Vitamins Direct Program Suspension

[aaclapham]

I have just received this email off Vitamins Direct:

Dear affiliates, Thanks for your support in the Vitamins Direct affiliate program. Unfortunately due to the fact that your website has not generated any clicks to the Vitamins Direct website and therefore no sales, also decreasing the program position within the AWIN index, we find ourselves in the position of suspending you from the program. We would like to apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused you. Please be in touch for any queries. Kind regards, Sara Bozio Bralino

I only signed up last week and am still sorting out my new web site. Luckily Goldshield are being very helpful, but still not the point!!

[Keith]

Seems extremely harsh to me,

Did Vitamins Direct offer any advise regarding promotion of their products?

I suspect the answer is no.

1 week you say, a lot of sites are hard pressed to get a spider round in that time, let alone an entry in serps so unless you are doing ppc there's little or no chance of any sales in this time.

I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong but surely an affiliate generating no clicks will not affect a sites AWIN rating, and even if it does suspending inactive affiliates is only likely to produce artificial ranking.

[aaclapham]

Did Vitamins Direct offer any advise regarding promotion of their products?

No - Only had been signed up a week - To get a successful ppc campaign running takes longer.

Still when Goldshield get all my sales..........

[scifind]

see this gob - its smacked!!!

(I know you cannot see my gob, or would probably want to but trying to be funny - need more coffee - got my coat)

[scifind]

(Back again - its cold outside)

Seriously

decreasing the program position within the AWIN index

How important is this index to the merchant?
I am sure what is more important is welcoming potential affiliates and guiding them through the first few weeks.

Was this a blanket email sent to all affiliates with no sales?

It does seem very bad aff management to me.

[Mitchy]

The AWIN index is important for merchants on AW - the higher up the rankings you get (or faster your program improves) the more coverage you get in parts of the AW affiliate interface - eg) "display merchants in AWIN index order".

But axing an inactive affiliate won't effect it at all, as far as I can tell. I agree with Scifind.

Cheers
Mitch

P.S Shameless plug: Anyone else wanting to join the Goldshield program can do here. Drop me a line if you want top products etc.

[Peterberry]

Hi Andrew,

That seems a bit tough, especially so early.

If you're promotions are left a bit short or Goldshield aren't quite cutting the mustard, then you could consider Healthy Direct on Tradedoubler The conversion rate is often above 7% and the top commission of 25% certainly is "healthy"

If you want to find out more, please feel free to contact me.

[drivetowin]

Bang! Bang! Bang!

That's the sound of my head against the wall

How many times do we all have to tell merchants

DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT suspend affiliates who are generating no sales for you (and even more so if they are not generating any clicks) - they DO NOT cost you anything and any (extremely marginal if any) effect they may have in your stats is far far outweighed by the negative press you get by doing it so don't bother doing it.

Spend your time concentrating on motivating your affiliates to make more sales for you - it's simple really, the carrot works, the stick doesn't!!!

[Mitchy]

Originally Posted by Peterberry could consider Healthy Direct on Tradedoubler The conversion rate is often above 7% and the top commission of 25% certainly is "healthy"

Sorry guys, I left off some Goldshield stats!!!

Conversion rates
Dec 06: 16%
Jan 07: 19%
Feb 07: 18%
Mar 07 to date: 19%

Commission:
15% - 20%. You only need to hit 30 sales per month for the top whack though!

Cheers
Mitch

P.S. Sorry Peter, couldn't let you get away with that one.

[scifind]

Originally Posted by drivetowin Bang! Bang! Bang! That's the sound of my head against the wall

Are merchants given any coaching by the networks?

Advice to VD (how unfortunate)
Get an affiliate manager who understands the industry!