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Performics releases new network data
Once again Shawn Collins scooped me and blogged today about Performics releasing EPC and Payout Rank network wide (come on Shawn if you had blogged it here, I wouldn’t have had to write this). As many of you know Commission Junction began showing these metrics back in July 2001. I am sure affiliates are excited for the opportunity to finally compare apples to apples between the two networks since some advertisers actually use both networks. Before you run off and start your comparisons, I think you might first want to consider a few things on how the metrics are created.
CJ uses 3-month EPC but they actually go back 5 months and forward 3 months to calculate their number. In other words, January, February and March’s 3-month EPC will get published in June. Performics states that they are publishing the past 3 months, which would mean in June, they would be showing March, April and May’s data. The reason CJ goes back 5 and forward 3 is to ensure that any returns or other corrections are finalized so you get a more accurate reflection of a program’s potential. So now when you try to compare 3-month EPC next February, CJ will show you September, October and November and Performics will show you November, December and January (the three biggest months of the year for retailers).
To complicate matters further, it is my understanding that Performics counts unique clicks (1 click per user per day) whereas CJ counts any and all clicks (a.k.a. raw clicks). If this is the case, having fewer clicks calculated into EPC numbers will inflate the dollar amount. For example, if an advertiser generated 1,000,000 raw clicks over a given period, they may have only received 800,000 unique clicks during that same time period. A program on CJ with identical results would show an EPC of $9.00 and on Performics it would show $11.25 even though they both drove the same results to advertisers and affiliates (sales and commissions).
When CJ released its network data, it was a two way street - both advertisers and affiliates were able to see each others EPC and Network Earnings. Advertisers like to see this data on their affiliates as much as affiliates like to see advertiser data - especially when they are in pending application status. It gives them more insight into who they are from a potential partner standpoint. I always used the analogy of a blind date. CJ’s Open Marketplace Data was like getting to read a bio or see a picture before you decided to go on the date. Is Performics making this data available to both affiliates and advertisers?
I would be interested in hearing more information from Performics on their newly released data and please feel free to correct any of my assumptions on the information above.
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Michael Coley scooped you guys yesterday
http://forum.abestweb.com/showthread.php?t=72773
I like it, it’s an actual network improvement.
Yes, but neither Shawn nor Michael had my hard-hitting analysis and insight.
That’s true
EPC is a great idea and to me Performics just tipped their hat to CJ by posting an EPC.
I think it’s important to remember that for the most part, advertisers leave the recruting and management of affiliate in Performics to the Performics team, so there is little need for the bio before the “blind date”
Waiting for EPC from LinkShare now.
Todd you are correct. Having studies quiet a bit Perfromcs does indeed only count one click in “X” time period therefor inflating the valule of their EPC. Eith Performcs or CJ should get together and “canonize” this approach so we see apples to apples. Most of the other CPA networks do this!
That would leave only one major network still forcing publishers to wander around in the dark. Which is laughable considiring they ask publishers to take all the risk without a flashlight even.
Hats off to CJ for being innovative long befreo hand and Hats off to Performics for grasping why it is needed and doing it albeit in their own fashion.
-wayne
Well as far as wandering around in the dark, ultimately there is only one EPC that matters. And that is mine with a merchant. And the only way to get that is to actually put up links and try them out. How everybody else does with a merchant is no concern to me. But it’s nice to have.
Jonathan,
Agreed. But a flashlight is better than nothing. EPC is not perfect, but couple with volume, average ticket, and other factors is is a key aspect to a decision.
Decisions should not be made by EPC alone, but they do influence it.
-wayne
I wonder how much a merchant can influence their EPC through initially approving only the kinds of sites that are likely high performers. There would of course then be a strategy where success begets success. By rolling in only high performing affiliates the EPC would remain high even though overall volume might suffer initially. The site would then attract additional power affiliates.