I write a lot about what I look for in an affiliate when managing programs for various merchants. It always amazes me how many signups I get from sites with no affinity to my sites and also who never ask me a question about the performance of my merchant’s site. If you don’t know some of these basic facts about an affiliate program you are going to place advertising for on your site, then you are really not doing your job well.
So here are the 10 most important things you need to know about a retail merchant’s site:
1. Make sure the site is the site professionally designed. First impressions are important. Nothing will turn off the visitors you refer to a site than to have them see an ugly site on the end of a link you have asked them to go to. You lose credibility with your visitor, something you never want to do.
2. Make sure the ecommerce shopping cart is easy to use. We still have lots of clunky shopping carts in the marketplace. These hinder conversions and mean you won’t do well with the offer. How do you tell? Go buy something and see if you think it’s easy to use. You’ve seen more than most people, use your experience.
3. Make sure your site has a close affinity to the merchant site. Don’t sign up for an affiliate program just because they have a large payout. If your site is all about “cats and dogs” and you refer someone to a residential lending site, what do you think your chances of conversion are? Low, low, low… so don’t do it. Refer visitors to sites that match your site in content and voice. You’ll get higher conversions making up for someone else’s supposedly higher payout.
4. Check to see if they are selling any brand name products. Having brand names does make it easier to sell online. Having a branded category name is even easier. Does that mean you have to have a brand name to be successful… no. It just makes it easier.
5. Ask them what the conversion rate of visitors to sales is. Depending on the conversion rate and the average sale price I can give the retailer a pretty good idea if he is going to be successful in attracting affiliates. A 1% conversion rate can be good depending on what you sell, and I have some customers that run at 4% as well. Likewise, an affiliate must look at the affiliate conversion rate to determine which program will do the best for him. How do you find out… ask. Good affiliate managers will tell you and you will learn which ones to trust very quickly.
6. Ask them what the average price per sale is on the site. Low priced items are not affiliate favorites as they have to drive lots of traffic to earn any money. A retailer with at least a $60 average sale is a bare minimum. Many times it may be a packaging issue, but if the retailer hasn’t figured it out by the time you show up… don’t expect them to get them to package their products correctly.
7. Check if they are selling a unique product. This goes to the competition. When I hear the phrase: “Well… there’s really nothing quite like it on the Internet”, you should I know that the merchant has not done any online research. There is competition in virtually every segment of every product type on the web. Sometimes unique is good, sometimes it is a little too “niche-y”. If your site has affinity to a niche product you should be fine, if not don’t stretch too much out of your comfort zone.
8. Make sure the merchant is able to offer a competitively priced retail product. He doesn’t have to be the cheapest for sure. But if the competition is less expensive and they don’t have a value proposition to support the pricing model, you will have trouble getting sales.
9. Similar to #7: Make sure the merchant isn’t allowing others to sell the same product less expensively than you are able to sell if for. Some retailers are actually the manufacturer, so he may have lots of margin in his products. This is okay as long as he doesn’t offer favored deals to other affiliates.
10. Work with merchants who offer an aggressive affiliate payout. I’ve got this last because if any of the first parts are not in order, high payouts won’t do you any good. Also, brand names many times prescribe low payouts to affiliates, since they are… so well known. You might be better off with an aggressive competitor that really values you.
11. Bonus Answer: Find Affiliate Managers you trust. Find affiliate managers that promptly answer your questions and respond to your needs… such as getting you paid promptly. Building these relationships will enable you to more quickly determine if the program fits you.
And now once you are loaded with all of this data, your site will have appropriate highly converting product links from good retail merchants with management in place to make your life easier.
Minggu, 14 Juli 2013
The 10 Most Important Things a Webmaster Needs to Know When Picking a Retail Merchant Affiliate Program
Senin, 01 Juli 2013
Minggu, 02 Juni 2013
Basic Accounting Principles
Accounting has been defined as, by Professor of Accounting at the University of Michigan William A Paton as having one basic function: "facilitating the administration of economic activity. This function has two closely related phases: 1) measuring and arraying economic data; and 2) communicating the results of this process to interested parties."
