Commission Junction (CJ) doesn't like coupon sites?

[OscarMike]

Hi guys, I run a small coupon site (kind of like Retailmenot but a lot smaller). I'm having a tough time getting accepted into individual merchants' affiliate program on CJ.

Someone on another forum told me that CJ doesn't like coupon sites. If that's the case, how did Retailmenot get accepted? Coupon Cabin? I think I'm missing something.

Is it possible to run a coupon affiliate site in 2021?

 

[Graybeard]

Take a look at share-a-sale
Trusted Affiliate Marketing Network | ShareASale
you may meet less resistance there ...

 

[Honeybadger]

I have applied to over 100 affiliate programs, with 85% success rate
You will normally get accepted with right approach
Best way is polite email saying how much traffic you get
You can ask for a Face Time to show how professional you are
Other answers can be found by carefully reading TOS for each affiliate program

• Does the client allow coupon sites?
• Does your site look highly professional?
• Do you get alot of traffic?
• What is your USP?
• Is your site likely to affect the clients Google ranking?

Remember, the human on the other end needs to understand the benefit of accepting you
They probably get 100s daily applications

 

[bikabon]

• What is your USP?
• Is your site likely to affect the clients Google ranking?

Hi @Honeybadger,
I have encountered the same problem as the OP.
What do you mean by USP?
By "affect the clients Google ranking", do you mean an affiliate might lower down the clients' Google ranking? How is that possible?

Thank you

 

[T J Tutor]

Someone on another forum told me that CJ doesn't like coupon sites. If that's the case, how did Retailmenot get accepted? Coupon Cabin? I think I'm missing something.

Those two are kind of grandfathered in. The trouble began when all of the look alike sites slammed the internet all at once. It happened quick. There were a handful of these sites one year, and then suddenly there were hundreds of them and many of the platforms like CJ became overwhelmed with cheap, unworthy, knockoffs and the platforms like CJ have lost interest in them since.