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April 2003 |
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AppleStore
Up to 3% on sales |
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Hello. Gilles, before asking you about Apple, would you mind telling us a few words about yourself first?
I came to Apple a few months ago, after several years heading the European Internet section of a major IT retailer. Developing Apple Store is a real challenge ? on the one hand you?ve got the enormous potential of the Apple brand and Apple?s magnificent products, and on the other, you need to respect the indirect channel relationship.
The Apple affiliation programme was launched last summer in France and Germany, now in Great Britain. Could you remind us of its main features?
This programme is linked to Apple Store, Apple?s online outlet, which is emerging as a European player in e-commerce. We were regularly being contacted by many sites that wanted to offer our products, so we set up this affiliation programme for everyone to benefit from the image and quality of Apple?s products and the company?s strong growth in this field!
Specifically, we offer our partners a minimum remuneration rate of 2.5% on each sale, which can increase depending on the turnover generated. What?s more, our average sale price on Apple Store is very high and helps us ensure a sizeable turnover.
Why do you offer this payment, and how can affiliates work towards increasing it?
Our affiliate selection process is very strict, but we will generously reward those who fulfil our criteria. Combined with a particularly high average ?basket? value and the quality of our offer, the Apple Store programme is certainly one of the most status-enhancing on the market. Affiliates can also earn three per cent commission once they?ve generated a volume of more than 20 sales or a value of more than £7,500.
Apple Store keeps a close eye on its affiliate network, and in the near future we?re going to set up some motivation schemes for our affiliate partners, with bonuses, gifts and so on.
Suppose I become an affiliate of the Apple Store programme today ? what is the added value to my site, apart from the payment offered?
In the high-tech IT world, Apple is a byword for originality, creativity and quality. The success of its increasingly high-performance products ? iMac, iPod, PowerBook or the software solutions of Final Cut Pro 3 and DVD Studio Pro ? re-inforces the strategy of constant innovation that Apple has chosen. What?s more, Apple?s products? excellent compatibility with PCs allows us to address a much wider audience.
By displaying products from Apple Store on your site, you will be offering original, attractive, powerful and high-quality products.
A few words about the products available on Apple Store?
Apple Store offers a whole range of Apple products with the possibility of configuring machines on request ? iMac, PowerMac, iBook, PowerBook, iPod, the flat-screen Apple Studio Display and Apple Cinema Display.
We also offer a wide choice of accessories and software selected for their full compatibility with our products ? digital cameras, digital camcorders, joysticks, etc. And you can get all your consumables there, from CD-Rs and DVD-Rs to the most popular software ? Adobe Photoshop 7, Microsoft Office X, Macromedia Flash MX and lots of games such as Alien vs. Predator, The Sims and the new Warcraft III.
It?s also the ideal place to read the latest Apple news, from press releases to event announcements.
What internal resources has Apple used to manage this programme and to develop strong partnerships?
Because the affiliation programme represents a central pillar of the Apple Store development strategy, a dedicated internal team has been assigned to it. Affiliation is a firm commitment to a long-term marketing plan and will be closely followed by this new team, which is in charge of supervising and developing any potential partnerships.
How does that translate into concrete actions and what are the advantages of this team for affiliates?br>
Apple Store intends to help its partners by giving them the means to develop. Display graphics, sales tools, information about launches ? the whole marketing package will be regularly renewed, and very soon our affiliates will be able to go to the Apple Store site to supplement information provided by Tradedoubler.
Finally, as I explained before, in the near future we hope to set up challenges to motivate our partners, with bonuses and gifts as incentives.
Have you got a message or a word of advice for Tradedoubler affiliates?
It works! In France, after just three weeks with the program, some partners had already reached the 12,000-euro threshold and have started earning their extra three per cent. What works best is to use the direct links to current events and new releases.
On a personal note, what was the last thing you bought online?
A digital camera? from Apple Store, of course!
Thank you Gilles
 Join the program now!
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