Is ShareASale Sunsetting This Summer?

154: Spoiler alert - the answer is no.

HelloZ

I’m popping in your inbox two days in a row and one can only hope that you find my newsletters valuable because ugh who needs more emails?? There’s been a lot of banter about ShareASale’s plans for the future. Read on for FACTS and also THOUGHTS.

Is ShareASale Sunsetting This Summer?

Have you heard a big little rumor that ShareASale is on the chopping block and getting the nix this summer? I heard it too 😨 But fortunately I got some air-clearing truth right from the source late last week and —as alwaysZ! — I’m bringing you the deets! 

Here’s what’s actually happening over at Awin and ShareASale: 

How Rumors Get Started 

As you may or may not know, Awin acquired ShareASale back in 2017. Since then, the company says, “a single network solution has always been the objective.” So, there is truth to the idea that SAS will be sunsetting eventually as the platform we know it to be. But, Awin says this is all for the betterment of the user experience. They are promoting it to be a streamlined experience—a new powerhouse platform that caters to every slice of the affiliate marketing pie. But according to Awin, that’s not happening this year, and definitely not this summer. 

So, ShareASale Isn’t Going Anywhere—Yet

Awin has confirmed that, despite the rumors, they aren’t pulling the plug on ShareASale anytime soon and that it’ll still be around for summer 2024. When the integration does get underway, they’ve also promised that all the heavy lifting will be happening behind the scenes, nothing for you to do. No need for additional tracking setups or porting over your publishers. Which is nice to hear, because that’s the kind of logistical headache that can really put a stressful dent in your schedule. 

When Is This Happening?

Great question! But I don’t have a great answer. Awin says it is eyeing 2025 for these major upgrades/integrations, but no definitive date has been set. In the meantime, this means business as usual for the rest of us. I’ve done a few trainings on the AWIN platform because I would like to move some of my top clients there. I was told that they’ll be spending time making AWIN better (which is a GREAT thing), but not to rush to move ShareASale clients there if they’re all happy, content, and making money currently. (Which, thankfully they are.)

Forthcoming Features to Expect Next Year

Once the upgrades are in place, Awin says it will still not be immediately sunsetting ShareASale, meaning we can probably expect a reasonable transition period. Here are some of the features Awin says we can expect with the new platform rollout: 

• AI-powered recruiting and publisher recommendations

• Robust tracking that supports access to 80+ plug-and-play tech partners

• Improved reporting, including the incrementality report, journey path report, benchmarking report and others

• Global expansion with localized, tailored campaigns 

I Have Zlata Thoughts

If you need to set a client up on an affiliate platform for a simple Skimlinks connection, don’t sleep on ShareASale. I’ve heard negative musings about the platform, and while yes, I agree the interface could be better, SAS gets the job done for me and my clients are quite happy. Will I be moving some before the sunset? Yes, because I like a lot of the new features and think it will be beneficial for different reasons. But I’m not moving all of them because if it’s not broken …

As always, I’m here to bring you the latest and greatest from the affiliate world — with a side of myth-busting when necessary! If you appreciate this content (AND I HOPE YOU DO!) remember to share me with your friendZ. As a reader-supported publication, your share means the world to me and helps me keep churning out newZ you can use! 

That’s all for today! Have a fabulous week, friendZ! 

✌️-Z