As an example, a company's accountants periodically measure the profit and loss for a month, a quarter or a fiscal year and publish these results in a statement of profit and loss that's called an income statement. These statements include elements such as accounts receivable (what's owed to the company) and accounts payable (what the company owes). It can also get pretty complicated with subjects like retained earnings and accelerated depreciation. This at the higher levels of accounting and in the organization.
Much of accounting though, is also concerned with basic bookkeeping. This is the process that records every transaction; every bill paid, every dime owed, every dollar and cent spent and accumulated.
But the owners of the company, which can be individual owners or millions of shareholders are most concerned with the summaries of these transactions, contained in the financial statement. The financial statement summarizes a company's assets. A value of an asset is what it cost when it was first acquired. The financial statement also records what the sources of the assets were. Some assets are in the form of loans that have to be paid back. Profits are also an asset of the business.
In what's called double-entry bookkeeping, the liabilities are also summarized. Obviously, a company wants to show a higher amount of assets to offset the liabilities and show a profit. The management of these two elements is the essence of accounting.
There is a system for doing this; not every company or individual can devise their own systems for accounting; the result would be chaos!
What Is Accounting Anyway?
Anyone who's worked in an office at some point or another has had to go to accounting. They're the people who pay and send out the bills that keep the business running. They do a lot more than that, though. Sometimes referred to as "bean counters" they also keep their eye on profits, costs and losses. Unless you're running your own business and acting as your own accountant, you'd have no way of knowing just how profitable - or not - your business is without some form of accounting.
No matter what business you're in, even if all you do is balance a checkbook, that's still accounting. It's part of even a kid's life. Saving an allowance, spending it all at once - these are accounting principles.
What are some other businesses where accounting is critical? Well, farmers need to follow careful accounting procedures. Many of them run their farms year to year by taking loans to plant the crops. If it's a good year, a profitable one, then they can pay off their loan; if not, they might have to carry the loan over, and accrue more interest charges.
Every business and every individual needs to have some kind of accounting system in their lives. Otherwise, the finances can get away from them, they don't know what they've spent, or whether they can expect a profit or a loss from their business. Staying on top of accounting, whether it's for a multi-billion dollar business or for a personal checking account is a necessary activity on a daily basis if you're smart. Not doing so can mean anything from a bounced check or posting a loss to a company's shareholders. Both scenarios can be equally devastating.
Accounting is basically information, and this information is published periodically in business as a profit and loss statement, or an income statement.
Selasa, 28 Mei 2013
Buyout Offre Brings China Into the Orbit of Club Med
Fewer “crazy signs.” More karaoke.
That could be the future for Club Med, the French resort operator, which said Monday that it had received a $700 million buyout offer led by its two largest shareholders, an investment unit of the French insurer AXA and a Chinese conglomerate called Fosun International.
The proposed deal gives a Chinese company an unusually visible role in the acquisition and development of a prominent Western brand, which was founded in 1950 by a Belgian water polo player and for years defined the packaged exoticism of beach vacations for Europeans and North Americans. Now, though, the ascent of the Chinese tourist is helping reshape the world’s idea of the ideal getaway.
Club Méditerranée has long been known for the blend of escapist fun and Frenchness in its vacation formula — including the staff’s frequent performance of synchronized, heavily gesticulated dance moves set to pop music.
With Chinese co-ownership, Club Med cannot help becoming a bit less French. It has been hit hard by the euro crisis, during which its name has been borrowed by economists as an epithet for the debt-ridden and austerity-ravaged countries of Southern Europe.
Club Med is looking to emerging markets, especially China, for new customers and new resorts, which it calls villages.
Read More : http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2013/05/27/club-med-targeted-in-700-million-privatization/?ref=business
That could be the future for Club Med, the French resort operator, which said Monday that it had received a $700 million buyout offer led by its two largest shareholders, an investment unit of the French insurer AXA and a Chinese conglomerate called Fosun International.
