| If you are thinking about selling your own products | | | | use Clickbank. |
| online, there are a lot of different aspects that you | | | | Another option is to run your program in-house, using a |
| need to be aware of. | | | | script. With this, there are a number of advantages, but |
| To begin with, you will need some way of collecting | | | | also disadvantages (it's more work for you). A big |
| money from your customers. An easy option would | | | | advantage with an in-house script is that you can have |
| be to use Paypal. It's convenient, you can have it setup | | | | a multi-tier affiliate program (something not possible |
| in no time at all, and more and more people are | | | | with Clickbank, or Paydotcom). You'll also have total |
| shopping through Paypal with each passing month. | | | | control over who can sign up for your program. This is |
| However, there are some downsides to this | | | | not possible with Clickbank. |
| solution.e.g. Do you want to run an affiliate program? | | | | Whatever system you decide to use, there will come |
| An affiliate program is where other people can | | | | a time when you want to look for joint venture |
| promote your product(s), and you pay them a | | | | partners, that is, affiliates to sell your products. How do |
| commission, if, and only if, they make a sale for you. Its | | | | you go about that? Where do you find JV partners for |
| a great way to kick start the sales of your new | | | | your particular niche, that will sell your products? |
| product. | | | | You are also going to have to think about piracy of |
| By offering a good commission rate, you can entice | | | | your product. What is going to stop someone giving a |
| the better affiliates to promote your product. | | | | copy of your work to a friend, or even selling it? One |
| Unfortunately, Paypal don't have any built in way to | | | | of my early products ended up on a hacks website, |
| include an affiliate program in the sales process. There | | | | where the webmaster was selling my full product for |
| are other options dedicated to selling eProducts | | | | $20. With different laws in different countries, stopping |
| through affiliate programs, e.g. Paydotcom works with | | | | these thieves isn't easy. |
| Paypal, to allow you to run an affiliate program using | | | | If those things aren't enough to think about, you'll need |
| Paypal as the payment processor. However, I have | | | | to find the best way to handle customer support. Is |
| always found their interface very clunky. | | | | email good enough? Maybe a help desk solution. |
| Another option would be Clickbank, but again, there are | | | | How are you going to handle refunds? Are you going |
| some flaws in the Clickbank system that some find | | | | to have a guarantee? |
| just too limiting to be considered as a serious | | | | Selling your own products is not difficult, but you do |
| alternative. Certainly, in some niches, you just wont get | | | | need to have a system in place for all of these |
| decent affiliates prepared to promote your stuff if you | | | | considerations. |