Etsy Affiliate Program: How It Works, Payment Details and More

Etsy is a popular e-Commerce platform that has been around since 2005.

It’s a go-to place for those shopping for handmade and vintage items, but shoppers can also find brand-new manufactured products.

Behind this shopping platform is an innovative company investing in contextual search and other tools that facilitate the buying journey.

As an affiliate marketer, the Etsy affiliate program is an option worth considering.

Does Etsy Have an Affiliate Program?

With 2.3 billion in annual revenues, Etsy is a fast-growing online marketplace.

There is a wide range of products available, but it’s undeniably a crucial player in the handmade and vintage markets.

As an affiliate partner, you’ll get unique links to promote Etsy listings.

Every time a shopper makes a purchase after following one of your links, you’ll earn a commission on the sale.

What Is the Etsy Affiliate Program?

The Etsy affiliate program allows you to become an affiliate partner.

Once Etsy approves your website, you’ll be able to share affiliate links and earn commissions on the sales you generate.

How Does the Etsy Affiliate Program Work?

Etsy uses unique affiliate links and cookies to track your referrals.

You can use your affiliate dashboard to generate unique affiliate links for the listings you want to promote and share these links on your site.

If a user clicks on one of your links, Etsy will create a cookie with your affiliate information.

If the user makes a purchase, Etsy will check their device for cookies and issue a commission if the site finds one of your affiliate cookies.

Is the Etsy Affiliate Program Free?

The program is free, but there are payment processing fees when you cash out.

Etsy Payments will charge you a base fee of $0.25 and 3% every time you cash out.

What Products Can You Promote for the Etsy Affiliate Program?

Etsy is an interesting platform for affiliate marketing with over 7.5 million active sellers.

There is something for everyone. You’ll always find new products to promote.

Due to the huge selection of products, you can offer value by presenting a curated selection.

Niche products tend to do well on Etsy, and you can stand out by promoting one-of-a-kind items.

Here are a few examples of product categories you can promote with Etsy.

1. Jewelry

The jewelry market is worth $55.46 billion, and Etsy has a truly unique selection of vintage finds and handmade jewelry designs.

Shoppers can also support small and minority-owned businesses with their purchase.

2. Wedding Niche

The wedding niche is thriving on Etsy with personalized invitations, bouquets, veils, cake toppers, and more.

You can even explore high-ticket affiliate marketing items with custom-made wedding dresses and suits.

With 1.9 million weddings in 2021, it’s a growing market.

More couples are opting for small ceremonies that reflect their personalities, making personalized items from Etsy an excellent fit.

3. Personalized Gifts

You can find personalized apparel, accessories, mugs, blankets, water bottles, and so much more on Etsy.

Shoppers often turn to the internet to find gift ideas.

Offering a curated selection of the best personalized gifts available on Etsy can be a smart way to generate affiliate revenues.

Plus, Etsy sellers have items you won’t find anywhere else.

4. Clothing and Accessories

Fashion bloggers should consider joining the Etsy affiliate program to promote handmade items like crochet tops or knits.

You can also look for vintage finds or sellers that make graphics tees with unique designs.

5. Craft Supplies

Do you have a knack for DIY projects?

If yes, you can create tutorials and share affiliate links for craft supplies.

Between sewing, doll making, jewelry making, or scrapbooking, Etsy is the place to go to discover a new hobby.

With the arts and crafts market growing at a CAGR of 3.9%, craft supplies are a promising e-commerce niche.

Other Things You Can Promote With Etsy

If you’re looking for a product category with high sales volumes, you should know that most of the top stores on Etsy offer stickers and stationery supplies.

There are plenty of other product categories you can promote:

• Seasonal items
• Cellphone accessories
• Puzzles
• Books
• Candles
• Home decor
• Furniture
• Cookware
• Collectibles
• Food items

What Products Are Excluded From the Etsy Affiliate Program?

If you have an Etsy store, you won’t be able to promote products from your shop.

The affiliate marketing program doesn’t exclude any products, but Etsy has strict rules about what sellers can list on the platform.

If a product breaks these rules, you won’t qualify for a commission.

Prohibited items include alcohol, drug paraphernalia, items that feature nudity, items that promote hate or violence, and more.

How Much Do Etsy Affiliates Make?

Longevity, traffic volume, and other factors can affect how much a blogger makes.

As an affiliate marketer, your annual salary can range from $11,000 to a six-figure number.

Around a quarter of affiliate marketers report earning under $47,000, and half make less than $117,000.

Your earnings will grow as you develop your online presence.

Focus on finding a profitable niche, building your audience, and finding the right channels to connect with shoppers.

