New Balance Affiliate Program

What Makes New Balance Different (And Why It Matters)

New Balance started in 1906. It runs differently than companies like Nike or Adidas in one important way: Over 25% of the shoes sold in North America are made or put together in their five New England factories. Most competitors make 100% of their shoes overseas.

Why should this matter to you as an affiliate?

Your audience members who value “Made in USA” products will pay premium prices. The New Balance average order value (AOV) is $120 to $125. This is much higher than fast-fashion athletic brands, which usually average $60 to $80. This premium price point is your biggest advantage, even with the low starting commission rate.

The company sells athletic footwear, apparel, and sports equipment for men, women, and kids. They mix technical performance with lifestyle fashion. This gives you flexibility in how you show products to different groups of people.

Program Structure: Commissions, Payments, and the Catch

Here is a clear look at how you will get paid by New Balance.

Commission Structure

Payment Methods Available

You can receive your earnings through Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, or PayPal. Impact Radius manages the affiliate platform. This means you work with a trusted network that processes payments reliably.

The Catch: US Shipping Only

New Balance only sells and ships to the US market. This is a hard rule.

If you have a global audience, you will lose every international sale. We have seen fitness bloggers with 60% non-US traffic earn less than $150 per month, even with strong user interest, because their audience could not convert. This limitation is truly frustrating for creators with international fans.

Bottom Line: The low starting commission rate combined with US-only sales means you must have either high traffic volume or an audience that buys often. Simple, generic product links will not work. You need a specific selling plan.

What You Get as a New Balance Affiliate Partner

The program provides several resources once you receive approval.

• Promotional Materials: You will access images, videos, and banner ads through the Impact Radius dashboard. No coding skills are needed. You simply copy your unique affiliate links and add them to your content.
• Dedicated Management Team: The affiliate management team sends monthly newsletters. These letters highlight upcoming sales, new product launches, and special promotions. Unlike other programs where you are completely on your own, New Balance gives you campaign ideas and seasonal strategies.
• Global Acceptance: The program accepts partners from anywhere in the world. But remember the shipping rule: you will only earn commissions on sales to US customers, no matter where you live.

Success Tip: The best affiliates earning over $300 per month treat the newsletter campaigns as a starting point, not the final strategy. They change the promotional timing to fit their specific audience instead of just copying generic seasonal pushes.

The Real Pros and Cons

Let’s look beyond the obvious features of the program.

What Works in Your Favor

1. Brand Strength: The brand’s strength is more important than most affiliates realize. New Balance has a 118-year history and a reputation for quality. Your audience already trusts the products. You do not have to fight audience doubt like you would with unknown online stores.
2. High Average Order Value: The $120+ average order value grows quickly. Even at a 2% commission, ten sales a month generates $240. This is decent extra income for content you would create anyway.
3. Responsive Support: The dedicated affiliate team actually answers questions. Based on our experience, having quick support is key to higher long-term earnings. When you can get help quickly, you promote with more confidence.
4. Advanced Planning: An established brand means product launches and sales are planned months ahead. You will get promotional calendars to plan your content instead of rushing to post at the last minute.

The Honest Challenges

Let’s be direct about the program’s weaknesses:

1. Low Starting Commission: Starting at 2% puts you at a disadvantage. Nike offers up to 15%, Under Armour gives 5%, and Reebok provides 7% from day one. You need 5 to 7 times the sales volume to match their affiliate earnings.
2. Lack of Transparency: The system for increasing commissions based on performance is not clear. New Balance does not share the sales numbers you need to go from 2% to 3% or 4%. You are working toward an unknown goal, which makes planning difficult.
3. US-Only Shipping: This rule removes about 50% to 70% of possible buyers for most online publishers. A blog with 100,000 monthly visitors might only convert 30,000 to 50,000 US-based readers. This immediately cuts your possible audience size.
4. Product Skew: The product selection favors traditional athletic categories. If your audience prefers trendy streetwear over technical running shoes, you will struggle with product relevance, even though New Balance has lifestyle lines.

