A more effective way to handle affiliates?

[Cancelcollector]

I've been looking at the "Buddy Points" and the "Affiliate Program" and my enthusiasm is a bit lukewarm.

A couple of reasons: One, I don't like tossing "sales pitches" at people. Two, I don't like the idea (i.e. the "buddy link") of just referring people directly to a signup page. That looks like someone is just trying to "harvest" my personal information. I don't know about you, but I want to see what a site is about, and THEN decide to register... or not.

I got to thinking about the web sites I've been part of over the past 15 years that use some kind of "referral" system.

The most effective I've seen-- used on anything from sites for writers to Amazon Associates-- consist of simply embedding a "referral ID" within links, and that's it. If I put a link somewhere that says "please visit my Swedish stamp shop on eBid," then I just give the URL to my Swedish stamp shop with just one unique little piece of code added to the link... usually looks something like "_6752735" which is my account identifier. When part of a link, it would tell the receiving server to put a cookie on the visitor's machine so that IF they decide to become a member, they become "attributed to" my account.

The upside of this is that the whole "sales pitch for the WEBSITE" goes away and is replaced by simply going about promoting your own stuff... and the "affiliate" thing just "runs in the background." Your affiliate identifier can be embedded in everything you do for the site, or you can just choose to use it selectively. Or not at all.

Is it "sneaky?" Well... no. Why? If someone wants to bid for or buy one of your items, they have to register, anyway. It makes ZERO difference to their universe whether that's tracked to you, or is just a generic registration form.

Affiliate programs (and general peer-to-peer promotional campaigns to build a site's membership) tend to be most effective when those doing the promoting get to expend as little effort as possible. I don't know if anyone is familiar with a site called "Listia?" It's like an auction type venue where people list stuff and it's all a free barter type gig. No money. Anyway, I have done almost NOTHING with that site, and I have never actively promoted it... but in just posting a few links to items I had on offer with the above type of "embedded affiliate code" somehow 34 people have registered "under my name." That's what I meant by "no effort."

What could this mean for eBid? Well, in a "functional" sense, we all already have unique numbers assigned to our accounts via our Buddy Links. I wonder what it would take to make such a number "embeddable" so we can just stick it in all links to eBid we use... and we could do away with the whole Commission Junction thing (which seems like a strange 3rd party gig that only really makes money for THEM, but not for eBid or for eBid members). Simplicity is usually the best answer...

Just thinking out loud, here..
~Peter

[JanetB]

Absolutely Brilliant!
I'm all for it.

Instead of trying to entice buyers/sellers over to eBid by using our buddy link, therefore taking newbies to a registration page (kinda off putting for many) by embedding a member code within each listing would mean prospective buyers (or sellers) would have no idea that the seller receives buddy points.

I believe this method would be much more successful in bringing in more new members.

[madelaine]

I like this idea too - the sign up page is not a good introduction, whereas a shop containing something which has lured you in to look would be great.

[bluebedouin]

I made a similar suggestion here.Let's hope this time round it bears fruit.