1. What exactly is an "affiliate"?
As an approved affiliate of Walk 2 Shul, you have the right and privelage to use our designated banners and text links to market our website and services. You are assigned a uniqe affiliate ID that is embedded in whichever banner ad or text link you use. You can also simply use your assigned affiliate link in a regular email. When your visitor clicks on the banner or link, he will be redirected to our website. If this visitor places a listing on Walk2Shul.com, you receive a commission on the total sale amount.
It's very important to realize that the visitor you send does not have to place a listing on his very first visit to our site for you to receive a commission. He can come back a few weeks later, or up to 6 months later, and place a listing and you will still receive the commission on the first sale. Our affiliate system is very sophisticated and knows that the visitor was originally referred by you. Commissions are paid on the first sale only and not on recurring sales by the same visitor.
There is no cost to join our affiliate program.
2. What is our commission? How is it paid?
Your commission is per sale and is a percentage of the net total sale amount. The commission for our general program is 10%. Our Fundraiser Program, which is available for Shuls and charitable organizations only, offers a 15% commission.
All our commissions are paid in U.S. dollars and by check only. Commissions are paid out on a quarterly basis (April, July, October, January).
3. How many return days are allowed?
"Return Days" are the number of days your visitor has to come back to our site, place a purchase, and you still receive a commission. Many affilate programs offer zero (0) return days, which means that the visitor you send has to purchase something on that one visit, otherwise you get no commission. Many affiliate programs offer 30 days.
Become an affiliate of Walk2Shul and we will allow you 180 return days! That's right. That's six months after your referred visitor's first visit to come back and place a listing on Walk2Shul.com and you get your commission. How can you lose? You can't!
4. Is there a minimum payout?
We have a minimum payout of $200. After signing up as an affiliate, your account will accumulate your commissions. Once your account hits the initial minimum, then a check will be paid out at the next processing of checks. We process commissions on a quarterly basis (April, July, October, January).
After reaching your initial payout minimum, you are allowed to change the minimum payout amount in your account. Some people prefer to wait until their commission is more sizable before receiving a check. We allow the following payout minimums: $200, $300, $500, $1000, and $1500. You can change your minimum payout amount under "My profile".
5. Is there a sign-up bonus?
Yes! We offer a $25 sign-up bonus. When you sign up, and are approved, as our affiliate, we will credit your affiliate account in the amount of $25. So, you start right away with a positive balance.
6. Is the commission recurring? How many tiers?
We do not offer "recurring" or "lifetime" commissions. Each sale by a visitor that you send us is a one-time event. If the same visitor came back to our site a year later and made a sale, or if they renewed their ad, you would not receive a commission on that sale. However, if you have a strong relationship with your members/customers/subscribers, you can impress upon them to use your site/link to Walk2Shul every time they choose to place a listing. As long as they click on your affiliate link, and makes a sale (ie. places a listing), then you will earn a commission. This can be easily done by companies, Shuls, and charitable organizations.
Our commission structure is 1-tier only. We do not offer multiple tiers.
7. Do you offer referral fees for sub-affiliates?
In affiliate programs, a "sub-affiliate" is someone you send (ie. refer) to us who then becomes an affiliate themselves. This is also referred to as a "tier" system. At this time, our commission structure is 1-tier only. we do not offer multiple tiers or a sub-affiliate program.
8. How do I know I will be paid for my referral?
Our affiliate program is powered by one of the top leading affiliate tracking software available today. This software uses a combination of cookies and IP addresses to track all referrals for the best possible reliability. When the visitor follows your affiliate link to our site, our affiliate system registers this referral and places a cookie on his or her computer. When the visitor pays for the product, our affiliate system checks for the cookie (if the cookie is not found, our system checks for the IP address of referral) and credits your account with the commission.
This process is absolutely automatic. All your referrals will be properly tracked.
Our affiliate system is used by many of the top Internet merchants and affiliates world-wide.
9. How are discounts, refunds, & chargebacks reflected on my commission?
Discounts: You earn a commission on the net total amount of the sale. If a visitor that you send to our site takes advantage of a special offer and receives a discount on their purchase, you will receive a commission on the discounted amount.
Refunds & Chargebacks: If your visitor receives a refund or chargeback from us, then the amount of the refund/chargeback will be deducted from your account. Your next payout will reflect the deduction.
10. Are there any products/services you sell where I don't receive a commission?
The following services sold outside of our website are not included in the affiliate program:
- Banner advertising
- Agent Spotlight Ads
You will receive a commission when your visitor purchases an Ad Listing in any of the following listing categories: "Homes For Sale", "Homes For Rent", "Vacation Rentals", "Employment", and "Local Business".
11. How do I start promoting your site/products?
You will need to first apply to become our affiliate (Apply Here). We do review your website to determine if it will be appropriate for our program. Upon approval, you will be able to log into our exclusive Affiliate Panel. We provide a special Getting Started section on the main page to help you get started.
Generaly, as our affiliate, you will choose some banner ads and text links that we provide you, and place them into your web pages and emails. When your visitor clicks on a banner or link, he will be redirected to our page. If this visitor buys something, you will be rewarded with a commission for this first sale.
12. What is the affiliate link?
The affiliate link is a special URL where you should be sending your visitors to. The affiliate link contains your unique affiliate ID and can be found at the top of every page in your Affiliate Panel, after you log in.
Your affiliate link will automatically be included in the code generated for any of our Graphic Banners and Text Banners that you decide to use in your marketing efforts. However, you can also simply copy your affiliate link from the top of the page and include it in a simple email as well.
13. Can I create my own banners or text links?
No. As our Terms and Conditions states, you can only use the Graphic Banners and Text Banners that we provide you. If there is a particular size banner that you want, and that we do not provide, please contact us with your requirements. We will then consider creating that specific banner for you. All ideas on banner ad sizes, styles, and copy are welcome.
14. Can I give out my affiliate link to other people to use on their websites?
No! Giving out your affiliate link, as well as our banner ads or any other of our affiliate material, to be used by other people is grounds for immediate dismissal from our program. This is specified in our Terms and Conditions which you have agreed to.
It is important to understand that we carefully evaluate each person and/or company that applies to our affiliate program. Not anyone can join our program. An affiliate must have a website that is somehow related to the theme of Walk2Shul.com Giving out your affiliate link to other people and/or companies to be used in their websites, newsletters, or other marketing material violates your agreement with us. You will be dismissed from our program and forfeit any existing commission in your account.
15. Can I promote you through pay-per-click search engines?
Yes. You can promote us through pay-per-click search engines. In fact, this type of promotion has become increasingly popular. We suggest you using your affiliate link, found at the top of your affiliate page, in the text of the PPC ad.
Please remember to use highly targeted keywords when developing your PPC campaign, as our site is a highly specialized one. You don't want to be sending people to our website who have no interest in what we have to offer.
16. Where can I find your Terms and Conditions?
It is important that you understand what you are agreeing to, and to make sure that you don't do something that can get you kicked out of our program. Our FAQ's contain many of the important issues. But, please also take the time to read our Terms and Conditions.