My Take: This program works if you already have a US-based audience interested in performance gear or domestic manufacturing. If you are starting from scratch or have a global audience, start with a program like Nike or Adidas. You can add New Balance later for extra income.

Who Should (and Shouldn’t) Join

Strong Fit For:

• You will do well if you run a fitness blog, a training website, or a running-focused platform with mostly US traffic.
• Content creators covering “Made in USA” products or sustainable manufacturing fit perfectly with New Balance’s values.
• Micro-influencers with 5,000 to 15,000 engaged followers in running, CrossFit, or athletic training often earn more than larger accounts promoting to general audiences. Focusing on a specific topic is better than aiming for sheer size in this market.

Pattern We See: Affiliates who create comparison content (like “New Balance 990v6 vs. ASICS Gel-Nimbus”) or deep product reviews with real testing convert at rates of 4% to 6%. This is much higher than the 1% to 2% conversion for generic “shop now” links.

Poor Fit For:

• Skip this program if your audience is mainly international. A 30-day cookie cannot fix a 50%+ non-US traffic split.
• General lifestyle bloggers without an athletic focus will struggle against the low 2% starting rate. You need to align with the topic to make the low commissions worth your time.
• If you promote only through Instagram shopping features or TikTok Shop, New Balance’s traditional affiliate link structure creates problems. The platform works better with external website clicks, not integrated shopping.

How to Actually Join (A 5-Minute Process)

Step 1: Visit the Official Program Page

Go to the New Balance affiliate program portal. You will find the signup option under their Partner Programs or Work With Us sections. The page explains the basic program rules before you apply.

Step 2: Verify Your Eligibility

The program accepts website owners, bloggers, influencers, and content creators on many platforms. Your site or social channels need to show relevant sports, fitness, or fashion content. They clearly state that they will reject applications promoting illegal activity or adult content.

They do not publish minimum traffic rules. However, your chance of approval increases a lot once you have 1,000 monthly website visitors or 5,000 engaged social followers.

Step 3: Complete the Impact Radius Application

New Balance uses Impact Radius as its affiliate network. You will create an account there if you do not have one already. The application asks for:

• Your website URL or main social media channel
• Content category and audience demographics
• Estimated monthly traffic or follower count
• A brief overview of your promotional strategy (2 to 3 sentences)

Be specific about your topic. Saying “Running blog with product reviews for marathon trainers” works better than “general fitness content.”

Step 4: Wait for Approval

The New Balance affiliate team reviews applications manually. Expect a decision email within 3 to 7 business days. They will either approve you right away, ask for more details, or decline with a short reason.

Step 5: Access Your Dashboard and Start Promoting

After approval, log into Impact Radius to find your unique affiliate links, banners, product feeds, and tracking dashboard. The interface shows clicks, conversions, and earnings in real-time.

Generate your first affiliate links by searching for specific products or categories. The system creates unique web addresses that track back to your account automatically.

Quick Tip: Start with 3 to 5 best-selling products instead of promoting the whole catalog. Track which items sell best over 30 days, then focus on those specific categories.

Proven Strategies to Increase Your Affiliate Earnings

Most affiliates make two big mistakes: they use generic banner ads and they promote products without a plan. Here is what actually works:

1. Create In-Depth Comparison Reviews

Simple product links convert at 0.5% to 1% for athletic footwear. Detailed comparison reviews, such as “New Balance 990v6 vs. Brooks Ghost 15 for Flat Feet,” convert at 4% to 8%.

Your review should include:

• Specific differences in fit with exact sizing advice
• Performance testing over 20+ miles or multiple workouts
• Calculations for price per wear
• A clear recommendation with conditions (for example, “Buy X if you need Y”)

2. Strategic Email Campaigns for Product Launches

New Balance releases major product updates four times a year. Create an email list segment of people interested in running shoes or athletic apparel. Then, send dedicated launch announcements with your affiliate links.

Emails sent 24 to 48 hours after a launch (not immediately) sell 2 to 3 times better. This is because you are reaching buyers who already saw the product but have not purchased it yet.

