Forum Moderators: skibum
Around the 20th of this month, my earnings for August were locked and clubbed along with my locked earnings for June (extended for 1 month prior to being locked).
Normally, around the 25th, my payment status shows the check has been dispatched. But now my Payment status continues to show the last check that had been mailed two months ago. When I click on Run Reports, my earnings for September are shown separately and my earnings for August along with my locked earnings for June are shown under Current Balance (September 2005).
Shouldnt they have dispatched the check by now? Can anyone tell me if this means the check will be mailed this month or the next month? I know CJ has been having technical issues and I would be grateful if someone can advise me what to do.
Thanks and regards
A worried webmaster
Could anyone here please confirm if they have received a check from CJ this month?
Sigh
A depressed webmaster
CJ held back a rather significant chunk of what should have been paid in September (about 20% of my earnings). Unlike LinkShare, who shows the satus of merchant payments to LinkShare, CJ wouldn't say which merchants and doesn't seem to want to inform publishers what merchants do not have sufficient funds to meet current payment obligations.
Hopefully it was just a matter of some merchants accounting dept getting a check out late and CJ will return to its normal regualr and timely payments this month.
Many thanks for providing an explanation for the late check. I have emailed CJ twice asking for an explanation and its well past their 72 hour deadline for replying, but I havent received any reply yet.
I am wondering how so many advertisers could be late together. I got a sticky from a member saying that he is affliated to a different advertiser from mine.
I thought CJ usually collects money in advance from advertisers and manages payments by making payments to publishers on behalf of the advertisers.
Well, I am really really disgusted. My earnings have dropped like hell after the system updates and now this late payment. For heavens sake, is there no similar option to CJ?
adnonsense - I was under the impression merchants have to maintain a credit balance with CJ as well, but maybe not.
I once got a mail from CJ asking why there was such a huge difference between my clicks and leads. As if I should know!
CJ just replied to me about my September payment not being sent with a one liner: The next payment is scheduled for on or around October 20, 2005.
There is no smoke without fire and if publishers are shouting themselves hoarse about losing revenues, then there must be atleast some truth to it.
As long as those Locked transactions are Closed at the time payments are created, these commissions will be included in your October payout. (Transactions are "Closed" once the money is taken from the advertisers account and put into the publishers account. If the advertiser does not have sufficient funds in their account to cover commissions owed, at the time the payments are created, then transactions remain in Locked status.)
I am looking at options. Skibum - you mentioned LinkShare. How is it as compared to CJ in terms of revenues, payment, conversion, etc? I would be grateful if you can fill me in.
LinkShare has some great merchants, some great people working there, their payouts seem to be lower on average than CJ, they just went through their own mess with an upgrade. While, I can't speak for all affiliates, in some cases at least, they just didn't pay affiliates for about 2 months while they were making system changes. Those issues seem to be water under the bridge now. Obviously CJ has had some issues as well.
There are great programs at both networks. Every business has its seasonal cycles and business cycles. While there is certianly always the possibility of networks, indies or any affiliate tracking system not capturing all sales, we're looking at gas prices cutting into disposable income, the possibility of home owners tapping out thier equity lines, massive storms in the US and one could probably come up with some other things that might decrease consumer spending. The party isn't going to last forever.
The top of the US housing boom is here IMHO (just observations from one huge real estate client) and that may be showing in the number of mortgage/home equity/etc.. leads coming in. It may be time to start anticipating what to promote after the wannabe real estate investors and novice home buyers discover they've bitten off more than they can ever hope to afford to pay for.
Another thing to look at is who is going to be hit by higher gas prices and less disposable income. It is more likely to affect consumers who can normally spend $300 on a TV, can afford to buy a few books at Amazon each month, have a motorcycle and have to save for a little while to buy some parts to jazz it up a litle bit, don't want to spend no more than $1,000 on an engagement ring, buy a $25.00 WalMart handbag and not one from Prada that costs $500.00.
So what does that mean? Middle and lower income consumers are are going to feel the pinch of higher interest rates on their credit cards and the new higher minimum payments on some cards, high prices at the pump, the variable terms of thier ARMs expiring, resulting in higher housing payments.
On the other hand, there are a record number of millionaires in the US too. Chances are the consumers with $$$$$ at the high end of the market will still be buying and spending big bucks on luxury items. They'll be buying expensive gifts around the holidays, investing in upgrading their homes, buying big TVs, expensive shoes & handbags, jewelry, car and motorcycle parts, and lots of other things. There are really nice payout to be had when marketing to the affluent.
You could make a good Economist! Yes, its very important to know how the nation is doing when you are trying to sell the consumers something. I think Ill try my hand at LinkShare if they do have a leads programme.
