Jumping into Etsy affiliate marketing but don’t know how to start? Or you are just wondering about being a publisher of this global marketplace. Just read our article, and you will find the answer.
The article focuses on useful information about the Etsy affiliate program and how to become an Etsy affiliate and promote its products. Let’s dive into it now.
About Etsy
Etsy is an e-commerce platform operated by Etsy Inc. – an American company. The platform was first launched in 2005, and after a long history, it now becomes one of the fast-growing online marketplaces.
Etsy is the game of independent artists and crafters. They produce, collect, curate and sell goods on the platform and manage their orders and inventory. This mechanism makes Etsy different from Amazon or Walmart. In other words, Etsy is like a middle-man connecting creators and their customers.
On Etsy, the listings are handmade and vintage products. They can include arts, crafts, crafting supplies, clothing and accessories, jewelry, paper goods, and other digitally downloaded items. When entering the platform, you can see various goods there.
At the end of 2022, Etsy hit over 100 million items in its marketplace. It also reached 2.6 billion US dollars in annual revenues simultaneously. Thanks to these statistics, Etsy is currently a competitive name in the world of e-commerce. You will see the Etsy affiliate program review in the next parts.
About Etsy Affiliate Program
When interested in the platform but not wanting to be an online artist or crafter, you may wonder, “Does Etsy have an affiliate program?”. With affiliate marketing, you do not need to register a seller account but can promote nice products on the platform. There exists such a program with the following highlights:
| Type of commission | Cost per Sale (CPS) |
| Commission Rate | 4% for the US publishers
5% for publishers in the UK, Canada, Australia, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, the EU, Scandinavia, and the Rest of the World |
| Cookie Duration | 30 days for browsers
7 days for apps |
| Average Order Value (AOV) | Varies |
| Market | Global |
When joining Etsy’s affiliate network, you can choose between the niches: accessories/clothing, art & collectibles, craft supplies, shoes, home & living, jewelry, party toys, weddings and parties, and other options. The various goods allow you to affiliate and monetize whoever your audience is.
Etsy supports publishers with many promoting items like banners, text links, or curated pages. You will also find guides on Etsy blogs or affiliate newsletters to improve your referrals.
How Does the Etsy Affiliate Program Work?
Like many other affiliate programs, it is a commission-based plan. You should put affiliate links on your site with suitable content to make your audience buy the recommended products. Then, you will earn a commission when there is a qualifying sale via such a tracking link.
The Etsy affiliate program is run via the Awin affiliate network. The network charges €/£/$1 (or equivalent) when you register as a member; however, the fee will be refunded later. This action may be annoying, but it helps keep spammers out and make Awin a more high-quality affiliate network.
Etsy Cookie Duration
Etsy Cookie Length
30 days
The cookie length is a critical factor in deciding the success of affiliates. Fortunately, Etsy offers a great duration for its publishers to enable sales. If someone clicks on your tracking link and makes a purchase within 30 days of the clicking day, you will earn a commission. When the sale happens on the Etsy app, the number is 7 days.
The duration is a highlight in the Etsy affiliate program. It is a bit longer than some other networks like Amazon or Sephora, which only allows 24 hours for an effective referral.
Etsy Affiliate Program Commission Rate
Etsy affiliate commission rate is an average of 4% for the US, , the number for other countries, which is 5% as a standard rate.
The potential earning is usually the most interesting aspect when creators consider joining an affiliate plan. Etsy affiliate commission rate is an average of 4% for the US, which seems not quite high in comparison with other alternatives. However, the number for other countries, which is 5% as a standard rate, is better.
The payment schedule is once or twice a month, depending on the frequency you choose when registering your Awin account. You can only be paid when your account meets the minimum threshold of $20. The payment can be by paper check, international wire, or to a bank account via ACH.
How Much Can You Make From the Etsy Affiliate Program?
Though the commission rate of Etsy is not as high as some other networks’, Etsy’s products are easy to sell. You can make a large amount by increasing the volume of sales. The value of sales also affects your earnings, so remember to pay attention to the product prices when picking which to promote.
The total number will depend on your ability to generate sales via tracking links. You can earn as much as you want by trying to make great content and attract potential consumers.
For example, you make content associated with a tracking link to art worth $1,000. In a month, you have 100,000 people entering your blog, 1000 visiting the product page via the link, and 10 turning to buy the art.
In this case, if you are a US publisher, you can earn $400 a month for this direction. The number is $500 if you are an affiliate from another country. Let’s imagine, $400 and $500 monthly will make it $4800 and $6000 annually. So great the numbers are!
Who Should Join the Etsy Affiliate Program?
Thanks to specific information, Etsy seems to be a trusted affiliate program. However, who should participate in this program? Let’s discover it below.
Considering channel aspects, creators wanting to join Etsy must have a website. You may have other channels, but they must work in line with your website. This is a compulsory condition disclosed in their policy. You can also see it in the next part, which discusses their requirements.
Regarding niches, people with blogs in e-commerce, fashion, or lifestyle can make money from Etsy. They can create product reviews and recommendations or other types of content to make consumers buy Etsy’s goods.
