XenForo Affiliate System

[QenTox]

I really love this forum software and I am really surprised you don't have yet your affiliate system! Or is it only me who couldn't find it?! As a business man I have to say it is one of the best ways how to sell more products (licenses in your case)!

Let's say I will recommend XenForo to my friend. Or I will create XenForo forum for people in my country, where I will persuade them to buy a license by listing all the features and positives. I will have to buy a XenForo license, hosting and I will spend decent amount of my free time working on this site and give members support in my language. I am too working on a translation now. Basically I will work on a project, which will make money for you. Wouldn't it be fair to get something back too for sending you a new customers?

Not sure what others think about this. But XenForo have no costs, only income from someone you refer and buy the product. It would be a great way how to involve your members to spread the word about this great forum software and to make it even more popular! How to do this affiliate system? I am sure you will figure this out. It could be through links (cookies), refer box when purchasing license, where you could enter email, name, ...

 

[QenTox]

Could a mod delete the poll or change it for me please? It is unfinished and it seems I can not do anything about it righ now.

 

[Andrej]

Mentioned a few times. http://xenforo.com/community/threads/suggestion-affliate-xenforo.22728/#post-283761

 

[QenTox]

So the search function here is not working then for me or I just don't know how to use it

 

[Andrej]

So the search function here is not working then for me or I just don't know how to use it

I used Affiliate System as the search query and found the above post on page two of the search results.

 

[QenTox]

OK Andrej, so please link me a statement from someone from XenForo about Affiliate System The last discussions are like 2-3 years old? As I had a quick look, when one of the developers replied the site was in beta stage with no pricing known.

 

[Paul B]

There is no affiliate system and currently no plans to introduce one.

 

[Shelley]

Regardless whether a affiliation system is in place, or not I'll recommend to anyone to try out xenforo if it makes their life easier (which it will) I can't say I need much incentive (financially or otherwise) to spread the word about how good xenforo is. That is just my personal 2cents worth on the matter.

 

[QenTox]

Shelley that was not my point. I don't want to name here members, that are working on add-ons, templates, etc. Most of them don't do it for free as it involves a lot of work. So why would I purchase a license, hosting and spend a good amount of my free time just to make this software popular in my country and earn money for someone else? It seems like no one even use XenForo apart of me in Slovakia! But there are loads of IP Board and vBulletin sites. Are those 2 forum softwares better? No they aren't! I am not money hungry, but I have a job and life too and I can spend my freetime more enjoyable. Hope it is more clear now what I meant! It is pretty easy to know from which site the new customer came from so it would be for XenForo a great way to know (not everyone will sign up to this affiliate program) who is promoting your site and to reward that person somehow.

 

[Lisa]

Shelley that was not my point. I don't want to name here members, that are working on add-ons, templates, etc. Most of them don't do it for free. So why would I purchase a license, hosting and spend a good amount of my free time just to make this software popular in my country and earn money for someone else? It seems like no one even use XenForo apart of me in Slovakia! But there are loads of IP Board and vBulletin sites. Are those 2 forum softwares better? No they aren't! I am not money hungry, but I have a job and life too and I can spend my freetime more enjoyable. Hope it is more clear now what I meant! It is pretty easy to know from which site the new customer came from so it would be for XenForo a great way to know (not everyone will sign up to this affiliate program) who is promoting your site and to reward that person somehow.

I think what has to be considered is how young XenForo is as a software, and the fact that they've just come out of a long drawn-out lawsuit that must have cost them a small fortune. The last thing they need at the moment is to reduce their income by paying out to affiliates. Maybe when the software is a little older with a bigger budget it could possibly be considered, but right now, I'd be very surprised if it was offered - and personally, I don't think it's something that needs to be looked at right now

 

[QenTox]

I guess none of you never used affiliate system if you only think about getting less money. It is about selling more licences and not selling the same amount of licences with lower income. Affiliate system was actually made to make more money! Why would otherwise most of the big companies sign up for affiliate systems via Affiliate Future, Trade Doubler, Buy.it etc? I think it is no point in explaining this, seems like no one undestand what is affiliate system about. It is getting new customers and not referring Azhria Lilu from Shelley and vice versa, so you could get some money from XenForo.

 

[Lisa]

I guess none of you never used affiliate system if you only think about getting less money. It is about selling more licences and not selling the same amount of licences with lower income. Affiliate system was actually made to make more money! Why would otherwise most of the big companies sign up for affiliate systems via Affiliate Future, Trade Doubler, Buy.it etc? I think it is no point in explaining this, seems like no one undestand what is affiliate system about. It is getting new customers and not referring Azhria Lilu from Shelley and vice versa, so you could get some money from XenForo.

I'm not interested in getting some money from XenForo, I will happily advertise them without needing to be acknowledged for the fact I know exactly what an affiliate system is - it's where you get a percentage when someone uses your affiliate link to make a purchase. Since I have no desire to take any money away from XenForo, nor do I need them to see how many new customers I'm sending their way, I do not require or desire an affiliate system when I can just manually put a link to XenForo on my site with a nice advert.

