Top 19 Best Affiliate Programs in New Zealand in 2025

Affiliate marketers in New Zealand can take advantage of a growing market driven by a stable economy and a strong focus on innovation. You can tap into many profitable sectors like tourism, agriculture, and eco-friendly products to earn commissions in these high-demand industries.

Let’s discover our 19 leading New Zealand affiliate programs and find the perfect earning opportunity for you.

TL;DR:

There are many choices for you to promote high-quality products and services from trusted brands in New Zealand. Take a look at our 18 best options to see which one suits you best:

• UpPromote (Commission: 20% lifetime, Cookie: 30 days)
• Glassons (Commission: 2.5-4%, Cookie: 14 days)
• Macpac (Commission: 7%, Cookie: 30 days)
• Ticket Master (Commission: 0.30%, Cookie: 30 days)
• KLM New Zealand (Commission: 1-1.5%, Cookie: 30 days)
• Celebration Box (Commission: 6%, Cookie: 30 days)
• Crazy Domains NZ (Commission: $270, Cookie: 60 days)
• AceMax NZ (Commission: 16%, Cookie: 30 days)
• Kiwi House Sitters (Commission: 15%, Cookie: 30 days)
• Eco Warehouse (Commission: 10%)
• Fishpond NZ (Commission: 8%)

Recommended for every Shopify merchant, UpPromote affiliate software helps you create programs, set commissions, and manage tracking and payments. We cover everything you need to run successful affiliate campaigns.

19 Best Affiliate Programs for New Zealand Affiliate Marketers

Short on time? Let’s check out the table below for a quick overview of the top NZ affiliate programs.

1. UpPromote

UpPromote by Secomapp is a Shopify affiliate marketing solution known for its ease of use and outstanding features. The app has empowered 150,000+ eCommerce merchants to run affiliate programs seamlessly.

Agencies, Shopify specialists, and influencers can join the UpPromote Partner Program and enjoy a 20% lifetime commission on every successful subscription. This means consistent monthly payouts for as long as your referred customers remain on the platform.

UpPromote will issue commissions every month. You can choose PayPal or Stripe to receive your earnings. One note is that withdrawals are allowed once your balance reaches $100 or more.

The partner dashboard provides all the tools you need to monitor performance, referrals, and balances while accessing a wealth of resources to enhance your efforts. On top of that, you’ll gain access to co-marketing opportunities, including features in newsletters, social media campaigns, and in-app promotions.

2. Glassons

Glassons is one of the largest women fashion retailers in Australia and New Zealand, with over 78 stores across the major cities. They cater to young consumers with a wide range of fashionable and affordable casual wear, activewear, swimwear, and accessories.

This New Zealand fashion affiliate program is managed through Rakuten Linkshare. They pay you a commission ranging from 2.5-4% based on the customer you refer:

• Existing Customers: 2.5%
• New Customers: 4%

You can earn commissions on purchases made within 14 days from the customer’s first click on your affiliate link.

3. Macpac

Macpac designs equipment and clothing for outdoor activities such as hiking, camping, and mountaineering. Their durable backpacks, technical clothing, sleeping bags, and other essential outdoor accessories are tailored to suit the rugged and diverse landscapes of New Zealand.

This New Zealand outdoor gear affiliate program offers a 7% commission rate for every sale you refer. The cookie window remains valid for 30 days after the customer’s first click on your unique link.

After being approved to be their affiliate, you can leverage their collection of digital assets to create engaging promotional content. Additionally, you can monitor your promotional results via a personal tracking dashboard.

4. Ticket Master

Ticketmaster is the most significant ticket sales and distribution company globally. They collaborate with various event organizers to sell tickets for concerts, sports events, theater performances, and more.

You can receive a $0.30 commission for each successful item sale you refer. They allow you to earn a commission on sales made within 30 days of visitors clicking on your link.

Their event ticket affiliate program in New Zealand is managed through the network Impact. You can access the platform’s tracking dashboard to check your clicks, sales, and commissions.

