How can I create credibility and trust with my affiliate web site?

[burgerman]

Let's say a I own a great generic name (eg phones.com - I don't own this it's just an example) that looks really professional. It makes money solely off of affiliate links to other company sites that sell phones (eg Best Buy).

When a visitor clicks on an product link and they're taken to another company's web site, does this make my site look unprofessional?

Should I use a white-label product so the customer doesn't realize they're taken to someone else's site?

What about legal aspects of having an affiliate site? For instance, what if the product doesn't work and the customer isn't satisfied? I could see why I might be partly held responsible because the customer bought the phone from a company that had a link on my site.

Any thought?

Thanks in advance

[wussadotcom]

Reputable ~ get your site PR high atleast PR5 and get some good reviews from other sites.I personally look at a site PR first when I choose a domain registrar. If its a PR1 with Alexa 5M then I would stay away~ thats an example.
Link ~ put a disclaimer

[burgerman]

Thanks for the response wussadotcom.


Does anyone else have any advice?

[diecipher]

Let's say I owned "Phones.com" and I was an affiliate of Best Buy.

1. I would use a similar color scheme and layout of the vendors site.
2. I would redirect the customer from my site to the EXACT item page at Best Buy, not the general category where multiple products are listed.
3. I would only promote vendors and products I would really use (or recommend) myself.

Hope this helps a little, JM2C

[DDC_Cyn]

To me - I don't care how I get to what I want, as long as I get there. So if I hit your page and you have a link to the item I'm after, I don't care if you send me to Best Buy to get it.

If you're concerned though, you only have to add extra value to your site that makes it worthwhile for people to pass through and click your links. This could be by offering reviews or special deals.

Certainly a site that is nothing but an ad farm can look unprofessional, but it doesn't have to.

[LarryWentz]

I agree with DDC.

- Offer what people are looking for - I like to give them a variety of choices of merchants

- Provide reviews or brief descriptions of the merchants

- Provide "coupon codes" or "sale" links when available from the merchants which provides extra value for the customer & to your site

[burgerman]

Thank you all for your advice.

Would it be wise to mention somewhere on the site that it's an affiliate web site?

[LarryWentz]

Thank you all for your advice.

Would it be wise to mention somewhere on the site that it's an affiliate web site?

No need to do that. Just talk about and share the merchants' links and/or banners.