What is the Affiliate Union?

The Affiliate Union (www.affiliateunion.com) is an

organization of affiliates and merchants

dedicated to promoting communication and

disclosure in the affiliate industry. The

movement arose out of a need for standards in

a burgeoning industry. Union members have

drafted standards and criteria for certification of

merchants. As any perceived gold rush, the

opening of the online affiliate market attracted

both legitimate businesspeople and its share of

charlatans and snake oil salesmen. Predictably,

people, merchants, affiliates, and customers

began to get burned by unclear, poorly planned,

or outright unscrupulous transactions.

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Fortunately, the Internet is an information

medium and this allows legitimate business

people to compare notes quickly. Merchants

and affiliates work together to create a set of

standards based on disclosure. Keep in mind

that disclosure is based on honesty, not on

quality. The AU plans to examine and certify

merchant programs that honestly outline to their

affiliates the responsibilities of both parties, and

tell affiliates what, when, and how to expect

compensation. At this point, the AU does not

presume to evaluate what a "good" or "fair"

program is, and the affiliate is still responsible

for reading and understanding a contract before

signing it.

The AU is a mutually beneficial, cooperative

effort between merchants and affiliates

designed to facilitate communication and

disclosure. Moreover, the AU will decrease the

amount of fraud and abuse, lessen the

victimization of affiliates, and lend dignity to the

industry