5. KLM New Zealand

KLM New Zealand offers flight services from major cities in New Zealand to destinations worldwide. They also provide information on baggage policies, travel guides, and special offers to assist travelers in planning their trips on their official website.

As part of the KLM New Zealand affiliate program, you’ll earn different commission rates based on the type of flight booking you refer. The cookie duration is 30 days long from the customer’s initial click on your link.

• Medium haul: 1%
• Long haul: 1.5%

The brand supports you with various impressive banners and links to create appealing promotional content. Besides, you can access their product feed to choose and promote the latest flight offers and travel deals on your website.

6. Celebration Box

Celebration Box delivers themed gift boxes filled with a variety of flowers, doughnuts, and sweet treats across New Zealand. Their products cater to various occasions, such as birthdays, holidays, corporate gifting, etc.

This New Zealand gift box affiliate program allows you to earn a 6% commission rate on every order placed. You can earn commissions on any successful order made within 1 month of the customer’s first click on your affiliate link.

Your commissions will be paid out monthly once your balance reaches the $100 minimum. Managed through the Linkshop affiliate network, the program gives you access to a tracking dashboard to check your performance and commissions.

7. Crazy Domains NZ

Crazy Domains NZ is a top internet services provider that helps individuals and businesses build a strong online presence. They provide many domain registration and web hosting solutions, including shared, VPS, and cloud hosting.

You may earn up to $270 per sale when joining the Crazy Domain New Zealand affiliate program. The brand gives you 2 months from the customer’s initial click on your unique link to earn money on sales.

The company supports your promotion with colorful banners and screenshots to attract more attention and drive conversions. You can also share their special coupon codes with your followers to increase engagement and encourage more sales.

8. AceMax NZ

AceMax has 17 years of experience supplying smart device accessories and innovative technology products. They provide a wide variety of car chargers, USB cables, phone cases, screen protectors, charging cables, car holders, and other tech accessories.

You can earn a 6% commission on each order made through your affiliate link with the AceMax New Zealand affiliate program. The referral period lasts 60 days from the visitor’s initial click on your link.

You must have a balance of $20 or more in your account to withdraw your commissions. You can leverage the brand’s pre-made product assets, videos, and codes to create engaging promotions.

9. Kiwi House Sitters

Kiwi House Sitters is New Zealand’s largest and most trusted house and pet sitting platform. They help homeowners find trusted sitters for pet care, home protection, and garden maintenance.

You’ll earn a 15% commission on every sale placed via your unique link when becoming a partner of the Kiwi House Sitters New Zealand affiliate program. The 30-day cookie duration allows you to earn money for qualified purchases within this timeframe.

The brand processes your commission payments via PayPal to ensure quick and reliable transactions. However, your balance must meet the minimum threshold of $20 to receive payouts.

10. New Zealand Honey Co

New Zealand Honey Co. is a leading producer and supplier of authentic Manuka honey in the country. They connect with the best beekeepers to source the finest honey, meeting the strict standards for purity and potency of UMF certification.

Their New Zealand honey affiliate program offers a high commission rate of 10% for every order you generate. The brand gives you 30 days from the customer’s first click to receive commissions on their purchases.

The brand gives you many beautiful images and pre-formatted social posts to assist your promotion. Their dedicated affiliate team will also support you with experienced advice and tips to optimize your promotions and boost your earnings.

11. Boody NZ

Boody uses organically grown bamboo viscose to create sustainable and comfortable underwear. They also provide high-quality activewear, loungewear, sleepwear, and organic baby essentials.

You’ll receive an 8% commission rate on every order generated through your link when joining this New Zealand clothing affiliate program. They allow you to earn commissions on purchases made within 30 days of the customer’s first click on your link.

The brand’s regularly updated data feed will update you with the latest product information and availability. Additionally, you can easily track your clicks, sales, and commissions in real-time through their smart analytics dashboard.

12. EcoWarehouse

• Commission rate: 10%
• Cookie duration: Not mentioned

EcoWarehouse provides many personal care items, household goods, cleaning supplies, essential oils, bamboo dental floss, fermentation kits, and more. They emphasize the importance of reducing environmental impact through their non-toxic and eco-friendly products.

