I just got done with the Commission Junction Coupon Code webinar and I thought it was really good. Very well prepared and full of information and good ideas. Here are some of the highlights from the couopn code webinar:

- Coupon codes are gaining popularity based on the bad economy, here are the latest percentages of where web visitors are going on the Internet: Search 37%, Coupons 25%, Comparison sites 17%, Auctions 17%

- Coupons are the fastest growing category on websites, boasting
#1 in the top 10 website categories
- October 2008 to November 2008 up +32%
- Unique visitors to coupon sites are up almost 50% over a year ago
- Coupon Sites in general are up 34% year or year growth
- 62% of US shoppers are using coupon when shopping online.
- Searches for “coupon” doubled to 19.9 million, while “discount” rose 26% to 6.3 million searches.

Strategies for merchants using coupons effectively with affiliates:
- Plan for Success
- Add negative match to search policy
- limit redemptions
- Purchase threshold
- Beware coupon stacking

Coupon Code’s viral nature: Coupons can be great because they get spread around to firends and family.

How to maximize coupons so they don’t hurt your margins:
- Coupons aren’t all or nothing
- Choose higher margin products
- Coupons can be product specific
- Use coupons to clear out inventory
- Use custom codes and links
- Create exclusive coupons
- Use vanity coupon codes

- Recent studies are showing that online shoppers are shopping specifically because of special offers and coupons.
- Coupon codes create urgency

Regarding whether coupon codes create long-term customers or not:
- Coupons create customer engagement
- Customers love the “treasure hunt”
- Loyalty is built-up over time

Disspelling the myth that coupons destroy the brand:
- Holiday Season 08 - coupons really went mainstream
- Even high-end stores are in the game
- Have a good strategy when rolling out coupons

Advice for affiliates on how to use coupon sites and make their site more valuable. Goal should be to have a site visitors bookmark and share with their friends. Check and see how well the coupon is performing on your site. Put your coupon codes into your newsletters. Develop long-term advertiser relationships.

Advice for merchants:
- Not just a discount strategy
- Great for new customer acquisition
- Coupon code traffic sticks

Questions and Answers:
- Can coupons be offered without codes? Yes they can. Doesn’t have to be a code, could be free shipping, or new product launches, and gift cards.
- What are the best perfoming offers for coupons? Percent or dollar off. Answer: some sites see dollar off and some see % off converting better. Recommendation to advertiser is to test different strategies and maybe a combination. Research shows that dollars off the sale are more effective, but it depends on the nature of the business/offer.
- What is the negtive match aspect about? Answer: advertisers should make clear in their SEM policies whether they want the affiliates to show up in search for your trademarks with the word coupon.
- Will the affiliate receive the commission if the link isn’t click by the buyer. Answer: is to embed to coupon code within the text link or banner ad.
- Vanity codes are higher converting and affiliates like them too!

All and all, I think it was a good webinar. They covered most of the hot topics and there was a good amount of statistics to back it up. I personally think all affiliate merchants should be using coupon codes to their benefit. I’d love to know your opinion on coupon codes best practices for affiliates and merchants. Thanks!

Commission Junction will be holding a webinar for merchants about coupon codes and coupon strategies in general. As we know, coupon codes have become one of the most popular forms of online marketing for affiliates. Merchants not offering coupon codes are likely not tapping into as many good affiliates as they could be. With the economy in it’s current crisis, couponing by consumers will likely increase. So, all merchants leveraging the affiliate marketing channel should be using coupon codes with their affiliates to increase traffic and sales. Here is the information from the Commission Junction webinar sign-up:

The current economy and the sophistication of online shoppers have created the “perfect storm” for online coupons. But can coupons be an effective and profitable long term business strategy? We’ve all heard the common concerns about margins and lack of control. The truth is, when used effectively, coupons can generate incredible revenue for both advertisers and publishers alike. It’s the “used effectively” part that can be tricky!

Join us for this Webinar and you’ll learn how:
• Both advertisers and publishers can use coupons in a way that benefits both groups
• To set up link activated coupon codes
• To create a Web site that makes user come back time and again

you should register and check out this CJ webinar. You will likely learn a few things about coupon codes and coupon code affiliates. I look forward to it myself and your feedback on this site. Thanks!