IAB Affiliate Council Meeting 25th June

[mattb811]

Hi,

The June meeting of the IABs Affiliate Marketing Council will take place on Thursday 25th June at 3pm at the IABs offices.

Agenda is as follows:

• Ethical Merchant Charter Approval and Launch
• Rebate Catching Guidelines finalisation
• Affiliate Event feedback
• A4U Expo slot ideas
• Terms and Conditions checklist
• What to do with dead links
• Affiliate census/figures
• AOB

If anyone has anything else they would like adding to the agenda, please email me. Otherwise I look forward to seeing you there.

Matt

[ian]

Matt,

If possible, could the IAB council discuss the issue of merchants closing down 'with immediate effect' and not paying for any sales beyond date xyz despite there being a contract in place between all parties for sales to be paid out for a set cookie duration.

I can undestand it when merchants go into administration, but on the other side of the coin we have the likes of ICICI on OMG....

"Due to circumstances beyond our control, the ICICI programme is to suspend with immediate effect. Presently the merchant is assessing its long term customer acquisition strategy which might necessitate withdrawal of certain products from the market.

Please be aware that no further sales will be honoured after 5pm today until you are informed otherwise."

They may well be considering their long term strategy, but how about honoring their short term commitments to their affiliates? Are merchant / network contracts worth anything when the merchant can stick two fingers up and walk away without paying what their contract says they should be paying? What procedure can be put in place to protect cookie revenue and make sure contracts are enforced?

The network won't rock the boat as they may lose the merchant, so once again the affiliate gets the shaft.

On the payment front, what can be done about getting merchants to pay up on time?

Thanks

[Barry]

I think that its upto the network to pay for merchant transactions that are approved, even if the said merchant goes tits up or does not pay.

My partnership is with a network. Networks have a responsibility to manage the risks they take when giving 'credit' in the form of advertising and to take the brunt if their risk does not payoff.



Sorry I cant attend the meeting, I would be crap anyway cos I would just keep heckling from the back row, but can I just mention something that comes to mind.

Will the Rebate 'Catching Guidelines finalisation' also be looking at the distribution of 'voucher catching toolbars'? And definite guidelines for us to work in? And will they be published?

Ta

Baz

< edit > change tense to past - just noticed date of post !!!!!< / edit >

[ian]

I think that its upto the network to pay for merchant transactions that are approved, even if the said merchant goes tits up or does not pay.

My partnership is with a network. Networks have a responsibility to manage the risks they take when giving 'credit' in the form of advertising and to take the brunt if their risk does not payoff.

Not sure this would work as the network would be heavily exposed to merchants going under, which is not their fault. However I do think they should pay up when they decide not to enforce contractual obligations and late payments.

[KevinEdwards]

Barry,

Just seen this post so apologies for the delay.

The guidelines on rebate catchers will extend to 'downloadable software' and therefore include toolbars.

We have discussed at length the wording and ramifications of different scenarios so hopefully we'll be releasing something that is both comprehensive and clear.

I'm sure Matt will update everyone after the meeting. Remember anyone is free to come along and debate the final wording before we roll it out to affiliates.

Thanks,