The purpose of your site is to make money. Well, thats true for everyone but the family hobby sites, charitable organizations (although they want your contributions) and some non-commercial research sites. So after you identified a niche and pulled together the site elements they want in terms of information and participation, you established affiliate relationships with merchants who sell the kinds of products and services they want to buy. Or maybe you have always had direct product sales on your site, and you added merchants with complementary but not competing products and services.

But have things changed? Maybe you have changed the focus of the direct product sales on your site. Certainly your merchant partners have made changes, expanded product lines, even bought other sellers. Perhaps youve written a book or an ebook. Its time to take an inventory of the fit between your on-site sales and the offerings of your merchants.

If a merchants product line overlaps your significantly, see which one makes more money. Is it time for the merchant program to go? If theres prestige in having your own products, thats fine as long as its a conscious decision. Once youve determined and decided what to do with the overlap, then take a look at your competitors sites and see which merchants they have as affiliates. Some of them would probably serve to strengthen your product line and give you the opportunity for additional sales. As a niche site in their space you should have no trouble negotiating a favorable agreement. Now continue reviewing and fine-tuning and it will pay you back in both visitor loyalty and commissions.