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Selecting An Affinity ProgramJun 06 '01 Write an essay on this topic.
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The Bottom Line Affinity programs are not created equally. Careful review and consideration of various points on each program are essential to maximizing your rewards!
Building on the success of user loyalty programs such as frequent flier miles, credit card cash back rebates, frequent shopper programs, green stamps, and the likes, a number of online loyalty programs have made their way onto the scene. One of the largest misconceptions that I encounter is that all programs are created equally. Here are a few pointers to help you select an online affinity program. Operating History You probably should start by looking into the operating history of any online rewards program. While newer programs often seem to offer better rewards, they often disappear without notice or run into operating problems and delay rewards for as long as possible. Sometimes the best way to check the operating history of a program is to see what other users have to say. You should begin this search on ePinions. Since not all online reward programs are listed here, you may want to also extend your search to online couponing forums where users discuss rewards programs. Some sites with excellent rewards forums are: Refmaker - http://www.refmaker.com Deal of Day - http://www.dealofday.com MyCoupons - http://www.mycoupons.com These users are often quick to tell others of problems in receiving rewards, programs that don't credit points, and the time frame in which it takes to receive rewards. Merchants available Another significant consideration is the number of offers and merchants through which rewards are available. Before you discount a rewards program that doesn't feature a long list of major merchants, take a few a moments to go through the merchants available at a program. Often times programs will offer an abundance of secondary or smaller merchants who often provide the same or better prices but whom almost always offer larger rewards and rebates on your purchases. Other Point Earning Opportunities When considering a rewards program, you will want to know whether the programs you are looking at provide rewards only for purchases or whether or not they provide rewards for other online activities. Many programs feature rewards for registering for websites, searching, completing surveys, visiting websites, receiving e-mail offers, and more. These programs offer opportunities for you earn additional rewards and earn rewards faster through regular participation. Rewards Valuations Not all reward programs are created equally. Each one has its own rewards currency, usually described as points or reward dollars. Its essentially that you get to the bottom of what these points or reward dollars are really worth. You should see my review on determining point valuations for more information on getting the actual value of rewards and comparing the differences between various programs. Customer Service Customer Service can make or break a rewards program, particularly when you've finished shopping at a site or completed an offer and the points/rewards never showed up in the account. You can often test this by simply e-mailing the program a question prior to joining and then observing the time and accuracy of their response. Referral programs A significant consideration in rewards programs or whether or not they reward you for referring other members into their program. There are two important considerations when looking at the referral offerings of reward programs: First, its important to consider how you are rewarded. Some programs offer a flat reward amount or number of points for referring another user. While this may provide you with more rewards up front, I prefer and recommend programs which offer you an ongoing bonus based on the rewards earned by each user. Often times the actions of a user over the span of a year or two can amount to far more then the one time bonuses provided by other programs. Second, its important to consider whether the program offers a multi-tiered reward program or not. Some programs not only reward you for referring other members to their programs, however, may also offer smaller rewards for members referred by those members that you have referred. You should consider how much is offered and for how many tiers. Favorite Reward Programs Some of my favorite reward programs are as follows: MyPoints - http://www.mypoints.com Prima Rewards - http://www.primarewards.com Other popular online rewards programs: Beenz - http://www.beenz.com BLink - http://www.blink.com CyberGold - http://www.cybergold.com Greepoints - http://www.greepoints.com MileSource - http://www.milesource.com NetFlip - http://www.netflip.com Qool - http://www.qool.com Spree - http://www.spree.com Start Sampling - http://www.startsampling.com SuzyCats - http://www.suzykats.com  |
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