Public outcry topples Colorado Advertising Tax

In a stunning victory for our industry, Colorado lawmakers today announced the removal of any mention of affiliates in a bill that once sought to establish nexus for affiliates in the state.

The Performance Marketing Alliance, the performance marketing watchdog group that is coordinating the offensive against such legislation nationwide, attributes this unexpected news to the large number of Colorado citizens who turned out en masse Thursday night to express their displeasure about HB 1193.

HB1193 is now solely focused on collecting use tax and no longer has anything do with affiliates.
This is not the amendment that has been under development, creating partial exemption for online affiliates.

For more information visit the Performance Marketing Alliance.

How do you solve a problem like affiliate fraud?

This is a monumental question, one that has been around as long as affiliate marketing, and one that now threatens the very future of our industry. This is also the topic of next week’s episode of the Affiliate Marketing Insider podcast.

Joining us on the podcast are three people who are now working to lead our industry’s attempt to self-regulate affiliate fraud:
- Rebecca Madigan, Executive Director of the Performance Marketing Alliance
- Jivan Manhas, Head of Sales for Media Trust
- Mark Roth, co-founder of Offer Vault

Among the topics we will discuss:
- What constitutes affiliate fraud?
- What is fraud doing to the affiliate marketing industry?
- Who is responsible for policing fraud?

None of these questions have simple answers – not even the definition of affiliate fraud and the determination of what constitutes affiliate fraud. Manhas and Roth both say that an action constitutes affiliate fraud when there is malicious intent or out and out theft. Do you agree?

Tune in to WebmasterRadio.fm at noon Pacific (3 p.m. Eastern) next Thursday, Nov. 19, for
the next episode of Affiliate Marketing Insider and our conversation about affiliate fraud.

New PMA Board of Directors discuss future on podcast

Newly elected members of the Performance Marketing Alliance Board of Directors are joining Linda Woods at noon Pacific today on the Affiliate Marketing Insider podcast, which is broadcast live at webmasterradio.fm.

Several members of the new board are joining Linda to discuss the mission and scope of the PMA, what it’s doing with respect to affiliate tax legislation and what membership offers for members and member organizations.

“The PMA is our industry’s first formal watchdog organization,” Woods said. “It’s very important that everyone in the industry get involved and make use of the many resources this new organization is bringing to the table.”

On Aug. 10 the Performance Marketing Alliance announced its new Board of Directors, which includes:

* Chris Henger, head of Google Affiliate Network
* Scott Jangro, co-founder and CEO of MechMedia
* Will Martin-Gill, director of internet marketing at eBay, Inc.
* Kim Riedell, VP of client development for Commission Junction
* Brook Schaaf, founder and partner of Schaaf Consulting
* Steve Schaffer, founder and CEO of Offers.com
* Jason Spievak, co-founder and CEO of RingRevenue
* Tim Storm, CEO of FatWallet
* Brad Waller, VP of business & affiliate development at EPage, Inc.

The Affiliate Marketing Insider podcast is an ongoing discussion about affiliate marketing with industry leaders. Tune in at noon Pacific (3 p.m. Eastern) every Thursday at WebmasterRadio.fm.

PMA announces newly elected board directors

Our industry’s first official watchdog group, the Performance Marketing Alliance (PMA), announced today that it has elected its new board of directors, filling the slots with a who’s who of industry heavyweights.

The nine-member board includes:
* Chris Henger, head of Google Affiliate Network
* Scott Jangro, co-founder and CEO of MechMedia
* Will Martin-Gill, director of internet marketing at eBay, Inc.
* Kim Riedell, VP of client development for Commission Junction
* Brook Schaaf, founder and partner of Schaaf Consulting
* Steve Schaffer, founder and CEO of Offers.com
* Jason Spievak, co-founder and CEO of RingRevenue
* Tim Storm, CEO of FatWallet
* Brad Waller, VP of business & affiliate development at EPage, Inc.

Board directors will guide the Performance Marketing Alliance in fulfilling its mission to further the growth of the performance marketing industry.

PartnerCentric extends congratulations to the newly elected directors, many of whom we work with on a regular basis. Our company is committed to doing everything it can to support the efforts of the Performance Marketing Alliance.

Bad news for affiliate marketers in two states

A new tax aimed at affiliate marketing hasn’t even been passed in Hawaii or North Carolina, but Amazon.com took pre-emptive action this morning by announcing that it’s dropping affiliates in those two states effective immediately. Amazon acted now because the pending legislation isn’t clear about when the dates for which the new law, if passed, would establish a nexus.

The bad news doesn’t end there. California and other states are considered similar legislation, and Amazon.com has already indicated it may also be dropping California affiliates in a move that, industry insiders fear, could cause a wider dropping of affiliate relationships.

This legislation – and the actions by Amazon.com today – have the power to profoundly and negatively affect our industry for years to come. We urge all affiliates to join the fight to stop affiliate tax legislation. To get involved, visit the Performance Marketing Alliance website today. The PMA is leading our industry on this issue. It’s your livelihood at stake – so please get involved today!