Are you CJ-free yet?

[internetheaven]

Today marks merchant number 9 that has moved us to another network or in-house for their affiliate program. Basically, we emailed all of them saying that we would not allow CJ to have javascript control/integration on our pages and slowly but surely they've all been responding about new networks they've joined or in-house programs they've created.

By the sounds of it, none of them seem to be interested in leaving CJ (probably quite a few major affiliates left that are willing to work with javascript) but they all seem to be making alternative arrangements for those of us not prepared to do so when the time comes.

We have around 30 merchants with CJ so this will take some time. I just wondered who else has managed to become "CJ-Free" without losing any valued merchants?

[3wdl]

I think it's a bit of an overreaction to be honest - CJ are trying to trial new software, and are not planning (as of yet) to remove their normal links.

Whilst the communication of this could have been better I see no reason for merchants at this stage to move or close their CJ programs, or for affiliates to panic.

[internetheaven]

and are not planning (as of yet) to remove their normal links

What do you mean? As far as I read their press releases the date has simply been postponed for six months from the day that they announce it again ... which could be tommorrow for all we know ...

[drivetowin]

They have undertaken not to start the process to change them before January and even then to give at least 6 months notice - so nothing is going to be forced on affiliates until almost 12 months from now at the earliest.

[3wdl]

Originally Posted by internetheaven What do you mean? As far as I read their press releases the date has simply been postponed for six months from the day that they announce it again ... which could be tommorrow for all we know ...

Well when I spoke to them they said it was a trial, and it will be analysed in the new year to see the level of take up and sucess. As Keith says, even if they DO decide to change perminantly it won't happen for at LEAST a year.

[Qui Gon Jinn]

It maybe be someway off, but it maybe prudent for merchants to take preventative measures by at least going dual network depending how this all pans out - but not yet totally drop CJ.

New publishers will more likely pick up the javascript & some existing ones will succumb mainly down to dependency on the revenue stream from CJ. Plus the legacy links are an extra couple of clicks away & I don't think CJ want to make it too easy for affiliates to pick up, half hoping they will slowly increase their uptake of javascript. Thus by making it that much harder for affiliates. The spin put out by CJ maybe along the lines that the uptake of javascript links has been positive & that a majority of affiliates are using them. The question is what proportion of their affiliate base can they afford to lose? This could simply be a small minority before they feel the effect.

CJ US don't have a habit of listening, no matter how much you kick the donkey, very much like Google in a way.

The Javascript is here to stay no matter what, it's just a question of whether they are prepared to allow the legacy links to endlessly remain.

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[internetheaven]

Originally Posted by Qui Gon Jinn It maybe be someway off, but it maybe prudent for merchants to take preventative measures by at least going dual network depending how this all pans out - but not yet totally drop CJ ... The Javascript is here to stay no matter what, it's just a question of whether they are prepared to allow the legacy links to endlessly remain.

Like you said, they are probably going to "encourage" new merchants to only offer javascript with the same "irrelevant" reasoning they used the first time around (i.e. "it will result in more referrals because it will fool search engines and ad blockers!").

Just as an update, we're now up to 16 merchants changed over. There is one we didn't move with as they went to Shareasale who are even worse than CJ as far as I'm concerned, I wonder who would have recommended them to that program? I suppose that it is most likely that "smelling the blood" the other networks will be frantically contacting all the CJ merchants to try and get them to move over to their network.

Mike