13. Fishpond NZ

• Commission rate: 8%
• Cookie duration: Not mentioned

Fishpond NZ is the largest online retailer in New Zealand, providing a catalog of over 25 million items from global suppliers. Shoppers can discover everything from books and DVDs to electronics, toys, and even hard-to-find items unavailable in local stores or on other websites.

14. Secretlab NZ

• Commission rate: 10%
• Cookie duration: 30 days

Secretlab NZ sells high-performance gaming chairs and ergonomic seating solutions. Their products offer customizable comfort for diverse body shapes and preferences with adjustable elements like lumbar support, armrests, and seat height.

15. Cloud Nine New Zealand

• Commission rate: 6%
• Cookie duration: 30 days

Cloud Nine New Zealand offers premium hair styling tools, including hair straighteners, curling wands, and hair dryers. Their items are committed to maximizing styling potential without damaging customers’ hair.

16. Jucy

• Commission rate: 5%
• Cookie duration: 30 days

Jucy provides a wide range of vehicles for rental, including compact cars, campervans, and larger motorhomes. Their fleet includes over 3,000 vehicles available at 10 locations throughout New Zealand and Australia.

17. Paddock To Pantry

• Commission rate: 6%
• Cookie duration: 30 days

Paddock to Pantry delivers fresh produce, premium meats, and unique gift baskets straight to customers’ doors. Their products are sourced from local suppliers and various charities, such as Life Education, Hospice, and others.

18. Hyatt

• Commission rate: 5-10%
• Cookie duration: Not mentioned

Hyatt runs a global network of luxury hotels, business accommodations, resorts, and vacation spots. They also offer a loyalty program rewarding over 30 million members with points for hotel stays, which can be exchanged for free nights and unique experiences.

19. NZ Nature

• Commission rate: 4%
• Cookie duration: Not mentioned

NZ Nature offers high-quality natural fiber clothing and homeware inspired by New Zealand’s environment and culture. They supply a variety of products made from luxurious and sustainable materials like merino wool, possum merino, silk, bamboo, linen, hemp, and cotton.

How to build a successful affiliate program for your New Zealand Shopify store

Affiliate marketing is a powerful, low-risk strategy for New Zealand-based Shopify stores to drive sales and increase brand awareness.

This guide provides a step-by-step framework from planning and setup to management and optimization. It is tailored specifically for the New Zealand market.

Understanding affiliate marketing for the NZ market

Imagine New Zealand’s most passionate creators genuinely telling their followers about your products. That’s the core of affiliate marketing—a low-risk, high-reward strategy that turns authentic endorsements into powerful sales.

It’s your key to building deep trust with Kiwi customers and connecting directly with dedicated niche communities. Discover how to harness this game-changer for your Shopify store and leave traditional advertising behind.

Why it’s a game-changer for New Zealand e-commerce

One of the biggest advantages of affiliate marketing is its low upfront cost and high return on investment (ROI). Unlike traditional advertising, where you pay for clicks or views, you only pay your affiliates when they make a sale.

This performance-based model means your marketing budget is spent directly on results, making it a very safe and effective investment.

This strategy also builds powerful social proof and trust with local Kiwi audiences. When a customer sees their favourite New Zealand blogger or Instagram influencer genuinely recommending your product, it carries more weight than a standard ad.

This kind of authentic endorsement feels like a trusted tip from a friend rather than a sales pitch.

Furthermore, affiliate marketing allows you to tap into countless niche communities across New Zealand.

Whether your target market is vegan foodies in Wellington, sustainable fashion enthusiasts in Auckland, or mountain biking adventurers in Queenstown, there are creators with dedicated followings in that space.

Partnering with them gives you a direct line to these highly engaged and relevant audiences.

Key terminology you need to know

To run a successful program, it’s helpful to understand a few basic terms and how they interact with each other.

The Merchant is your business, the owner of the Shopify store.

The Affiliate is your partner, such as a blogger, influencer, or content creator, who promotes your products to their audience.

Commission is the payment you give to an affiliate for a successful referral, which is usually a sale. This can be a percentage of the sale amount or a fixed flat rate.

