Questions, answered straight

An affiliate agency runs your affiliate channel properly: setting up the program, recruiting the right publishers, managing commissions and campaigns, reporting, and catching problems like leakage and ad-hijacking early. The network is the platform – the agency is the management that makes it perform. Full answer: Affiliate & Partner Marketing →

Yes – if you have a capable in-house partnerships or affiliate manager, a network-only setup can be enough. The network is the platform, not the strategy: someone still has to run the program, build publisher relationships and manage commissions. Full answer: Network vs agency →

Once the channel clearly justifies a full-time hire and you can get a good one. Before that point an agency gives you better coverage with less risk – and good in-house people still need tools, network support and publisher relationships around them. Full answer: In-house vs agency →

You need decent existing sales, a conversion rate that holds up, stock, and enough margin to fund commissions. Affiliate amplifies a store that already works – it does not fix one that does not. If those pieces are missing, we will tell you to fix them first. Full answer: Affiliate & Partner Marketing →

It depends on the pricing model and scope. Australian agencies charge a monthly retainer, a performance component tied to affiliate revenue, or a hybrid of both. Heavy publisher outreach, demanding reporting and intense partner management push fees up; a well-set-up program that just needs managing costs less. Full answer: Pricing →

Yes. Network fees are separate from agency fees and depend on the platform. Networks charge the brand directly – typically a platform fee plus an override on affiliate commissions. Your agency manages the network; it does not absorb its costs. Full answer: Pricing →

Often, because launch is front-loaded work: network setup, tracking integration, commission architecture and the first round of publisher recruitment. At Olivestreet, setup fees are typically waived on 12-month agreements. Full answer: Pricing →

It depends on your size and needs: Commission Factory is the pragmatic starting point for Australian retail, Impact is stronger for bigger and international brands, and Partnerize is competitive with the right support setup. Choose on the offering for your category, never on price or habit. Full answer: Network comparison →

Rakuten Advertising is making impact.com its exclusive technology platform – tracking, contracting and payments move to Impact while Rakuten pivots to managed services. Brands on Rakuten will migrate over coming contract cycles, and a migration done blind carries real risk: audit first, clean up, then move. Full answer: Rakuten → Impact migration →

The first 90 days are build work: audit, cleanup, network setup, publisher list, outreach and first campaigns. Affiliate is a slower build than paid social but more efficient once running, because you pay on performance. Full answer: How to start a program →

Cashback publishers like ShopBack and Cashrewards can drive genuine volume and support key campaigns – or quietly hand commission to sales that were already coming. It works when run deliberately, with boosted rates timed to sale periods and performance watched against incrementality, not just revenue. Full answer: Cashback & loyalty guide →

It depends on margin, category and difficulty of sale. Fashion and beauty can usually be more aggressive than furniture or travel. Low-margin brands need to be careful but still competitive enough to get publisher attention – and tiers for new customers, high-value partners and key campaigns beat one flat rate. Full answer: Commission guide →

A partner gets credit if their link helped drive the sale within the agreed window. Last-click still dominates because it is simple and understood; multi-touch needs clean data and a team that understands it. Fair rules and clean tracking matter more than the model you pick. Full answer: Attribution guide →