Asian Affiliates - Payment

Payment in US dollar?

[Tuarkoa]

Hi,

My company is planning to launch an affiliate program in Asia.
I have a big probleme about the selection of the tools and network we will use. Actually, the head office is working with BeFree, so they recommand be to do the same.

But BeFree has no partner in Asia, no network in Asia, and they do not pay in local currency.

Can you give me your feeling about being paied in US dollars. Is it a problem for an asian webmaster to receive payment in this currency.

Thanks a lot

Tuarkoa

[whizkiddo]

Hi,

Being a webmaster based in Asia; i can certianly say US$ is no problem for most to be paid in. Many using adsense are also paid in the same currency. I personally know a few other based in this region who also ould not have nya such probs. So i guess the answer is green signal to the green dollars ;)

[Jingle]

Hello,

I don't mind being paid in USD. But banks charge me about $50 to cash each check. I want to receive commissions other than by checks.

[chiyo]

If you were going to choose one currency, USDollar is it. However many Asian countries have less than competitive systems, meaning many banks can charge what they like for cashing foriegn currency cheques. Almost all our transactions are by direct bank transfer which is much cheaper. I strongly suggest that this should be your main concern and would be a strong attraction to serious Asian-based webmasters.

[Tuarkoa]

Ok , thanks a lot for your advice.

But between US dollars payment (by check I think, have to check with BeFree) and local currency payment (check also) which one would you prefer?

The main head office problem is to do the same thing as them,use the same software. I have to study the cost, but in our office in asia, we are able to pay by ourselves, in multiple currencies (all the asian currency). It is probably more complicated to manage it in house, but the service can be better and more interesting for smaller affiliates.

[Visit Thailand]

Jingle, at US$ 50 (or are you talking another $) for a US$ cheque you want to shop around for another bank.

HSBC is very good.

Don't forget it is not really what currency the cheque is in but also where the cheque is from we have many cheques coming into us and most even though they are from a company in Singapore, HK etc are from US banks in the US.

Not a problem for us as we have a good bank and they allow us (as they do others) to put in 6 cheques at one time and only get charged once.

[chiyo]

tuarkoa.. the USD as an "international currency" is so pervasive here, that anything other than being paid in your local currency or USD would have no advantages. We have bank accounts in OZ, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand for example. We would welcome being paid in the approporaite currency to avoid bank currency exchange losses but there is aboultely no advantage to us being offered the option of being paid in Yen. However the countries we work in are either very small or have small economies. The big internet powerhouses in Asia are South Korea and Japan and depending on your product it may well be worth offering payment in local currencies to webmasters in those countries. China, Taiwan and India would be next priorities, for various reasons (existing market size and potential growth)

[Tuarkoa]

OK, so your advice is to pay our affiliates in US dollars by banck transfert or check.

[Jingle]

Hello Visit_Thailand,

I have found a bank with cheaper service charge (about US$10), but they want me to bring cheques in person. It will cost me US$250 for round trip to that bank.

Maybe, the service charge won't be a problem for those live in a big city.

[Tuarkoa]

SO, you prefer to be paid in local currecy, or dollars is still ok by bank transfert (have to check with BeFree if it is possible)

[Visit Thailand]

Jingle - where are you? I am glad you found a back charging US$ 10 is at least better than US$ 50!

Tuarkoa - The main advantage of US$ is the 'solidity' of the currency, everyone in Asia remembers 1997 very clearly and so most will prefer to hold a hard currency for presumed safety.

I think it depends as well on the type of business, but would imagine that if you want to work with different countries and with individuals rather than companies then local currency may be preferrential.

Companies here should have multi currency accounts anyway.

[Tuarkoa]

Yep, multiple countries but not individually webmaster.

So I will have dicussion tomorrow, and probably, an US payment will be selected (still have problem with bank transfert! BeFree is no responding very quickly :(((((()

Thanks a lot

[Jingle]

Hello Tuarkoa,

Sorry for making you confuse.

Banks charges expensive service fee when cashing checques issued by foreign banks.

USD is fine to me, but I prefer some other way to get commissions.

Currency isn't the problem; checque is the problem.

Hi Visit_Thailand,
I'm in a small town in Japan. It will cost me $250 for round trip to Tokyo. There are foreign banks offer competitive service charges in Tokyo.