What a Friday! News hit this morning of two very big acquisitions, with Amazon buying Whole Foods and Wal-Mart purchasing Bonobos. Speculation around the strategy and future of each acquisition is in no short supply, and while none of these brands run programs on AvantLink, this is still good news for the affiliate industry as a whole.
The decline of the traditional retail store environment and shift to a preference of shopping online is very clearly demonstrated with these acquisitions. Wal-Mart recognizes that their male shoppers want higher end fashion choices. Bonobos will greatly supplement this want, all while having the promotional and logistical power of the Wal-Mart brand. That will translate into much more promotion to the Bonobos website.
On the opposite end is Amazon’s scooping up of Whole Foods. While Amazon will likely try to build an in-store shopping experience similar to their prototype “Go” stores, it’s also assumed that this purchase was primarily made to help with physical infrastructure for grocery distribution. Groceries that are likely going to be ordered online.
So why is this good news for the affiliate channel? Simply put, consumers are positioned more now than ever to shop online for their every need. Affordable men’s fashion purchases online instead of going in-store to Wal-Mart? Check. Grocery selection from an Amazon interface to avoid the self-checkout line at your local supermarket? Check, check.
The new-age consumer is being groomed to discover, research, purchase and share almost everything in their lives from an internet connection. For an affiliate, that shift in behavior is a huge opportunity to capitalize on and make more money from.
And speaking of making money, here is a very long list of twelve new merchant programs available on AvantLink.
New Merchant Launches
Xero Shoes’ sandals and shoes let your feet do what’s NATURAL — bend, move, flex and feel the world! People in 94 countries wear our shoes and sandals for walking, hiking, running, Crossfit, yoga, weight lifting, rafting, stand up paddle boarding and boating, race recovery, post-cycling shoes, and even running 256k ultramarathons across Madagagscar.
Join the Xero Shoes affiliate program.
AvantLink Australia launch! Zaful.com is a leading one-stop online shop for today’s most daring, exciting and edgy fashion apparels. We offer the latest fashion at preferential prices with Worldwide & Site-wide Free Shipping over $30.
Join the Zaful affiliate program.
SharpSense allows men to create and design perfectly fitting custom suits and shirts online, which are tailored to their measurement profile, without having to go into a retail ‘showroom’, having a tailor visit their home/office, or having to visit a traveling tailor. Off-the-rack suits are cookie-cutter in nature, and often don’t fit most men very well unless they happen to have a body frame that matches an average body frame.
Join the SharpSense affiliate program.
**AvantLink Canada Launch** Yoshop is a leading international online seller providing an unparalleled selection of the very best gadgets. We offer a complete range of affordable chic apparel and trendsetting accessories, including clothing, jewelry, bags, shoes, hair products, watches, outdoors, toys, lights, and home use products all at the lowest prices. In short: we have everything you want or need to enjoy a better life.
Join the Yoshop affiliate program.
In 2013 fitness enthusiast Vanna Belt finally shared her secret weapon, Gel-V®! A combination of nature based ingredients that help smooth and reduce skin in common trouble areas like stomach, hips, thighs and buttocks! With active ingredients like menthol and camphor, our powerful formula helps minimize the appearance of stretch marks and firm loose skin.
Join the Vanna Belt affiliate program.
Designing for these highest level customers in mountaineering, backpack hunting, wildland firefighting, and military special ops, MYSTERY RANCH continues to innovate and push the boundaries of what of what is possible in building paragon backpacks.
Join the Mystery Ranch affiliate program.
QuikCamo is the ultimate face concealment system for the outdoorsman. The product line addresses issues of one handed operation, easy of use, eyewear compatibility, hearing friendly, scent control, UV protected, and the elimination of camo face paint.
Join the QuikCamo affiliate program.
Baseball Express is a distributor of sporting goods and athletic equipment, footwear and apparel. It markets through its Team Express catalogs, its retail store in San Antonio, TX and its online store via the Internet. The company started in 1990 has been dedicated to providing fanatical customer service and ease of shopping to the baseball and softball players who demand the best performance products at reasonable prices.
Join the Baseball Express affiliate program.
Softball.com is a distributor of sporting goods and athletic equipment, footwear and apparel. It markets through its Team Express catalogs, its retail store in San Antonio, TX and its online store via the Internet. The company started in 1990 has been dedicated to providing fanatical customer service and ease of shopping to the softball players who demand the best performance products at reasonable prices.
Join the Softball.com affiliate program.
Team Express is a distributor of sporting goods and athletic equipment, footwear and apparel. It markets through its Team Express catalogs, its retail store in San Antonio, TX and its online store via the Internet. The company started in 1990 has been dedicated to providing fanatical customer service and ease of shopping to the baseball and softball players who demand the best performance products at reasonable prices.
Join the Team Express affiliate program.
The UR Spider Shop has adhered closely to its mission of providing goods and services at the lowest possible prices consistent with sound business policy. Our diverse selection of books, collegiate clothing, and supplies reflects the wide variety of backgrounds and interests that make the University a world-class institution.
Join the UR Spider Shop affiliate program.
Football America is a distributor of sporting goods and athletic equipment, footwear and apparel. It markets through its Team Express catalogs, its retail store in San Antonio, TX and its online store via the Internet. The company started in 1990 has been dedicated to providing fanatical customer service and ease of shopping to the football players who demand the best performance products at reasonable prices.
Join the Football America affiliate program.