PartnerPerform Blog

Its rare when an online clothing retailer really gets it– let alone does their part to make shopping online as enticing as shopping in the store. Couture Candy does it right. Couture Candy is an online boutique filled with high-end fashions for women. Yet its not so much what CoutureCandy sells, its how they engage the customer that truly sets them apart.

Couture Candy’s marketing manager, Blaine Elliott (a former Commission Junction employee), had this to say about Couture Candy’s affiliate program:

Blaine Elliott, former CJ employee and now Marketing Manager for CoutureCandy, said of the program launch, “We refuse to fall into the category of ‘just another online boutique.’ Working with Commission Junction we are able to bring world class services, technology and products to our affiliates. Our niche is primed for this type of move and potential for our affiliates is unlimited.”

Online advertisers now able to participate in CoutureCandy’s affiliate program by signing up as an affiliate on Commission Junction then applying to the CoutureCandy program. Banners exist for all standard IAB formats and a product catalog feed is available to qualified publishers. Additionally, monthly rewards are given to top performing affiliates.

Ok, so we’ve got the basics out of the way. Let’s take a closer look at the details:

* Commission: 10%

* Average Order Size: $220

* Incentives:

* Total Commissions greater than $1,000.00 USD receive one time bonus of $100.00 USD.
* Total Commissions greater than $3,000.00 USD receive one time bonus of $600.00 USD.
* Total Commissions greater than $5,000.00 USD receive one time bonus of $1,500.00 USD.

* Action Referral Period: 45 Days

* Action Referral Occurences: Unlimited

CoutureCandy offers some decent graphic creative, although nothing entirely remarkable. However, they do provide a variety of graphic links, advanced links, flash banners, coupon links, etc. Here’s an example of CoutureCandy’s creative:

What stands out the most about CoutureCandy is not the details of its affiliate program. However, it must be said that CoutureCandy does provide all the necessary tools an affiliate needs to make money with the program. In addition, the marketing manager’s history at Commission Junction should prove that CoutureCandy will take its program very seriously, and provide affiliates with the support they deserve. That said, let’s take a look at what CoutureCandy as a brand does for its customers.

CoutureCandy works hard to enrich the customer experience, providing value far beyond what a traditional online retailer presently offers. Take a look at the following sections of CoutureCandy which stand out, which offer more to their customers:

* “Shop The Runway” - this provides “CC” customers with a birds-eye-view of their product offering. This is an unique value, in that I can’t think of other retailers who have developed such a merchandising tool.

* “StyleCast” - CC produces a monthly “stylecast” podcast, which are centralized here along with their monthly newsletters.

* “Celebrity Style Blog” - An “eye on style” blog, featuring the best dressed celebs, and how you can find their gear at CoutureCandy.

* “PersonalStylists” - CoutureCandy has stylists and “personal shoppers” available via email, phone, and IM, to help their shoppers find the look they desire. Beyond this standard service, their “personal stylists” section includes “fit guides”, a FAQ, “designer of the week”, gift ideas and more.

The moral here is that CoutureCandy is not simply an online retailer pulling in customers and pushing them out the door. CoutureCandy is investing in maintaining a lasting relationship with their customers, and working hard to develop a consumer friendly brand which will grow more and more recognizable over time. While the above features don’t have an immediate value to affiliates, it shows that CoutureCandy is a forward-thinking merchant with a focus on developing a lasting brand presence in online fashion retail.

As a new company, CoutureCandy cannot provide a lot of existing brand strength to its affiliate partners. Affiliates will not only be charged with selling the product, but they must also help sell the brand to their customers. While this shouldn’t be an uphill battle, it may be difficult for PPC affiliates and the like to depend on CoutureCandy as a brand to convert for them. Affiliates who maintain web communities, relevant fashion blogs, and data feed sites can expect to perform well with CoutureCandy, yet must merchandize CC products and links well– for this young brand may not perform right out of the gates without a good nudge.

In all, CoutureCandy is one hell of a retailer, and a great affiliate program to boot. Check them out on CommissionJunction, and be sure to comment here when the sales start coming in.

Earlier today, Jeremy Palmer called a word of warning to affiliates in a post at Revenews in light of Congress’ recent approval of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006.

Jeremy explains that gambling affiliates, who have been shut out of promoting gambling merchants in the US, are now looking for other non-gaming programs to work with. This influx into mainstream affiliate marketing could certainly shake things up for traditional affiliates…

If you’re not a casino affiliate, brace yourself for the upcoming jolt that may soon shake up the comfortable little niche that you’ve owned for the last two years. Casino affiliates have managed to survive and thrive in hostile conditions for more than a decade. Even when Google, Yahoo and MSN pulled the plug on them, they found a way to adapt and grow their business.

I admire this insight from Jeremy, and agree that interesting times may be afoot very soon. I noticed something else about this suggestion that boosts my confidence in affiliate marketing: affiliate marketing shows a resiliency that will help it thrive through the greatest of barriers.

Presently, affiliate marketing primarily revolves around the search engines. Should these search engines lose their dominance, which could be caused by a loss of net neutrality, what would happen to affiliates? Where would they promote? How would they connect with consumers?

The answer, in light of Jeremy’s suggestion, is that affiliates will always find a way. When the search engines and then the government shut down gambling affiliates, they have found a way to continue successful affiliate marketing on the web. Kudos to Jeremy, and a big kudos to all the affiliates who are braving the powers that be to achieve success online.

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Yes, they are kidding– and anyone dumb enough should have their AdSense account banned immediately. Still, this makes for one hell of a joke. ClickMonkeys founder, Sidney Zwiebel, has founded some other obviously legit businesses like PetsForFood.

ClickMonkey’s whois tells another story, that of a man named Rick Sanchez, whose primary domain is BugEyedMonster.com, which… well… isn’t as funny as the other two. Still, thanks for the laugh Rick, give your monkeys a pet for the people at PartnerPerform.