amazon & pets.com

I just posted this in another thread, but I don't think affiliate programs are a good way to make money. They may supplement your income, but are really nothing to build your entire site around. I have been an Amazon associate for over a year and the only real commissions I have made is from telling friends who are looking to buy to use my code. Amazon is such a brand name that people go them directly as oppossed to clicking on a link to it from your site. Even the ones that do buy from your link, will most likely go back to Amazon the next time because it is faster.

Using Affiliate programs that are in your niche is a good idea. I don't know much about Pets.com, but since your site is about Cats, I would think that is probably a good way to go.

Anaconda makes a script that is suppossed to help you maximize your profits from Amazon. It lets you visitors search Amazon right from your site and places the results on your page. It then hardcodes your affiliate code into each book link so you get the maximum 15% commission instead of the usual 5%. I just ordered it so I shall see if it is any good.

Good luck!

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Fitness Connection
Health and Fitness Directory

Hi Chris,
Thanks for the quick reply (here and about advertising).
I just visited your site and I noticed the image that says you're an amazon associate.
I was thinking about actually recommending certain books. Like having a "book of the month" on the main page with a review by about the book (I have several books I've already bought from amazon to write about).
I figured it might help get people to buy through my site, because I'll try to give honest reviews and choose the best books for them.
For that reason I didn't plan to use the Anaconda sofware (I've heard about it before). Like you said, to simply use a search engine people can simply go directly to Amazon.

What do you think? Have you tried this method?

Anat.

I have to admit, I haven't put forth a lot of effort to make money from Amazon. I thought about creating a bookstore with links to related fitness books, but I decided to go for the Anaconda script. The script allows you to create search links. For example, I will have a link that says "Weight Loss" and when someone clicks on it, there will be a search on Amazon for books on Weight Loss and then give me the 15% commission on all the books it returns. Plus the results will be on my site. This just seems easier than creating links to individual books that you need to update all of the time.

I definitely think that create a section on your site for books on cats would do better than a general link to Amazon. A review should help out too! I looked at another script a while back that let others review books on your site and you could place your affiliate code to that book. I don't know if it is any good but you can check it out at http://www.onlinearts.net/showroom/books/

Good luck!

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Fitness Connection
Health and Fitness Directory

Chris, I disagree. First, Amazon is a good affiliate. I guess it depends how much effort you put in but you can make some good money with them. IMO you need to us links to specific books. Gotta aim for that 15% as often as possible. Definately setup a book store. It's worth the effort in the longer run. If you're just putting up some banners or general text links like "Find books about (whatever) on Amazon.com!" then you're not doing enough.

Second, I agree it's hard to find a good affiliate. I have 12 affiliates on my site. Of that number only 5 have actually brought in an money for me. Of that 5 only 2 are real cash cows. So that's 2 out of 12 or 16% of my affiliates really do anything for me money wise. But when you do the commissions flow! Those two have been great, especially in the past couple of months!

Third, affiliates are IMO the way to really capitalize on e-commerce. Once your setup the links all you do is promote. Believe me, promotion is muc easier than if you have to buy or make products yourself and send them out. Again, just have to find good affiliates and unfortuantely a great many are dogs.

Forth, while the Anaconda software looks nice my stats show only a handful of people actually use the Amazon search boxes on my site. The overwhelming bulk of people use links to direct products. Or, to put it another way, the sales from direct links blow away sales from searched products. While I do believe that every little bit counts I don't think it's worth it. Besides, you only get the 15% if the link and buy from your search. If they link and buy something else you're back down to 5%.

My .03

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ArtsNFlies.com
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Thanks for the response. I believe you are right about getting from an affiliate program what you put in. I have recently joined enews.com's affiliate program and created a special page for selling health and fitness magazines where I link to individual magazines and the clicks have been much higer (although I still haven't sold anything!).

It is just tough finding not only good ones, but ones that will suit your site. Care to share which programs are making you the big $$?

Thanks!

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Fitness Connection
Health and Fitness Directory

Chris - Amazon is a good one. They other is a specialty affiliate. They're well known in my business but are also very niche so it probably wouldn't work out for most sites.

OTOH, that's probably a good way to look at affiliates. Find those that are niche for your business. I see some very odd affiliates on some sites. For example, Why does a web hosting site have links to a golf company? Or a fantasy baseball site have 1800flowers as an affiliate? They might make some sales but it seems out of place.

IOW, don't look at affiliates as "I bet I can make lots of money with them!" Instead, think of them as out sourcing lines of business that you either don't want to do yourself or simply can't do yourself. But they should make sense to the overall strategy of your site. That's probably why I have so many dogs (poor performing affiliates). I signed up with many of them early in my e-commerce career without thinking them through. When I get some time (yea right!) I'm going to clean house and start over.

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ArtsNFlies.com
Original art, hand tied flies, unique books and gifts, free sweepstakes and MORE!
NEW! - Tying materials & tools, and flyfishing accessories (lines, waders, etc.)!!
Come see what everyone is talking about!