The proposed deal gives a Chinese company an unusually visible role in the acquisition and development of a prominent Western brand, which was founded in 1950 by a Belgian water polo player and for years defined the packaged exoticism of beach vacations for Europeans and North Americans. Now, though, the ascent of the Chinese tourist is helping reshape the world’s idea of the ideal getaway.
Club Méditerranée has long been known for the blend of escapist fun and Frenchness in its vacation formula — including the staff’s frequent performance of synchronized, heavily gesticulated dance moves set to pop music.
With Chinese co-ownership, Club Med cannot help becoming a bit less French. It has been hit hard by the euro crisis, during which its name has been borrowed by economists as an epithet for the debt-ridden and austerity-ravaged countries of Southern Europe.
Club Med is looking to emerging markets, especially China, for new customers and new resorts, which it calls villages.
Read More : http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2013/05/27/club-med-targeted-in-700-million-privatization/?ref=business
Jumat, 22 Juni 2012
8 Obstacles and Solutions Start a Business
Novice entrepreneurs typically encountered several obstacles in developing its business. Several obstacles range from the affairs of human resources, product development, capital planning, to execution.
Indonesia Stock Exchange Chief Researcher, Poltak Hotradero, explains, knowing the constraints, entrepreneurs are expected to overcome the obstacles it. Poltak revealed eight common barriers experienced by entrepreneurs.
Here's the list:
A. Human ResourcesAn entrepreneur requires teamwork and specialization to develop the company. For that, an entrepreneur must continue to invest in people to develop the company.
He cited PT Astra International Tbk. Astra managerial focus in human resources, so that any ongoing business, may develop. "Initially, only Astra car assembly business. But, now his business everywhere, from oil to water," said Poltak in Entrepreneur Festival in Jakarta, Friday, June 22, 2012.
2. Product DevelopmentPoltak explains, many businesses in the newbie one business that will determine diterjuni. Most of the failure of employers are required to make products that are not public. He gives advice to make the product "demand driven", ie products that are needed by the community.
Poltak exemplifies how Hewlett-Packard continues to launch products that people need, because of the input and suggestions from the public. Product development is important for survival.
3. Mapping the CompetitionPoltak suggested that any would-be entrepreneurs to research the SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) and kept an eye on competitors. The planning is very important when competition continues.
One example of a company that does not make good planning is Kodak. "Kodak's first digital image inventors and strong in photography. However, because they are strong to be overtaken competitors are not vigilant, so that Kodak went bankrupt last year," says the analyst of this capital market.
4. DemandThe customer is king. For that, an entrepreneur must decide who would be a priority for the products sold. Determination of segmentation is to know the characteristics of the customer.
Poltak Wal-Mart exemplifies the position for the lower-class customers by providing generic goods and the lowest cost. This positioning makes Wal-Mart's demand to be elastic. Timegood economy, lower-class people shop at Wal-Mart, and tough economic times, the upper classes also come shopping at Wal-Mart.
5. PricingPricing is the most difficult thing is determined by a recent plunge in the business world. According to him, the price has been determined should be changed to adjust the economic situation, or to innovate by creating new affordable products.
Unilever, he added, is a good example. Unilever products are very strong in the upscale consumer. However, with a brilliant strategy, Unilever can also reach the lower classes by making a sachet packaging."When the product turned down, the margin was greater normal product," he said.
6. Sales CycleA budding entrepreneur should pay attention to the product sales cycle, whether durable or not. Entrepreneurs must also consider the length of a product on the market by continuing to innovate new products released.
For example, Nokia continues to release new products every six months, so that competitors can not pursue innovation that made Nokia.
"Unfortunately, the problem of operating system that Nokia just stick with Symbian is not open as Android," he said.
7. Capital planningA spirited entrepreneurs always make capital planning and targets. With a strong capital planning, business continues to rotate capital to develop the business. "The important thing for people who are successful entrepreneurs at heart, the riotous so many numbers, the importance of the first," he said.
An example is General Electric which continues to play its capital for expansion in new business. GE has always target businesses that have successfully entered into new three in five years.