3. Use Time-Limited Incentive Strategies

Create a sense of urgency around existing New Balance sales. When New Balance runs a 25% off sale (usually 4 to 6 times a year), title your content: “New Balance 25% Sale: The 5 Products Actually Worth Buying.”

This approach sells 3 to 5 times better than “Check out New Balance products.” It adds editorial value plus a reason to buy now.

4. Leverage Visual Content on Social Platforms

Instagram Reels and TikTok videos that show the product being used sell 10 to 15 times better than static posts for athletic gear. Film yourself:

• Testing shoes on real runs with commentary
• Comparing the fit across different New Balance models
• Styling athletic wear for various events

Put your affiliate link in your bio with a clear call-to-action in the video (“Link in bio for 25% off”). This specific showing and demonstration builds trust that simple product pictures cannot match.

Bottom Line: Treat New Balance like a premium niche brand, not a mass-market athletic brand. This helps you earn more money through higher conversion rates and larger order values, which makes up for the low commission.

Realistic Monthly Earnings: What to Expect

Let’s set honest expectations based on actual affiliate performance data.

• Beginner Range: Expect 3 to 8 sales monthly at 2% commission. Your earnings will be $7 to $20 per sale, depending on whether customers buy one shoe or a full outfit.
• Intermediate Range: You will generate 15 to 35 sales monthly. Expect $360 to $840 in commissions if you promote with a specific strategy, not just by dropping random links.
• Advanced Range: Affiliates at this level have great audience alignment with New Balance. They generate 50 to 150+ monthly sales through a systematic content plan.

Pattern Insight: Affiliates earning over $1,000 per month build a dedicated “athletic footwear hub.” This hub has 10 to 15 detailed product reviews, comparison guides, and fitting advice articles. They are not promoting casually; they have built New Balance into their core content.

One running blog we tracked grew from $80 per month to $650 per month over six months. They did this by focusing only on New Balance’s “Made in USA” line. They targeted conscious consumers willing to pay premium prices. Their conversion rate reached 6.2%, much higher than the program’s average of 1% to 3%.

Is New Balance Worth Your Time? The Real Answer

The New Balance Affiliate Program works best for specific types of publishers: US-focused fitness creators, running bloggers, and content platforms that focus on domestic manufacturing or premium athletic products.

Join New Balance if you:

• Have mostly US-based traffic (70%+ American visitors)
• Create content about running, training, or athletic performance
• Can write deep product reviews with actual testing
• Have an audience willing to pay $100–$200 for quality athletic footwear

Skip New Balance if you:

• Serve international audiences with less than 50% US traffic
• Promote mainly through quick social posts without detailed content
• Need higher commission rates to justify your promotion time
• Focus on fashion/streetwear over athletic performance

The program’s greatest benefit is not the commission structure (which is weak compared to competitors). It is the brand strength and the premium average order value. Affiliates who understand this position—and create content matching that plan—can build consistent $300 to $800 monthly income, despite the 2% starting rate.

Final Insight: Treat New Balance as a secondary program, not your main income source. Pair it with Nike (15% commission), Adidas (competitive rates), and Under Armour (5%). This helps you earn from multiple sources while you test which brands your specific audience likes best.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who should join the New Balance Affiliate Program?

The program is a great fit for website owners, bloggers, influencers, and content creators. They should have an audience interested in athletic footwear, performance apparel, and sports equipment. Running blogs, training websites, and fitness channels see the strongest results. Fashion creators can do well if they focus on athletic leisure wear rather than fast-changing trends.

Is the New Balance Affiliate Program available in Canada and the UK?

New Balance welcomes international affiliates to join the program. However, the company only sells and ships products within the US market. You can promote from anywhere globally, but you will only earn commissions on sales to US customers. This greatly limits how much you can earn if your audience is mainly in Canada, the UK, or other international locations.

Is there a fee to join the New Balance Affiliate Program?

No. The program is completely free to join and take part in. New Balance does not charge application fees, monthly costs, or any other charges. You submit your application through Impact Radius at no cost. You can start earning right away once you receive approval.

How much commission does the New Balance Affiliate Program offer?

