Brokerage Firm Affiliate Programs

by on June 24, 2007

I was wondering if you knew why big CPA/CPC advertisers like E*TRADE, Scottrade, and TD AMERITRADE don’t have affiliate programs? In fact, as far as I tell, brokerage firms don’t even use traditional CPM/CPA ad networks to buy media.

I don’t really have any insight as to why they would choose not to engage in affiliate marketing. One thing I would speculate would be that it’s a regulation issue.

Credit cards, health insurance, and other areas are highly regulated, and I would imagine the same goes for brokerage firms.

Perhaps they consider it to be too much trouble to properly screen and monitor affiliates to comply with their industry guidelines, or maybe outsourcing account recruitment in this fashion is just not permissible for them.

{ 4 comments }

Todd December 28, 2008 at 9:22 am

Excuse me for being ignorant, but what does CJ mean?

Shawn Collins December 29, 2008 at 5:55 am

CJ = Commission Junction

Shawn Collins June 26, 2007 at 6:17 am

Hmmm… I’m wondering if this question was a setup. I just saw on Cost Per News that E*TRADE just launched a program on CJ.

Granted, it’s the mortgage side of the house, but still coincidental timing.

Monnette June 24, 2007 at 12:22 pm

Check CJ – they have Sharebuilder there the last time I checked. So, I don’t think its not regulation that is keeping brokerages from having an affiliate program. Rather, its them not taking the initiative.

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