Leosghost - 5:43 pm on Apr 19, 2011 (gmt 0)

For what it is worth, I have been in various businesses for many years ..
You are an affiliate.

your % has nothing to do with it ..

You do not purchase stock ..you send customers to a merchant for money.
And they drop ship for you ..you have zero upfront financial "risk" other than building an aff site.

Google could do the same..( probably not initially with the same degree of expertise that you have amassed ..but eventually they could advise the manufacturer ..or sell them ad space direct ..and handle the transaction etc )..and it looks more and more like they will be doing this or be in direct competition with "classical model affiliates" in many verticals and on many services and products.

just retail stores,

have the goods waiting to be sent out ..they have stock ..they have made an investment .

Any of us who get commissions to send customers onwards to merchants , who then "fulfill" are affiliates ..as distinct from agents..who have stock ..the fact that you handle customer service says to me that you are nearly all the way to being an agent ..IIWY ..I'd take the last step ..invest real money in the merchandise ..and become an agent..

More complex ..sure ..more work ..sure ..But proof against an aff purge being ramped up.