Etsy Affiliate Program Commission Rates

You can earn a 2% or 4% commission depending on how you share your affiliate links.

1. Standard Publisher Referral

A standard publisher referral is an affiliate link you share through your blog or website.

If a user makes a purchase after clicking on one of these links, you’ll earn a 4% commission on the price of the item.

Note that the commission excludes what the shopper spends on tax and shipping.

2. User-Generated Content Referral

Etsy has strict restrictions regarding promoting affiliate links on social media, but you can share links on Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube if your pages meet a few conditions.

If you generate a sale via one of these channels, you will get a 2% commission.

3. Free Listings

Etsy gives you the possibility to earn free product listings if you refer a new seller to the platform.

You don’t need to join the affiliate marketing program to earn free listings.

All you have to do is log into your account and look for your referral link.

If a friend opens an Etsy store with your referral link, you will earn 40 free listings.

How Long Does the Etsy Cookie Last?

On a computer, the Etsy affiliate cookie will last 30 days.

For mobile users, the cookie only lasts seven days.

With 2.5 million monthly downloads for the Etsy app, more users are completing mobile purchases and potentially limiting your affiliate earnings.

How Do You Get Paid From Etsy?

You will have to request a payout via your affiliate dashboard.

Etsy Payments gives you the possibility to request an ACH deposit to your bank account or to receive a paper check.

For international affiliate partners, you can request an international wire.

When Does Etsy Pay Affiliates?

Etsy doesn’t have a payment schedule. You’ll have to request a payment manually when you want to cash out.

There is a $20 threshold for requesting a payment, but it’s best to let your balance grow to save on payment processing fees.

What Marketing Materials and Promotional Tools Are Available?

As an affiliate marketer, you’ll have access to a few resources designed to help you find products and promote them.

• Affiliate Newsletter: The monthly affiliate newsletter is a great resource for learning more about marketing strategies. You’ll find new tips every month as well as content created to help you keep up with the latest trends.
• Etsy Blog: The Etsy blog isn’t exclusive to affiliate partners, but it’s a valuable resource for discovering new ideas and keeping track of the products shoppers are searching for.
• Banners: If you log into your affiliate dashboard, you’ll be able to access some design assets. Etsy provides its affiliate partners with banners that draw attention to affiliate links while creating a crisp design.
• Etsy Inspiration: Etsy Inspiration is a section with curated pages that feature hot products. It’s a resource worth checking to discover which products are selling or even explore new niches.

Who Should Join the Etsy Affiliate Program?

With a 2% or 4% commission rate, Etsy isn’t one of the best high-paying affiliate programs.

However, it’s an excellent fit for content creators who want to promote unique items.

1. Bloggers

eCommerce blogs, fashion blogs, and lifestyle blogs can generate revenues via Etsy affiliate links.

You can create product reviews, curated recommendations, and other content to help users make a purchase decision.

2. DIY YouTube Channels

You can share Etsy affiliate links on your YouTube channel once Etsy approves it.

Film some DIY tutorials and add a few affiliate links to relevant craft supplies in your video description.

3. Instagram Influencers

Etsy requires Instagram users to have at least 500 followers with an engagement rate of 3% to qualify for the affiliate program.

If you’re active on Instagram and share content about lifestyle, fashion inspiration, or home décor, there are plenty of monetization opportunities with the Etsy affiliate program.

Is the Etsy Affiliate Program Worth It?

With over 60 million products available and a 4% commission for standard publisher referrals, you can generate a steady stream of revenues with this program.

However, there are a few downsides to consider.

Pros of the Etsy Affiliate Program

We recommend the Etsy affiliate marketing program for the following reasons:

• There is a huge selection of items and several niches to explore.
• Etsy has items you won’t find anywhere else, including vintage and handcrafted products.
• It’s an established marketplace that people trust.
• The 4% affiliate commission corresponds to industry standards.
• You can share your affiliate links on your blog, YouTube channel, Pinterest page, or Instagram profile.

Cons of the Etsy Affiliate Program

There are some drawbacks to consider before joining the Etsy affiliate program:

• You won’t be able to promote your affiliate links on most social media platforms.
• The 2% commission for sales generated via social media is low.
• The seven-day affiliate cookie for mobile users limits opportunities to earn commissions.
• The program has additional limitations regarding paid search ads that target keywords related to Etsy.
• There are also limitations regarding how you present your content and affiliate links.

How to Join the Etsy Affiliate Program

You’ll have to go through a simple application process to join the program.

Etsy will review your site or blog and approve your application based on your existing content.

Requirements to Join the Etsy Affiliate Program

You must be 18 to join and have a website or blog.

