After one of the most public and bitter splits over the last year (In Affiliate eyes, bigger even that the Jordan – Peter Andre split), there appears to be a reconciliation with both sides suggesting that they have moved in some way that each can be comfortable working with each other again.
Affiliate Window announced the reconciliation and resumption here.
Quidco and other cashback sites are an interesting proposition. They appear to give the customer something for nothing. If you are spending money anyway, why not get a rebate where available? Does that then mean that savvy shoppers will look around pure content sites and price comparison engines and then when they have settled on a product and deal will they then look for discount codes or cashback opportunities? You betcha … many will and your content will be wasted on them.
Quidco resuming operations with Affiliate Window will undoubtedly mean that more cookies will be snatched from pure content sites, but there is nothing unethical or immoral in that … it is just a part of the game rules.
The great thing about the internet is that for every user that knows about cashback and discount coupon sites, there will always be another that doesn’t know that they even exist and will follow your links to the merchant site and complete their purchase via your own cookie.
For my own part, I have mixed opinions about cashback sites. Quidco is a good idea but cashback is not guaranteed and I usually find that 50% of my purchases don’t track through properly and invariably take a long time to resolve. SureShop (Quidco’s guarantee of early resolution to queries) has done little to help me as I believe that Merchants often just decline the commission … that’s a timely resolution even if it is the wrong one. Therefore SureShop hasn’t impressed me.
Now, I typically make the purchases through my own links (check merchant conditions first though). In the event that I do have a tracking query (very rare when there is no extra Third Party cashback site involved), I can query directly with the network and see it resolved speedily and satisfactorily.
Even though you may only operate in a single niche, you may just want to sign up to all the Networks and as many merchants as you can in order to maximise the return from your own spending by staying in control.
On the Other hand, if you like the idea of cashback and coupon sites, then you may just want to start running one or other yourself.
In respect of starting your own vouchercode website, I can recommend the iCodes WordPress Plugin that I have been involved in developing.
If you want to start your own cashback site, then you may need to partner with a revenue share by using a White Label solution. I haven’t located (so far!) any off the shelf software to enable that. With a self-operated (maybe even with white label too?) solution you would require registration and compliance with Data Protection Acts as you would be collecting personal data. One of the biggest white label solutions can be found here : http://www.cashbackpartners.com/
Whatever uou decide, don’t be put off by a big player re-entering a space that you are working in ….. remember that the Affiliate pie is a big one that can be sliced and shared amonst many.
