Why are affiliate network websites pure marketing bullshit?

[fschmidt]

As a merchant, I want to know merchant pricing. As a programmer, I want to see the developer API. If I was a publisher, I would want to be able to search merchants and see what is available. Yet generally none of these things are available without registration. Instead all one sees is completely useless marketing bullshit of no discernible value. Why? Why don't affiliate networks make any useful information available?

Actually I have 2 different merchant websites that I would like to promote with affiliate marketing. And I am a programmer. If anyone knows of an affiliate network that makes available useful info on its website, please let me know.

 

[Graybeard]

I completely understand where you are coming from.
Transparency is not their specialty
WELCOME ABOARD ...

━━━●──────────────

 

[T J Tutor]

Why don't affiliate networks make any useful information available?

I ALWAYS get the information I want from them, sometimes right here in this community. We have over 1,000 businesses listed in our resources.

I can tell they will have a difficult time working with you as well. All you have to do is arrange a Skype call with one of their reps and ask your questions, or contact them through their contact forms. Sometimes the path you need to take is less apparent to you and very apparent to others. In this industry, like most, you really need to learn to work from within the system to acquire what you seek. Complaining about the way they do business never prevails with positive results.

Make a list of what you seek and require. Contact the reps and provide them your questions. This is called getting the conversation going.

I am a programmer.

Many of us here have this badge of honor in our past. I understand your mindset, but you have to admit that any programming book can present the same way. Open any object oriented programming book and a first year student of the craft, even second year sometimes, won't be able to make heads or tales from the content. I remember when ActiveX was introduced and everyone was struggling with content as the first few publications had the exact same complaint you have about networks. We had to get a rep or a scholar to reveal the secret to implementations sometimes.

Networks are guarded, and you need to understand they don't broadcast many details as they are slammed daily with noobs that don't know their butts from a hole in the ground. They prefer to have you understand up front that they can provide for you as they have the platforms and if you want in, you will need to give something first, like your name, email, and other registration information. Even with all of that, they still get 90%, or more, of their signups proving to be worthless mutts that never perform.

Go through our resources area, the affiliate networks section. many, maybe most, of the listings will have a reps Skype ID in the listing. Many with FB and Twitter ID's, and all have a contact email.

Play their game and you will make some good friends and acquire some good advisors along the way. Piss them off from the start, they'll ignore you forever!

 

[fschmidt]

I went through the options (affiliate networks) in more detail, registering for some and emailing others. In the end I picked ShareASale which at least has transparent pricing. I went through their whole process today and I am just waiting for approval.

I love programming and hate marketing or anything else that involves dealing with people. But I can generally do anything if I focus on it, even if I hate it. Since I can't find a competent marketing person, I am stuck doing it myself. Of course I have the sense to avoid pissing off people who I need.

 

[Franke]

If I was a publisher, I would want to be able to search merchants and see what is available.

A lot of networks are also listed on offer directories such as Affplus or Offervault etc.
For example you can find the offers that EagleCPA has on Affplus: EagleCPA - Affiliate Program, CPA Offer - Affplus

Many networks are on there so might be worth taking a look?

 

[T J Tutor]

I love programming and hate marketing

That is a case of you intentionally limiting yourself. You had to develop skills for your current trade, you could develop the skills to be positively and successfully happy among the milling herds of society if you so chose and it would up your game exponentially! After all, we don't hate you, we welcome you and like helping you and our vast number of members.

 

[Graybeard]

I went through the options (affiliate networks) in more detail, registering for some and emailing others. In the end I picked ShareASale which at least has transparent pricing. I went through their whole process today and I am just waiting for approval

Once you are approved and using ShareASale, you could promote (in a non-spammy way) here.
We have many ShareASale affiliates around here.