Problem with Linkshare Affiliate links?

[scotopia]

Hey All,

I'm just getting started with linkshare and something doesn't appear to be working correctly (or I'm thinking about it incorrectly). From my linkshare portal I grabbed the code for a bunch of banner ads and stuck them on my side...they appear to be working fine.

So, as a test I asked my friend to enter iTunes from one of those banners (say an advertisement for the show LOST on iTunes), and then told him to just buy anything at all. He ended up buying the Final Fantasy I and II app. It's now the next day and I don't see any reflection of that transaction in my linkshare history. I see a lot of impressions, but no orders or commissions.

Do we only get commissions if they buy the exact thing in the banner ad? I always heard that for some time period after they enter iTunes (an hour or something) you get commission on ANYTHING they buy if you were the most recent affiliate link driving them. This seems to be backed up by some of the affiliate ads just saying "buy stuff on iTunes" etc. Am I thinking about it all wrong or did I screw up somewhere?

Thanks!

[bw748]

Sales through Linkshare don't show up right away on your reports. It might take a week or more after the purchase before you see the commissions listed.

[scotopia]

Originally Posted by bw748

Sales through Linkshare don't show up right away on your reports. It might take a week or more after the purchase before you see the commissions listed.

Okay; but the impressions show up right away? Thanks for replying...so the links do in fact work they way I'm thinking?

[scotopia]

Is my thinking correct?

[bw748]

Originally Posted by scotopia

Okay; but the impressions show up right away? Thanks for replying...so the links do in fact work they way I'm thinking?

I'm not exactly sure what dates the impressions are for, since there isn't a chart that graphs them by date. But they do seem to show up sooner than commissions.

As for what products you get commissions for, yes, you can get commissions for products other than the ones the user clicked on links for, as long as the products meet the requirements of the advertiser. I'm not sure what time period the user has to purchase in after clicking on your affiliate link.

[scotopia]

Okay thanks; it's day 3 right now and I currently say a good amount of impression, some clicks, but nothing in commissions (though I know there should be some pending).

[scotopia]

Dang, still no orders or commissions showing up...just want to see something so I know its working!

[Gudus]

Originally Posted by bw748

Sales through Linkshare don't show up right away on your reports. It might take a week or more after the purchase before you see the commissions listed.

A WEEK?

I'm just entering the iTunes Affiliate Program also... I didn't know it was going to take a whole week to see the sales. That's pretty bad... I have trouble right now waiting for Google Analytics and my daily iTunes Connect report, and those update every 24 hours!

[TunaNugget]

Well, I've made 30 bucks from the 40K clicks I've sent iTunes via Linkshare this last month. We're dinin' at BK tonight!

Seriously, I know some people are making good money from this, but they clearly know something I don't.

[Gudus]

Originally Posted by TunaNugget

Well, I've made 30 bucks from the 40K clicks I've sent iTunes via Linkshare this last month. We're dinin' at BK tonight!

Seriously, I know some people are making good money from this, but they clearly know something I don't.

That's not very promising. So can you confirm that it takes about a week for sales to show up?

[TunaNugget]

Originally Posted by Gudus

That's not very promising. So can you confirm that it takes about a week for sales to show up?

There's been a 3-day lag for me.

[scotopia]

I'm at a week now...showing a good number of clicks but still nothing for orders/commissions; and I know there's been some.

[vigu360]

Originally Posted by scotopia

I'm at a week now...showing a good number of clicks but still nothing for orders/commissions; and I know there's been some.

did you get the sale updated? if so how long it took ? I'm seeing a week and nothing.

[scotopia]

Originally Posted by vigu360

did you get the sale updated? if so how long it took ? I'm seeing a week and nothing.

Yeah, eventually they started rolling in; after maybe the two week mark. Its steady now, but the sales seem to be on a two day lag.

[vigu360]

Originally Posted by scotopia

Yeah, eventually they started rolling in; after maybe the two week mark. Its steady now, but the sales seem to be on a two day lag.

Thanks and I started loving linkshare ........ I generate reasonable amount of revenue with minimum clicks wish I had this before so all my free to paid would have 5% commission.... still worth registering... every 100 clicks I generate $80 sales isn't it awesome?

[JesseP]

There are definitely some lags associated with the iTunes affiliate program. This is what we typically see with our clients:

* clicks and impression are nearly real time with LinkShare, TradeDoubler and DGM
* 3 - 5 day lag for sales/commissions showing up in Linkshare
* up to two weeks for sales/commissions to fully fill in for TradeDoubler
* monthly for sales to show up in DGM
* 2 1/2 to 3 months to get paid initially then monthly going forward

[baja_yu]

JesseP, this and the other threads you are replying in are almost two years old. There's really no need to reply to such old threads.

[michaeltyson]

Yes there is! JesseP's reply was quite helpful to me, when I was seeing this issue and scratching my head over why a bunch of people were clicking the affiliate links, but not buying. (They probably are buying - it's just lagged data)

Just because the answer may be not useful any more to the original poster doesn't mean it isn't to people coming across the thread via Google and other means =)

[Promo Dispenser]

He at least searched the forum and din't make the 100th new topic up for the same question.

I am absolutelly for necroposting in such cases

[JesseP]

Thanks guys!