Tips for Choosing a Good Merchant
If we join affiliate network marketing such as Shareasale, Commission Junction, Paydotcom, Clickbank , etc, there are so many merchant in those affiliate network. So, how do we know which ones are good? Here are the tips how to choose a good merchant that is suitable for our need:
1. Look at the display of merchant website
Is it an amateur website or a professional website? If you were a consumer, would you buy product from the website? Usually people would buy from the website that can be trusted, a profesional-looking appearance.
2. Navigation Structure
Is the menu clear enough and could navigate visitor? People tend to leave website with confusing navigator, unless the product is only sold by the merchant. Amazon.com is an example of website with good navigation.
3. Ordering Process
Is the ordering process easy? If the ordering process is complex, most people will be confused and would cancel the purchase. We also should know what payments are offered by the merchant.
4. Good conversion rate
Merchant with good conversion rate means many visitor came to the merchant website and bought the product. The higher conversion rate the better the merchant.
Usually conversion rate is calculated based on 100 visitor sent to the merchant site. How many percent visitors became custumers and how many sales that occurred. This figure is called EPC. In Shareasale and Commission Juction we could see the EPC numbers. This can provide whether the merchant has a good conversion rate or not.
High EPC means many visitors who is sent to the merchant website, mostly by the products. But we also have to see the average value of the products. Usually merchants who sell cheap products but high EPC, will have good conversion rate.
In Clickbank we see the number gravity. In Paydotcom we see APS. Both gravity and APS show us whether the product is popular product purchase or not. The calculation were different from EPC and convertion rate, but the gravity number anda APS also help us choose the good merchant.
5. Testimonials
Testimonials can improve the conversion rate. If there are many interesting testimonials, especially with the names and photos, visitors will be more confident to buy products from the merchant.
6. Merchant Reputation
Merchant reputation comes from the experience of a group of people who buy from the merchant. The more customers are satisfied, the better the reputation of the merchant, and also vice versa.
For in-house affiliate program, we need to be more careful in selecting a merchant. We should check the reputation. Make sure there is no negative news from the merchant both from the affiliate site or from the customer side.
7. When and how is the payment
Don't forget to learn when and how is the payment. Some merchants will give us the commission if we could sell the product at certain sales. Some other merchants will give us the commision after the commission reach the minimal payment.
The time of payment the commission is also important, espesially if we use paid traffic such as PPC. If the payment is too long, our cash flow will be disrupted.
If we do not match with the merchants' procedures and conditions, do not select the merchant to promote.
8. The time of cookies
Most of people do not buy product directly when they visited the website at the first time. Usually people need time, they see the other products then choose which one is the best or suitable for them. After that they decide to buy. Therefore, the time of cokies stored in our computer is the important thing. Some merchant only give us a few days, the others give us quite a long time. So we need to know the time of cookies.
10. How many commission the merchant will give us
Merchant who give large commission is not certainly better than the merchant who give smaller commission. Product with a great commission but poor in quality, would not in accordance with the market need. Conversely, although the commission is not too big, but if the product is high demand and popular, the total commission can be much greater.
If we use PPC to bring the visitor, we need to know the approximate cost of the main product keyword sold by the merchant. If the keyword too expensive with a small commission, it will be difficult to us to make a profitable campaign.
1. Look at the display of merchant website
Is it an amateur website or a professional website? If you were a consumer, would you buy product from the website? Usually people would buy from the website that can be trusted, a profesional-looking appearance.
2. Navigation Structure
Is the menu clear enough and could navigate visitor? People tend to leave website with confusing navigator, unless the product is only sold by the merchant. Amazon.com is an example of website with good navigation.
3. Ordering Process
Is the ordering process easy? If the ordering process is complex, most people will be confused and would cancel the purchase. We also should know what payments are offered by the merchant.
4. Good conversion rate
Merchant with good conversion rate means many visitor came to the merchant website and bought the product. The higher conversion rate the better the merchant.
Usually conversion rate is calculated based on 100 visitor sent to the merchant site. How many percent visitors became custumers and how many sales that occurred. This figure is called EPC. In Shareasale and Commission Juction we could see the EPC numbers. This can provide whether the merchant has a good conversion rate or not.
High EPC means many visitors who is sent to the merchant website, mostly by the products. But we also have to see the average value of the products. Usually merchants who sell cheap products but high EPC, will have good conversion rate.
In Clickbank we see the number gravity. In Paydotcom we see APS. Both gravity and APS show us whether the product is popular product purchase or not. The calculation were different from EPC and convertion rate, but the gravity number anda APS also help us choose the good merchant.
5. Testimonials
Testimonials can improve the conversion rate. If there are many interesting testimonials, especially with the names and photos, visitors will be more confident to buy products from the merchant.
6. Merchant Reputation
Merchant reputation comes from the experience of a group of people who buy from the merchant. The more customers are satisfied, the better the reputation of the merchant, and also vice versa.
For in-house affiliate program, we need to be more careful in selecting a merchant. We should check the reputation. Make sure there is no negative news from the merchant both from the affiliate site or from the customer side.
7. When and how is the payment
Don't forget to learn when and how is the payment. Some merchants will give us the commission if we could sell the product at certain sales. Some other merchants will give us the commision after the commission reach the minimal payment.
The time of payment the commission is also important, espesially if we use paid traffic such as PPC. If the payment is too long, our cash flow will be disrupted.
If we do not match with the merchants' procedures and conditions, do not select the merchant to promote.
8. The time of cookies
Most of people do not buy product directly when they visited the website at the first time. Usually people need time, they see the other products then choose which one is the best or suitable for them. After that they decide to buy. Therefore, the time of cokies stored in our computer is the important thing. Some merchant only give us a few days, the others give us quite a long time. So we need to know the time of cookies.
10. How many commission the merchant will give us
Merchant who give large commission is not certainly better than the merchant who give smaller commission. Product with a great commission but poor in quality, would not in accordance with the market need. Conversely, although the commission is not too big, but if the product is high demand and popular, the total commission can be much greater.
If we use PPC to bring the visitor, we need to know the approximate cost of the main product keyword sold by the merchant. If the keyword too expensive with a small commission, it will be difficult to us to make a profitable campaign.
Comments
Post a Comment