nell - 3:35 pm on Apr 24, 2002 (gmt 0)

I would have thought the biggest obstacle would be to convince others they could rely on your execution of honesty and fairness if they joined your affiliate program. Third parties, such as CJ, provide the important sales, commission payment and audit functions that obviate the need trust the other guy. Would you like to participate in any program having to do with commissions where the other party keeps track of the action and is also the sole referee?

Car dealers swap cars around between themselves all the time. The car that doesn't sell on their lot sells on another. Taking this approach, why not offer to sell complimentary products on your site in exchange for others selling your products on theirs? Each receives a "finders fee" from the other equal to an affiliate commission. If you make a sale for them, they fill the order and vice versa. Both sites become more interesting from a visitors point of view. That kind of deal is easy to sell and is more attractive. People don't have to worry about placing a banner/link on their site to yours for fear of losing a customer because you also carry their products on your site.

(edited by: nell at 3:48 pm (utc) on April 24, 2002)