Important News - Change in La Redoute Voucher Code policy

[tashierun]

Voucher Codes Current Policy

Promoting codes

The La Redoute affiliate programme currently allows affiliates to promote only codes that are authorised for use through the affiliate channel. Until March 31st 2008, these codes are:

8445 - 10% off your 'preferred item'* + free delivery on all purchases over £80 (*preferred item refers to first item in the basket)

8452 - Free digital camera on all purchases over £30

0985 – Bonfire code was for use from 5th – 29th November

More codes are due to be released in the coming weeks.

Authorising sales that include codes (Current validation policy)

If a customer uses a code that is not authorised for use in an affiliate transaction, that sale will be declined. La Redoute uses Affiliate Window’s voucher code tracking to implement this policy.

This decision was made to protect La Redoute from misuse of voucher codes in the affiliate channel. They needed to have the ability to continue to send high-discount codes to specific sections of their customer database without the risk of additionally paying affiliate commission.

La Redoute Technical Developments

La Redoute has developed a back-end system which restricts the use of high-discount codes to specific segments of their database, such as lapsed customers, to ensure only those customers intended to use the codes can at point of sale.

Many of the codes which have been in circulation were not assigned to specific customers but were intended for restricted use and these have now been deactivated. As a result there are less voucher codes available for general use and all new codes released for specific segments of the database have been restricted to these people. Instances of customers using codes through the affiliate channel which are not intended for them should now be much less frequent.

New Voucher Code Policy

Promoting Codes

The terms and conditions surrounding discount codes remain exactly the same as before. Affiliates may only promote codes that are authorised for the affiliate channel. These will be sent in regular communications and can be checked at any time by viewing the La Redoute account description on the Affiliate Window interface.

Any affiliate found to be actively promoting codes other than those authorised for use will be given a warning and asked to remove them immediately. A second offense will result in suspension and commissions may be declined.

Authorising sales that include codes

Now that the use of unauthorised codes is vastly more restricted, La Redoute will be changing the way they authorise sales.

La Redoute will no longer be operating a blanket policy of rejecting all sales where a code has been used which is not authorised for use in the affiliate channel, providing that code is not actively promoted anywhere within their campaign

Due to the large number of codes previously in circulation and the limitations of providing criteria for all new codes released, La Redoute reserve the right to decline sales where a code has been used which is not for general use. We foresee the impact of these to be minimal and where it is an old code have a system in place to deactivate this code immediately to avoid any further misuses by customers.

Effect on the La Redoute Programme

Affiliates should now see a positive increase in their approval percentage on the La Redoute programme.

La Redoute hope that affiliates will recognise this very positive development as part of their commitment to build long-standing relationships with all of their affiliate partners.

If you would like to discuss this, please feel free to contact sarah.bird@lbi.com or julia.stent@affiliatewindow.com

Best wishes

Sarah Bird
Affiliate Manager
LBi

Julia Stent
Senior Key Account Manager
Affiliate Window

[confuscius]

I have to say how nice it is for a merchant to actually sit down and explain their 'Voucher Code' policy. I hope that we see many more of these, in fact, why don'y all merchants who issue voucher codes spell out their policies for us all to read?

At least then, if we, as affiliates, find abuse going on then we can attempt to put a stop to it with the proactive help of the merchant.

Refreshing.