[thegyppo]

I'm seeing a growing trend of merchants who don't want to work with coupon affiliates (e.g. ASOS).

Generally I think this is for a few reasons:

1. Coupons + affiliate commission erode margins
2. Merchant might have made the sale already without the coupon

There's a few arguments against both of these:

1. Coupons help close the sale.
2. See above.

The problem is that we generally have absolutely no leg to stand on with the networks, merchants can quite happily have a program, then get rid of all the coupon affiliates (who will still promote them anyways).

I'd like to have an open discussion on what can be done by both publishers & networks to improve the coupon experience for advertisers.

This could be ideas like:

1. Not paying commission on non-affiliate coupons (that way sites can still promote the high value codes but risk not getting paid)
2. Better methods for syndicating exclusive coupons
3. Better tracking for exclusive coupons

I'm sure there's plenty more thoughts that people have on this subject!

[Chuck Hamrick]

Not paying commission on non-affiliate coupons (that way sites can still promote the high value codes but risk not getting paid)
Better methods for syndicating exclusive coupons
Better tracking for exclusive coupons

This has already been developed by ex-CJ VP's and its called Impact Radius. Am getting ready to test with one of my programs with a trusted coupon affiliate. It makes the coupon code the tracking mechanism. In that manner you don't even need an affiliate link and can use in social, paid search, bumper stickers! The only other network that comes close to trying to find a way for exclusives codes to only track with the affiliate it was assigned to is AvantLink.

Networks generally don't care who gets credit for the sale as long as they get the credit for the network fee. They have no interest nor incentive to spend development time or dollars to correct this otherwise it would have been done five years ago.

[Gary-AvantLink]

I have been observing this trend for a few years now. It was one of the primary motivators for building our pixel container & analytics platform (AvantMetrics).

[davidh]

1. Coupons help close the sale.

The best price helps to close the sale. If a seller offers the best price without silly goosechases, they've got a leg up on the competition. If you don't believe me, ask Amazon.

[e-Gazer]

I've been seeing the trend for a long time as well. The bottom line really is that coupons need to be part of a merchant's overall business strategy in order for it to make sense for them to work with coupon affiliates. And merchants really would like to see more of them doing more to add value - doing something unique and different to help introduce their brands to new customers vs. only relying on searches for the merchant name + coupon.

Most merchants want to see their affiliates driving new customer revenue for them - vs. simply capitalizing on their existing customer database, or just popping a coupon over the merchant site when a user visits the merchant site directly (skipping the search engine and any other middlemen entirely) in order to get a commission.

We see a lot of coupon affiliates promoting false/expired deals - the merchants get complaints about this from customers who often blame the merchant for false advertising and demand the deal be made good on.

Coupon affiliates would do well to reach out to their promotional partners/merchants to offer ideas and find out how they could better work with them in a way that adds value from the merchant's perspective, and also how they can make the relationship a more profitable one for themselves and for the merchant. Affiliate Marketing is supposed to be about shared success so let your partners know you're invested in their success as well as your own and you will get a lot further ahead.

If a coupon affiliate can do more to introduce the brand to users who have never heard of it before, and promote the brand without stuffing cookies or overwriting someone else's value-adding efforts illegitimately, less merchants would be inclined to say "NO coupon affiliates!"

I'm interested to hear from coupon affiliates about what they think they can do to help add value. I agree it's an area we all need to work on.

Ideas could include listing merchants in places where new audience segments would find them and be promoted to. Featuring them on the homepage including a blurb about why they are worth buying from, including them in a newsletter or blog to your own loyal base of online shoppers, or featuring them in a section that markets to their category but not necessarily just their own customers.

All of this can add value from the merchant's perspective. But tactics like "mysite.com/merchant+coupon >> click to reveal" -- when used as the sole means of promoting a merchant, don't.

[purplebear]

In a hurry, just logged in real quick to reply to a pm so won't be long answer.

