LinkShare Revise Premier Status

The sparkle of being a LinkShare Premier merchant became something of a zero factor over the past few years as the ground rules were not applied and anyone could become a premier merchant and know that even being 4 months late on commission payments wouldn't effect that status, affiliates new this too and the whole Permier Status flopped.

Now in a move to bring the "premier" back into Premier Partner Status a new set of requirements has been set

• Transaction inquiries are 100 percent resolved within 10 business days
• Use LinkShare’s affiliate payment service.
• Prompt authorization of affiliate payments so affiliates are paid at the end of the following month.
• Seven or more return days (does not apply to merchants with pay-per-click programs).
• Valid and complete contact information in your profile.
• Active and in good standing with LinkShare.
  

The new addition being the clearing of transaction inquiries, good addition as I know from experience it's very easy to overlook that part of the LinkShare system, though that could be resolved if LinkShare implemented an Email Alert for it.

Good Changes? To be honest it won't matter if they are not enforced and if LinkShare don't enforce this, even for their biggest clients, then it will remain as meaningless as it has been the past couple of years.

Affiliate Manager Training Heats Up

Affiliate training has been done, done again, gone through several versions, been rehashed, packaged, filmed, podcast and generally done to death....so it looks like Affiliate Manager Training is the next training course on the menu.

Shawn Collin's BootCamp has been wrapped up but he's out his voice and support behind a new Affiliate Manager Training series (pictured left) by Anik Singal, I've not yet got my copy to review, but so far I hear good things about it and I'll post more once I actually have it in hand.

The official launch date for this new course is slated for June 27th.

For merchants and affiliate managers looking for face to face training then Andy Rodriguez runs his AMC course, the next one is down in Chicago (August 20 to 22) .

I've not attended this course myself but again I hear very good things about the course.

Shareasale Launches Merchant Focus Promotions

While other networks charge to give you a logo next your name or to appear in a special email, Brian and Shareasale.com are setting a new standard in promotions for their merchants with their new Merchant Focus series which, over the course of the next few weeks will highlight and describe some of the high quality merchant programs on the ShareASale Network that Brian believes will offer excellent revenue opportunities for affiliate partners. Brian is also accepting affiliate recommendations and suggestions