Costco Affiliate Program Review: 5% Commission Rate (2023)
Looking to join the Costco affiliate program and get paid as a blogger or influencer? Good idea, as Costco is now the third largest retailer in the world, according to Statista.com!
In this article, I'll be sharing my personal experience with Costco affiliate marketing and answer frequently-asked questions such as how it works, how to sign up and get approved, commission rates, and more.
Does Costco have an affiliate program? Is it free to join?
Yes, the official Costco affiliate program can be found on the CJ Affiliate Network (formerly Commission Junction). You will first need a CJ.com account before applying.
The Costco affiliate program is completely free to sign up and join!
How much does the Costco affiliate program pay?
Costco affiliate program pays a 5% commission rate on Costco.com Gold Star or Executive Membership Purchases. This translates to a $3 CPA commission for Gold Star, and $6 CPA commission for Executive membership purchases.
How does being a Costco affiliate work?
1. First, sign up for the Costco program on the CJ affiliate network.
2. After you are approved, you can access your affiliate links and resources inside your CJ account.
3. When your visitors follow the links and banners to our site and then complete a qualifying purchase, your account is credited with a commission.
Pros and Cons of Costco affiliate
Pros
Free to sign up and join
Get paid up to 5% commission on Costco membership purchases
Cons
Only get commission for Costco membership purchases, not groceries or other items
$3 and $6 CPA commission is on the low side
Do you need a website for Costco affiliate program?
Yes, it is a requirement to have a family-friendly website to join the Costco affiliate program.
Since it is hosted on the CJ network, you will first need to sign up on CJ.com and they require a website during the application and to get approved.
If you need help creating your affiliate website quickly, check out my affiliate marketing for beginners guide.
My personal experience and thoughts on Costco affiliate program
The Costco affiliate program is quite hard to find, as I wasn't able to find info about it anywhere on their official website.
Then I checked the CJ Affiliate Network and there it was, the official Costco program available to apply and sign up.
After reading the commission structure and affiliate terms, I was pretty disappointed.
Now, I understand that most people who shop at Costco physically go to the store and that's part of how their business model works.
You buy things in bulk, and then load up the car and take it home.
But to only make a $3 or $6 CPA commission on their annual membership purchases is a little tough to get excited over.
Overall, it's a bit of a niche program considering that Costco has a pretty unique business model in general, but that which does not translate very seamlessly to the digital affiliate marketing business model.
I've written about most of the other largest retailers below, which I recommend you check out for more lucrative affiliate opportunities.
Best Alternatives to Costco Affiliate
Here are my best alternatives to Costco's affiliate program based on the type of products and competitive commission rates.