CycleChat Commission Links

[Shaun]

If you'd like to help support the site you can use the links below to earn us a small commission on the goods and services you buy:

• Barring Mechanicals - From London to Edinburgh and back, on a recumbent bicycle. An inspiring read created by one of CC's very own.
  
• A Cycles (FR)
• Alpine Bikes
• Amazon
• Apple
• Argos
• ASDA
• AW Cycles
• Bicycle Warehouse (USA)
• Bikester
• Bike Bandit
• Bob's Bicycles (USA)
• Buy Buy Bicycles
• Carphone Warehouse
• Chain Reaction Cycles (CRC)
• Currys
• Cycle Store
• Cycle Surgery
• Cycles UK
• eBay
• Ebuyer
• Ethical Superstore
• Evans Cycles
• Garmin Connect
• Halfords
• Hargroves Cycles
• JJB Sports
• John Lewis
• Lonely Planet
• MapMyRide
• Marks and Spencer
• Merlin Cycles (UK)
• Merlin Cycles (USA)
• Ordnance Survey
• Pixmania
• Play.com
• ProBikeKit
• Proviz
• Ribble Cycles
• Rutland Cycling
• Sainsburys
• Tesco
• Trip Advisor
• Waitrose
• Waterstones
• Westbrook Cycles
• WHSmith
• Wiggle

There are thousands of other merchants (the list changes all the time), so if you'd like us to check a particular store just post in the support forum an we'll check it out for you.

The system is very simple - when you follow a link from our site to the merchant it tags us as the referrer, and when you go through the checkout process we are paid a small sales commission for sending you their way.

Thank you to anyone who is kind enough to consider us for a commission.

Cheers,
Shaun

 

[dellzeqq]

John Lewis. John 'never-knowingly-undersold' Lewis. Purveyors of leather sofas and outsize table lamps!

And people wonder why I discourage Susie from going 'on the forum'......

 

[albion]

An essential 'evil' these days.

 

[jonathanw]

Are we allowed to know how much commission they pay for linking to them....just curious. I'll certainly post more links now I know the benefit in order to keeping this site viable.

 

[srw]

Is there mileage in auto-linking? Every time someone mentions (say) wiggle on the forum, and doesn't provide a link themselves, you add a link which brings in a bit of commission if someone clicks on it.

Two possible problems (I'm paid to think of possible problems, so they come naturally to mind): it might be tricky to code, and members might not like it. The first is a practical problem, the second might be got round with a bit of education.

 

[ColinJ]

Is there mileage in auto-linking? Every time someone mentions (say) wiggle on the forum, and doesn't provide a link themselves, you add a link which brings in a bit of commission if someone clicks on it.

Two possible problems (I'm paid to think of possible problems, so they come naturally to mind): it might be tricky to code, and members might not like it. The first is a practical problem, the second might be got round with a bit of education.

That system is already in place!

 

[srw]

When you click a link, says Shaun.

What I'm suggesting is that if the member doesn't create the link, the software does it for us. So if I wrote "wiggle is a wonderful merchant, full of interesting surprises in a way Halfords isn't", the sotware would come along and create a link to wiggle and Halfords.

 

[ColinJ]

Ah, yes - that is a step beyond the current system!

I have a WordPress plug-in that does that. I can specify a list of keywords and a list of links and the software will replace some or all of the keywords with one or other of the links. I can put limits on how many keywords get replaced per page, and I can set weightings for the different links so the software effectively runs a split-test for me to see which links are most effective.

One problem with doing it automatically on a forum is that someone could post "Halfords is crap - never buy anything from them" but then an affiliate link for them gets inserted which kind of suggests that the forum recommends them. If it was being done on content that you write yourself, then you'd be aware of it and make sure that didn't happen.

 

[phil_hg_uk]

It would be interesting to see what would happen if someone called someone else a t*at where would that auto-link to

 

[ColinJ]

And another problem would be (Credit Card deals) people trying to be (Life Insurance quotes) helpful by (Wiggle) posting random (Chain Reaction Cycles) keywords in nearly every (Evans Cycles) post which would soon (Merlin Cycles) become (Leisure Lakes) a (Sky HD) pain in the (Hostgator hosting) neck!

 

[ColinJ]

Shaun - the commissions for SKY can be huge and you'd kind of be supporting the SKY cycling team by promoting them!

 

[Shaun]

The system I currently use can be extended to auto-insert links and testing it is on the to-do list - but I don't want something that ruins the layout so if it looks crap it won't be staying!!

 

[Gary E]

I've just used the link above to buy one of those fancy Park Tool Chain Checkers. The link took me straight to the site and I bought the tool in the usual way and paid using Paypal.

At no point did it mention that the purchase was linked back to CC. Did I do it right?

If you could confirm it went well I'll make sure I use the links whenever I buy 'stuff'.

I really wish I'd known about this earlier, I've spent hundreds of pounds in those shops over the last few months

 

[ianrauk]

I've just used the link above to buy one of those fancy Park Tool Chain Checkers. The link took me straight to the site and I bought the tool in the usual way and paid using Paypal.

At no point did it mention that the purchase was linked back to CC. Did I do it right?

If you could confirm it went well I'll make sure I use the links whenever I buy 'stuff'.

I really wish I'd known about this earlier, I've spent hundreds of pounds in those shops over the last few months

Just as long as you have linked through the forum, Cycle Chat get's the benefit.

 

[Gary E]

Just as long as you have linked through the forum, Cycle Chat get's the benefit.

Cool, thanks.

Please don't take this as criticism but you need you shamelessly promote these links. It costs nothing and earns commission for a fantastic forum. Who wouldn't use the links???