LinkConnector Drives a Growing Percentage of the Internet Retailer’s Top 500 Merchants and Closes the Gap with the Big Three

LinkConnector Drives a Growing Percentage of the Internet Retailer’s Top 500 Merchants and Closes the Gap with the Big Three

CARY, NC — August 5, 2008 — LinkConnector (http://www.linkconnector.com/), a leading Affiliate Marketing Network with progressive solutions for merchants and affiliates, announced today that it now powers affiliate marketing programs for 20 merchants from the Internet Retailer’s Top 500 Guide. This number represents more than a doubling of LinkConnector’s market share since December 2007. The Top 500 Guide for 2008 contains the very latest competitive data on the leaders of web-based retailing—a group that accounts for nearly two-thirds of the $200-billion e-retailing industry in the U.S.

With LinkConnector’s substantial growth in late 2007 and through June 2008, the company surpasses most affiliate networks and reduces the margin between itself and the three largest affiliate networks—Commission Junction, LinkShare, and Google Affiliate Network. LinkConnector attributes its rapid growth among leading e-retailers primarily to its superior customer support departments, high quality network of affiliates, and its exclusive suite of technologies.

“Over and over we hear from our merchants that LinkConnector’s unique approach to customer relations is a driving force in the success of their programs, and that this level of service is lacking in other networks,” said Tara McCommons, LinkConnector’s Director of Sales. “We have found that this is an often overlooked yet critical component of an affiliate marketing program. Excellent customer service is part of our core business, and the loyalty and referral rates from our merchants and affiliates stand as evidence to this.”

As a group, the Top 500 Retailers grew their online sales by 21.6% in 2007 and accounted for a total of $101.7 billion of the nation’s $166 billion in online retail sales, according to the Internet Retailer’s 2008 Edition of the Top 500 Guide. LinkConnector counts top Internet Retailer names from this list, such as Boot Barn Inc., eCampus, JC Whitney, Peapod, and RugsUSA.com as clients. LinkConnector’s client portfolio also includes notable names such as Getty Images, eHarmony, PRWeb International, and Reunion.com.

JupiterResearch Finds That Online Affiliate Marketing Spending Will Continue to Grow

According to recent findings by JupiterResearch, affiliate marketing remains a central strategy that online retailers use to reach and acquire customers. Affiliate marketing has proven effective as it is closely tied to performance and requires low initial investment.

The industry is slated to grow substantially over the next few years. A study by JupiterResearch found that U.S. online affiliate marketing spending will reach $2.1 billion in 2008. By 2012, the study found that spending will total $3.3 billion. These figures represent a compounded annual growth rate of close to 12 percent over the next four years.

Additional information on the new JupiterResearch report can be found here: http://www.jupiterresearch.com/bin/item.pl/research:concept/107/id=100301/.

About LinkConnector

LinkConnector, an Affiliate Marketing Network headquartered in Cary, NC, provides progressive solutions for merchants and affiliates, enabling them to increase online revenue and drive results. Since its inception in 2004, the company has continuously introduced new technologies to the industry, such as the Affiliate Widget Builder, advanced FraudFREE™ Protection System, Pending Sale functionality, patent-pending Naked Link Technology®, and Affiliate Connections™ optimizing technology to better meet affiliate and merchant expectations in a rapidly evolving industry. LinkConnector maintains a strong emphasis on network quality and stands by its zero tolerance fraud policy. Complementing its technological advances and innovative approach to Affiliate Marketing, LinkConnector also offers proven traditional affiliate marketing tools and approaches, such as standard linking campaigns. Combined with superior customer service, LinkConnector provides its merchants and affiliates a measurable edge in the market.

LinkConnector is operating as the fastest growing Affiliate Marketing Network—especially among Internet Retailer Top 500 companies.

Join free or learn more at www.linkconnector.com.

PR Contact:
Jackie Lane Bates
LinkConnector

www.linkconnector.com