[John Powell]

I keep thinking that the term Orphan Data Feed really describes a whole lot of the feeds out there. They are created with love and at some later point abandoned to exist all alone with no one to really care for them.

The OPM or AM will ask the merchant to help them, but for the Orphan Feed nothing changes. Those providing the feed are often clueless about how to create a good one and don't seem to care.

You go out of your way to report problems with the feed, but nothing ever happens. You know it's an Orphan when threads are opened at ABW asking for solutions, and there is no resolution.

If there is no value in the feed then why have the thing in the first place. I find that there is very little point in trying to get a bad feed improved. Those with bad feeds just don't care. Even when a good affiliate manager is involved it seems as they are most often powerless to get an Orphan adopted.

[2busy]

Very astute observation, John! You are so right, sounds like more than one that I have begged and pleaded over for nothing.

[Bill-VendoQ]

I have noticed that most of the feeds become orphan when the program changes hands from an OPM to somebody inhouse or the experienced inhouse affiliate manager leaves the merchant.