The Cookie Duration is the length of time the affiliate’s referral is tracked after a user clicks their unique link.

A longer cookie duration is more attractive to affiliates.

For example, if you set a 45-day cookie duration, and a customer clicks an affiliate’s link but only makes a purchase 40 days later, that affiliate still gets credit for the sale.

The Conversion Rate is the percentage of visitors who click an affiliate’s link and then complete a purchase.

Planning your affiliate program strategically for the New Zealand audience

How will you know if your affiliate program is actually working or just costing you money? The answer lies here. Before you do anything else, you must define exactly what success looks like.

This section will guide you through setting sharp, clear goals and the key metrics to track them, transforming your program from a hopeful experiment into a powerful engine for sales.

Define clear goals and KPIs

Before you launch your program, you need to define what success looks like for your business.

Your goals should be specific, such as increasing total revenue by 15% in the next six months or acquiring 200 new customers through affiliate channels this quarter.

You might also aim to promote a new product line or increase your market share in a specific region, like the South Island.

Once you have your goals, you need to identify the key performance indicators (KPIs) to track your progress.

Essential metrics include the total sales generated by affiliates, the amount of traffic they drive to your store, and the overall affiliate conversion rate.

You should also monitor the average order value (AOV) from affiliate referrals to see if they are bringing in high-value customers.

Structure a competitive commission plan

Your commission structure must be attractive enough to recruit and motivate high-quality affiliates. The two most common models are a percentage of the sale or a flat rate per sale.

A percentage-based commission, such as 10% of the order value, is simple and automatically scales with the size of the purchase.

In New Zealand’s e-commerce market, affiliate commission rates vary significantly across product niches, primarily reflecting different profit margins and product values.

For physical goods, commissions generally range from 4% to 10%.

For instance, major fashion and lifestyle brands like Glassons and Cotton On offer rates on the lower end, around 2.5% to 4.25%.

In contrast, outdoor and adventure gear from a brand like Macpac might offer a more moderate 7%.

Niche markets, such as sustainable and eco-friendly products, often provide higher rates around 10% to incentivize promotion.

Large online retailers like TheMarket typically offer commissions between 5% and 10%.

Conversely, electronics and event tickets usually have lower commissions due to thinner margins.

The most lucrative niches are often digital products, software, and travel services, where rates can frequently range from 10% to 15% or even be a fixed-fee amount per lead or sale.

Setting an appropriate cookie duration is also vital. A 30 to 90-day period is standard in e-commerce and shows affiliates that you value their contribution, even if the customer takes a while to make a purchase decision.

The ideal duration often depends on your product; a customer might buy a t-shirt quickly, but they might take several weeks to decide on an expensive piece of furniture.

Identify your ideal affiliate partners

To find the right partners, you first need to deeply understand your target customer in New Zealand.

Are they a busy working parent in Auckland, a university student in Dunedin, or a retiree in the Bay of Plenty? Creating a simple customer persona can help you visualize who you are trying to reach.

Once you know who your customer is, you can figure out which blogs, websites, and influencers they follow.

For example, if you sell handmade jewellery, your ideal partners might be NZ fashion bloggers or Instagrammers who use hashtags like #NZMade or #SupportLocal.

If you sell gourmet food products, look for Kiwi food bloggers or recipe creators.

Don’t overlook your own loyal customers as potential affiliates. These are people who already know and love your products, making them incredibly authentic and passionate advocates for your brand.

You can invite them to join your program through a post-purchase email, turning your happiest customers into a motivated sales force. Or greet them with a pop-up that details your referral program.

Building your program on Shopify geared to New Zealand’s market

Your affiliate strategy is ready, but how do you run it without getting lost in spreadsheets and manual payouts?

The answer lies in choosing the right technology. The app you select is the central nervous system of your program—automating tracking, payments, and communication so you can focus on growth.

Let’s find the perfect fit.

Choosing the right affiliate marketing app for Shopify

Choosing the right technology is essential for managing and scaling your affiliate program without creating a lot of manual work.

