Affiliate System

[Abhineet]

Hi Guys,

 

I think it's one of the most desirable Feature Request which we need in Blesta. I had been told by Paul that there is a plan to add this feature but not sure if it's added to Core yet.

 

It'd be nice if affiliate will have features like :

 

1) They can generate their own coupons [which will give extra discount to the buyer] from their own earnings.

 

2) No promotional links like "aff.php?id=102" as mostly users don't want to join sites using affiliate links and also its not allowed in most money making forums.

 

3) I don't have in my mind yet so any suggestions which will boostup this are "Welcome".

 

Thanks,

Abhineet

[R.W's]

I think we are in a need of this . 

[cleverhost]

Abhineet, I think you'll find most hosting companies require an affiliate link similar to the one Blesta provides you. So if there won't be an affiliate link, how else do you expect Blesta to apply commissions correctly? It's a lot more helpful to suggest a different solution than to simply say "I don't like this the way it is right now." The only other way I can see to do this would be to include the affiliate number in the link at first, but then strip it and move that to a cookie instead. That sounds like a lot of work for a fairly minor thing, though.

[Michael]

Abhineet, I think you'll find most hosting companies require an affiliate link similar to the one Blesta provides you. So if there won't be an affiliate link, how else do you expect Blesta to apply commissions correctly? It's a lot more helpful to suggest a different solution than to simply say "I don't like this the way it is right now." The only other way I can see to do this would be to include the affiliate number in the link at first, but then strip it and move that to a cookie instead. That sounds like a lot of work for a fairly minor thing, though.

 

Haha that url link is the one for another software, Blesta doesn't have one yet. They are going to be doing one which is advanced though.

[Abhineet]

Abhineet, I think you'll find most hosting companies require an affiliate link similar to the one Blesta provides you. 

 

Blesta doesn't have at the moment as what Mike said.

 

 

So if there won't be an affiliate link, how else do you expect Blesta to apply commissions correctly? It's a lot more helpful to suggest a different solution than to simply say "I don't like this the way it is right now." The only other way I can see to do this would be to include the affiliate number in the link at first, but then strip it and move that to a cookie instead. That sounds like a lot of work for a fairly minor thing, though.

 

Well, I didn't said that "I don't like this the way it is right now". I just said it'd be nice if we'll have this feature so affiliates can advertise on forums where affiliate links are not allowed.

 

Affiliates can use coupon feature [even that's better than advertising their referral links]. I don't think everyone want 100% commission, if they'd like to grow they can allow some discounts by generating their own coupons and by this way they can track the signups they're getting.

 

I'll love to see a reply from Paul if it can be implemented like this or not.

[Paul]

We will be doing an affiliate system plugin, however it's pretty low priority at the moment.

[cleverhost]

Sorry, I clearly misunderstood Abhineet's original post. I agree that an affiliate system is important, but I understand it's low priority right now.

[FRH Dave]

Bumping this request.  I understand it's a low priority, but I thought of an idea.  I hate seeing things like /?aff=102 on a URL, because it tells me I'm clicking an affiliate link.  I just have an aversion to that.  Maybe it's just me.

 

But what if Blesta's URL read something like /mode=9fa83829105c2b9d -- maybe some 8-digit hex value that looks innocent, but is actually the affiliate link?  Far from deceptive, it gets that "aff" out of the URL and -- get this -- doesn't indicate the total number of affiliates you have.  Those of us who like to keep our company data private would appreciate that.

[Michael]

Bumping this request.  I understand it's a low priority, but I thought of an idea.  I hate seeing things like /?aff=102 on a URL, because it tells me I'm clicking an affiliate link.  I just have an aversion to that.  Maybe it's just me.

 

But what if Blesta's URL read something like /mode=9fa83829105c2b9d -- maybe some 8-digit hex value that looks innocent, but is actually the affiliate link?  Far from deceptive, it gets that "aff" out of the URL and -- get this -- doesn't indicate the total number of affiliates you have.  Those of us who like to keep our company data private would appreciate that.

 

Maybe ?a=9fa83829105c2b9d or url.com/9fa83829105c2b9d/

[FRH Dave]

Maybe ?a=9fa83829105c2b9d or url.com/9fa83829105c2b9d/

 

I definitely like the second option better.

[Michael]

I definitely like the second option better.

 

Special Affiliate hash. 

[RebornWebs]

We all cant wait for this but sadly there are more priority things what need doing first.

[FRH Dave]

We all cant wait for this but sadly there are more priority things what need doing first.

 

I agree - if the WHMCS importer was 100% finished, and the packages could be reordered, and the new order forms were in, and Blesta v3 wasn't basically an entirely new system, I'd be leaning on them a little harder for this.  As it is, I can manage for now.

[Paul]

Note taken, no obvious affiliate links. There will need to be a unique link, with some type of identifier, but I agree.. I don't click on anything that has the word "aff" in it as part of a URL parameter.

[MemoryX2]

Note taken, no obvious affiliate links. There will need to be a unique link, with some type of identifier, but I agree.. I don't click on anything that has the word "aff" in it as part of a URL parameter.

 

 

I certainly agree with that as well.

[Daniel B]

I guess I'm one of the ones that doesn't mind clicking on affliate links as I see no reason not to help other people make money....

 

however, I'm 100% in agreement that it shouldn't be obvious that it's an affiliate link.

 

I also think it should be at least medium priority...affiliate systems are a pretty huge part of hosting...

[RebornWebs]

I guess I'm one of the ones that doesn't mind clicking on affliate links as I see no reason not to help other people make money....

 

however, I'm 100% in agreement that it shouldn't be obvious that it's an affiliate link.

 

I also think it should be at least medium priority...affiliate systems are a pretty huge part of hosting...

i dont mind also but lots of people see that its an affiliate link and then dont use it.

[Exhz Hosting]

Any more news on this. It is a great idea!

[Paul]

Any more news on this. It is a great idea!

 

I've created a task for it, CORE-1091 and it can be tracked there. It is tentatively assigned to v3.3, but it's not guaranteed to be in that release.

[webdok]

+1

[cleverhost]

Thanks for the update Paul. At this point we could probably do without the affiliate system given the lack of new customers arriving through it, but we do have one other need that needs to be fulfilled before we switch from HB (OpenSRS).

[Paul]

Thanks for the update Paul. At this point we could probably do without the affiliate system given the lack of new customers arriving through it, but we do have one other need that needs to be fulfilled before we switch from HB (OpenSRS).

 

I'm hoping Cody can get back to OpenSRS after we get 3.2 out there. It's always all hands on deck leading up to a new release.

I'll be fully spec'ing out the affiliate system plugin soon so it can move on to development.

[Michael]

I'm hoping Cody can get back to OpenSRS after we get 3.2 out there. It's always all hands on deck leading up to a new release.

I'll be fully spec'ing out the affiliate system plugin soon so it can move on to development.

 

3.3 haha

[sedudohost]

3.3 ??    hopefully quickly completed. cause could be a media campaign hosting business

[Michael]

 

3.3 ??    hopefully quickly completed. cause could be a media campaign hosting business

 

 

Currently it's scheduled for 3.3 as CORE-1091 but it can change depending on how long it takes for it and for the 3.3 as it's a small faster release (Hopefully)