 

[Shelley]

Shelley that was not my point. I don't want to name here members, that are working on add-ons, templates, etc. Most of them don't do it for free as it involves a lot of work. So why would I purchase a license, hosting and spend a good amount of my free time just to make this software popular in my country and earn money for someone else? It seems like no one even use XenForo apart of me in Slovakia! But there are loads of IP Board and vBulletin sites. Are those 2 forum softwares better? No they aren't! I am not money hungry, but I have a job and life too and I can spend my freetime more enjoyable. Hope it is more clear now what I meant! It is pretty easy to know from which site the new customer came from so it would be for XenForo a great way to know (not everyone will sign up to this affiliate program) who is promoting your site and to reward that person somehow.

Not sure what your point is but I'm not judging you for wanting to make a little extra from some kind of affiliation program. I'm just merely posting from my own perspective on the subject that I don't need an incentive to promote what I regard is the best forum software.

I guess none of you never used affiliate system if you only think about getting less money. It is about selling more licences and not selling the same amount of licences with lower income. Affiliate system was actually made to make more money! Why would otherwise most of the big companies sign up for affiliate systems via Affiliate Future, Trade Doubler, Buy.it etc? I think it is no point in explaining this, seems like no one undestand what is affiliate system about. It is getting new customers and not referring Azhria Lilu from Shelley and otherwise, so you could get some money from XenForo.

Now now. I've been part of affiliation programs but like i said, I'm just posting and telling my own brand of 2 cents from my perspective, I don't need an incentive but whether or not xenforo did have an affiliation program I'd still promote the software in anyway I could since it's a software and the people behind it I believe in.

 

[QenTox]

My last comment to this topic. I am sure you all love your jobs and you work just for a smile of your boss If I wasn't convinced about a quality of XenForo, I would never purchase it. I was not talking here about spreading the word via forums, but about serious dedicated work explained above with one purpose, advertising this software in a market, where no one knows about it with one goal, making customers for XenForo. I am off this conversation, as this was meant to be mostly for @Ashley (business guy at XenForo I guess) but he will probably never see this post. Not sure how is Brogan involved in this company.

 

[Lisa]

My last comment to this topic. I am sure you all love your jobs and you work just for a smile of your boss

Actually, yes I do I work as a housewife and my bosses are my children

 

[Slavik]

My last comment to this topic. I am sure you all love your jobs and you work just for a smile of your boss If I wasn't convinced about a quality of XenForo, I would never purchase it. I was not talking here about spreading the word via forums, but about serious dedicated work explained above with one purpose, advertising this software in a market, where no one knows about it with one goal, making customers for XenForo. I am off this conversation, as this was meant to be mostly for @Ashley (business guy at XenForo I guess) but he will probably never see this post. Not sure how is Brogan involved in this company.

It's a sentiment we get asked via the support system every couple of days.

Unfortunately, as well as benefits, an affiliate system also has drawbacks, such as:

1) XenForo is already the most competatively priced premium forum solution available, adding affiliate commissions means pretty much only one thing, the price goes up.

2) Management of affiliates, ensuring that no cookie stuffing or other similar underhand tactics are used.

3) Competition between affiliates, people pushing affiliate links to new customers can be offputting (which we already insist that any affiliate links are exposed)

4) Extra work for accounting for affiliates, managing payments, managing chargebacks etc etc etc...


The idea is one I can understand why you may want to get involved, but I imagine for the near future at least, there won't be any affiliate system, not until things have settled down at least.

 

[Shelley]

My last comment to this topic. I am sure you all love your jobs and you work just for a smile of your boss If I wasn't convinced about a quality of XenForo, I would never purchase it. I was not talking here about spreading the word via forums, but about serious dedicated work explained above with one purpose, advertising this software in a market, where no one knows about it with one goal, making customers for XenForo. I am off this conversation, as this was meant to be mostly for @Ashley (business guy at XenForo I guess) but he will probably never see this post. Not sure how is Brogan involved in this company.

I think the issue at hand here is you find it hard to digest that sometimes, not all but sometimes people will seldom need an incentive. Again, speaking merely for myself here and am not against your wanting for some kind of affiliation. I've always got from family and friends "why do you provide for free?" "you could sell your works" but if I tried to explain they wouldn't understand which is what is happening here. I can certainly understand why you want to see an affiliation system but again I speak from my own perspective.

Since you now mentioned the question was for Ashley I'll bow out but since you created a Poll this indicated to me you were wanting other people's thoughts on the matter.

 

[QenTox]

@Slavik I understand your concerns about abusing the system, but I am sure you will not start Affiliate System, without making rules, which will make it clear, who are referring real new customers to you. Really it makes no sense convincing someone from pre-sale thread here about buying XenForo license and then claiming it as a customer who you referred. I can also see many advantages, but is all up to you, you will make the rules for it, if it will ever happen

@Shelley, I am running a community site, where I had no income for 3 years. No ads, nothing. And it is a busy site in my country. Now I am migrating from phpBB3 to XenForo which is clearly not free just to give the community something better. I was offered many times a donation from my members for the work I did for the community, but I never accepted it.

 

[agison]

1+

 

[Flexin]

You wouldn't have to do it for free. Put ads on the site you build and/or offer a service to help people convert to xenforo. It could be a win/win for you and xenforo.

James