An important update from Marshall Ward - New URLs – Part 1

The Marshall Ward website structure is changing.

As you’re now hopefully aware, Marshall Ward will soon be upgrading its web platform which will mean a change to the way affiliate URLs are constructed.

The new platform will launch on 2nd July (02/07/09).

How does this affect you?

If your creative and tracking are served directly from buy.at (dynamically served):

  • You will not need to make any changes and can continue your affiliate marketing campaigns as normal.


If you create your own URLs:

  • You will need to set up new URLs to replace the existing ones you are currently using and replace them on launch day. Please see the guide below.


If you have ‘hardcoded’ any Marshall Ward creative in the past:

  • As always, we recommend that you serve the creative dynamically, which will mean you are automatically kept up to date with new creative. This will also ensure your tracking is also correct at all times.
  • Furthermore, if you change any hardcoded creative to dynamically served creative now, you will not need to worry about changing the URLs once the new platform launches on July 2nd.
  • If however, you prefer to hardcode your creative, you will need to set up new URLs to replace the existing ones you are currently using and swap them on launch day. You will receive a guide on how to do this in the next few days.


“Can I update the URLs to the new format and put them live now (in advance of launch)?”

No.

Applying the ‘new’ URLs to the current system will be incompatible and will mean your sales will not track. We recommend you prepare the links in advance of July 2nd and swap them over on the day.

We will also send an official email to you to announce the new platform (and therefore that you should now implement the new URLs) on the day of launch.

We will be following this email with instructions on how to build new URLs shortly. Please look out for this in the next 24 hours.

If you have any questions of course, please feel free to contact either buy.at or Shop Direct Group -

Steve North
steven.north@shopdirect.com
Lesley Kettle
lesley.kettle@shopdirect.com
Jonathan Edwards
jonathan.edwards@shopdirect.com
Peter Armstrong
peter.armstong@platform-a.com
Rebecca Riches
rebecca.riches@platform-a.com

Many Thanks
Bex

rebecca.riches@platform-a.com
Account Manager
Platform A's buy.at