The Commission Junction Javascript Link Petition

Update Sep 13, 2006: CJ recently put HTML links back, stopped calling them "legacy links" and stated that they have no plans to eliminate HTML links. Due to these changes, and the fact that I get nothing but spam submissions here now, I'm officially closing the petition. Thanks to the many hundreds of you who put your name down. I do believe it had an impact.

Update Jun 7, 2006: CJ has updated their FAQ (here, login required) and has stated that they are no longer making the Javascript links required as of June 23. They do indicate that the change will be required at some point, but not until 2007 and after a six month notice. This is a positive move, but it doesn't change the fundamental issue, only the date.
See here for additional information on this update.

This petition is getting some good visibility, and with it are coming readers who may be reading about this issue for the first time. Before signing this petition, I urge you to understand the change:

In brief, Commission Junction is planning a full change to javascript links and will not support plain links after June 23rd, 2006 for new relationships, and after an unspecified time for ALL publishers. (NOTE: as of June 7, 2006, CJ has stated that Javascript links will be optional for all relationships at least until 2007 with a 6 month notice of changes.)

Commission Junction has stated:

• that plain links will be available for use in email and PPC campaigns
• javascript links can only be used on web sites
• that publishers will have control over things like link text, destination url, image url, etc. and that advertisers will not be able to override changes. (This detail has been communicated privately and remains to be seen in a public communication, though I am confident that it is true. You will have to judge for yourself until they provide more detail. Better yet, wait and see.)

The main problem that I have with Javascript links is the Javascript itself. Regardless of the flexibility, tools, and control that Commission Junction will allow for publishers, which can only be speculated at this point, the following issues remain:

• Redesign of back-end databases and content managment sytems will be required.
• Many of the ways that affiliate links are incorporated into content will become difficult or impossible.
• Long term, changing out all links is required
• redirects for tracking and management purposes become impractical if not impossible
• multiple links on a single page will cause performance issues.
• Any links that are not fixed-format type links, such as in-line text links, become difficult to manage.
• Numbers vary widely on the percentage of end users who browse with Javascript disabled, but the numbers are not insignificant.

Please read more about this issue on this page and in the many resources listed here.