There are always exceptions Linda so I am going to suggest the opposite approach.
Many networks are specialist in their approach. Namely some networks perform better in a particular field or niche than others and concentrate on merchants from that particular aspect. However the overriding issue is not which network but rather...is that network able to deliver the quality traffic I need from the target audience I wish to attract?
Many networks individually are excellent. Some are appalling. However many fail the litmus test if the merchant is trans national in commerce.
So more than one network is essential.
We are launching a huge multi million dollar venture in June/July which I am OPM and this venture has an in house module plus a minimum of three networks. The first is a US network and the second is a UK network (because that's the areas they cover). We may well add a particular Canadian network later and also a trans national network after that. The third network we are going with strictly uses affiliates specialising in blogging and we'll be providing RSS feeds for integration as the model fits in with that field.
Each network operates in a core or particular manner. The UK network is small but high profile and popular with European affiliates. The US network is the darling of the small US affiliate and the third is a must for the blogger monetising their blogsites. Each network therefore operates a differing business model which will fit in with our merchandising and promotion in different ways. Not one network (not even trans national networks) provide that for us individually.
Technology also plays a very important part and whilst I am happy to see networks take on innovations I and others came up with (my goodness is it really so long ago) more than two years ago, we are only now seeing the investment by the networks in new technology and marketing avenues. Again no one network has it all (some are getting close).
So depending on your business model, I would suggest no single network can provide everything you need and that's why companies use OPM's. We research the business model, putting together a marriage between the differing marketing strategies and integrating them into the affiliate channel.
Gone are the days of "if we build it they will come". Success in online marketing is now contingent on so much more. Restricting yourself therefore to a single network is not always in the interests of YOUR business.
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