How to Get Approved by Ebay Partner Network

One of the more frequent topics of discussion we see on the support forums, is how to get approved by Ebay Partner Network (EPN) for their Ebay affiliate program. Ebay is far more stringent on their approval process than most other affiliates I've encountered.

So what are they looking for? Ebay is looking for quality sites. They have specifically relayed that to me in the past, to share with users.

"Quality" is subjective to each of us individually, but it's important to understand how Ebay may perceive this. Ebay is looking for sites that will provide a value to the consumer and therefore *engage* the user. That's even more subjective, but I'll try to break down my interpretation of what they are looking for:

A site that has *value* to it. About the worst possible thing one could do, is install wordpress on a new site and put up a few pages with Ebay listings (in anticipation of approval). They want to see content, quality content where the content is what makes the site, and offering something to the end user that meets that topic is secondary.

For example, if you were submitting a site about Acne, then good useful articles about various aspects of Acne that *engage* the user (would entice them to want to read/learn more) is important. Then follow up with something like "You can find these very products on Ebay and probably save some money. Listed below are a few examples." and then show a few product listings.

Here's why this is important. It engages the user. By that, I mean, that the visitor at this point has discovered your site page, most likely through a search engine. They are looking for something. You are engaging the user when they start, and continue reading what your site has to offer. At the end of reading, a few products are presented that "relate" to the content. Now, if a user clicks over to Ebay through your link, they are "engaged" at that point. You've captivated their interest, and they want to know more about the product.

A user is more likely to make a purchase under that scenario, because you've provided useful information that has enticed them to click on a product to learn more. This, verses a page that simply has a long list of products. The engaged customer is more likely to invest in a purchase, because you've given them something they are interested in.

Put your best site forward, first! Think of this as like an interview. Don't wear shorts and flip flops, wear your best suit. That is, to say, put your best looking/quality site out there when you submit a url for Ebay to look at. They want to see what you are about, so put your best site out there so they can get an idea of what type of site work you do.

If you don't have a good candidate now, take a week off and spend some time getting a really nice site together. It may very well be worth the effort. Setup your site, put a nice quality theme on it, put up some categories and add some really good (more than just 100 words) content on topics you might have used anyway, and go for the gold. Make it look as professional as possible. Then resubmit your site for reconsideration.

It may be a little more work up front, but it could very well be worth the effort in the end with an approval from them. And once you have that....your foot in the door...you don't have to worry about that. You can come back down to casual Fridays!

Let's recap:

• Find a nice looking theme/design for your website that compliments your site niche.
• Develop your site with quality content, that would be considered valuable to a site visitor with or without any ads.
• Add appropriate images to your content to enhance the user experience.
• Resist the urge to put any ads on your site initially. Focus on your content, develop a nice looking site with informative content, images to compliment your content. No ads!
• Once your site is complete, review it. Is the site attractive? Does it provide good content that would be useful to others, without any ads? If so, then submit your site. If not, work on it some more.
• Treat your submission to Ebay like it's an interview for a Fortune 500 company. Put your best suit on (your best site) and let Ebay know you are the type of quality affiliate they are looking for. It's a sale!

I also recommend the excellent article on Mark Hansen's site, 7 Tips for Getting Accepted into ePN - eBay Affiliate Network.  Mark has a great site, definitely one that should be in your bookmarks!