An Overview of the Web-SHops Affiliate Program
   Our affiliate program is very simple.  The following provides a step-by-step outline.
1.  Getting Started
     You apply for our Affiliate Program.  (See Signup) Upon approval of your application, we set an online "Affiliate Account" for you. It records orders, sales, payments and other things.  You can access it at any time.  Next, you design your marketing program and set up your links to us.  Then, you sit back and let your web do all the work.  
2.  The Referral 
     When a visitor clicks on one of your links, two things happen (1) he is forwarded to the location you have specified and (2) a "cookie" is written to his computer.  This is a small text file that simply records that he came from your web-site.        
3.  Visitor Shopping
     The Visitor shops our site and hopefully selects products he wants to buy by putting them in his shopping cart.  All of our stores use the same shopping cart.  It remembers everything a visitor puts in it for twelve hours.  The visitor can also move freely between our stores and the cart goes with him.  You will find this useful in your own Marketing Program
4.  Conversion
     The  metamorphic process is what transforms a caterpillar into a butterfly.  The term "Conversion" is similar in that refers to a Visitor becoming a Customer. This happens when he checks out.  "Checking out" means that he formalizes the order by entering his name, address, shipping instructions, credit card information, etc. into a form.  When he clicks the "submit" button, several things happen (1) He has officially become a Customer, (2) the order is sent to our fulfillment department for processing, and (3) Your Affiliate Account is immediately updated to show that the order has been sent to us..   
5.  Order Processing  
     At this point, we begin processing the order.  We first check to insure that the Customer ordered is in stock.  If so, we verify the Customer's credit card and shipping address.  If all goes well, then the Order becomes a Sale.  An Invoice is prepared and a shipping order is sent to the warehouse.  Most orders are processed and shipped the same day.  At the close of every business day (Mon-Fri, except holidays), we update Affiliate Accounts to show which orders have converted into Sales.  
6.  Monthly Statement and Payment
     At the end of every month, we reconcile Affiliate Accounts.  If an Affiliate Account shows a balance of due to the Affiliate of more than $25.00, we prepare a statement, pay the affiliate and update his Affiliate account to reflect the payment.  If it is less than $25.00, we simply let it accumulate until the minimum is reached.  We have an extremely effective Affiliate program and if an affiliate is not making the minimum then something is wrong.  We will try to help him get on track, but if he fails to meet our minimum, then we may cancel his affiliation.