PJN Stats Are Horendous
Whomever talked PepperJamNetwork into using SID reports instead of domain reports must have been one smooth talker. It's cumbersome, difficult to read, specifically in regards to the eBay affiliate program when running multiple BANS and phpBay stores. To Pepper Jam's credit however it is the only issue I have with the company.
Anytime I've called the fine ladies over at PJN they have been quick to answer the phone, helpful, and always seemed to talk with a smile on their face. Hell, just tlaking to a real person at a company feels like an exercise in futility and rarely does the person ansering the phone know the answers to my questions. Thank you Pepper Jam for providing GREAT customer support.
But please , PLEASE, PLEASE fix your reporting to offer some sort of solution other than SID tracking. A simple way to analyze my stats via domain would provide me much more useful information than the crap SID reporting shows. Perhaps this is only a problem for those using BANS or phpBay, but I know it's a pain in the ass because I can never tell specifically where the sale is coming from.
Furthermore, as a message to the boys managing the eBay affiliate program, FIX BOTS BEING COUNTED AS CLICKS. Here we are months after release and bots are still being counted as clicks on my reporting methods through Pepperjam, which is destroying my EPC. Figuring ROI through my ad campaigns is difficult enough on it's own, without having to comb through worthless reports and 'guess' at what my real EPC is.
Pepper Jam Network
Does Anyone Still Use Google Chrome?
Oddly enough I'm writing this post using Google Chrome, but only after I put on my french maid outfit and dusted that Chrome icon off. To be honest, since it doesn't offer any quality Add-Ons as of yet, it's fell by the wayside. I'm surprised that Google hasn't done more to encourage developers to create Chrome Add-Ons, at least in any capacity to compete with FireFox.
Searching for a solution to the Chrome add on problem I did come across a site called My Chrome Addons. This site is the closest thing to a repository of useful tools for Chrome as it gets, but seems to focus more on themes than actual tools that increase user experience. In it's raw form Chrome has yet to do anything that FireFox can't do better.
Furthermore, it's just not as stable as originally advertised. Well, just typing this post it's crashed on me completely, not just a few functions. I've never had any problems using FireFox, in regards to stability, other than it's wildely free roaming memory consumption. Hell, this many revisions later I'd hope they would have that fixed by now.
As mentioned previously, I am writing this blog post in the Chrome browser, but it almost feels unnatural. Generally when researching blog posts I'll have multiple FireFox windows and tabs open. Chrome doesn't offer one-click opening of multiple instances of itself. So for now, Google Chrome will remain a novelty icon, a program I dust off every so often to see if any progress has been made.
Google Chrome Logo
Alternative To CPA Premium Content Gateway
CPALead offers a great tool to affiliates that provides a popup announcing to the visitor that they are accessing premium content. In this popup it offers ways to access the page by filling out a few forms and generally submitting an email. Of course these forms are affiliate links, which payout to the site owner, making the operator some cash by being paid per lead. I needed an alternative to this, one that I could modify myself and add other offers and tweak to my hearts desire.
After some searching I found a free alternative to teh Premium Content Gateway script provided by CPALead, which is completely independent of any affiliate network. I used the code from Dynamic Drive and their DHTML Window Widget to create my own content gateway.
The widget provides code that you must add to the pages of your site where you want the window to popup. The widget actually works by opening a preexisting html page that you create. Therefore it's possible to add any text, images, or affiliate links you want. The html page can of course be modeled directly after the CPALead gateway if you wish.
View an example of my Premium Content Gateway to a MySpace resource site. Happy affiliating!
phpBay To Offer phpAmazon
Wade from phpBay.com is currently working on an all new plugin called phpZon, which will work similarly to phpBay but for Amazon products. The work seems to be started from a direct response from current phpBay users who have been banned from eBay and looking for an alternative. In todays affiliate landscape it's becoming increasingly important to diversify your revenue streams, everyone should start taking a look at their current portfolio.
phpZon beta has already been released and current owners of phpBay can take advantage of special pricing. According to Wade the first official release of the Amazon wordpress plugin will sell for $49.00 and as features are added increase in price. However, if you purchase phpBay now or are a current owner, you can buy phpZon for only $30. Like all of Wade's plugins upgrades and added features in the future are all free.
phpZon Features currently implemented in Beta or on the way:
- SEO Urls
- mod_rewrite on Amazon Images
- Options to display reviews, product features, sale price, normal price, etc...
- Display user ratings
- Adjust number of listings to be displayed.
- and more in the future.
As mentioned in previous posts on NailsBlog.com, I'm sold on phpBay and use it on a handful of blogs. I've already purchased the beta of phpZon and am looking forward to it's final release. Before the price goes up, I'd suggest you purchase a copy as well.
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