Can you really trust lifetime affiliate programs?

Plus, do you think some merchants are scamming affiliates?

[profitpuppy]

I am an affiliate with dozens of affiliate programs, including many lifetime programs. However there is always a doubt in my mind that the "lifetime customer" programs are going to at some point say, "sorry changed our minds" ... in fact most of the affiliate contracts that I have read give the merchant the ability to change their mind whenever they want to. In some ways I think you are safer with one time purchase products because you have total control over the flow of new customers, and therefore you have control over your revenue stream, and you have more control over the merchant.

Also I'm wondering if anyone has had experience of merchants ripping off affiliates and not paying full commissions, especailly for in-house affiliate programs. Any experience with this? It wouldn't be too hard for the merchant to alter their affiliate software to only show 50% of actual sales registering on the system.

[Mike_Mackin]

>It wouldn't be too hard for the merchant to alter their affiliate software to only show 50% of actual sales registering on the system.

Perl scripts [ and other stuff] can notify you of a sale or application not reported by a merchant. Once a cheating merchant is exposed THE WORLD finds out about it in no time. It happens all the time.

[buckworks]

When I'm planning promotions, I never include residual income in my ROI calculations. It's a definite motivator, but even so I figure it's wiser to plan based on the expectation of making one commission per customer. Then if any residual commissions come in that's a bonus. I have some merchants who seem conscientious about paying residuals, but repeat customers are in the minority so you'd need to build a pretty big customer base to have significant residual income.

As profitpuppy points out, there's always the possibility that the terms will change, so I wouldn't take out a mortgage based on residual income projections!

[Mike_Mackin]

>so I wouldn't take out a mortgage based on residual income projections!

Residual income projections are the key to some very good programs ;)

You need to get the real facts and then project the ROI based on info from people you can trust. There can be a LOT of hype out there.

[profitpuppy]

I agree with buckworks. If I'm promoting a program with ppc, only include the initial sales on the ROI calculations, then any residual is a bonus.

For one of my affiliate programs where the guy who owns it is ethical and trustworthy, my earnings just keep going up each month, because repeat purchases are kicking in ... works well ... but for some others I'm doubtful. Also some merchants give you the choice of residual or upfront comissions, and I think that residual is usually a better choice for long term payments, but only if you can trust the merchant.