Affiliate Programs
Five Star Sites
Cash Pile
ClickQuick
Mark Welch
Refer-It
SiteCash
Three Star Sites
Affiliate Trade Links Network
Associate Cash
Associate Program Directory
My views on affiliate programs
Affiliate Directories
Banner Creation
Banner Exchange
Free Email
Free Web Space
Graphics and Animation
Hints and Tips
Novice Guide
Page Counters and Trackers
Pay per Click
Search Engines (Major)
Search Engines (Worldwide)
Site Design
Web Site Awards
Web Site Promotion
Based on several years experience I do not believe that it is possible to make any significant sums of money with any of the affiliate programs of which I have a detailed knowledge. Depite some of the wild claims made not one of the firms I have questioned could provide any independent evidence of the vast earnings they quote in their adverts. In fact most of the firms simply ignored my enquiries.
Should you decide to go ahead anyway I should point out that the overwhelming majority of these programs are based in the United States and will only pay out the money owed to you in dollars. This can be a problem if you do not have a US bank account.
In addition a number of the better known companies will only pay out when the sum owed to you reaches $50.00 (sometimes even more than this). It can take smaller websites months, if not years, to reach this sort of balance particularly if you are only earning a 5% commission. For example you would need to sell $1000 worth of product to earn $50.00 at this sort of commission level.
Be wary of offers that seem to be too good to be true. Several companies have defaulted on payments due while others have unilateraly changed the rules and/or the minimum payment they will send out.
Read any contract very carefully before you agree to it. Don't sign any contract that includes unacceptable terms. Some of the contracts I have seen would not be legally valid in the UK but may be acceptable in the United States. Remember regardless of how just you feel your claim is taking legal action in a foreign country is particularly difficult.
Do not expect to make vast, or even significant, sum from most of these programs. If you can make £10.00 per year from each program you sign up for you will be doing well! I read somewhere that 80% of people who sign up for any given operation do not make any money whatsoever- I am inclined to believe that the figure is far closer to 100%!!!