14/09/2022
The Merchant
The merchant is the business that creates and owns the product or service that is being sold. In affiliate marketing, the merchant is also known as the 'retailer' or 'brand'.
The merchant is responsible for creating and maintaining their affiliate program. This includes recruiting affiliates, providing them with creative materials (such as banners and links), and tracking their sales and commissions.
The merchant is also responsible for paying the affiliate their commission. This is typically done on a monthly basis, but some merchants may choose to pay out commissions more frequently (such as weekly or bi-weekly).
The Network
The network is the middleman between the merchant and the affiliate. The network is responsible for managing the affiliate program for the merchant, including recruiting affiliates, providing them with creative materials, and tracking their sales and commissions.
The network also handles the payments to the affiliates, and is typically the entity that pays out commissions to the affiliates on behalf of the merchant.
The Publisher (Affiliate)
The publisher is the affiliate who promotes the merchant's products or services. The publisher is responsible for generating traffic to the merchant's website and for driving sales.
The publisher is typically compensated by the merchant through a commission on sales, but some affiliate programs may also offer other types of compensation, such as a flat fee or a performance bonus
The Customer
The customer is the end user of the product or service being sold by the merchant. In affiliate marketing, the customer is also known as the 'consumer'.
The customer is not directly involved in the affiliate marketing process, but their purchase of the product or service is what ultimately generates revenue for the merchant.