Several excellent affiliate marketing apps are available on the Shopify App Store, such as UpPromote, Refersion, and LeadDyno.

When making your choice, consider factors like pricing, key features, ease of use, and the quality of customer support.

UpPromote stands out as a top-tier solution specifically designed for Shopify merchants, known for its intuitive interface and comprehensive feature set.

It simplifies every aspect of running a program, from setting up complex commission tiers to tracking performance with real-time analytics.

Crucially, it also helps automate affiliate payments, which saves you a significant amount of administrative time each month.

When evaluating features, look for an app that provides robust tracking, customizable dashboards, and tools to help you recruit new partners.

Some apps charge a flat monthly fee, while others take a small percentage of your affiliate sales. Consider which model makes the most sense for your business stage and budget.

Configuring your program settings

After selecting your app, the next step is to configure your program’s core settings.

This is where you will implement the commission rates and cookie duration you decided on during the planning phase.

Most apps make this a straightforward process, allowing you to set a default commission rate for all affiliates.

Take the time to customize the affiliate registration or signup page to match your store’s branding.

Adding your logo, brand colors, and a welcoming message makes a professional first impression.

This shows potential affiliates that you run a credible and well-organized program, which encourages them to sign up.

Advanced apps like UpPromote allow you to set up more sophisticated commission structures for your Shopify store.

For example, you could create a tiered program where affiliates earn a higher commission rate as they generate more sales.

This incentivizes top performance and gives all your partners a clear goal to strive for, turning your program into a powerful growth engine.

Creating essential resources for your affiliates

To empower your affiliates to promote your products effectively, you must provide them with the right resources.

Begin with a clear and comprehensive automatic welcome email that contains everything they need to get started.

This includes their unique affiliate link, login details for their dashboard, and a brief guide on how the program works.

You should also create a library of brand assets that they can easily access.

This includes high-resolution product images, lifestyle photos, official logos, and a variety of marketing banners in different sizes for blogs and websites.

Providing high-quality creative makes it simple for affiliates to represent your brand professionally.

Make promotion even easier by crafting “swipe copy,” which is pre-written promotional text for emails, social media posts, or product descriptions.

This saves your affiliates time and ensures your brand messaging stays consistent. The more support you provide, the more active and successful your affiliates will be.

Recruiting and onboarding NZ affiliates

Your affiliate program is now a powerful engine, but it’s nothing without the right fuel. This is where your strategy comes to life—by finding and recruiting quality partners.

The success of your program now depends entirely on the people you bring on board.

Let’s cover the essential strategies for finding, vetting, and onboarding the best Kiwi creators for your brand.

How to find and recruit quality affiliates in New Zealand

With your program built, it’s time to recruit your first partners. Direct outreach is often the most effective method, so start by making a list of NZ-based influencers and bloggers whose audience aligns with your brand

• Instagram and TikTok are the best to find visual affiliates like fashion, beauty, and food creators.
• YouTube is best for finding video reviewers and tutorial creators, especially for tech, beauty, and outdoor gear.
• Niche Blogs are best for finding expert reviewers and storytellers for products in the parenting, wellness, and home decor spaces.
• Affiliate marketplaces like UpPromote are best suited to find experienced affiliates across all niches who are actively looking for programs.
• Your own customer list is the best way to find your most authentic brand advocates for any product type.
• Local Facebook Groups and clubs are the best way to find community-focused affiliates for niche hobbies or local services.

Send them a personalized email explaining why you believe a partnership would be a great fit for both of you.

You can also leverage affiliate networks and marketplaces that are popular in the New Zealand market to find partners who are actively looking for programs to join.

Don’t forget to promote your program on your own website with a clear link in your footer or on a dedicated landing page.

Announcing the program to your existing customers and email subscribers can also uncover some of your most enthusiastic future affiliates.

For a more streamlined approach, you can use a feature like the UpPromote Marketplace. This tool is a database of thousands of potential affiliates and creators that you can filter by niche, location, and social media platform.

It allows you to discover and connect with relevant partners in New Zealand directly, saving you hours of manual research and outreach.

