Parul Bhargava vCommission CEO Interview at India Affiliate Summit 2015

Back then, Indians struggled to get accepted into international CPA networks. So they started their own. 🇮🇳

At India Affiliate Summit 2015, I spoke with Parul Bhargava, CEO of vCommission, about how the network began and how it earns affiliates’ trust. 🎙️

📊 In this episode, we unpacked:

• 🚀 How vCommission started
• 🤝 Paying affiliates on time, every time
• 📊 Tracking and transparency
• 👩‍💻 From engineer to CEO
• 🔭 R&D, Mohali and the summit

🎥 Watch the full episode:

🚀 How vCommission Started

Parul has been an affiliate since 2006. vCommission was the brainchild of her husband Tarang, an Indian super affiliate since 2006. They conceptualized and started it in 2008. 🚀

From 2006 to 2010, they focused on US and UK markets. At the time, Indians didn’t get accepted into international CPA networks because India was seen as a fraud zone, so they built their own network for credibility. In 2010, they shifted focus to India. For her later story, read The Untold Story of vCommission. 🔗

🤝 Paying Affiliates On Time, Every Time

When they started, Indian networks paid affiliates only after advertisers paid them. vCommission doesn’t. It pays on its payment terms whether or not the advertiser has paid, except in disputed fraud cases. 🤝

If it rejects even ₹10 of leads or sales, it gives a valid reason. She says Indian affiliate marketing now offers a first-mover advantage because the ecosystem is still developing. For another Indian network founder, read Anurag Gupta of DGM India. 🔗

📊 Tracking and Transparency

vCommission uses HasOffers for tracking and has had few glitches. The bigger issue is that some Indian advertisers lack conditional tracking or attribution. vCommission tells affiliates about these challenges before they start promoting, not after. 📊

“We are a marketing company, not a development company.” They outsource tracking to platforms that power larger networks and follow international changes such as Europe’s cookie policies, so they can adapt quickly. For another tracking view, read Ofir Brill from TUNE. 🔗

👩‍💻 From Engineer to CEO

Parul is an engineer by qualification. Until a couple of years before, her family didn’t really know what she did and thought she’d go back to a coding job. E-commerce advertising made it easier to explain: they’re a marketing channel for companies like Amazon, Flipkart and Snapdeal. 👩‍💻

As very young founders, they were often taken lightly. Eight years on, she calls vCommission India’s biggest affiliate network. She works well with e-commerce account managers and has decision makers at every level of her team. She personally takes the third interview round for publisher managers. 💼

🔭 R&D, Mohali and the Summit

For the next five years, she wants vCommission known as an innovator. It tests new affiliate methods before recommending them to top publishers, and had just launched an R&D and startup incubation center in Mohali. Rather than offices everywhere, she wants “the WhatsApp way”: a small, efficient team making a big impact. 🔭

As a sponsor of India Affiliate Summit 2015, she was thrilled by 1,600 attendees, 9 sponsors and 36 exhibitors in its first year. vCommission also attends ad:tech in New York and San Francisco, and Affiliate Summit West and East. 🎉

📝 Key Takeaways From the Parul Bhargava Interview

• 🚀 Lack of access can be a reason to build your own
• 🤝 Pay partners on time to earn trust
• 📊 Share campaign limitations before affiliates promote
• 🧰 Outsource what isn’t your core skill
• 🔭 Test methods before recommending them

❓ FAQs About Parul Bhargava

Who founded vCommission?

Tarang Bhargava conceptualized it, and he and Parul Bhargava started it in 2008.

What tracking does vCommission use?

At the time of the interview, HasOffers.

How many people attended India Affiliate Summit 2015?

Parul said about 1,600 people attended on the first day, with 9 sponsors and 36 exhibitors.

🎙️ More Inside A Hustler’s Brain Interviews You’ll Love

• Learn Affiliate Marketing with CPA Ninja Vipul Taneja
• Swati Bhargava CashKaro CEO tells Why Bloggers are Important for Brands
• Take Away From Panel Discussion in 24ADP Pune 2015 [Video]
• Entreprenuership Journey Shared By Siddhant Satija Founder of Aduncle

Have you worked with an Indian affiliate network? Share your experience in the comments. 💬

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