The program exists in the United States since 1996 and in Germany since mid-1999. The program was launched in the life, when asked a young woman who created a website on the topic of “Divorce”, at Amazon, whether it could offer a few books on this subject on their website and get a sales Commission. The idea of the affiliate program was born. Many Internet users outside of the major portals and search engines are moving already. They move on sites that correspond to their immediate interests, for example, commercial or community platforms, or special topic Web sites, on which you are looking for information, discuss or act. Online provider on the other side trying to reach their target groups on the Internet with some very high level of investment and to draw on their websites. Affiliate programs reverse the principle.
They allow companies, their offerings exactly where to place, where their audiences already are. Target group or themed sites offer content that an individual online provider in the fullness and the range could not alone depict partner as an affiliate. The promotional effect of affiliate programs work according to the principle of the tried and tested “word of-mouth recommendation”. An affiliate as partner who actively applies for a product or a service provided by a third-party on its website, simultaneously referrers for this offer. The trust and the community effect of affiliate site are factors strengths end of sales packaging. Affiliate programs therefore offer a way to connect content, community and commerce, without having to deploy the content itself. Via the network of partner sites, arise new “trading places” or “Points of sale” on target – or theme-oriented websites and transformed the Internet into a virtual community of Commerce. (OA)