Note that you can’t apply if you have a price-comparison website, an ad network, or a cashback website.

Etsy will also deny your application if your site has low-quality content or uses keyword stuffing.

How to Apply

Here is how you can sign up for the Etsy affiliate program:

• Fill out an application on the Awin network website.
• You’ll have to share your name, email address, and the URL of your website.
• Wait for Etsy to review your site and approve your application.
• Log into your affiliate dashboard and start generating affiliate links.
• If you have an Etsy store, email the Etsy affiliate team to disclose this relationship.

How Long Does It Take to Get Approved for the Etsy Affiliate Program?

Etsy should process your application within two or three business days.

It can take longer if the affiliate team is getting more applications than usual.

Does Etsy Support the Affiliate Program?

You can email [email protected] if you need help.

There are also helpful articles for troubleshooting tech issues.

Other affiliate marketing programs have more options available if you need to contact support, but you can expect a prompt and helpful answer from the Etsy affiliate team.

The downside of email is that you might have to go back and forth to explain your issue and provide additional proof.

How to Make Money With the Etsy Affiliate Program

Boost your earnings with these affiliate marketing tips.

1. Find Your Niche

With millions of products available, choosing listings to promote on Etsy can feel overwhelming.

It’s best to limit yourself to a single niche, especially if you’re just getting started with affiliate marketing.

Focus on becoming the top authority in your niche and building a relationship with your audience to get people to trust your recommendations.

2. Use Data

Making decisions based on data can help you earn more.

You can use affiliate marketing tools to track how your different links perform and identify top-selling products.

Keep an eye on search trends for your niche to get a better idea of what people are shopping for.

Data can also help you unveil seasonal trends and identify your most popular blog posts so you can replicate this successful content.

3. Be Transparent

Be honest with your audience and don’t hesitate to discuss your affiliate marketing efforts and other monetization strategies.

If you deliver valuable content, your readers will be more likely to follow your affiliate links or click on ads if they understand these actions help you create more content.

Don’t forget to add an affiliate disclosure to your content.

4. Optimize Your Links

Drive more traffic to Etsy and other eCommerce platforms by optimizing your affiliate links.

An optimized link should be immediately noticeable.

You can use white space and buttons to draw attention to your affiliate links.

Make sure to use the right anchor text so that users understand they are clicking a product link.

Alternatives to the Etsy Affiliate Program

If you don’t think Etsy is the right fit for your monetization strategy, there are other Ecommerce affiliate programs to explore.

1. Shopify Affiliate Program

Shopify is a popular platform that allows users to create user-friendly online stores to sell their products.

As a member of the Shopify affiliate program, you can earn $100 for each new user you refer.

It’s an option worth considering if you develop content about entrepreneurship or marketing.

Readers who are in the process of launching an online business can benefit from learning about Shopify and will be likely to create an account.

The referral is much higher compared to the Etsy affiliate program, but the niche is very different and you won’t be able to generate repeat purchases with this program.

2. AliExpress Affiliate Program

The dropshipping niche can be an interesting option.

With more shoppers ordering products from foreign sellers to get deals or find unique items, sales are up on platforms like AliExpress.

This marketplace is also a great option for earning commissions on large wholesale orders.

If you have content designed to help entrepreneurs launch online stores, the wholesale niche can be lucrative.

The downside of the AliExpress affiliate program is that commission rates vary from anywhere from 0% to 50%.

You can earn as much as 50% on select product categories, but a majority of products will result in a 3 to 9% commission.

Unfortunately, AliExpress drops the commission to 0% on hot items.

3. Wix Affiliate Program

Wix is a popular website builder platform.

There is a free tier, but users can subscribe to unlock additional features such as ad-free hosting, additional storage space, and more.

You can join the Wix affiliate program and earn $100 per referral for each user who purchases a Wix subscription.

Commissions are higher compared to an e-Commerce affiliate marketing program like Etsy, but the niche is different since you’ll have to target users interested in launching a blog or an online store.

The range of products you can promote is limited since Wix only has three subscription tiers, and you won’t get any repeat sales once a user subscribes to Wix.

Frequently Asked Questions

Read on to learn more about generating revenues on Etsy.

Wrapping Up

The Etsy affiliate marketing program has a few downsides, including the limited cookie duration on mobile, the below-average commission rate, and the strict rules you have to follow regarding where you can share your affiliate links.

However, joining this program is well worth it since Etsy is a platform that shoppers recognize and trust.

The huge product selection is another plus, and it’s an excellent marketplace for finding products that no one else has.

Overall, we recommend joining Etsy if you develop content for a niche that is likely to have an interest in personalized items, handmade products, vintage finds, and other unique purchases.