Hi Julia,
Some offers have their own affiliate program. Normally, they are more likely to accept affiliates who have already generated leads to them via a CPA network (in this case, they can properly assess the quality of the leads and don’t take unknown risks), but some companies may accept new affiliates. When this is the case, it’s certainly a good idea to give their program a try.
The CPA network plays the middle man and provides some security to both sides. In the case of the publisher/affiliate, the security is that they’ll pay you even if the merchant doesn’t pay them for some reason. However, they do eat up part of the commissions.
Most merchants are serious, so I suggest you to try their own programs when possible. Start with small volume and increase gradually as you receive your payments.
Regarding the offer requiring a purchase, you need to see if it’s really the case.
It’s important to understand that all offers will have a back-end. The nerchant needs to make money, too, so they can’t pay you for an email address and then do nothing with that lead. They need to monetize the lead.
What you need to see is what is the conversion point for the affiliate, when you get your commission. If you get the commission after a simple opt-in, then you don’t need to worry about the back-end stuff.
William
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