PLAYBOOK: Vetting a merchant before you build a deal page

PLAYBOOK: Vetting a merchant before you build a deal page
We hear too many sites build hub pages for merchants that ghost in 60 days. The pre-listing checklist that saves wasted crawl budget:
— Pull the program's EPC and reversal rate from the network dashboard — high reversals mean the codes don't stick
— Check feed update frequency in the network; a feed last refreshed 90 days ago is a dead program walking
— Verify the merchant actually issues affiliate-specific codes vs only sitewide public ones (no exclusivity = commodity page)
— Confirm cookie window; sub-7-day windows on considered purchases aren't worth a dedicated page
Why it matters: a hub page for a dying program costs you links and crawl equity you'll have to reclaim. Vet the program's health, not just its commission rate.