Someone who has a DIY Youtube channel can also monetize with Etsy. He or she can put affiliate links to some craft supplies and generate revenues from them. An Instagram influencer in fashion, lifestyle, or home decoration can also be an Etsy affiliate and start earning money.
Besides channels and niches, anyone wishing to join Etsy should also consider the traffic volume. For affiliates, Etsy does not require minimum traffic to get approval; however, its relatively low commission in the US means you need a large volume to have good earnings. In contrast, for advertisers, minimum traffic to their site is a compulsory condition there.
What are the requirements of the Etsy Affiliate Program?
To make an organizational program, Etsy does have requirements for participating in its affiliate plan. Let’s specify those requirements.
Age
You should be at least 18 to participate in Etsy affiliate marketing. If your country has the age of majority over 18, you should be at the age to join.
Channels
You must have a website with a URL to be approved by Etsy. However, in promoting products, the following channels are allowed:
- a website;
- an Instagram account that has at least 500 followers and engagement rates of at least 3%;
- a Facebook page with your own created content;
- a Pinterest account with your own created content;
- a YouTube channel;
- a TikTok channel; or
- other channels approved by Etsy in writing.
Content
Before enrolling for the program, your site should have some suitable content. Etsy’s team will decide the content amount and suitability here. You should also remember to include affiliate disclosure on your site subject to your country’s legal requirements.
Etsy shops
Currently, you can also become an affiliate of Etsy even when you own an Etsy shop. You can promote your shop’s products or others when joining Etsy as a publisher. However, you must declare your shop upon application and inform the Etsy team of any shops you register after being a publisher.
Prohibitions
There are several types of sites not allowed to join the affiliate program. They include cashback and voucher sites, price comparison sites, sites with pop-ups or pop-unders, password-protected sites, etc. You can view the total prohibitions via their affiliate policy which is effective from December 1, 2022.
What Products Can You Promote?
The platform has a big advantage of products as it has a large number of goods for you to choose from. Below are some examples of products you can and can’t promote.
Products eligible for promotion
Wedding items
The wedding market is growing and growing. On Etsy, it is a thriving niche with a wide variety of personalized items. They include invitations, cake toppers, veils, bouquets, and more. Lots of couples prefer such personalized things to reflect their styles and personalities in their weddings and ceremonies.
Jewelry
The marketplace has a unique collection of vintage and handmade jewelry designs that will satisfy any consumer-loving retro styles. With these designs, Etsy is contributing to the $60.42 billion jewelry market.
Craft Supplies
Arts and crafts are outstanding products on Etsy. They are good-selling items that make a promising niche on the platform. You can easily promote these products if you have a DIY channel or blog.
Clothing and accessories
If you are a fashion blogger, clothing and accessories will be your suitable choice. On Etsy, you can find nice handmade items or unique designs to promote. For example, a crochet top or a vintage skirt is not a bad idea, right?
Personalized gifts
There are various personalized items on the marketplace, so you can have a lot of options to make content. In terms of choosing gifts, more and more people like personalized things, so it is a great idea to generate revenues from these goods.
You can produce content like the top 10 personalized accessories on Etsy, the top 15 customized water bottles to choose from for gifts, or anything like that. Pick great items and let your audience make purchases via your tracking links.
Besides the above products, many goods for promotion on Etsy still exist. As an Etsy affiliate, you can choose seasonal items, books, candles, home decor, furniture, collectibles, etc. The options are plentiful, and picking what depends on your niche and audience.
Products that you can’t promote
The platform had a policy that did not allow you to promote your shop’s products before. However, their new rules allow you to do so, provided that you let the Etsy team know your shop upon application. Thus, their affiliate program currently does not exclude any items.
Regardless of this, Etsy has strict regulations on products listed on the platform. Though they have the personnel for checking, you should also look through those prohibited products. If your recommendation falls into a product breaking the rules, you cannot have a qualifying sale for commission earning.
Pros & Cons of the Etsy Affiliate Program
Etsy seems a potential choice with a wide variety of goods, but it has some drawbacks. Let’s see the program’s pros and cons in particular.
Pros
✅ Long cookie duration for browsers
✅ A wide range of products to promote
✅ A good commission rate for countries except for the US
✅ Have unique products, including vintage and handcrafted items
✅ A trustworthy global marketplace
✅ Publishers can promote via many sites and channels
✅ High potential revenues from items like crafted furniture or art
Cons
❌ Not a high commission rate for the US publishers
❌ A little short cookie duration for app sales
❌ A refundable fee is required when registering with the Awin network
❌ Several restrictions on social media sharing
How to Become an Etsy Affiliate?
Before enrolling in the Etsy affiliate program, do not forget to look through Etsy’s requirements mentioned above. You should meet all the conditions for a successful registration.
The detailed process is as follows:
Step 1: Start registering an Awin account
As Awin manages the affiliate program, you must come to Awin’s site to create an account. Upon entering the site, you can see the “Sign up” button in the right corner. Click on it and start the process of registration.
