Experiences with Commission Junction?

Received a request for a affiliate that is done via cj ...

[Yidaki]

Are there any bad or good experiences about if commission junction is honest or not? Today i received a afilliate request of a company that perfectly fits into my theme but is done via cj. And since i read here somewhere that *some* third party affiliate providers do dodgy things (IOW cheat with payments), i would like to know how cj works... any experiences out there?

I don't say cj isn't honest but i prefer asking others for their experience before i step into the wrong direction!

<added>Can some of the mods please correct the spelling of commision to commission in the subject? Thanks!<added>

[petertdavis]

They about the biggest affiliate program provider out there. You're not talking about some fly-by-night firm like many of their "competitors". I have used them for a couple years, and never a problem with checks coming (not that I get really big checks, anyway, lol). I have heard some things too, but this is mostly with the individual affiliates canceling a sale commission on an individual basis.

[rcjordan]

No problems w/ CJ. I'm not using them right now, but have been with them for a few years. They've been pretty good at recognizing that the affiliate is just as important as the merchant.

[korkus2000]

Cj has been excellent here in payment and reporting. My only issue is their down time. They will still collect sales but you are unable to run reports.

[edited by: korkus2000 at 7:13 pm (utc) on Feb. 3, 2003]

[hobbnet]

CJ is completely reliable. They have always paid me on time.

CJ is a network of merchants that are looking to increase their affiliate base.

To join the network a merchant has to plop down a $2,250 setup fee and must have an initial acount balance of $3,000. Personally I think the set up fee is high but requiring a high initial balance is good for everyone.

Many other networks require a low initial balance in hopes that it will attract more merchants but what happens many times is that a merchant is unhappy with the results so they don't replenish their account funds. This leaves publishers with a bunch of links/banners they need to replace with a new, paying merchant. The large initial balance of CJ makes it so that a publisher knows new merchants will have at least some money in their account. It also weeds out the fly by night merchants that don't have enough money to open up a $5,000+ account.

As an affiliate you only have a few worries:

- Chargebacks, are one of them. Some merchants will chargeback orders very commonly for an array of reasons, but I believe this to be the exception, not the rule.

- Termination, merchants will sometimes terminate your account for no apparant reason (your account is not converting well, probably) leaving you with an inventory of unpaying banners that you need to find new ads for.

- Lack of funds, although CJ requires the initial $3,000 that will only last so long. Sometimes merchants will just fade away.

- Payouts, if merchants aren't getting a good return they will lower payouts w/o warning.

My advice would be to find merchants with high 3 month EPCs. Once you have found a merchant with products you like and a relatively high EPC try to find some affiliate sites that have joined the merchants program and see how they are linking to CJ. Although, this doesn't mean ignore the other merchants if they are new or have low EPCs...I'd advise to give them all a shot eventually.

[edited by: hobbnet at 7:33 pm (utc) on Feb. 3, 2003]

[MarkHutch]

They are a GOOD company. No complaints here.

[Yidaki]

Hey, wow ... i love this place! Either you are all cj contracted or you are really happy with them. ;)

I'll gonna do it! Thanks ya all!

[Go60Guy]

In my experience, CJ is reliable and does take an interest in affiliates. Checks come on time. You have to watch merchants closely, however, since many of them will switch links on you and turn off tracking, etc. without your knowing it. Also, many of the merchants have a habit of reversing an awfully high percentage of sales, something you can spot when you sign on with a merchant.

I think CJ is getting a little better at spotting this sort of behavior among some of the merchants.

[Travel]

In general, highly recommended

[EliteWeb]

I get paid every month from CJ now, because CJ cuts the checks and the affiliates who go through them send them huge checks up front to be able to cover affiliate payouts :P