Golden Goose Marketing

Affiliate marketing is known as an industry that has changed and evolved rapidly over recent years.  After all, it’s a new industry centered around technology.  2010 has seen a particularly large number of industry-changing issues, though.  Let’s talk for a moment about what has happened and how it will affect new affiliates.

State Tax Laws –

In quite a few states, legislators are rushing to pass laws that will require retailers to pay sales tax on states in which they have affiliates.  For many affiliates, this will be disastrous.  The majority of retailers will simply stop allowing out of state affiliates from the affected states, so some people will see these laws take out their businesses overnight.  Affiliates can help prevent this by keeping up with local legislation and talking to their congressmen.

The Death of Rebills –

For the last few years, a huge number of affiliates have gotten rich pushing products with “free trials” that rebill the customers for large amounts after 10-14 days.  Because the offers were often deceptive, and because customers often had difficulty stopping the re-bills, these offers (and their affiliates) have been targeted by the FTC.  Networks are losing many of their high-performing re-bill offers, and affiliates are shifting to other kinds of offers to make up for it.

Increasing Regulation –

Too many affiliates have made their fortunes through unethical means.  Fake reviews, false testimonials, and misrepresentation have been staples of many affiliates’ marketing methods for years, but the FTC is starting to crack down on this kind of behavior.  Affiliates will have to start being much more careful and honest in their activities if they want to stay out of trouble.

Although these changes may seem earth shattering to some affiliates, they’re just a part of the natural ebb and flow of this crazy business.  As long as you stay aware and stay ready to evolve, your business will likely survive.