Least from some emails I've gotten regarding this (not accusing me of doing it since I definitely don't do it but they've talked about it ) All coupon affiliates are kinda lumped together cos of some of the bad guys. (those who post coupons, savings, etc. that have not been given to them. ) They'll post coupons, deals, etc. that were only intended for newsletters or emails from the merchant or maybe catalogs.

I guess the merchants get mad about this (which if haven't been made available to the affiliates they have every right to be upset about it) Guessing they just don't know how to stop this behavior so they throw up their arms and say ok, just won't work with any coupon affiliates. Definitely think that's a stupid way to react to the problem and they're only hurting themselves but can understand their frustration.

As I said, in a hurry so probably didn't explain myself very well.

[simcat]

Funny, I look around here and elsewhere and find old and new examples of merchants that have "dumped coupon sites". And then check them at the top ranked coupon sites.

More often then not, their network links still work, still dropping cookies, still (presumably?) getting paid. Is this 'dumping' just for show, or maybe only the no traffic sites get dumped?

Other merchants say 'no coupon sites' but provide coupons for their affiliates?

All I'm saying is try not to send mixed messages to your affiliates.

[Trust]

Originally Posted by davidh

The best price helps to close the sale. If a seller offers the best price without silly goosechases, they've got a leg up on the competition. If you don't believe me, ask Amazon.

Agree, that's why I love Amazon, but they do have some coupons as well - http://www.amazon.com/b?ie=UTF8&node=2231352011

"Not paying commission on non-affiliate coupons (that way sites can still promote the high value codes but risk not getting paid)"

As far as that, there was a merchant that tried to get out of paying a commission to me because they said I had such a coupon on my site, a high/non affiliate coupon, which wasn't true. Luckily, Google had a cached page of the day in question showing I didn't. It seems the person went my site, clicked thru, then used a higher coupon they found elsewhere. That's something a merchant can use to try to get out of paying.

[jenniferson]

People like me who would not even buy without a coupon if the price isnt right or worst, even search your competitors to see if the have lower prices. This is the way I think at least. My first step is finding what I want and i know right away if I would buy at the listed price. If its above then I visit a coupon site. If i find a good coupon i buy, if not, i dont buy. Never bought any pizza hut or footlocker shoes without a coupon code.

Follow the major brands.

[MyDayRegistry]

I have a merchant who has a very unique niche gift and does not allow coupon sites into there program and as an affiliate myself I agree 100% because all they do is steal my hard earned traffic and commission.

Unless the merchant is a big box store a coupon site adds ZERO value to their program.

However this merchant does see the value to offering affiliates that add value (Content, Content, Content) an occasional coupon code, but is reluctant to do it because the coupon sites will pick up the code.

My question is...

1) What would be the best way for the merchant to ensure a coupon site does not get into their program? and if they do how to find out and kick them out?

2) How does the merchant request that the coupon sites offering fake coupons or "Free Shipping" take them down?


Happy Friday!

[rematt]

Originally Posted by CarolAnn_H

My question is...

1) What would be the best way for the merchant to ensure a coupon site does not get into their program? and if they do how to find out and kick them out?

"Inspect what you expect". Merchants need to turn off auto approval. Each and every site that they accept into their program should be visited and approved by a member of the merchant's affiliate management team. Once approved, ALL affiliate sites generating sales should be periodically visited by the merchant's team for continued compliance.

Originally Posted by CarolAnn_H

2) How does the merchant request that the coupon sites offering fake coupons or "Free Shipping" take them down?

First, this shouldn't be a request. Merchants should have a clear coupon policy outlined in their TOS and should be prepared to BRUTALLY enforce that policy. Affiliates don't "accidentally" post fake coupons or non-existent "Free Shipping" offers and they are also responsible for policing user generated content. A zero tolerance policy is the only way that a merchant can make a clear statement that they won't tolerate this type of behavior.

I have no problem with coupon sites in general. I think that they can and do add considerable value to a well managed program. However, I have no tolerance for affiliates that violate the rules. It gives them an unfair advantage and potentially has a negative impact on my income.