New Balance offers a starting commission rate of 2% per order. This rate can increase based on your performance, with the total commission range being 2% to 5%. They do not share the exact goals needed for commission increases. At the $120–$125 average order value, you will earn about $2.40 to $6.25 per sale, depending on your commission level.

Are there requirements to become a New Balance Affiliate?

New Balance does not publish minimum traffic or sales rules. However, your website or social channels should feature relevant sports, fitness, or fashion content to increase your chance of approval. The company reviews all applications manually. They prioritize the quality of traffic and the relevance of content over just the sheer number of visitors. Sites that promote illegal activity or adult content are automatically rejected.

Can I combine the New Balance Program with other affiliate programs?

Yes. New Balance has no exclusivity rules. You can promote their products alongside Nike, Adidas, Under Armour, Puma, Reebok, and any other athletic or fashion affiliate programs. Many successful affiliates run 5 to 10 similar programs at the same time. This helps them diversify their income and offer choices to their audience. This strategy also protects your earnings if one program changes its rules or reduces commissions.

Best New Balance Affiliate Program Alternatives

1. Nike Affiliate Program

Nike offers up to 15% commission on sales. The 30-day cookie window is the same as New Balance’s, but the much higher commission rate means you need 5 to 7 times fewer sales to earn the same amount of money.

Affiliates benefit from Nike’s global brand recognition, huge product catalog (from performance gear to lifestyle clothes), and frequent sales. The program gives exclusive access to product launches and seasonal sales.

Best for: Audiences interested in athletic footwear and streetwear fashion. Nike’s brand appeal crosses many groups, making it easier to convert various types of traffic than performance-only brands.

2. Adidas Affiliate Program

Adidas gives competitive commission rates on all sales. The program includes many promotional tools, product feeds for automated content, and dedicated support for publishers with high sales volume.

You can promote everything from running shoes to soccer gear to fashion collaborations. Adidas runs frequent seasonal campaigns (back-to-school, holiday, athletic seasons) that create natural opportunities for you to promote products.

Best for: Content creators in sports and fashion niches. Adidas balances athletic performance with lifestyle style, giving you flexibility in how you present products to different audience segments.

3. Under Armour Affiliate Program

Under Armour offers a 5% commission on sales. While this is lower than Nike’s 15%, it is still 2.5 times higher than New Balance’s starting rate. The program includes marketing support with banners, product images, and campaign calendars.

You will promote performance-focused apparel and footwear that targets serious athletes and fitness enthusiasts. Under Armour’s focus on technical fabric and athlete endorsements works well with audiences focused on training.

Best for: Audiences focused on fitness and active lifestyles. Under Armour is a strong seller for gym content, training programs, and workout-focused platforms.

4. Puma Affiliate Program

Puma’s affiliate program lets partners earn commissions promoting footwear, apparel, and accessories. Affiliates get access to special sales, exclusive promotions, and product launch previews.

The brand mixes athletic performance with fashion-forward designs. This makes it valuable for creators serving style-conscious fitness audiences. Puma’s work with celebrities and designers creates regular content opportunities.

Best for: Fashion-forward audiences who value athletic looks. Puma sits between pure performance brands and lifestyle fashion, appealing to younger people interested in athletic leisure trends.

5. Reebok Affiliate Program

Reebok’s affiliate program offers 7% commission on sales. This is 3.5 times higher than New Balance’s starting rate. You can promote a wide selection of footwear, apparel, and accessories that targets fitness enthusiasts and athletes.

The program provides marketing materials to support your promotion efforts. Reebok’s connection to CrossFit and focus on training attracts serious fitness audiences willing to spend money on quality equipment.

Best for: CrossFit communities and high-intensity training audiences. Reebok’s equipment and apparel lines specifically target functional fitness. This makes it ideal for strength training and conditioning content creators.

Key Insight: Run multiple athletic affiliate programs at the same time. Test which brands your specific audience prefers by promoting 2 or 3 similar products from Nike, Adidas, and New Balance in the same content piece. Track your sales data for 60 days. Then, focus on the top 2 best-selling brands for future content. This data-driven approach maximizes your earnings instead of simply guessing which programs work best for your traffic.