Once upon time things worked in a logical way. Christmas didn’t start in August, a comedy festive record got to Number One and the January Sales or Christmas Sales started in January or after Christmas. Now it’s tinsel before the end of the summer, X-Factor topping the charts (well usually – RATM great record but needs more festiveness) and Christmas Sales starting before Santa has lifted his ample backside onto the sleigh.

Now usually this wouldn’t bother me, but now I’m an affiliate and after a deluge of “Christmas Sales” are starting today, tomorrow, Christmas Eve etc messages, I’m now thinking that retailers should all be a tad more respectful to the past.

In fact there should be some kind of retail law that forces them all to wait until we’re all stuffed with Turkey before telling us the gifts we’ve bought are in fact only worth half of what we paid (despite using voucher codes).

That would mean as an affiliate I don’t have to worry about changing all those festive banners for sale banners, updating content or telling my users about Merchant X’s sale that’s 25% today, 40% tomorrow and 60% on New Year’s Eve.

Of course I have the choice not to do it and go and settle down in front of the TV with the various bundles of goodies that have been received (thank you all, official blog to come). But, this period of the affiliate calendar can often be better than the “busy Christmas period” so even a small effort can generate rewards.

Unlike Christmas, the sales don’t give an affiliate too much time to get prepared. As soon as an online retailer finishes being able to send orders before the 25th December, a sale is up and running. “I’ll do it next week” doesn’t work so well at this time of year! Either you don’t do it at all or the sales have ended by the time you’re down to the nutty chocs at the bottom of the Quality Street tin.

However, if you do have a few moments in the next few days do try and add a few sales links and content. It’s better than none at all and you never know it may give your commissions an end of Year boost.

It’ll also make you lament for real January sales and people camping outside large department stores for several weeks in the snow just to save a few quid on a horrible looking sofa at Harrods (yes people used to do that – just in case you’re too young to remember).

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