FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is the Edsci-Affiliates Affiliate Program?

The Edsci-Affiliates Affiliate Program is a unique opportunity for web site owners to make money. You can share your enthusiasm for our products, enhance your own site, and earn commissions by placing banner ads or links on your site that link to our online store.

How does it work?

Our affiliate program is managed through LinkShare, a proven leader in affiliate marketing with the largest network on the internet. If you have not done so already, you need to register as an affiliate at the LinkShare web site. There is no cost to do this.

Once you have been accepted into their program, you can apply to the Edmund Scientific's ScientificsOnline Affiliate Program. Once we determine that your site is a good match for our program, you place links and banner ads for the ScientificsOnline web site on your site. When visitors to your site click on the links, they are taken to our online store. If they make a purchase at ScientificsOnline, that purchase is credited to your account, and you will receive a commission. That's all there is to it!

LinkShare provides all monitoring and host resources for our affiliates. LinkShare is the most convenient and reliable affiliate program coordinator available.

Why become a Edsci-Affiliates Affiliate?

As an affiliate of ScientificsOnline, you will be providing your visitors with an exciting opportunity to shop at a company that has been in the business of educational and hobby science products for over 50 years. This enhances your site by association, making it a valuable resource.

ScientificsOnline features over 2,000 products including the latest in educational science kits, science hobby components, techie toys, geeky gadgets and fun and unusual gifts. On average, approximately 200 new products are added to the web site each year.  Current plans call on adding even more.

In addition to the satisfaction of sharing online shopping at its best with your visitors, we’ll reward you financially. You earn up to 10% of every sale made on ScientificsOnline when the customer links there directly from your Web site.

How do I get started?

Please read the affiliate agreement found elsewhere on this web site. Then visit the LinkShare web site and register with them to become part of their affiliate market. There is no cost to do this.

When you are accepted into their program, you can apply to become a ScientificsOnline affiliate. Complete and submit the registration form. We will notify you within 48 business hours regarding our evaluation and approval of your site. Once you are approved, we will send information on how to obtain the graphic materials available to you. Just place the links and ads on your site and you’re on your way, referring customers and earning commissions.
 

How much can I earn?

You can earn anywhere from 5% up to 15% AND MORE on total sales with no cap when a customer links directly from your web site to our web site. Going forward, we will soon be offering special private promotions and bonus programs where you can earn additional monies on top of our already generous commissions. When you become an approved affiliate, you will receive details on our full commission structure, as well as information on periodic special commission events and promotions.

How are commissions paid?

Commissions are paid monthly through LinkShare for amounts of $25 or more earned during the quarter. If the minimum of $25 is not reached in any given quarter, commissions will accrue until you reach $25. Commissions are paid on net sales, and do not include returns, sales tax or shipping and handling. You are responsible for paying all applicable taxes on any commissions you receive from ScientificsOnline.

What kind of graphic materials are available for my site?

ScientificsOnline will supply targeted, fully produced text and graphic links in a variety of sizes to LinkShare. Choose the ones that you think will appeal to your visitors the most, then download and place them on your site. We update the material frequently so that you always have a great selection of fresh ads with our latest offers and promotions.

We also provide our affiliates with custom creative. Nobody knows your visitors better than you. You know what is most likely to catch their eyes and what is most likely to cause them to click. Tell us what you need and we will creative it for you. In addition, we can create custom designed, product specific landing pages.

How often can I change the graphic material?

We encourage you to change the links and ads as often as you like. This keeps your site and message fresh and new for your visitors. You may post as many links on your web site as you want. We only ask that you use your judgment and understanding of your visitors' preferences to place the links where they will maximize referrals and your commissions. At the LinkShare web site, you can find helpful information on ways to use banners and links effectively. 

ScientificsOnline requires that you use the links, banners and logos that we supply without altering them in any way. Altering of graphics is grounds for being removed from the program. If you need additional banner sizes or graphics, custom creative that works with your web site, or if the graphic materials and links we provided are not working correctly, let us know and we'll take care of it.

Is my site eligible to become an Edsci-Affiliates Affiliate?

ScientificsOnine carefully reviews each application we receive. The type of site we are looking for most likely has something to do with science, education or technology, or has something to do with one of our product lines (i.e. telescopes, robots, remote control toys, lenses, etc.). However, that does not mean that even if your site has little or no connection, you will be rejected. Each site is evaluated on an individual basis. If you have a wacky site that is just plain fun, that would probably work for us just as well.

We reserve the right to reject or remove sites at any time for any reason. The sites that will have the most success as affiliates are those whose area of interest and presentation target the same audience as ScientificsOnline. To learn more about the criteria we use in evaluating potential affiliates, please read the affiliate agreement.

Can I be an affiliate if my site is not-for-profit?

Yes. This is a great way to provide your visitors with a fantastic shopping opportunity while your commissions go to further your cause. Your visitors will have the extra, added incentive to shop through your site if they know part of their payment will go to support their favorite non-profit organization.

Who can I contact for more information?

For more information about LinkShare, please visit their Web site at www.linkshare.com/affiliates.

If you have any questions, comments or ideas about the Edsci-Affiliates Affiliate Program, please contact David Williams, Affiliate Marketing Manager at dwilliams@sciencekit.com.

In case you were wondering (or care), David holds a B.A. in Media Study from the State University of New York at Buffalo. In 2003 he received the VWR Presidents Club Award, an award that has been given to less than 5% of VWR employees worldwide. David is well schooled in SEM and SEO techniques and has managed several very successful CPC/CPA campaigns.  He is a member of SEMPO and the Association for Media Ecology.

How will I know if one of my visitors buys something from ScientificsOnline? 

That's one of the great things about working with LinkShare. When we upload graphics and text links to LinkShare, they add tracking code to the URL that is "read and recorded" by their software. As an Edsci-Affiliates affiliate, you will receive a user name and password from LinkShare that allows you to use the affiliate reporting tools on the LinkShare site. You will have complete access to reports that detail your sales from referrals. You can check it any time you want, day or night.