Having affiliates or being one

[GettingRicher]

Is it a better idea to join an affiliate program or think really hard on a product and start your own affiliate program?

I've been thinking on creating my own product...

 

[Rob_TID]

Being an affiliate (by a country mile)

No customers to worry about.

Can go on holidays and literally press the pause button on your business.

Very flexible lifestyle.

I guess it really depends what you want though. I personally have tried to develop almost totally passive streams of income. One of my hobbies is disappearing into way off the beaten track destinations where the chance of an internet connection is pretty remote. I need to know that my business can operate, at least for a week or two, without me there. Affiliate marketing is one of the few models that can do that. Sure, there is the occassional stuffup where a merchant shuts down while I am away, but on the whole, it's pretty good - especially if you diversify your traffic and income sources so that no one action can wipe out your business.

I try to make it so that no more than 1/3 of my traffic comes from any single source. I try to make it so that I am promoting several merchant programs at any one time. I am in the process of trying to make it so that my income comes from several different companies.

Therefore there will be no single point of failure that can destroy my income.

Being a merchant doesn't really allow you this flexibility.

 

[Linda Buquet]

Totally agree with Rob!

 

[GettingRicher]

Hmm... you're right. I'm still thinking on creating a product... but I guess you're right, it would mean a lot of stress. I'll think more about that.

Thanks a lot for your point of view