About Costco
Costco Wholesale Corporation is a multi-billion dollar global retailer operating a chain of membership-only warehouse clubs. Founded in 1983, it is known for selling high-quality, brand-name merchandise at substantially lower prices than typical retail stores. The business model relies on high sales volume and rapid inventory turnover, rather than high margins.
Costco offers a wide range of products, including groceries, electronics, appliances, furniture, and jewelry, as well as services like travel, auto, and pharmacy. A defining feature of the brand is its membership requirement; customers must purchase an annual membership (Gold Star or Executive) to shop at their warehouses or access specific online deals.
Costco Affiliate Program Overview
The Costco Affiliate Program is distinct from standard retail affiliate programs because it focuses primarily on membership acquisition rather than individual product sales. It is designed for publishers who can demonstrate the value of joining the Costco “club” to their audience.
| Category | Details |
| Industry | Retail / Wholesale / Membership Clubs |
| Product Type | Memberships (Gold Star & Executive), Retail Goods (Non-commissionable for most) |
| Affiliate Program Type | CPA (Cost Per Action) / Flat-fee Commission |
Costco Affiliate Program Offers
Costco is known for being relatively strict and conservative with its affiliate terms compared to other retailers like Amazon or Walmart. The program is heavily focused on the US market.
| Category | Details |
| Promotional Materials | Standard text links, banner advertisements (limited creative assets compared to competitors). |
| Affiliate Cookie Duration | Session-based (The cookie expires as soon as the user closes their browser). |
| Accepted Traffic Sources | Content websites, blogs, verified social media pages. (Email spam, coupon sites, and pay-per-click bidding on brand keywords are typically prohibited). |
| Accepted Countries | Primarily United States (Costco has separate divisions for other countries, but the main affiliate program via CJ is US-focused). |
| Explicit Content | Strictly Prohibited (Sites displaying violence, sexually explicit material, or illegal activities are rejected). |
| Religious or Political Content | Restricted (Costco generally avoids partnering with sites that promote extreme political views or controversial religious content to maintain brand neutrality). |
Costco Affiliate Commissions & Payments
The earning potential is straightforward but limited because commissions are fixed flat rates rather than a percentage of the user’s total cart value.
| Category | Details |
| MLM (Multi-Level Marketing) | No (Single-tier affiliate program). |
| Commission Rate | $3.00 for Gold Star Member ship; $6.00 for Executive Membership |
| Commission Structure | Flat-fee per qualified new membership sign-up.
(Note: You typically do not earn commissions on product purchases, only on the membership fee itself). |
| Payout Frequency | Monthly (Net 20 or Net 30, depending on the network terms). |
| Payout Methods | Direct Deposit, Check, Payoneer (via CJ Affiliate). |
| Minimum Payout | $50 for directo desposit – $100 for Check. |
Suitable Affiliates for Costco Affiliate
Because the commission is tied to memberships and the cookie is session-based, this program is best suited for influencers who can drive “impulse” sign-ups or convince users of the long-term value of a membership.
- Bloggers (Finance & Budgeting): excellent candidates. They can write detailed breakdowns of “How to save $500 a year shopping at Costco,” which effectively sells the membership.
- TikTokers (shopping hauls): Viral videos showing “Must-Haves at Costco” create a Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO) that drives immediate membership sign-ups.
- KOC (Key Opinion Consumers): Everyday reviews of Kirkland Signature products (Costco’s private label) build high trust.
- KOL (Key Opinion Leaders): Parenting and large-family experts who demonstrate how bulk buying saves time and money.
- Influencers (Food & Cooking): Creators who focus on meal prepping or cooking for large groups can leverage Costco’s bulk food section to drive sign-ups.
- YouTubers: “Costco Shop With Me” or “Store Walkthrough” videos are highly popular and can place the affiliate link directly in the description for immediate action.
- Video Editors: Less direct, but those who curate compilation content of “Best Amazon/Costco Finds” can utilize the links.
- Livestreamers: Can answer questions about membership perks in real-time, helping to close the sale within the short “session-based” cookie window.
Costco Affiliate Software
Costco does not use in-house software; they manage their program through the CJ Affiliate network. This provides reliable third-party tracking, reporting, and payment processing.
3 Alternatives for Costco Affiliate Program
If you are looking for programs that pay commissions on products rather than just memberships, or offer longer cookie durations, these three are the strongest competitors.
1. Sam’s Club: The direct competitor to Costco. They often pay a percentage on products and a fee for memberships, with a better cookie duration.
2. Walmart: Parent company of Sam’s Club. Offers a massive product range with a standard 3-day cookie.
3. Target: Offers a tiered commission structure that can get quite high (up to 8%) for specific categories, with a 7-day cookie.
| Comparison Factor | Costco | Sam’s Club | Target | Walmart |
| Average Bill | High ($100+) | High ($100+) | Medium ($50+) | Medium ($50+) |
| Entry Fees | Free | Free | Free | Free |
| Withdrawal Threshold | $50 (Direct Deposit) | $50 (via Rakuten/LinkShare) | $0 (via Impact) | $50 (via Impact) |
| Payment Frequency | Monthly (Net 30) | Monthly | Monthly | Monthly |
| Commission | Flat Fee ( (Memberships only) | Up to 12% (varies by product/membership) | Up to 8% (Tiered by volume) | 1% – 4% (Category based) |
| Cookie Duration | Session-based (Ends on exit) | 3 Days (longer for some coupons) | 7 Days | 3 Days |
| Conversion | Moderate (High trust, but paid gatekeeper) | Moderate (Membership barrier) | High (Open retail) | High (Open retail) |
| Marketing Materials | Basic Banners/Links | Banners/Deep Links | Deep Links/Weekly Ads | Banners/SDK/Deep Links |