The vetting and approval process

It is important to be selective about who you accept into your program to protect your brand’s reputation.

When an application comes in, review their website or social media profiles. Look for high-quality content, an engaged audience, and a tone that aligns with your brand’s values.

Beyond a manual review for brand fit, you must also protect your budget from fraudulent activity.

Powerful apps like UpPromote have built-in fraud prevention that automatically flags suspicious clicks or signups from known fraudulent IP addresses, providing a crucial layer of security against invalid commissions for Shopify merchants.

Create a simple application form to gather necessary information upfront, asking for their channels and how they plan to promote your products.

This vetting process ensures you partner with affiliates who will be a positive extension of your brand.

Look for genuine engagement, like thoughtful comments, over passive follower counts. A smaller, highly engaged niche audience will almost always drive more sales than a large, generic one.

A seamless onboarding experience for Kiwi’s affiliates

A smooth onboarding process is critical for getting your new affiliates active and generating sales quickly.

Here is a quick table to see how Click & Grow is onboarding +1000 affiliates and achieving 300% growth as a result:

Set up an automated welcome email series to guide them through their first couple of weeks. This series can provide helpful tips, content ideas, and reminders to check out their affiliate dashboard.

Your first email should be a warm welcome that confirms their approval and provides their unique affiliate link.

A few days later, you could send a follow-up with links to your brand assets and swipe copy. A week later, you could share a “best practices” guide or highlight a success story from another affiliate to inspire them.

Providing a dashboard walkthrough or a detailed FAQ page can also be incredibly helpful. The goal is to answer their questions proactively and make them feel confident and well-supported from the very beginning.

A positive onboarding experience leads to a long and fruitful partnership.

Management & optimization – scaling for long-term success in the NZ market

You’ve launched your program, but how do you ensure it’s actually making you money? The real work begins now.

This is where we move beyond setup and into the ongoing cycle of management that separates a cost from a true investment.

Let’s dive into the essential strategies for tracking, engaging, and optimizing your way to maximum ROI.

Tracking performance and measuring ROI

Managing your affiliate program is an ongoing process that requires regular attention. Use your affiliate app’s dashboard to constantly monitor your key metrics.

Keep a close eye on which affiliates are driving the most clicks and sales, and which ones may be struggling.

Identifying your top-performing affiliates is crucial. These are your most valuable partners, and you should focus on building strong relationships with them.

Real-time reports, a standard feature in apps like UpPromote, allow you to see what’s working at a glance and make informed decisions to optimize your program for better ROI.

You should also pay attention to affiliates who are underperforming. They may just need a little extra guidance or encouragement to get going.

A quick, supportive email checking in and offering help can sometimes make all the difference.

Communicating and engaging with your partners

Regular communication is key to keeping your affiliates engaged and motivated. Send out a monthly newsletter to keep them informed about new product launches, upcoming sales, and any changes to the program.

You can also use this newsletter to share content ideas or promotional tips.

Consider running contests or offering performance-based bonuses to create excitement and reward your hardest-working partners.

For example, you could offer a $100 bonus to the affiliate who generates the most revenue during a specific month. These incentives foster a sense of community and friendly competition.

Make sure your affiliates feel like valued partners. You could feature a top “Affiliate of the Month” in your newsletter or on social media.

This not only rewards the individual but also shows all your affiliates that you appreciate their efforts.

Optimizing for better results

A great affiliate program is never static; it should constantly be tested and improved. Experiment with different commission structures or run limited-time promotional offers to see what resonates with your affiliates and their audiences.

For example, you could double the commission rate for one week on a specific product you want to push.

You can also provide your top affiliates with exclusive coupon codes for their audience, which is simple to set up in a tool like UpPromote.

This makes their audience feel special and is a powerful incentive to buy through their link.

Gathering feedback directly from your affiliates is also a fantastic way to find opportunities for improvement.

Legal & financials – the NZ-specific essentials

A great partnership can collapse without clear rules. This is the section that protects your business, your reputation, and your revenue.

Getting your terms, legal disclosures, and payment processes right isn’t just about compliance in New Zealand; it’s about building a secure and trustworthy program from the ground up.

