overview of scheme

This page is designed to explain how the overall scheme works. It tries to keep it simply but occasionally lapses into technical jargon!

summary

It is generally known that there is a significant growth in on-line shopping. The retailers are keen to encourage this as it makes them more efficient. Many run an 'affiliate' program. Why else did you think there were all those click through's on commercial sites?

An affiliate program is designed to transfers visitors to their particular site(s). This increases visitors, leads (such as registrations or sign ups), and sales on the sites. Commission is paid to the affiliate sites for each referred sale and lead.

Different sites pay differing amounts in commission. Naturally the sites which pay the most are the type of sites which wouldn't sit well on a church fund raising site! However, each shop on this site pays either a fixed amount or a % commission on sales for the referral. These can vary from as little as a few pence per order to 7% or more!

We collect this money and pay it into the church bank account. All funds from this site are 'earmarked' to go towards maintaining and improving the church.

why do merchants run an affiliate scheme?

Great question! Undoubtedly a percentage of the people who use this site (and others in their affiliate program) will already shop at these sites and therefore the retailer in question will be effectively giving away commission.

However, we assume that the merchants are expecting that the new sales generated through the publicity, the brand recognition, etc will more than make up for this small loss.

There is also the issue of 'immediate' action or the 'impulse' buy. Someone sitting home late at night browsing the web with a glass of wine (or three) may be tempted into purchases which may not seem so advisable in the cool light of day - I'm sure you get the picture! Better to grab that sale there and then than lose it altogether.

technicalities

How are you tracked or how does the merchant's site recognise you as a referral partner and therefore pay commission?

Generally the answer is via 'cookies'. Some cookies last for a session and some last for a few weeks. The merchant site uses the cookie to recognise the fact that a purchaser is a referred customer.

Others, such as Amazon.co.uk, work on the basis of a 'referral link' which activates a database record. These types of referral only last a single session.

This means that while in some cases the merchants site will recognise you for up to several weeks as a referral customer, its safer to click through from this site when you are about to place an order!

Thank you for supporting Shirenewton Church

Copyright 2003-2005 by David Cornwell and other contributors. All Rights Reserved. Site design: nrgsmith
All views represent the opinion of the authors and the information contained in this website is provided purely for information purposes and is provided 'as is' without warranty either expressed or implied.

Comments, suggestions, etc. Contact webmaster.

Please click here to read full disclaimer and conditions of use