As I was away on Holiday for a couple of weeks this is a bit of a bumper update covering 3 weeks of new Merchants (to 13th April 2007) of Merchants that have went live across all the UK Networks.
Advertising.com
- Additions Brochure Request
- Littlewoods Brochure Request
- Ramblers Association
Affiliate Future
- 888Bootcamp
- Altec
- Consumer Info
- Emergency Abroad
- Flirty or Dirty
- Hotetur Hotels
- LoveHoney
- Makoosh
- Primepoker
- Rapid Home Sale
- sapphire villas
- Select Hire
Affiliate Window
- BT Tradespace
- DHL Express
- Fushi
- Gardening Direct
- Halifax Pet Insurance
- Heal’s
- La Redoute
- Nationwide Autocentres
- Mini Marvellous
- The Magazine Service
Afform
- Experian Just Rewards
- Get me a Quiz
- Get me Gaming
- Kingolotto
- Magazine Group
Buy.at
- Care International
- Energy Helpline Business
- Endsleigh Insurance
- Pipex
Commission Junction
DGM
- Insure and Go Travel Insurance
Paid On Results
- Dead Good Undies
- Kiddies Kingdom
- Millet Sports
Profitistic
Webgains
Zanox UK
Great amount of new merchants, so plenty of choice to be had if your looking to replace a few spots on your website to try out new fresh Merchants.
Posted in General April 13th, 2007 by Clarke | No comments
With the Grand National coming up this weekend there is the normal flurry of activity around bookie sites. I have my own Grand National Betting site and normally rely on my email lists from UK Competitions and Free UK Stuff to bring in a coupe of quid, as I have never really spent any time on the SEO for this site.
This year I have taken a different tack and instead of promoting the normal run of the mill Bookie sites that require people to spend some money before I make a commission, I have been pushing Free Horse Racing Tips via Affiliate Network Paid On Results simply because for the whole of this month they are offer £2.50 per confirmed valid email address.
I have to say it been a bloody good alternative to promoting the bookies this time around, with a conversion rate on the busiest day so far of 56.25% and averaging around 36.05% click to sign up so far this month, that’s about £90.12 EPHC or £0.90 EPC not bad for just an email.
You may be wondering why I am giving away my own Affiliate “secrets” well it’s simple, if I find something that works on Paid On Results for me that others have not picked up on I like to share this because the more people making money via Paid On Results the better 
Posted in General April 12th, 2007 by Clarke | No comments
Here is this weeks list (to 23rd March 2007) of Merchants that have went live across all the UK Networks.
Advertising.com
- Acuvue
- BCA books
- Test and Vote
- Volkswagen Jetta
Affiliate Future
- Devicewire
- EyeExperts
- La Manga
Affiliate Window
- Direct TVs
- Don Arts
- eshopmegastore
- Loan-line
- Majestic Wine
- Rebelio
- Robert Dyas
Buy.at
Commission Junction
As I will be going to the A4U Amsterdam Trip next week I will not be doing a new Merchant update and may possibly leave it until the week after I return from my Holiday to Portugal.
Posted in General March 23rd, 2007 by Clarke | No comments
Here is this weeks list (to 16th March 2007) of Merchants that have went live across all the UK Networks.
Affiliate Future
- Affiliate Manager Book
- Hotetur
- Switch Homes
- Wine and co
Buy.at
- Cruise Thomas Cook
- Kitchen Science
- Laskys
- National Magazines
- Teleflorist
DGM
PrimeQ
Webgains
Posted in General March 16th, 2007 by Clarke | No comments
A4U Events in conjunction with DFDS Seaways and sponsors Tradedoubler have an excellent event lined up for the 28th of March. If you thinking about going (what is there to think about), get your skates on and sign up today at http://www.a4uevents.com/register.php it’s truly a special event as during the day you will be mixing with the very best in the Affiliate World onboard the Queen of Scandinavia cruise ship and you have the optional choice to stay aboard for a free return cruise to Amsterdam complete with your very own cabin all curiosity of DFDS Seaways.
A4U Amsterdam Cruise Video
[youtube zqohq2XvWwI]
Why are DFDS Seaways being so generous, well they simply wish to show they are committed to Affiliate Marketing and are looking to grow there base of active affiliates and what better way to do this than to experience the product first hand. It’s got me thinking for sure, a company this interested in Affiliates has got to be worth promoting.
So what’s the event cost for Affiliates, the crazy cheap price of £29.38, I honestly thought this was a mistake, a day of networking, a trip to Amsterdam and all the other stuff in-between, you be nuts to miss this one.
Over 110+ people have signed up already. I know there is a few people thinking about it or waiting to see who else is going but with the ratio of Affiliates to Merchants and Networks being so high this is going to be one super event.
I will be kicking around so be sure to say hello to me, and I will introduce you to some top Affiliates, good chance to make a few friends and meet a few people.
Posted in Affiliate Events March 13th, 2007 by Clarke | No comments
An interesting development over on the A4U Forum today, they are looking for ‘resident bloggers’ who are experts within their field to contribute to the new portal on a regular basis who are committed to at least one submission per month.