Let’s lock it down.

Crafting your affiliate program terms & conditions

A clear and comprehensive affiliate agreement is essential to protect your business and set clear expectations.

Your terms and conditions should cover key clauses such as payout terms, acceptable promotional methods, and disclosure requirements. This ensures that everyone understands the rules of the partnership from the start.

Under New Zealand’s advertising standards, affiliates must clearly disclose their commercial relationship with your brand.

This is a legal requirement to ensure transparency for consumers. Your terms should mandate that they use clear language or hashtags like #ad or #sponsored when promoting your products.

The Fair Trading Act 1986 also makes it illegal for advertising to be misleading, so affiliates must be truthful in their promotions.

Managing payouts and tax compliance in New Zealand

Establishing a reliable and timely payout process is crucial for maintaining good relationships with your affiliates.

The most common payout methods for New Zealand-based affiliates are direct bank transfer and PayPal. Be clear about your payment schedule in your terms, for example, specifying that commissions are paid out on the 15th of each month for the previous month’s sales.

It is vital to understand your Goods and Services Tax (GST) obligations on commission payments.

If your business is registered for GST in New Zealand, you need to handle this correctly.

It is highly recommended to consult with a local accountant to ensure your payment process is fully compliant with New Zealand tax law.

Your affiliates are considered independent contractors and are responsible for managing their own tax responsibilities.

They must declare their affiliate income to New Zealand’s Inland Revenue Department (IRD).

While it is not your legal duty, it is good practice to remind them of this responsibility in your program agreement.

Conclusion: key takeaways for a thriving Shopify affiliate program in New Zealand

Building a successful affiliate program for your New Zealand store rests on four core pillars. It begins with meticulous strategic planning and is followed by a robust setup using the right Shopify apps and tools.

From there, it requires proactive management and consistent communication to keep your partners engaged and, finally, a firm grasp of legal and financial compliance specific to New Zealand.

By dedicating effort to these four areas, you can transform affiliate marketing into one of your most significant and sustainable revenue channels.

A well-executed program will not only drive sales but also build authentic brand advocacy across the country.

It’s a powerful way to grow your Shopify store and connect with customers in a more meaningful way.

FAQs

1. What is a New Zealand affiliate program?

An arrangement where you promote a NZ (or NZ-serving) brand and earn commission for referred sales/leads via trackable links or coupon codes.

2. Do I need to register a business or pay tax in NZ?

Affiliate income is taxable in NZ. Many affiliates operate as sole traders; some form companies. If your taxable supplies exceed NZD 60,000 in any 12-month period, GST registration generally applies. Keep records and seek professional tax advice.

3. Which niches work well in NZ?

Popular: outdoors & adventure, sports & fitness, travel & domestic tourism, eco-friendly goods, fashion & lifestyle, home & garden, telco & utilities, SaaS/education, and financial services (where allowed).

4. Which networks or platforms cover NZ brands?

Both APAC-focused and global networks/platforms operate here, and many NZ Shopify/WooCommerce stores run in-house programs using an app. Join multiple to widen opportunities.

5. How do NZ affiliates get paid?

Typical methods: NZ bank transfer, PayPal, or Wise. Payout thresholds vary (e.g., NZD 50–100). Check fees, currency (NZD vs USD/AUD), and timing.

6. How do I set a commission rate that works in NZ?

Use your unit economics:

Target CPA (NZD) = Gross Margin per Order × Incrementality Factor.

Then translate to a %: Commission % = Target CPA ÷ AOV.

Typical starting points: 5–15% physical goods, 15–30% digital/SaaS, tiered boosts for top partners.

7. What cookie window should I offer?

Start with 30–45 days. For higher-consideration items or content-driven sales, consider 60–90 days. Keep it consistent across partners to avoid disputes.

8. How do I pay affiliates (and handle GST)?

Pay in NZD where possible; align payout cycles (e.g., monthly net-30 after returns). Export payout data to your accounting system. If an affiliate is NZ-based and GST-registered, expect GST on their invoices. Document your policy and collect tax details (e.g., IRD, GST status).