imagine, just look at WHSmith!) It would be scandalous, but with an affiliate hat on, I've done it on a whim!

[ian]

If I did a decent amount of business through the network and the account manager had made an attempt at a business relationship (starting emails with 'Dear Affiliate' and sending it to 'undislosed recipients' does not count) then I would let them know I was swapping links over and why.

1. to be professional
2. so they can attempt to fix the reason why
3. they might make it worth while to stay

If a merchant opens on a new network, the old one will hopefully come up with a decent reason to stay with them, and if not you may as well switch to the new network and see if they can be a bit more proactive.

[pistol101]

I voted no. If the network isn't doing their job, or has the relationship to keep the affiliate happy then why should they stay. Make the networks work for their money.

[Qui Gon Jinn]

Will give more thought on this.

But isn't this dependent on the service a network provides the affiliate, thus the onus would be firmly on the doorstep of the network. If another network was preferred because of the good service or support or had developed the correct tools (product feeds & db's , content units for example, trust in tracking).

The difference is, say, if you are required to give notice, it doesn't mean you have to maintain traffic levels or have links live, but at least the cookie period is still valid where with short notice program closures often this is not honoured.

I 'll be interested how it could be perceived by others as one rule for one & one for of another in what is generally very lop sided to favour merchants, it depends if a network has written this into an agreement or not. For example Ernest Jones launched on AW, I couldn't join because it was on OMG who I signed up for, so i removed links & requested with OMG I didn't wish to be part of their program anymore on their network. In due course we got accepted on AW.

Giving another example on what we had recently with easyroomate on Tradedoubler where it wasn't tracking, TD or The Merchant didn't initially didn't sort out & still not to any satisfaction, during the interim I swapped links to Affiliate Future and it tracked fine. Via TD I had to earn another 50% sales to clawback what we had lost & another 50% to get on even keel, when they offered double the commissions, missing the point (why should should we have to send more sales to clawback lost commission), so we kept our links with AF. When they should have remained with AF anyhow, guess I got lazy in changing links earlier or over-looked.

By the same token, I would like more affiliates to say that they wished program xyz which is on one network they don't have a decent relationship with or poor tools was on another network, if they know or are confident they can do increased volume with the other & have a better professional relationship. (hmm that might be another poll)

I do hope that next year merchants reevaluate their current network(s) & be critical of the tools & service to ascertain if they are developing in the immediate future or better still, now, the tools content affiliates require rather than sitting on laurels being dependent on closed brand bidding groups & cashback to some extent (note i have no opinion atm on cashback).

Granted there are new smaller networks emerging but the same ones that have been around for long enough, really haven't evolved & next year WILL find them out.

[Mogga]

If I believed that all networks tracked equally I would say yes. But I know that's not the case.

[Greavsie]

As I am heading up LinkShare UK's affiliate network, I would like to be given noticed by the affiliate for a couple of reasons:
1. It tells me something is wrong with my or my teams service
2. It tells me there might be something wrong with our technology
3. It gives me the chance to rectify 1&2
4. It gives me the chance to try and keep the affiliate on board.
For these reasons i think it is actually in the best interest of the affiliate to tell the network.

BUT, I don't think an affiliate should have to give notice of swapping links. It is their website and their business. If in the affiliates eye's they would benefit by being on the other network, whether that be service, technology - then fair enough. Obviously i'd like to chance to prove them wrong and out perform another network.

Greavsie

[Steved]

If I did a decent amount of business through the network and the account manager had made an attempt at a business relationship

I've voted no, because I've found on the whole networks to be very slow to respond or fix issues so I'll tend to give one or two chances before moving and then mostly without notice. Sometimes when they see a nice big black hole where the sales used to be they sit up quickly and fix the problem or make a better offer.
I agree with Ian though, if I have a good relationship with the merchant or account manager I will try to sort out the issue first.

[jess1]

Im with greavsie from a network perspective for all the reasons he lists.
How ever, I also agree with SteveD and Mogga.

Affiliates have to go where the money is and in the real world most are not going to take time out to tell a network why they are doing ABC

Js

[aotagain]

I wouldn't mind giving a merchant notice that I was swapping to them on another network, as long as I knew they were going to read and digest the reasons why I was swapping.

[renegade]

I voted No but it's a good point.
In most cases we don't do enough volume with individual merchants for them to notice (or care). For the few cases where we do deliver significant sales for individual merchants would only swap networks if one is offering us a code or a deal we can't get with the original network.

[pandadragon]

I prefer Awins Interface where i can unjoin from a merchant.
If there was a simple option like that, then yes i would make the effort to unjoin myself from a merchant from that network.

To me thats the simplest option to keep merchants up to date.


A simple leave now button is all it needs ! !

Phil

[ChrisBishop]

Wicked post Keith, and astonishingly, I'm going to vote Yes. I don't think it will ever happen but I'd like to get people thinking about the tri-part business relationships that exist and how the flexibility in the market really only sits in one camp.

Imagine a merchant switching networks - taking several days to turn on their tracking, no notice given to any other party. (well don't imagine, just look at WHSmith!) It would be scandalous, but with an affiliate hat on, I've done it on a whim!

Fantastic reply!

It is all based upon the relationships between the three parties. As the affiliate is the site owner naturally they do as they wish however, common courtesy would be to discuss this. As Greavsie articulated in December it does give the network a chance to review their best practice and explore some other avenues.