-rematt

[purplebear]

In a hurry so not gonna give a long answer.

"Unless the merchant is a big box store a coupon site adds ZERO value to their program. "

Am sorry but umm, you can't make a general statement like that. I agree that there are some reaaaaaally bad "coupon sites" There are a lot of different I guess maybe a word for them would be styles of coupon sites, tho. Not all are the same. There are some very, very good "coupon sites" that add a lot of as you said "value to their program". The merchant should appreciate those affiliates and try to work with them as much as possible. It's a beneficial thing for both of them.

A smaller merchant may not be known to a lot of people but if they have a coupon at one of those good coupon sites it can help them to get visitors to their sites and possibly sales that they would not otherwise have had. That merchant may never have had those visitors if it were not for that good coupon site having them on their site. At the very least it gives them exposure and kinda levels the playing field for them since they are seen on sites with the other big merchants.

Completely agree with the other posts. The merchant or affiliate manager has to umm do their job. They determine which affiliates are in their programs. Those bad coupon sites only exist cos they are allowed to exist. The merchant or affiliate manager has to consider the terms he or she wants for their program, let it be clearly known to the affiliates and then as was said, enforce them. Plain and simple.

If every merchant had terms that most people would consider how they should be and if they were enforced, you wouldn't have any of the bad coupon sites. A merchant or program only has the affiliates in their program that they themselves have put in their program. If they remain in the program when they've done things the merchant or affiliate manager doesn't like, the merchant or affiliate manager only has themselves to blame.

Ooooh, why do I continue to say am gonna give a short comment. lol Sorry, was so long.

[sunshiner]

The best way for merchants to avoid working with coupon sites is to not have a coupon code/box at their checkout...anywhere. If they want to offer a lower price through their emails to the their customer base, they should have a separate landing page redirect for them that can't be accessed any other way. This gives their own customers that "sale" feeling and keeps a coupon from being scraped by what would have been their customer anyway.
JCPenneys has taken the new approach, best prices without a sale or coupon, and I've started shopping there and will continue to because I don't want to wait for a sale when I need something NOW but want the best price, and they have nailed it.

[Convergence]

Originally Posted by sunshiner

the best way for merchants to avoid working with coupon sites is to not have a coupon code/box at their checkout...anywhere.

+1

[MyDayRegistry]

Is it really worth taking the time to spam a post when one of us just reports it as spam and your comment gets removed?

[Alan Hamilton]

Originally Posted by affilink

Hi,
i can't agree with statement that merchants don't like coupon sites.
I have my own coupon site and some vendors (as for example SPAM) appreciate my work a lot. Every month they give some new exclusive discount coupons. This months even provide all affiliates with 50% commission for 2 months and 20% coupon for their bestselleing program.
I think vendors actually understand potential of sites like ours due to the traffic coupon sites generate and promo opportunities.

^ An excellent example of how not to earn street cred.

[Alan Hamilton]

Originally Posted by Chuck Hamrick

This has already been developed by ex-CJ VP's and its called Impact Radius. Am getting ready to test with one of my programs with a trusted coupon affiliate. It makes the coupon code the tracking mechanism. In that manner you don't even need an affiliate link and can use in social, paid search, bumper stickers! The only other network that comes close to trying to find a way for exclusives codes to only track with the affiliate it was assigned to is AvantLink.

Networks generally don't care who gets credit for the sale as long as they get the credit for the network fee. They have no interest nor incentive to spend development time or dollars to correct this otherwise it would have been done five years ago.

Chuck, it would be great if you would share how your trial project with Impact Radius works out. I've had them recommended to me by several people for our Spicy Aprons affiliate program. Because coupon sites can be a real headache to police for compliance, it would be awesome if the IR method works well. I hope you will keep us posted.

[Chuck Hamrick]

Yes, its silly to spam your program when your profile lists it, deleted, reported to 12 spam databases and banned!

Alan, development pushed back on the Impact Radius test so will be a few weeks.