15 eCommerce Affiliate Marketing Examples And What You Can Learn From Them
The affiliate marketing industry is booming.
If you’re already an eCommerce merchant it goes without saying that affiliate marketing should be your top priority for driving sales.
However, affiliate marketing has a bad reputation for being used for spammy “make money in your bedroom” schemes. What most affiliates fail to do is to differentiate themselves from the competition and provide value to their audience.
In this article, we’ll look at some examples of high-converting affiliate websites, and reveal some of the secrets behind their success in case you want to start your own affiliate website.
eCommerce affiliate marketing examples
While there are a number of ecommerce affiliate marketing examples out there, we have picked out some of those that have been extremely successful over the years.
1. Amazon
One of the most famous and largest affiliate program examples is the Amazon Associate program. It is currently known as the Amazon Associate program.
What works:
- Amazon’s affiliate program messaging is simple across all channels’ it’s crisp and to the point. It lets the reader immediately find and understand its value in it.
- A wide range of product availability gives affiliates from numerous niches the ability to promote their affiliate products by simply picking what they believe in.
2. Appliances Now
Appliances Connection is a retailer of exclusive and high-end appliances, where the average dollar amount per order is around $1,000. Appliances Now claim to provide “personal and white-glove treatment” to all its affiliates.
What works:
- The transparency of their entire affiliate program leaves the applicant with no confusion whatsoever.
- Exclusive partnerships with affiliates who can produce over $10,000/month in affiliate revenue.
3. Smoked BBQ Source
Smoked BBQ Source has effective affiliate marketing in place which generates nearly three-quarters of their monthly sales.
What works:
- They are strongly situated in one niche.
4. eBay
eBay is the world’s largest online marketplace. You can find great deals on everything from laptops and cell phones to the latest fashion trends. You can buy and sell with the confidence of a buyer protection program that gives you peace of mind when making purchases.
What works:
- All their marketing efforts towards promoting the ebay partner network focusses on the ‘why’ rather than the ‘how’; this helps partners the value it brings for them.
- Since eBay already has such a large network, they leverage it by talking numbers. This helps new applicants see value instantly.
5. GoPro
GoPro is one of the most popular action cameras on the market. It’s easy to use, has some great features, and takes good photos and videos.
What works:
- Because of the kind of products they sell (video cameras), all of the marketing efforts put in by their affiliates involve visual content.
- Most of their affiliate relationships are long-term and they are committed to keeping their affiliates engaged in their program by hosting events, etc.
6. Allbirds
Allbirds is a shoe company that makes comfortable, sustainable, and vegan shoes. Their mission is to make the world a better place through their products and practices.
What works:
- Allbirds offers two kinds of affiliate programs – Social Ambassadors and Media Publications. This helps them expand their affiliate program reach exponentially on two different mediums altogether.
Daniel Wellington is a fairly new brand that makes affordable watches with a clean aesthetic. DW watches are recommended for both men and women who want to look stylish and elegant without spending too much money.
What works:
- Daniel Wellington’s affiliate program doesn’t just offer a simple commission like most brands. Instead, it offers its ambassadors a wide array of benefits including free products.
- They ask their ambassadors to promote their products on visual social media platforms like Youtube, Tiktok or Pinterest, which works best for the fashion and accessories industry.
8. Sephora
Sephora is a chain of cosmetics stores. It offers products from more than 400 brands, mainly from the fields of makeup, skincare, perfume, and hair care.
What works:
- Sephora affiliate program doesn’t just offer a simple commission like most brands. Instead, it offers its affiliates a wide array of benefits including free products.
9. Macy’s
Macy’s is one of the largest department store chains in the United States and one of the world’s largest retailers. In its early days, Macy’s was a department store that sold everything from furniture to clothing. Today, it’s still one of the largest department stores in the U.S., but they’ve also expanded into other areas like home goods and beauty products.
What works:
- A wide range of product availability, giving affiliates from numerous niches the ability to promote their affiliate products by simply picking what they believe in.
- Easy sign-in process.
10. Petco
Petco offers a wide variety of pet food, supplies, and services to keep pets happy and healthy.
What works:
- Petco offers its affiliates a premium reporting interface to monitor performance in real-time.
11. Overstock
Overstock.com, Inc. is an American internet retailer that sells a wide variety of home and office furniture. The company has headquarters in Midvale, Utah.
What works:
- Dedicated affiliate and agency team.
- Free access to the Overstock.com data feed available in both .CSV and .XML formats.
12. Newegg
Newegg is the leading electronics-focused e-retailer in North America, offering a wide range of the latest consumer electronics, computing, and mobile products, as well as a broad assortment of other category types.
What works:
- A wide range of product category availability, giving affiliates from numerous niches the ability to promote their affiliate products by simply picking the niche that resonates most with them and their audience.
- Dedicated affiliate team for additional support.
13. Nike
Nike is a global leader in the sporting goods industry. The company’s mission is to bring innovation to every athlete in the world.
What works:
- Nike offers a competitive commission rate to its affiliates, providing a revenue stream for promoting their products.
- Nike is a well-known and respected brand, which can help to increase the credibility and trust of affiliates promoting their products.
- The Nike Affiliate Program uses advanced tracking technology to monitor sales and commissions, ensuring that affiliates are accurately credited for their efforts.
- Nike provides dedicated support to their affiliates, including a team of affiliate managers who are available to answer questions and offer guidance.
14. Alixpress
Alixpress is a Chinese eCommerce platform. It offers a wide variety of products across different categories at competitive prices.
What works:
- AliExpress offers a large selection of products across various categories, including electronics, fashion, home and garden, and more, providing affiliates with a variety of products to promote.
- AliExpress provides its affiliates with advanced tracking and reporting tools to monitor their performance and earnings.
- AliExpress offers multiple advertising options, including text links, banners, and product feeds, providing affiliates with a variety of ways to promote their products.
15. Urban Outfitters
Urban Outfitters is a clothing and accessories retailer. It currently operates more than 240 retail stores in the United States, Canada, and Europe. They also have an online store.
The company has also expanded its brand into other categories such as home furnishings, fragrances, footwear, beauty products, and jewelry.
What works:
- Urban Outfitters regularly runs promotions and offers discounts on their products, providing affiliates with opportunities to drive sales and earn higher commissions.
- Urban Outfitters provides dedicated support to its affiliates, including a team of affiliate managers who are available to answer questions and offer guidance.
Wrapping up!
Affiliate marketing has proven to be incredibly lucrative for many eCommerce websites. Some of these affiliate marketing campaigns have been wildly successful, so it’s worth taking a look at some examples of affiliate marketing in action.
Each of the campaigns we’ve listed above is unique in its own right and can be used as a way to generate some inspiration through your eCommerce efforts, or even serve as a model to emulate.
Put together, they give you an excellent look into how affiliate marketing can be deployed to target specific customers and drive revenue back to your eCommerce website.
Still unsure or need additional help with your affiliate marketing?
Check out Enlisty – The seamless affiliate management tool. Built for Shopify, Enlistly is the fastest way to get an affiliate program set up. In less than 2 minutes you’ll have a full-featured affiliate management platform with real-time order tracking. It’s free to get started.
