Online retailers wrestle with the issue of how much to pay affiliates—and for how long. With the idea that they don’t want to keep paying the affiliate to acquire the same customer, many have set cookies that credit the affiliate only if the customers they deliver to the marketer`s site make a purchase within 48 hours of initial click-through, or in some cases, a week. That’s short-sighted thinking, contends BackCountry.com vice president of business development John Bresee, who will speak at a session on affiliate marketing at next week`s eTail 2005.
“The argument is that studies show 98% of sales come within the first 48 hours after a person clicks through to a site. If that’s the case, why wouldn’t you extend that cookie for the maximum time allowed, because it makes the affiliate happier,†says Bresee, noting that some affiliate networks are equipped to track sales as long as 180 days after initial click-through.
Complete article at http://www.internetretailer.com/dailyNews.asp?id=14118