How do I launch an Affiliate Programme for our site?

[merlynhs]

We have been running our Eyewear website FunSpex - Funky Framed Readers under £20 - FunSpex for 6 weeks now. It's gone pretty well. Decent amount of traffic being converted into orders - for a launch pad it's been excellent. However, like everyone else who launches a new eCommerce venture it's just a start and a million miles from where we want to be. One of the avenues I want to explore is an affiliate scheme but to be honest, other than trawling through this site - which I will be starting later today - I just don't know where to start.

I assume we need to go back to the web developers to handle the incoming transactions from the affiliate but how do you attract the partners to start promoting your site - is it ultimately down to the % and $?

I am really interested to hear from people on this subject and looking for advice in terms of the very basics of building the programme.

Many thanks.

FunSpex - Funky Framed Readers under £20 - FunSpex
Cheap Reading, Sports & Sunglasses.

[Greavsie]

Hi

Great little site and niche you have there, but I think you need to get a bit more time under your belt before you start the affiliate program (maybe 3-6 months). Due to the fact you are only 6 wks in, you do not really know what the potential of your own marketing activities are. So it will be hard to truly quantify the impact of an affiliate program.

A few points, as an affiliate and a network representative

1. The prices are quite low, which implies commissions of 10-20% will still only get me £1-2 max. This in turn means you will need to convert around 20-40% to make any PPC activity worthwhile.

2. You have discount codes. can you create unique codes or just one per month? Unique codes would be the way forward, helps the big boys give you more coverage

3. SEO is currently limited, i know you are only 6 wks in, but you need to get some good links and coverage

4. PR will help with 3. get yourself in the online press e.g. marie claire, instyle etc. Send then all a pair of funky specs with a PR release i.e. get you foot in the door. These would make a good fun feature in my eyes (excuse the pun)

5. Are you doing your own PPC? cannot see you on a search for "funky specs" or spectacles

6. Try other forms of marketing yourself, Email, Offline, Direct Mail. See what works.

Starting a program - think about
- your margins, how much do you make per sale. Let's say it's 30%, then how much are you willing to give affiliates.
- how much this corresponds to in terms of your average order value i.e. £10 AOV at 10% commission is a £1.
- what's your conversion rate? how many clicks to order.
- combine all of these and think about how attract it is to an affiliate. 1% conversion rate, £10 AOV and 10% commission is not going to be attractive
- Networks typically take an additional 3% of sales or 30% of affiliate commissions. Plus monthly fees and a Set-up fee, so get the prices and see if you can afford a program based on current or projected revenue.

Also
- More Products. I know your strap-line is "it doesn't need a label to be designer", but why not include some more expensive items in there i.e. products you like that are around £50, around £100 etc. This will help increase your AOV
- Why so cheap? Is this based on other websites OR a simple calculation based on costs?. Personally as a consumer the prices are so cheap i'd think they are faulty or something's not right. If not based on anything specific, then maybe increase the prices a little more and use these prices as the "SALE" price.
- check out your competition like glasses direct etc. see what they are offering affiliates, you'll need to beat it at the beginning at least.

Some food for thought, I could go on but i'd bore you.

[innervoyager]

Hi Greavsie,

You said good points Greavsie. I have almost similar problems here. I have run an affiliate program based on PPS campaign. Beside the higher risk of theft and fraud from PPC or CPM, our company haven't got the budget for PPC.

I am managing this website: Shankari Jewelry Website

And this is the URL for the affiliate program:
Shankari Jewelry Circle of Light

I have announced this program to a few non-commercial forums. Our website traffic has raised recently. But, none has signed up for the affiliate program.

Our website has been famous from direct visits for years. It used to famous among limited communities. We want to expand our business and introduce to more audiences

Please advise for this. I would really appreciate it.