Basically a free way to get your voice heard in the biggest Affiliate Community in the UK but from what I understand from the re-branding of the site it’s set to take on the Global stage so very much an opportunity for everyone world wide to get involved.
You can find out more over at A4U but certainly an interesting development, will be taking part myself.
Posted in General March 9th, 2007 by Clarke | No comments
Here is this weeks list (to 9th March 2007) of Merchants that have went live across all the UK Networks.
Affiliate Future
- Auto Europe
- Fabstuff
- Memory Bits
Affiliate Window
- Panda Software
- The Body Shop
Buy.at
DGM
Webgains
Zanox
Posted in General March 9th, 2007 by Clarke | No comments
As Posted on the A4U Forum a quote from this weeks NewMediaAge.
Next year we’ll reintroduce affiliate marketing but as it should be, as opposed to affiliates as they were,” said Nick Robertson, ASOS CEO. “[There'll be] no silly commissions being paid to grubby little people in grubby studios growing income at our expense, getting in the way of genuine sales.
Yes that’s right the very people that helped grow ASOS in to a brand online are as far as they are concerned grubby little people.
grub·by (grb)
adj. grub·bi·er, grub·bi·est
1. Dirty; grimy: grubby old work clothes.
2. Infested with grubs.
3. Contemptible; despicable: has a grubby way of treating others.
Photo: ASOS Affiliate Get-together 2006*
I am guessing none of the Affiliates promoting ASOS where “Infested with grubs”, so that only leaves “Dirty; grimy: grubby old work clothes.” or “Contemptible; despicable: has a grubby way of treating others.” Now having a look at all the old posts about ASOS on the A4U Forum and knowing many of the people involved in promoting ASOS I can’t remember thinking this year I will send so and so Soap on a Rope as his Christmas present as he is a little smelly. So that leaves us with number 3. and this I guess is what Nick Robertson ASOS CEO must mean by describing Affiliates as “grubby”.
ASOS was once very well respected in the Affiliate Community taking action against spyware when it first reared its ugly head and often giving out awards for Affiliate of the year and so on. So what marks this drastic turn around in how they view Affiliates? A simple lack of understanding of the industry, they lost there best people, folk like Jess Luthi who understood Affiliates and how to get the very best out of them.
You do have to wonder how Nick Robertson can come up with remarks like this when the simple fact of the matter is Merchants are in full control of there program, they say who can and who can’t promote them, they dictate the brand name policy, and they set the commission and cookie period and so on. So if he is angry, he should be angry at himself for not taking the time and making available the resources to understand and continue to take advantage of such a hugely profitable system for promoting Merchants online.
*That’s a joke, it’s actually Friday night in Glasgow. Another joke, it’s the really funny Shaun of the Dead film, now on DVD no doubt promoted by an Affiliate some place in the world 
Posted in General March 8th, 2007 by Clarke | 9 comments
I could do an article on Merchant Fraudsters also and I will do one day, but today it’s a short article about Affiliate Fraudsters. I will write a few more posts on this subject as time goes on but for just now I will ask some questions that I already know the answer for.
- Why is it that most Affiliate Fraudsters either use free space or pretend legitimate Affiliate websites belong to them?
- Why is it that most Affiliate Fraudsters use a free email account such as one from hotmail, yahoo or gmail?
- Why is it that many Affiliate Fraudsters have English sounding names and address in UK, USA or Canada yet are actually not from these countries?
- Why is it, that they target leads based programs more heavily than sales based programs?
I know lots of “whys” and no answers. The reason I didn’t post the answers is that they are easy to work out. However what is not easy to work out is how can you reduce the risk from Affiliate Fraud to ensure good honest Affiliates are being paid while the fraud ones are being booted from Networks?
I have yet to see a fail safe system that allows for open, free and easy access to the Networks and Merchants for honest Affiliates but that will keep the bad Affiliates out. To say everyone with free space is up to no good is also not very fair, but is it unreasonable to ask Affiliates to invest in at the bare minimum….. a domain name? I don’t think so.
I believe that while it’s only a very tiny percentage of such Affiliates that try to fraud a Merchant or a Network, it is the honest ones that end up paying the price with reduced commissions to counter balance lost revenue and so on.
Time for everyone to tackle the problems these people bring head on, if you see someone up to no good report it to the Networks and Merchants involved.
Posted in General March 7th, 2007 by Clarke | No comments
Here is this weeks list of Merchants that have went live across all the UK Networks.
Afform
Affiliate Future
- Amber Magic
- Casino Splendido
- Cresta Holidays
- Haversley Overseas Properties
- Whitesmoke
Buy.at
- HQ Hair
- HQ Man
- Leisure Direction
- O2
- Superdrug
- Tradex
LinkShare UK
OMG
PrimeQ
Webgains
- 14clubs.com
- Bigpoint
- Course Monster
- Get Me A Quiz
Posted in General March 2nd, 2007 by Clarke | No comments
