When it comes to choosing affiliates, I have been guided first by what I have used for my own purchases. I have used the following services, to some extent, as described below, and have been satisfied that they have something to offer. I will include a brief discussion of what I see as their relative strengths, and why I have included them.
If you want to suggest more affiliate relationships to explore, please let me know. The main qualifications are that I need to be able to link to individual products, and the other site needs the technical sophistication to maintain the same shopping basket when someone backs up to this site again to follow a list of citations. It should also be convenient for me to compile the needed product link database information. Beyond that, I would be happy to listen to suggestions, especially if they fit into the rationale outlined below.
Amazon is perhaps the leading online retailer today, and so a natural choice. Their affiliate program is one of the most prompt and professional, and I personally find their ordering interface to be the best. However, although they began by providing classical titles promptly and at a good price, my more recent experiences have not been as successful. The prices have increased and the speed at which they deliver titles has declined. Amazon remains the safest choice for readers to use, but the general industry trend toward deemphasizing "independent" labels seems to be affecting them. Many of these concerns have subsequently been resolved, with the addition of their various third party sellers, giving shoppers more options. I have used a few of these with some success, and I do still get some affiliate dollars when purchases are made via third parties. That is no guarantee that they are all good, but it seems to be a good addition to the options at Amazon.
Tower Records has recently been removed. They are under new management, and I do not know if the new management will have an affiliate program, or if they will be worth patronizing.
Crotchet is the only European retailer I have found which fits my technical requirements. They are obviously a smaller, more personal, shop and have filled my own orders in a professional manner. It took a little more effort to be paid by them, but they have come through. Their selection seems generally good, and I continue to use them regularly myself, but should do more to add links to individual items here.
CD Roots is a World Music retailer, and really specializes in writing reviews and making recommendations, as well as offering the recordings for sale. I have not actually purchased through them, but I have heard only good things about Cliff at Rootsworld, and I am sure he is in the business mainly because he loves the music.
Hopefully this service will continue to be valuable. It does require a fair percentage of my time to maintain.
To general list of retailers, without any affiliate links or revenue for us.
Todd M. McComb