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Struggling?

The E-commerce world is changing almost by the minute lately. From Merchants having to pause programs because they cannot ship anything, to panic over budgets, commission rates slashed or set to zero.

While this is a very unusual set of circumstances we are all dealing with; there are some bright notes.

  • Some Merchants are stepping up and adding in bonuses
  • There are very profitable sectors with healthy affiliate programs
  • Now is a good time diversify your affiliate earning platforms
  • As a community, we are helping each other
  • Consumers are discovering this shopping from home thing is pretty cool.
  • Oh, and in about 7 months you better have a Baby site in place.. just saying

Commission Junction is making Network Consumer Trends Reports available – These are updated every Wednesday.
https://junction.cj.com/covid-19-network-consumer-trends-report

FMTC has partnered with Trackonomics to give daily updates on commissions changes in Affiliate Networks. You can sign up to subscribe to their email updates here: http://fmtc-7325025.hs-sites.com/affiliate-program-covid-19-updates

Rakuten Center has insights on current commerce and consumer behavior with specific global and category trends. this is updated weekly: https://rakutenadvertising.com/covid19/

Featured

Working from Home, A new reality for some of you :)

I have worked from home for 27 years..so after being thoroughly entertained by posts of those new to working from home I thought I would give you some tips and giggles.

  • The worst thing that can happen during your new office commute is you blow out a slipper in the hallway.
  • Loungewear..is the new uniform. Don’t call them jammies.
  • PC Gaming Headphones with their own mute function are your best friend!
  • Wireless headsets are MUST! especially if you have children. ( the look of shock when your sweet cherubs who are coloring on the wall see you get up from your desk to deal with them is priceless)
  • It is way too easy to just stay in your jammies..for days. Get dressed and prepared for home office work like you would for normal work..just skip the dress shoes and stick to slippers.
  • Team meetings fails on Zoom are a trending search lately. Don’t be one of those examples. Always mute yourself upon entering  ( both from your mic and the button in your conference screen to be safe. )No one wants to hear you arguing with your housemates.
  • Video IS optional place a sticky note over your camera, or disable it when entering a conference. If you are using your phone for conferencing disable the camera in the meeting settings. We really do not need to see video of you in the bathroom…please noooo. ( see Zoom meeting fails search)
  • Multiple Monitors are a must. If you are using a laptop you can add a monitor to your set up with a HDMI cable on most Macs and PC’s..you know that extra TV sitting around ..it works as a monitor too! 
  • Screen sharing meetings are pretty common now. For these make sure you are turning off all other applications so you can get the best frame rates on the video screen shares.
  • If you are the Presenter in a screen share – move any other applications to the opposite screen you are sharing- no one needs to see that private Skype pop into the screen share.
  • Working at home is a complete disruption of your schedule..specifically your eating schedule. Set timers for your breaks and lunch or you will find yourself skipping these and by the time we get back to going in the office you might have snacked yourself into a new
    size.
     
  • Get the best comfy chair you can- your body will thank you. When shopping for that new comfy office chair for home look at the ratings for both weight and hours of use. I love the Serta chairs – they are one of the few brands that have chairs designed for big and tall people.
  • Know your function keys..why you ask?..in case your new furry supervisor walks on your keyboard and suddenly your screen size has changed or you are typing in a different language. ( most common F11 pops you in full screen view  and the toolbar disappears)
  • Hydration is your friend, but it isn’t friendly with laptops and keyboards. Those travel cups are now your desktop coffee cup and all around drink cup. Think sippy cups for adults. I admit I or my furry supervisor cat- Shadow has helped to kill off several expensive mechanical keyboards and two laptops over the years.  

Got something to add?

Shadow, My supervisor
Shadow- supervising

Amazon News, Politico and Warner Bros. Discovery are finalists for the 2026 Digiday Awards finalists

This year’s Digiday Awards finalists demonstrated how innovation, audience insights and multiplatform storytelling can work together to create more engaging and accessible experiences. Their work reflected a focus on understanding audiences, reaching them across channels and turning creative investments into measurable results. These nominees represent a media landscape where effective storytelling must balance experimentation with impact, setting the stage for the next generation of audience experiences and business growth.

For instance, in the Most Innovative Publisher category, nominees include Amazon News, the team responsible for telling Amazon’s most important stories. Amazon News transformed a story about complex semiconductor technology into an immersive digital experience with a 3D journey through AWS Trainium chips. Using publishing platform Shorthand, custom illustrations and a city metaphor to explain transistors and data pathways, the team made technical concepts accessible to general audiences. Collaboration with AWS engineers ensured accuracy and enabled visual refinement. The story doubled typical reader engagement and established a repeatable model for ambitious digital journalism.

Among the nominees in the new Media Leader of the Year category is Politico’s CEO Goli Sheikholeslami. Under her leadership, Politico expanded its global political coverage and diversified its business across subscriptions, live events, podcasts and video. New investments in key markets, including Australia and Spain, strengthened its ability to connect policy developments across borders. The strategy delivered 50% growth in B2B subscription revenue over four years and 66% year-over-year events revenue growth, positioning Politico for continued financial resilience amid industry challenges.

Nominees in the Best Use of Retail Media include Warner Bros. Discovery and Ikea. To mark its 40th anniversary in the U.S., Ikea partnered with HGTV and WBD’s Courageous Studios on “Decades of Possibilities,” a four-part series revisiting iconic interior design eras through contemporary IKEA products. Hosted by design experts, the campaign combined streaming, social video and a sweepstakes to turn nostalgia into interactive brand engagement. It generated 35 million impressions, lifted ad awareness by 9 points and increased purchase intent by 9%.

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Publicis is selling directly to AI-anxious CEOs as it steps away from traditional pitches

Publicis Groupe is skipping the CMO and pitching directly to CEOs worried about staying ahead of AI and shifting consumer habits, according to the French agency group’s chairman and CEO Arthur Sadoun.

“We are increasingly seeing CEOs involved in what we do,” Sadoun told analysts during the holding company’s third quarter results call, held this morning. “[We] are seeing that because CEOs are passionate about AI, and they understand that if they want to continue to lead their company, they need to understand AI,” he added. “This has to start from the top.”

C-suite AI anxieties, Sadoun argued, had driven client spending and new business wins for Publicis in the third quarter. Chief among those was PepsiCo, which Publicis won without a pitch last month, while choosing to drop out of the competitive pitch for Coca-Cola’s media business.

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