Affiliates: Let this FMTC Portal tool do the work for you

Written by Josh Hutter

Welcome back to FMTC’s Tech Corner, where we take a deep dive into our tools and technology. In this article, we’ll explore FMTC’s MerchantSync tool and discover how this feature can help you, as an affiliate, effectively promote the programs that you are a part of.

MerchantSync is a tool that provides real-time synchronization of merchant data for FMTC subscribers. It is designed to streamline and simplify the process of managing and updating affiliate links based on your relationship status with each merchant. With FMTC’s MerchantSync tool, you do not need to add or remove merchants from your FMTC feed manually. Simply join programs in the affiliate networks and MerchantSync will automatically add the merchants you are approved for to your feed. If a program goes offline or terminates your relationship, MerchantSync can automatically remove that program from your feed. This tool ensures that affiliates always have the most up-to-date and accurate information about the merchants they are promoting — automatically synchronizing the program status directly from the affiliate networks.

Setting up MerchantSync requires a one-time investment of your time, but once it’s complete, you can enjoy peace of mind knowing that you’re receiving all the content from the programs you are approved to work with.

To set up MerchantSync, simply log in to the FMTC Portal and navigate to the MerchantSync section (FMTC – Control Panel – MerchantSync).

Once there, you have the freedom to customize how MerchantSync works for you. Consider the following options:

• Select Networks: Choose whether MerchantSync should run for all the networks you work with or only a select few. The current networks that support MerchantSync are:
  • Ascend
  • AvantLink
  • Awin
  • CJ Affiliate
  • Commission Factory
  • impact.com
  • LinkConnector
  • Rakuten
  • ShareASale
  • Webgains
• Scheduled Sync: MerchantSync runs daily, and you have the flexibility to choose the time that works best for you. This ensures that you receive the most up-to-date data at your preferred time.
• Auto Add Merchant: By enabling this feature, MerchantSync will automatically add the programs you are approved for in the networks. This means that when you get approved for a program, you can rest assured that your next API call will include the newly active program.
• Auto Remove Merchant: Some programs may terminate their relationship with an affiliate, leading to the removal of deal information from the FMTC API. By enabling this feature, you can choose to have these programs automatically removed from your account, keeping your data clean and relevant.
• Reporting: Within our MerchantSync tool you can schedule a daily report to be emailed to you, showing you which merchants have been added or removed from your account that day.

It’s important to note that each network handles its API calls differently. To gather the necessary information, FMTC requires your network account API credentials so that we may make an API call on your behalf. This allows FMTC to grab your latest information and seamlessly apply it to your FMTC account. For more information about the steps to gather this information, please see the individual network pages on the MerchantSync page in the FMTC Portal.

As always, our team is ready to help you! If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact your account manager or email us at [email protected]. Curious about other FMTC technologies? Find more information on FMTC’s tools in our Tech Corner:

• FMTC Tech Corner: Deal Alerts
• FMTC Tech Corner: Pushed Deals
• FMTC Tech Corner: Deal Management Tools for Merchants