add $$$ to affiliate payouts

[vfilip]

I am in a project right now where i retrieve and display the products of affiliates sites under my site ( this is achieved with the magic Microsoft object XMLHTTP ). The idea behind this is to oblige the potential customer to pay a service fee to my site and after that to reveal the actual affiliate link where he can proceed with the purchase . So in that way not only earn from affiliate payouts but also from the service fee that he is obliged to pay in order to proceed with the purchase . Has anybody done something similar? How clients face it? Does it worth the try or is it going to be a disapoitment? What about conversion ratios? Remain the same or decline? Any help appreciated.

[fidibidabah]

Why would someone pay you money to show them where to buy something? That just doesn't make sense to me.

[skibum]

Unless you have special coupons there is no way I can see someone paying for something like this, not to mention they'd probably have to get the credit card info out and input it twice instead of just once.

Some of the shopping sites, split the affiliate kickbacks with the customers to build up loyalty, so given that it would be quite an achievement if you could get someone to pay to see a link to a product they can easily find in a search engine.

[hobbnet]

hey, it could work if done right...

People pay a subscription to get into Costco which is basically an overgrown Safeway (or Fred Meyer if you're from the Pacific NW). Costco doesn't have many "deals" anymore but its still incredibly popular.

I think it'll be tough to do, but why not...It could be great.

[fidibidabah]

IF you can offer deals, absolutely.

There are those "kickback" companies out there, but most of them don't last too long.

You'd have to offer your customer hardcore handpicked deals. I could see this working on a bargin or coupon site, if you can always keep up to date with coupons/bargains, build up a userbase, free of course, then start charging a small fee for access. You might get somewhere.

[vfilip]

I think you all have right. It doesn't worth the cost for a doubtfull result. The idea of a potential client giving twice his credit card details is not vey attractive .

[Essex_boy]

I wouldnt pay to spend my money. No way.

Unless your ofering something very cheap your on a hiding to nothing.

[antoine]

I've seen what you describe in some industries. People sell subscription fees to websites that have information on websites that sell DVDs for wholesale pricing.

Antoine

[Essex_boy]

But thats more of a business related situation as opposed(as I understand it) selling access to a single link, which is proposed here.

I couldnt imagine paying $2 for example for this guy to give me a link to say Amazon so I could go and buy a book there.

[vfilip]

Well, i am dealing in travel industry where there are few sites that offering cheap charter flights to holiday destinations . When you search for flights at a holiday-destination there is a small possibility that these few good sites will be in the SERPS . ( the serps are dominated by spam sites ) So if i succeed to be in the Serps for that keyword i have the advantage of offering something very competitive . That is a plus . The minus is that i should oblige my potential customer to give his credit card details twice , 1st one at my web site , 2nd one the affiliate website plus the confusion he gets ( why give the credit card twice? ) . I realize that is not a clever approach .

[fidibidabah]

You could take payment for the ENTIRE purchase, pad it with a fee, and then pass on the payment (minus your fee) to the merchant.