PlayStation, with its 30-year history under Sony, launched direct.playstation.com in 2019 to sell hardware, peripherals, and physical software to players. With limited affiliate marketing experience and resources, direct.playstation.com partnered with Partnerize to provide partner management software and access to award-winning account management. The initial six-month program succeeded, leading to expansion in additional European markets and a US launch in September 2024. Now, the affiliate channel accounts for circa 7% of direct.playstation.com’s UK traffic and shows strong growth opportunities.
The treatment.
Partnerize worked closely with direct.PlayStation.com pre-launch to meet channel objectives through key strategies:
Commission strategy:
A new customer-only model ensured incrementality, with a category-based structure protecting margins across consoles, games, and accessories.
Partner recruitment strategy:
Focused on high-credibility technology sites for brand messaging, and closed loyalty/cashback sites for promotional opportunities.
Pre-launch preparation:
Of the 30 identified, 12 key partners were selected for a Black Friday launch. Despite code freezes, 75% of partners were revenue-active.
Optimization & expansion:
New partners, including a network for closed user group (CUG) offers, were recruited, and SEO-ranked content partners like Hookshot Media enhanced visibility.
The results.
The program launched in November 2023, generating 435k new customer visits and significant 6-figure revenue from newly on-boarded content partners. Expanding to cashback, loyalty, and promotional partners in Q1 2024 saw a further +97% QoQ revenue uplift.
Upcoming program optimizations include targeting Student Closed User Groups and developing a product feed to improve content delivery and partner diversity. These efforts underscore Partnerize’s commitment to driving growth and expanding direct.playstation.com’s affiliate program.
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