Dont bite the hand that feeds you..

[marcjacob]

besides if your trying to build up sales with a sponsor, maybe changing the way you do things, you need to know if poor sales are the general trend that month or something youve changed.

[gaybucks_chip]

Never ceases to amaze me that some folks in the business have NO CLUE about basic business.

Affiiliates are the lifeblood of most big programs. Any sponsor that is consistently nonresponsive to an affiliate, or responds rudely simply doesn't "get it."

Now... we've been guilty of dropping balls at times, but when we do, we always try hard to make it up to anyone that's been inconvenienced. But I'm amazed at how some companies simply can't be bothered to respond consistently, or, if they do, they NEVER follow through, are rude or arrogant, or otherwise act like they're doing a favor to the affiliate.

I think it boils down to laziness. A lot of people in this business seem to just not be interested in putting in the necessary effort to provide good service, and that problem isn't limited to sponsors.

[maxpower]

I will say I believe the definition of affiliate is changing, as more and more of the traffic is consolidated between less and less people. I can really see a day when their are a very few big sites supported by what remains of about all Free / AVS link directories, and search engines. All that will really be around for most affiliates is going to be this pic post and video post, and a few other smaller traffic ponds. I know people have been saying this stuff for years now, but the door really is closing on the average person doing this stuff. Paying for all your traffic one way or another in the end will cost us allot, and stifle this industry. I really do not like the idea of a few sites having this much control, but I can see how some sites are going to quietly support what amounts to E-Communism.