I use Share A Sale

[lucysdoghouse]

I use Share a Sale for my affiliate program and it seems pretty good. Pretty straight forward and it seems to have a good reputation among affiliates and merchants alike.

My program is only a couple of months old so not a ton of traffic and sales yet, but I am cautiously optimistic.

I am also in the process of signing up with the Pepperjam network. I have heard good things about them but only time will tell.

[cactus_michellep]

Hi Hans,

Although we don't normally recommend Share-A-Sale(SAS), I have worked through their network in the past. They have a good system, and you will find that many affiliates will actually work across networks. So, in SAS, you will find some of the same affiliates as in CJ, Performics, Linkshare, etc. Although, keep in mind that you may lack some of the Super Affiliates you would find in a larger network. I also find the Share-A-Sale interface a bit haphazard. They are more analytic than aesthetic, and it can be a bit cumbersome to navigate at times.

I have actually seen a few merchants use SAS as a stepping stone to get their program moving... they gather a base, get a feel for Affiliate, then they migrate over to one of the larger networks.

In regards to the pepperjam network, they are too new to tell. Without a proven track record in the marketplace, you run a gamble. Keep in mind that many of their larger clients have maintained their programs through Commission Junction and the other big players.

Moving forward, keep in mind that an affiliate program takes some time to build. You will need to establish relationships with your publishers, and remember to actively work with them.

Be sure to continue posting in the forums with any questions or success stories!

Best Wishes!

[Buzzy Multimedia]

We also use Share A Sale. When first starting out, a person at CJ actually pointed me in the direction of SAS. I have found that SAS has been very responsive to our needs. I have also noticed that many site owners who use the different programs like SAS because it tries very hard to be parasite free.

We went ahead and hired an affiliate manager, the program is struggling, but also improving each day. Our AM got us to truly understand the need to update our site, which lead us to Solid Cactus. Solid Cactus went ahead and was able to provide us with a solution where we can offer tiered commissions for different products rather than just the flat rate that SAS offers up front.

So far a thumbs up for SAS from us.

[cactus_michellep]

Glad to hear Solid Cactus was able to help you out!

Product-level commissions are great. They allow you to offer (for exmaple) 10% on some items and only 5% on others, depending on your profit margins for those products. Sometimes the margins are very different and it's tough to decide on a flat rate that is "somewhere in between" because you could end up offering 8%, and primarily selling low-margin items... thus ending in the red.

We went ahead and hired an affiliate manager, the program is struggling, but also improving each day.

Many times you will see this in the early stages... but it does improve with time. Sometimes it can take quite a while to establish the right relationships, and for those affiliate efforts to get optimized. Hang in there!

How long has your program been live by the way?

[Buzzy Multimedia]

Hi Michelle,

We have been live on SAS for over a year. However, we quickly realized that it does take someone full time to recruit, nego. and help the program grow. Our manager started with us in November -- Our market is very much a niche. We had fan sites that brought in money, its only in this past month that we have seen affiliates outside our normal pre-manager days generate some leads.

I know that SC runs affiliate programs. On average how long does it take for you to see actual gains?

Thanks,
JP

[cactus_michellep]

Honestly,... I generally hate to tell anyone when they will expect a return, because some programs see it in month 2, while others it can take almost a full year. There are no promises in a constantly changing marketplace, but there are some things you can take into account:

1. Product -- Do you offer a niche product, how well known is the brand, how is customer demand? Is it a fad product?
2. Price -- Are your prices competitive within the market? Are you offering a commission that allows you to stay competitive in the affiliate marketplace?
3. Placement -- Where are you being seen? Are larger affiliates willing to promote your product for the commission you offer, or are you only working with smaller content affiliates?
4. Promotion -- Are you offering incentive for consumers to buy? are your promotions being placed on the partner deal sites and loyalty sites? are your competitors offering a better deal, detering traffic?
5. Timing -- Many Super Affiliates get overwhelmed with partnership requests before the holiday season, and they simply don't have time to begin a program at that time. Approach Super Affiliates during the off season, like Q2, to seek out great partnerships that you can build and mature for the big holiday season.

There are a variety of factors that go into the success of a program, but in most cases, with an experienced manager and the right product. you can expect an average of 6 months before you really start moving.

[tickledpeppers]

Originally Posted by cactus_michellep

In regards to the pepperjam network, they are too new to tell. Without a proven track record in the marketplace, you run a gamble. Keep in mind that many of their larger clients have maintained their programs through Commission Junction and the other big players!

Pepperjam approached me before they went public with their independent network about switching over to a direct relationship. Have spoken with the CEO of Pepperjam in a round-table situation and he really is pretty sound in what he's doing. However, I have chosen to keep them inside my CJ program and they are continuing to perform well there. I have enough other things to do and they are not generating enough income to warrant managing them separately.

[cactus_michellep]

Originally Posted by tickledpeppers

I have chosen to keep them inside my CJ program and they are continuing to perform well there. I have enough other things to do and they are not generating enough income to warrant managing them separately.

That is usually the best bet, and I have seen the same situation with some affiliates & sub-networks.

For example, MyCoupons.com.... They have a great site, interface & reputation, as well as many loyal visitors. They will occasionally approach merchants to affiliate directly through their affiliate interface, which can be a great deal if you are currently paying a high commission and want to save a bit of cash; I believe their CPA is a flat $3 or something.

If they consistently send you a good amount of traffic it could be beneficial to go directly through them to reduce your CPA and overall spend... however, if they are only driving 2 sales a quarter, you need to really weigh if it's worth your time to sign up separately, or if it's best to simply manage them in your current network.

Basically, does it save you time or money? Where's the benefit? That's where you draw the line.

[lucysdoghouse]

Speaking on the topic of My Coupons, it is 3.00 per action.

What makes My Coupons challenging is that their standard tracking pixel does not work with Yahoo Stores and I had to have Solid Cactus install one for me. Sorry for the spurious thought but just thought to add a little bit to the conversation.

[cactus_michellep]

Ya, the $3 per auction really helps keep control of how much you pay out. And, it can be fantastic if you are currently paying 10% on a $100 average order value. (that's a $7 savings per conversion!)

There is that underlying issue with the Yahoo store not accepting the standard pixel. We actually worked closely with MyCoupons technical team to ensure proper installation of their cookie so it is able to pass the necessary information.