Why Commission Junction wants the affiliate marketing world on a string
It’s been a busy time for Commission Junction in the year since parent ValueClick Inc. acquired Be Free and merged both affiliate marketing organizations under the Commission Junction brand. And there’s more change on way, including a bigger push into Europe for affiliate marketing applications and extending Commission Junction’s turnkey platform for Internet retailers.
In December 2003, ValueClick acquired Be Free based on the company’s growing market share with business-to-consumer e-commerce sites; it powers the affiliate marketing programs of more than 200 online and multi-channel retailers, including Best Buy, Staples, and Travelocity.
Now, says Commission Junction general manager Jeff Pullen, Commission Junction will soon expand into Germany and continue building a Commission Junction brand that gives web retailers the options of a self-service model for affiliate marketing or a turnkey system in which Commission Junction acts as a third party that tracks and reports on advertising, sends a monthly payment to publishers or retailers, and provides a suite of online tools to help publishers and retailers optimize their performance. "There are companies who want a middleman to help them with affiliate marketing and that’s part of the service we offer," Pullen says.
In September 2001, Commission Junction expanded into the United Kingdom by opening a London sales office and in June 2004 named Jonathan Forster, ValueClick director of search, to lead the company’s European push. So far, Commission Junction has 150 retailers and several thousand other publishers in Europe. By December, the company will establish a base in Germany and the rest of the Europe and concentrate on building a global affiliate marketing network. "This has been timed with the resurgence of online advertising in Europe," Pullen says. "Expansion into the European market a very compelling proposition for Commission Junction."
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