Trying Out Affilistore: Affiliate Website In 3 Easy Steps

AffilistoreI have downloaded Affilistore few weeks ago, but after running into a problem with installation, I have let it rest until yesterday. The installation glitch was my own fault: improper MySQL configuration. After realizing where the problem was it took me literally 30 minutes to create a website with hundreds of products. But first thing first…

What is Affilistore?

Affilisotre is a website building software that allows you to create and maintain affiliate websites utilizing merchants datafeeds. Both PHP and MySQL are required in order for this site builder to work. While I am still testing the free version, with limited features, I can see myself purchasing the full version in near future.

Installing Affilistore.

Before you will be able to install this software on your server you need to set MySQL database that will be used to store the data. There is no need to create ables, the Affilistore will do it, but you need to create a database and assign the user. When you set and ready to go just run the install.php from the directory to which you have uploaded your Affilistore software. This step will bring you to the following window:

Affilistore Set Up

Make sure to provide correct information about MySQL database to avoid errors. The information about your website can be changed and adjusted later but you need to provide it in this step in order to get o step 2 where you have to provide the URL for your data feed. I have used an URL for datafeed hosted remotely on a different server, but you can upload the file onto your own server:

Affilistore Set Up

After clicking “step 3” button your browser will show a window where you can match the fields of your datafeed with appropriate tables of your store database, trying to match as many fields as possible. If there are some fields in the database that could not be matched with the fields in your database leave them along and these will not be reflected in your website:

Affilistore Set Up

That’s it! You have just created a website with hundreds of products: just like this printer ink store that I created in under 30 minutes.

One particular thing that I like about Affilistore that all the affiliate links are clocked and your visitors are being sent to merchant website via a PHP redirect page: go.php. This is particularly beneficial if you are using CJ merchants datafeeds where your affiliate links look some what ugly.

I wish there was also a way that this website would allow appending SID or other similar variables to your affiliate inks for the purpose of keyword tracking should you chose to dive the traffic to your site through pay par click advertising.

While the Affilistore Pro will set you back £49.99, it’s hard to beat the price of Affilistore Basic– it’s free! Also keep an eye on Affilistore Blog for the latest news and updates.

24 thoughts on “Trying Out Affilistore: Affiliate Website In 3 Easy Steps”

  5. Hello, and thank you for this great info on AffiliStore and the setup. I am attempting to follow your example, but I am stumped at how to acquire the Product Feeds. I work with CJ.com's network, and have not found where these feeds can be located in their site. I did email their support department about “SmartRewards” and received a reply:

    We have received your request to enable product data functionality for
    your Commission Junction account. In order for us to integrate product
    data functionality for your Commission Junction publisher account a $200
    one-time set-up fee will be required for access and deducted directly from
    your account balance.

    …

    1. What format would you like to use to receive your data? Choose from one
    of the following formats:

    a. TAB
    b. CSV
    c. PIPE
    d. XML
    e. EXCEL

    2. Which method of transfer would you like to use to receive your product
    data? Choose from one of the following:

    a. CJ FTP (you access to our FTP servers)
    b. Client FTP (we access to your FTP servers to push the file(s)) with any
    log-in and password information needed for access
    c. HTTP (you access our HTTP Web servers)

    Did you have to do this, and pay the fee, before setting up your website?

    Thank you for your help!

    -Ethan

  6. Hello, and thank you for this great info on AffiliStore and the setup. I am attempting to follow your example, but I am stumped at how to acquire the Product Feeds. I work with CJ.com’s network, and have not found where these feeds can be located in their site. I did email their support department about “SmartRewards” and received a reply:

    We have received your request to enable product data functionality for
    your Commission Junction account. In order for us to integrate product
    data functionality for your Commission Junction publisher account a $200
    one-time set-up fee will be required for access and deducted directly from
    your account balance.

    …

    1. What format would you like to use to receive your data? Choose from one
    of the following formats:

    a. TAB
    b. CSV
    c. PIPE
    d. XML
    e. EXCEL

    2. Which method of transfer would you like to use to receive your product
    data? Choose from one of the following:

    a. CJ FTP (you access to our FTP servers)
    b. Client FTP (we access to your FTP servers to push the file(s)) with any
    log-in and password information needed for access
    c. HTTP (you access our HTTP Web servers)

    Did you have to do this, and pay the fee, before setting up your website?

    Thank you for your help!

    -Ethan

  7. Hi Ethan,

    Sorry for the delay. Unfortunately Commission Junction is not offering data feeds to all affiliates. If you make $10,000+ a month it is free. Otherwise they charge an additional $290 (or something in that range).

    ShareASale and LinkConnector offer data feeds fro free, you should check these networks out.

  8. Hi Ethan,

    Sorry for the delay. Unfortunately Commission Junction is not offering data feeds to all affiliates. If you make $10,000+ a month it is free. Otherwise they charge an additional $290 (or something in that range).

    ShareASale and LinkConnector offer data feeds fro free, you should check these networks out.

  9. Many thanks Vlad, for your expertise, and for taking the time to share it with the world. Wish me luck, and best of luck to you as well! 🙂

    -Ethan

  10. Many thanks Vlad, for your expertise, and for taking the time to share it with the world. Wish me luck, and best of luck to you as well! 🙂

    -Ethan

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  12. Hi! Just wanted to say that I have used Affilistore on a couple of occassions and think that it is a really cool piece of free software for creating your affiliate site. I use it for testing the market and if it works then I move forward by creating a more customised site.

  13. Hi! Just wanted to say that I have used Affilistore on a couple of occassions and think that it is a really cool piece of free software for creating your affiliate site. I use it for testing the market and if it works then I move forward by creating a more customised site.

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  20. Commission Junction provides feeds for free that can be sent to you via email or FTP.
    You can download the latest version from our website for free, we also have several replacement skins available.

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