Sharper Image Selects LinkShare for Affiliate Marketing

San Francisco-based specialty retailer The Sharper Image selected LinkShare Corp. to develop and manage its new Internet affiliate marketing program.

The company said it is seeking to increase public awareness of its presence online as well as draw attention to its new auction site.

To boost its sales over the Internet at its sharperimage.com site, The Sharper Image said its affiliates have been given a choice of two product banner advertisements or one company logo banner ad to feature on their Web sites.

More than 1,000 affiliates already have signed, the company said.

“By utilizing LinkShare’s 65,000 affiliate sites we hope to establish buttons, banners, and links that will further enhance our Internet marketing initiatives as well as grow traffic to sharperimage.com and our auction site,” said Meredith Medland, director of global Internet marketing for The Sharper Image.

Financial arrangements of the deal with The Sharper Image were not disclosed.

New York City-based LinkShare provides tools and technology to cross-refer customers, strengthening customer relationships and generating revenue.

Clients include Dell Computers, Cyberian Outpost, Borders.com, 1-800-Flowers, Virtual Vineyards and Omaha Steaks, among others.