Comments on: Ask Kirsty – Two Clicks, Which Gets The Commission?

By: Amin

Amin — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 17:54:54 +0000

Like the last poster I’ve come across affiliate schemes that pay on the first to refer system. It’s always worth checking that out for any particular affiliate scheme, because they all have the odd wrinkle that’s a bit different from the norm.

By: AffiliateMarketing-Tip

AffiliateMarketing-Tip — Sat, 27 Oct 2007 02:34:44 +0000

I’m pretty sure I belong to a couple of programs that assured me that the original 30 day cookie is the one that pays – must check on that!

It really is a problem due to the fact that stats say a buyer needs to be exposed to the product a multiple times before purchase, but I guess providing a site that gets traffic returning would be the way to go – if they don’t buy first visit, maybe the next one – rather than from the next affiliate site they visit

By: John W. Furst

John W. Furst — Sat, 20 Oct 2007 13:02:13 +0000

That’s the way it is. What about users that clear cookies or don’t allow them at all? You only can compesate that with more volume.

Another solution is to sell your own products, do dropshipping, …, do something, which makes you “own” your customer. Of course you can make a fortune as affiliate, but it is not the only way. –John

By: Marc

Marc — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 08:48:24 +0000

I take my boxers on and off too… All day long. Btw, great blog lol =)

By: Kirsty

Kirsty — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 21:19:34 +0000

No probs Hadi. It is a subject which has resulted in threads several pages long. The ins and outs of this issue are very complex with compelling arguments on both sides (as Chris said!).

I think you are right about the landing pages. If you help your site visitors find exactly what they are looking for by making your landing page and featured merchants highly relevant to what they are looking for you’ll have a much better chance of a successful sale.

By: Hadi

Hadi — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 18:28:10 +0000

Thanks for such a clear explanation Kirsty.

I guess the lesson here is to make sure your landing pages are compelling enough to get a sale first time.

By: Kirsty

Kirsty — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 18:21:35 +0000

Well Chris, you’re clearly unaware that all us affiliate marketing ladies spend a lot of time discussing the possibility of you taking your boxers on and off!

By: Chris

Chris — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 16:40:31 +0000

I didn’t realise my boxers were classed as a “hotly debated topic” and something that a book could be written about

I think over the coming years this won’t be the case as new technologies will allow new tracking. POR are leading the way with their discount code tracking proposals and I suspect we will see more and more changes, working in the good affiliates favour… well I certainly hope so anyway

By: Kirsty

Kirsty — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 16:05:26 +0000

Too true Chris, it’s an hotly debated topic… I could have written a book about it on here!

By: Chris

Chris — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 15:53:15 +0000

This system also deters people from dropping 1001 cookies in hidden iframes to thousands of merchants – although not all affiliates comply

Imagine a little script or webpage that goes around, and does nothing but drop a cookie for every single merchant on every single network by way of 1px by 1px iframes.

2 months later, the visitor goes to a merchant using Kirstys affiliate links, after reading a very intersting article on one of her many Clog and Sock review websites. It wouldn’t be fair that the rogue affiliate who has dumped a load of cookies on a users machine, gets paid for it.

There are arguements for and against 1st and last cookie commissions, and I must admit to having changed my mind on this subject, more times than my boxers!