supporting bloggers through online shopping

Just about everyone shops online these days. I do, for several reasons: 1) it saves me waiting for someone to be available to take me to a store Chris doesn't like to shop at; 2) it allows me to shop privately for gifts and surprise purchases; 3) it's easier to find things online when I don't know where to start looking; and 4) sometimes what I need isn't in stock in the local stores. There's another cool benefit to shopping online. Thanks to affiliate programs, you can make sure a percentage of the money you spend goes to a blogger or other web site owner whose work you appreciate.

I've created my own online mall full of stores where I am a registered affiliate. If you want to help me make some extra money, you can bookmark the mall and start there whenever you plan to purchase something online. Actually, I recommend you shop around the same way you always do and decide where you want to make your purchase so that you'll get the best deal. Then close all browser windows to that store (make note of the item number or something which will help you find it again quickly), visit my mall, find the store you've chosen, and click the banner shown there. Once back in the store, find your item and complete your purchase as usual.

Of course, what if the store you've chosen isn't available in the mall? It wouldn't surprise me a bit, since I only add stores manually, when I have a reason to. But I can add almost any store you want, so long as that store 1) has an affiliate program, and 2) hasn't outright rejected my application for affiliate status (some of them do... oh well). If you e-mail me requesting a store link during business hours, chances are I can respond to you fairly quickly - and then that store will be there for the next person! Some stores approve affiliates manually and will take longer; if that's the case I'll let you know, and then you can decide whether to wait or just go ahead and make your purchase without crediting me. Either way, when/if I do get approved, the store will be added to the mall for future purchases. You can also sign up to get e-mail automatically whenever new stores are added.

If all of this doesn't sound like far too much work (I promise I've tried to make it as easy for you as possible!), I would be very grateful to anyone who chooses to use my affiliate mall. Of course I don't expect you to credit me with every purchase you make if there are other bloggers and web site owners out there you want to support as well; by all means, spread the love around! In fact, if you yourself are a site owner who participates in affiliate marketing and are interested in exchanging purchases (i.e. I'll shop your mall if you shop mine), please don't hesitate to contact me!

April 21, 2009 at 3:16pm via confoozled.com · Share on Facebook · Share on Twitter

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