In a blow to ValueClick and its Commission Junction affiliate network, eBay has decided to manage its mammoth affiliate marketing program in-house. Will Martin-Gill, the program’s senior manager, said the decision is motivated by a desire to offer greater customization to its affiliate publishers while saving money and exerting more control over traffic quality. Dave Osman, Commission Junction’s SVP of operations, said losing the eBay account didn’t come as a surprise, adding the financial ramifications have already been baked into the company’s financial guidance. In testing, the format has resulted in a conversion rate four to five times higher than serving an ad specific only to the affiliate publisher’s site, said Martin-Gill. read more

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