Step 2: Fill in your information
After you click on “Join Awin”, the site will request you to provide some basic information. The filling-in process is easy and does not take much time from you.
Step 3: Verify your account
The last part of account setup is verification. You will need to provide your address, phone number and make a $5 payment to verify. The network will refund this $5 to your account when you start earning commissions.
Step 4: Log into your account and generate affiliate links
After being approved by Awin, you can log in and enter your affiliate dashboard. Here, you can create affiliate links and start earning money with Etsy.
Step 5: Produce content associated with your affiliate links
Upon having the links, you should create relevant content on your site to attract potential consumers. The more purchases they make via your links, the more commissions you can earn.
If you are an Etsy shop owner, remember to email the Etsy team to notify them of your shop. The relationship needs to be disclosed according to their policy.
How Long Does it Take to Get Approved for the Etsy Affiliate Program?
When registering to be an Etsy affiliate, everyone will look for a soon approval from the team. Usually, the process does not take much time. They will check within two or three business days.
However, in some cases (e.i. the team receives lots of applications), the time may be a little longer. Just be patient and await their response. When things are done, the journey is yours.
How to Promote Etsy Products?
Below are several tips that might be useful for promoting Etsy products.
Focus on Your Niche
You can see that there are a ton of products available on the platform Etsy. Thus, you can be lost in the market if you do not concentrate on a niche. Before doing anything, start by choosing a field suitable for yourself. Then, you can focus on producing content in this niche and attract users.
You should also observe and learn from others having the same target audience to create better content. Try to improve every day and become the top influencer in your niche to have more purchases.
Deliver Useful Content
When your site has helpful content, people will like reading them and turning back for new articles or videos. In this way, your sales can increase steadily and sustainably. Useful content also makes you a trusted person in your audience’s eyes. When they believe you, they tend to purchase more via your recommended links.
For instance, if you choose a crafted item niche, you can create a DIY channel with content on how to self-make items, preserve crafted things well, wash them, etc. Provide your audience with great guides and put your affiliate links in the description for their clicks.
Analyze Your Data
Data will help you have a visualized view of your traffic and performance. You can utilize affiliate marketing tools to know which links perform well and which products are easy to sell. Thanks to their data, you can improve your sites and boost sales.
Etsy Affiliate Program’s Alternatives
You can visit the following plans if you are still considering Etsy and want to check some other similar affiliate programs.
The AliExpress Affiliate Marketing Program
As a giant in the e-commerce field, AliExpress implements its affiliate program on various networks. You can access the AliExpress affiliate program on CJ, Awin, or FlexOffers. You can also join it directly via AliExpress’s website.
The program’s commission rate varies depending on the network. While Awin offers 2.4% to 7%, FlexOffers provides 6% to 10%, and the number of CJ is 4%. If you participate in the platform’s self-managed plan, the commission can be up to 90%.
Though AliExpress has competitive commissions, its cookie duration is not quite attractive compared with Etsy’s. CJ and Awin allow the duration to be 3 days, and FlexOffers or the platform itself only provides session-based duration.
Besides commission rates, the AliExpress affiliate marketing program has some other advantages, such as plentiful products to promote, worldwide shipping, and no minimum payout threshold. In general, it is a great program to join.
The Amazon Affiliate Marketing Program
The Amazon affiliate marketing program is extremely famous in the world of affiliates. Amazon is the most familiar online shopping place for most of the US, so its products are easy to promote. Thanks to this, Amazon publishers can enjoy the advantage of a high rate of conversions.
Amazon has a huge amount of products with various commissions for affiliates to choose to produce content. Its affiliate dashboard is easy to use, too. However, the program’s cookie duration is limited to 24 hours only, making some difficulties in promotion.
The Target Affiliate Program
Target is another platform where you can find a wide range of goods to promote. You can easily join the Target affiliate program via its website. The program offers publishers a nice cookie duration of 7 days. The number is not as good as Etsy’s, but it is much better than AliExpress and Amazon.
You can participate in the plan without fees or barriers; however, if the most traffic to your site comes from outside the US, it may be unprofitable. Thus, let’s consider your traffic sources before entering the program.
FAQ
Can you make money as an Etsy affiliate?
Yes, you can. When you are an Etsy affiliate, you can share content associated with your affiliate links and persuade your audience to buy products via such links. You can earn a commission whenever a qualifying purchase happens.
Is Etsy a good affiliate program?
Etsy is a good choice as it is a trusted program with a huge selection of products and a long cookie duration. The program also has some disadvantages, but it is a nice place to start your affiliate side hustle.
What countries is Etsy affiliated with?
Currently, there are eleven countries in the list on the Awin dashboard. They are the US, the UK, Canada, Australia, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, the EU, and Scandinavia. Besides, the program named “Rest of World” is for others not included in the first eleven options.
Conclusion
To conclude, the Etsy affiliate program is a good option for publishers in many niches, including e-commerce, lifestyle, fashion, home decoration, etc.
With their quick application process, you can easily become an affiliate and start your earning journey. So, register an Awin account and get your sales from today!
