Make Sure You Check Your Commissions Cancellations!
Posted under: One thing I’ve forgotten to do regularly is check why some commissions get cancelled. In general I’ve just assumed that there’s probably a fair explanation as to why something has been turned down plus I’m also a tad too busy to go and do a detailed check (or playing just one last game of Bejeweled on Facebook). However, after checking a report on Affiliate Future last week OLD’s top tip of the week is…
Make Sure You Check Your Commissions Cancellations!
The reason behind this is quite simple (1) you may well find that a merchant is cancelling your commission without a valid reason and (2) you may come across some explanations like this one…
Not an authorised affiliate – please unsubscribe
Now at some point we were an authorised affiliate as we were able to pick up links for this Holiday Merchant. As far as we’re aware no one has bothered to indicate at any time that we’re not authorised plus as the links still work you’d kind of assume all is fine and dandy with the merchant.
Perhaps communication has failed somewhere along the line but we’ve asked for an explanation regarding the cancellation.
If there’s not been a notice of removal of links from the merchant then the commission should really stand. If we’ve been removed from the program at some point and missed a notification then you’d think links would be shut off so we’re not wasting our time.
Either way it just shows you need to be checking all reports and keeping an eye on what’s happening with your commissions.
The one plus point is that AF do allow their merchants to explain, albeit glibly, why a commission has been declined. A quick look round other networks and I can’t see anything that offers a reason for rejection in the reporting from any other network apart from Paid on Results.
Most certainly I think that merchant explanations is something more networks need to implement so as to increase transparency regarding commission cancellations.
Hi Jason,
this is a great point! Sometimes the reasons for cancellation really wind me up.
It is possible to see the reason for cancellation on AW. You just need to hover the mouse over the little red button.
Hope this helps…
Thanks for AW info (also to Ray who mentioned it on Facebook). I’ve just looked at AW declines – “not last referrer” and “dedupes” – would like more info about those kind of cancellations.
If we’re not last referrer – how is it tracking? And who was?
And what is the dedupe against? Another channel?
On webgains I’ve seen short explanations before – on the cancelled transaction i’ve seen things like “sale stock all sold out” etc.
All good and valid points.
As mentioned merchants have to supply a reason for every declined sale on Affiliate Window and we do stress that they should make the reason as clear as possible (there is an ‘other’ option that allows merchants to elaborate if needed) but I accept that the information provided isn’t always as clear as it could be.
I think the work being carried out by the network members of the IAB’s AMC is undoubtedly a step in the right direction and you will start to see increased visibility from merchants on both declined sales and de-duplication.
I know a number of networks are in the process of upgrading their existing interfaces in order to support the forthcoming ‘ethical charter’ that encourages merchants to provide greater transparency to affiliates.
Yes I find its far to easy to sit and look at affmeter everyday and think that its the figure your earning or even look at the pendings everyday and count it as cash in the bank. Whats important is to check your confirmed commissions. Far too many transactions are now being rejected as merchants are tightening their belts and finding that its just far too easy and LEGAL to decline commissions from their workers/affiliates for all manner of reasons without any way of affiliates questioning the process or reasoning.
I am glad to hear the IAB and networks are also thinking about bringing transparency to the process.
TA
Baz
Perfect timing eh?
The IAB released this statement about the ethical charter today:
http://www.iabuk.net/en/1/iabreleasesethicalmerchantcharter120809.mxs