8. ExecutionHe explained that the execution of a product is the hardest thing. An entrepreneur has to adhere to the schedule. In addition, the product has proven to be executed and the person who is required to target their products can be used.
"Bill Gates will launch a product every principle must be used by his grandmother. If the grandmother can not use these tools, should be revised to make it," he said
info from :
http://bisnis.vivanews.com/news/read/328528-8-kendala-dan-solusinya-memulai-usaha
Indonesia Stock Exchange Chief Researcher, Poltak Hotradero, explains, knowing the constraints, entrepreneurs are expected to overcome the obstacles it. Poltak revealed eight common barriers experienced by entrepreneurs.
Here's the list:
A. Human ResourcesAn entrepreneur requires teamwork and specialization to develop the company. For that, an entrepreneur must continue to invest in people to develop the company.
He cited PT Astra International Tbk. Astra managerial focus in human resources, so that any ongoing business, may develop. "Initially, only Astra car assembly business. But, now his business everywhere, from oil to water," said Poltak in Entrepreneur Festival in Jakarta, Friday, June 22, 2012.
2. Product DevelopmentPoltak explains, many businesses in the newbie one business that will determine diterjuni. Most of the failure of employers are required to make products that are not public. He gives advice to make the product "demand driven", ie products that are needed by the community.
Poltak exemplifies how Hewlett-Packard continues to launch products that people need, because of the input and suggestions from the public. Product development is important for survival.
3. Mapping the CompetitionPoltak suggested that any would-be entrepreneurs to research the SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) and kept an eye on competitors. The planning is very important when competition continues.
One example of a company that does not make good planning is Kodak. "Kodak's first digital image inventors and strong in photography. However, because they are strong to be overtaken competitors are not vigilant, so that Kodak went bankrupt last year," says the analyst of this capital market.
4. DemandThe customer is king. For that, an entrepreneur must decide who would be a priority for the products sold. Determination of segmentation is to know the characteristics of the customer.
Poltak Wal-Mart exemplifies the position for the lower-class customers by providing generic goods and the lowest cost. This positioning makes Wal-Mart's demand to be elastic. Timegood economy, lower-class people shop at Wal-Mart, and tough economic times, the upper classes also come shopping at Wal-Mart.
5. PricingPricing is the most difficult thing is determined by a recent plunge in the business world. According to him, the price has been determined should be changed to adjust the economic situation, or to innovate by creating new affordable products.
Unilever, he added, is a good example. Unilever products are very strong in the upscale consumer. However, with a brilliant strategy, Unilever can also reach the lower classes by making a sachet packaging."When the product turned down, the margin was greater normal product," he said.
6. Sales CycleA budding entrepreneur should pay attention to the product sales cycle, whether durable or not. Entrepreneurs must also consider the length of a product on the market by continuing to innovate new products released.
For example, Nokia continues to release new products every six months, so that competitors can not pursue innovation that made Nokia.
"Unfortunately, the problem of operating system that Nokia just stick with Symbian is not open as Android," he said.
7. Capital planningA spirited entrepreneurs always make capital planning and targets. With a strong capital planning, business continues to rotate capital to develop the business. "The important thing for people who are successful entrepreneurs at heart, the riotous so many numbers, the importance of the first," he said.
An example is General Electric which continues to play its capital for expansion in new business. GE has always target businesses that have successfully entered into new three in five years.
8. ExecutionHe explained that the execution of a product is the hardest thing. An entrepreneur has to adhere to the schedule. In addition, the product has proven to be executed and the person who is required to target their products can be used.
"Bill Gates will launch a product every principle must be used by his grandmother. If the grandmother can not use these tools, should be revised to make it," he said
info from :
http://bisnis.vivanews.com/news/read/328528-8-kendala-dan-solusinya-memulai-usaha
Kamis, 14 Juni 2012
Industry Laws
Not so fast. Business in this country is regulated, heavily in some cases. There is a set of laws involving cottage industries, and pleading ignorance will not keep you from being heavily fined or shut down if you’re found in violation. Laws vary from place to place, so check your state, county and city websites for the particulars. But the most common issues concern what you make and where you make it.
