One effective strategy for boosting sales and earning passive income in the world of e-commerce is affiliate marketing. If you have a blog and/or social media accounts with decent traffic, the AliExpress affiliate program might be a good program to participate in, given its variety of products and international outlook. This article will review the AliExpress affiliate program and its features, conditions, and ways to maximize profits so you can determine if it is right for you.
Definition of the AliExpress Affiliate Program
The AliExpress Affiliate Program is a way to earn money by promoting products available at AliExpress. An affiliate provides product links in varying media, for example, via a blog, or on social media. Once they help the company get some sales, they receive a commission based on the amount sold. You can access this affiliate program through the official AliExpress website or affiliate networks, such as CJ Affiliate, Awin, and FlexOffers.
Affiliate AliExpress Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Deep linking – direct links to any product on the site.
- Products – access to millions of different products.
- Shipping – available to nearly 200 countries, albeit slow.
- Commission – potentially higher than Amazon’s.
- Cookie length – three times that of Amazon.
- Cost – products are often cheaper than elsewhere.
- Quality – in opposition to Wish, AliExpress is a somewhat better-quality source.
Cons:
- Shipping – can take many weeks.
- Quality of products – due to the low price of items, some products can be of low quality.
- Support – limited support for affiliates.
- Reporting – in-house reporting is poor.
- Deductions – an “Anti-Spam” deduction from earnings has never been explained.
- Program – the in-house program is incredibly unreliable.
- Commission – rates can change inexplicably.
The pros and cons listed above can help one decide if this program is suitable for their goals and how to approach it to maximize the expected results.
AliExpress Affiliate Program: Commissions and Cookie Duration
Cookie duration is crucial for any affiliate program, and AliExpress is no different. With FlexOffers, cookies are session-based, meaning your affiliate link stops working when a reader closes their browser. To me, cookies that last only 24 hours are already extremely limiting. However, this option is available only if you use the AliExpress in-house program or promote it through FlexOffers. The duration is 3 days with Commission Junction and Awin. As always, it is best to read the details before you choose.
The good thing is that the commission rates are also fairly stable. For affiliate networks, these values are 4% with Commission Junction, up to 7% with Awin, and FlexOffers recently improved their rates to 4.5%. The AliExpress in-house program claims to offer up to 50% of the sales as a commission. However, such high rates apply only to their “Hot Products.”
How to Join the AliExpress Affiliate Program
To join AliExpress’s program, follow these steps:
- Sign Up: You can sign up through the AliExpress Portals or an affiliate network that works with AliExpress.
- Choose Products to Promote: After you’re approved for the program, select from the millions of products on AliExpress that your audience may like.
- Create Content: Start creating content using your unique affiliate links. This can be reviews, guides, or anything else you believe will convince your audience to buy something.
- Drive Traffic: Use your generated links to lead potential buyers to AliExpress. The more focused and engaged your audience, the higher your chances of making a sale.
- Earn Commissions: You earn a commission each time someone clicks your link and buys something. The rate varies by product category and can be average or high for some items.
How to Select the Right Products for Promotion
Choosing the right products to promote as an AliExpress affiliate is paramount to your success. We recommend you follow these tips:
- Look at the best-sellers. If the products are popular with shoppers on the platform, there’s a high chance that your audience will like them, too. On AliExpress, you can find this information for any item using the search feature, visiting the storefront, or browsing the product categories.
- Niche products can attract a more targeted audience. For example, if promoting electric scooters might be too broad, focus on niche products such as accessories or individual parts for these devices. The same applies to any audience; if you’re targeting tech enthusiasts, for instance, don’t bother with the broadest selection. Instead, offer them the newest electronic devices or smart home appliances.
- Category commission rates vary, some as high as 8%. Focus your efforts on these to earn more.
- Don’t forget product quality, customer reviews, and shipping times. Promoting reliable products that people will like takes time, but it’s worth it in the long run.
5 Aliexpress Affiliate Program Alternatives
Amazon Associates Program
One of the best and most popular affiliate programs is Amazon Associates. You can advertise a wide range of products, from electronics to clothes. You can get up to 10% commissions as an Amazon Partner. This platform is also relatively easy to use – beginners find it helpful. Also, you can use tracking tools to see which products sell best.
Please visit the Amazon Associates program requirements page to apply for the program.
eBay Program
eBay joined the affiliate marketing game with its eBay Partner Network. You can share eBay auctions or buy-it-now listings with your followers. As a partner or affiliate, you earn a commission when someone purchases after clicking the tracking link. The commission rate varies depending on the product category. The eBay Partner Network offers reliable resources for the affiliates success.
To join this program, check the eBay affiliate program page and follow our step-by-step guide.
ShareASale Program
ShareASale is one of the largest affiliate networks. It has over thousands of merchants and millions of products, including some big names. The merchants pay on time and allow real-time tracking of sales. The ShareASale interface is user-friendly, so you can find the right merchant quickly.
Joining is simple! Visit the ShareASale affiliate program guide and read the requirements.
Newegg Program
Newegg is an online retailer specializing in computer hardware, electronics, and tech gear. By becoming a part of the Newegg Affiliate Program, you can earn money by promoting their products. You get access to a vast variety of tech products as well as competitive commission rates and a variety of promotional materials, such as links and banners provided by Newegg.
People interested in applying should read the Newegg affiliate program guide.
Rakuten Marketing
Rakuten Marketing provides access to tons of advertisers. They have many advertisers that you can’t find on other big networks, such as CJ. Rakuten Marketing is usually best known for the high-quality products it offers. In addition, they provide strong customer service, and the user interface is clean and user-friendly. Rakuten Marketing also provides educational materials to help you succeed.
Wish to join? Check the Rakuten affiliate program review.
Conclusion
The AliExpress Affiliate Program provides a great opportunity for people wanting to monetize their Web activity. If you learn how the program works, use effective strategies and regularly provide value to your audience, you will get access to a source of passive income that has a worldwide reach. Like any other affiliate program, the success of your activity in the AliExpress Affiliate Program will depend on your effort and wit in designing promotional activities.
Check out our Retail Affiliate Programs section for similar opportunities. Also, follow us on social media for affiliate tips and the latest affiliate programs:
