Being an Affiliate for Someone Who Doesn't Have an Affiliate Program?

[kentheriot]

Having only dabbled in affiliate stuff, my only experience is signing up with merchants who already have programs set up through ShareaSale or LinkShare, etc. but what if a merchant wants us to be an affiliate for them, but they don't already have an affiliate program? Is there any way for them to create affiliate links that automatically track sales from links on my site without them having to join one of the on-line brokers I mentioned?

Thanks!

Ken

[russell]

There are ways they could set up tracking on their own site. If they some type of shopping cart program, it may have the ability to track links. Depending on the payout though, you may want to have a pretty reliable program in place, because to get accurate results, it usually requires a couple methods of tracking.

[David Jackson]

What if a merchant wants us to be an affiliate for them, but they don't already have an affiliate program?

Jake, I don't mean to sound cynical, but I wouldn't be so trusting, if I were you. Unfortunately, we live in an era where ripping people off seems to be the norm. Only work with proven, trustworthy merchants who are affiliated with reliable and established affilate management programs like the ones you mentioned.

David Jackson

[David Jackson]

Google started in a garage! Facebook in a dorm room!

That's true. But those two examples are the exception rather than the rule. That's why it's best to err on the side of caution because the odds are a million to one, you are not dealing with the next Google or Facebook.

That being said, if you still want to forge ahead with this merchant, investigate, investigate, investigate. And after you're through investigating...investigate some more.

David Jackson