Your Home
As mentioned, cottage industries are run from the home. But that’s not all there is to it. First, you have to check with the city to make sure your home is zoned for cottage industry (which is entirely separate from being zoned for business or residential use). Then, you have to check with your neighborhood association to make sure they’ll allow signage, the expected traffic, and everything else that comes along with business.
Will customers come to your home? Better have ample parking. Many places require that no more than 25 percent of your home’s square footage may be used for business purposes. Plan on selling food? Your kitchen usually has to be separated from the rest of the house and kept in Health Department-approved cleanliness.
Licensing
Depending upon where you live, you may have to get a business license for your cottage industry. At the very least, you’ll have to register a fictitious name, unless you are doing business under your full, legal name. Even if local laws don’t require a business license, some other sales outlets do - many trade shows, fairs and green markets require your business to be fully registered before you can purchase a booth.
Don’t forget insurance! Liability insurance is a biggie. If customers will be coming to your home, speak to your home insurance rep to be sure you’re still covered.
Your Process
If you are producing food, you need to run your home kitchen like a professional kitchen. That means that Fluffy and Fido are no longer allowed in, and anyone who even stands near a prep area must wear a hair covering. In some places, you may even need to install special equipment (like the triple sink) that is used ONLY for your business, not family-related cooking.
Even if you’re not producing food, you may need additional equipment or permits if you use hazardous materials in the construction of your product - and we’re not talking uranium, here. Spray paint? Spray booth. Smelly glue? Vent hood. Welding? Not in this neighborhood, buddy.
Your Product
If you’re producing non-hazardous, non-food items, you’re probably okay. But bakers beware - there’s a whole mess of laws that govern what foods can and cannot be sold from a cottage industry. Baked goods are generally okay, as long as they don’t contain dairy as the main ingredient. Jams and jellies are usually fine, but not if they’re canned - home canning requires a whole other set of permits and inspections, and usually requires special equipment to ensure sterility.
read more :
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/cottage-industry-laws.html
Your Home
As mentioned, cottage industries are run from the home. But that’s not all there is to it. First, you have to check with the city to make sure your home is zoned for cottage industry (which is entirely separate from being zoned for business or residential use). Then, you have to check with your neighborhood association to make sure they’ll allow signage, the expected traffic, and everything else that comes along with business.
Will customers come to your home? Better have ample parking. Many places require that no more than 25 percent of your home’s square footage may be used for business purposes. Plan on selling food? Your kitchen usually has to be separated from the rest of the house and kept in Health Department-approved cleanliness.
Licensing
Depending upon where you live, you may have to get a business license for your cottage industry. At the very least, you’ll have to register a fictitious name, unless you are doing business under your full, legal name. Even if local laws don’t require a business license, some other sales outlets do - many trade shows, fairs and green markets require your business to be fully registered before you can purchase a booth.
Don’t forget insurance! Liability insurance is a biggie. If customers will be coming to your home, speak to your home insurance rep to be sure you’re still covered.
Your Process
If you are producing food, you need to run your home kitchen like a professional kitchen. That means that Fluffy and Fido are no longer allowed in, and anyone who even stands near a prep area must wear a hair covering. In some places, you may even need to install special equipment (like the triple sink) that is used ONLY for your business, not family-related cooking.
Even if you’re not producing food, you may need additional equipment or permits if you use hazardous materials in the construction of your product - and we’re not talking uranium, here. Spray paint? Spray booth. Smelly glue? Vent hood. Welding? Not in this neighborhood, buddy.
Your Product
If you’re producing non-hazardous, non-food items, you’re probably okay. But bakers beware - there’s a whole mess of laws that govern what foods can and cannot be sold from a cottage industry. Baked goods are generally okay, as long as they don’t contain dairy as the main ingredient. Jams and jellies are usually fine, but not if they’re canned - home canning requires a whole other set of permits and inspections, and usually requires special equipment to ensure sterility.
read more :
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/cottage-industry-laws.html
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