In the past, if you needed datafeeds form Google Affiliate Network (former Performics) you had to e-mail such a request to the support. And in some cases, you would have to wait indefinite amount of time before your request was processed. My first request was processed about 6 months to the date I requested it and only after I commented on a prominent affiliate’s blog about the issue.

I believe there are few things that each affiliate should have easy and free access too. Some affiliate networks have done it (PepperJam Network, LinkConnector, Share A Sale and now Google Affiliate Network), some still have ways to go (CJ and LinkShare).

On October 11, Google Affiliate network has upgraded the user interface by adding and option to subscribe to datafeeds straight from the interface:

You can specify which advertiser’s datafeeds you would like to receive:

Configure the “delivery method”:

Currently you only can configure one FTP account where all your datafeeds will be delivered to. So I highly recommend to choose file names carefully. At the time of configuring the delivery method, I have chosen to name my files after the advertiser’s ID. It is probably want cause you any problems if you have one or two merchants datafeesds. But it will save you a lot of time if you subscribe to large number of datafeeds.

I have got hoocked on datafeeds about two years ago. They give you an opportunity to develop websites with thousands of products. I yet to code my own website. Until now I have been using products like Affilistore and WordPress Datafeed Import.

I doubt that any one from Google Affiliate Network ever read my recent rant. However todays e-mail from Larry Adams, the network’s product manager, caught me off guard. Just as I made a decision to concentrate on other affiliate networks that provide easy access to product data feeds, Larry shares that Google Affiliate Network, is introducing few changes:

On October 11, we plan to release a new feature in our user interface that will enable you to sign up for and configure data feeds.

If you have missed his e-mail make sure to dig it up as you may need to act and update some of the settings in your account.

I personally welcome this change, as it will definitely make things much easier for many publishers.

Starting on October 11, you will be able to subscribe to merchants data feeds via FTP. While you will have to point all your data feeds to one location. It looks that this option will be available to every publisher and will be configurable from within your account.

Yes I know. In English it is a “wake up call”. But I am becoming convinced that some folks at Google Affiliate Network need a kick in the rear end to actually wake up.

Several days ago the network undergone through some sort of the system update- at least the splash page said so when any one attempted to login. I generally pay little attention to any of those, as they often take place on Commission Junction as well as other networks. I would have probably ignored that update completely if it was not because of the stats on one of my website.

Day after the upgrade the click through on my affiliate links along with the earnings took a sharp and unusual dive. It turns out that that affiliate links for the two merchants featured on the website are not working. This includes both datafeeds and links from the interface.

What is particularly frustrating is that all the deep links I have created in Google Affiliate Network’s interface went south.

I have called the Performics support line today, but in the spirit of mighty Google after choosing the appropriate extension I was referred to web page where you can submit a support request via e-mail. Unlike PepperJam Network, LinkConnector and few other networks, Google Affiliate Network does not seem to care about their affiliates.

The irony about it is that I followed one of the merchants in question from Commission Junction.

I don’t even want to start on the support Google Affiliate Network. I can’t even say it sucks, because there is no support.

It took me 4+ weeks to be approved for the datafeed to one of the merchants and I am still waiting (2+ weeks) to be approved for few others.

I am having very hard time understanding why is it such a problem to make sure the affiliate links are working properly? Why should I spend money and time on promoting offers when the network can’t even assure me of such a simple and basic thing?

To be completely honest, I have gotten some what confused today after receiving an e-mail from Google Affiliate Network. A network I did not remember to have ever joined. But of course I have forgotten that Google bought DoubleClick more than a year ago.

It does feel a little strange, especially for those of us who have been banned from AdSense.

I login to my Performics account almost daily, and have not noticed any change there as far as re-branding goes. It will be interesting to see if Google will start messing “innovating” with Performics platform. I can hardly see this as a launch of a new affiliate network.