EBay Affiliate Program Review: 4% Commission Rate (2023)
Looking to join the official eBay affiliate program, aka the "eBay Partner Network"? Good idea, as eBay has over 183 million buyers and over 1.4 Billion products listed! With the eBay Partner network, you can get paid as a blogger or influencer to promote eBay products with your affiliate links.
In this article, I'll be sharing my personal experience with eBay affiliate marketing and answer frequently-asked questions such as how to sign up, how it works, commission rates, and more.
Does eBay have an affiliate program? Is it free to join?
Yes, eBay manages their own affiliate program called the "eBay Partner Network", or "ePN".
It is completely free to sign up and join!
How much does eBay affiliate program pay in commission rate?
The eBay Partner Network pays between 1% to 4% commission rate with a $550 USD cap per qualifying purchase, depending on the product category.
The highest paying categories that pay 4% commissions include:
Clothing, Shoes & Accessories
Health & Beauty
Jewelry & Watches
eBay Motors
"All Other" that is not listed on their rate card page below
You can view their current commission rates broken down by category here: https://partnernetwork.ebay.com/page/rate-card
There is also a 24-hour cookie window, which is the same as Amazon Associates, but shorter than the 3-day cookie window of Walmart, and the 7-day cookie window of Target affiliate.
Pros and Cons of eBay affiliates
Pros
Up to 4% commission rate on qualified sales
Over 1.4 Billion products listed, wide variety in many product categories
Can typically find niche, rare, or enthusiast products not always available on the big programs like Amazon or Walmart
Access to eBay's affiliate resources and tools
Cons
24-hour cookie window is short, but matches exactly with Amazon Associates
Comparable affiliate programs like Walmart and Target have longer cookie windows of 3 and 7 days, respectively.
Products on eBay can be too niche, as customers may find it more convenient to just order on Amazon or similar
How do I promote my affiliate link on eBay?
First, you'll need to sign up for the eBay Partner Network which is free to join.
Once you are approved, you can get affiliate links for various products on eBay.
You will earn commission on any "qualifying purchase".
A "qualifying purchase" is defined as when someone who clicks your affiliate link does either of the following actions:
1. "Makes a purchase within 24 hours after clicking your affiliate link for a “Buy It Now” item.
2. Places a bid on an auction within 24 hours after clicking your affiliate link and then wins that auction within 10 days
What is the minimum payout for eBay Partner Network affiliate program?
The minimum payout for eBay affiliate is $10 USD.
My personal experience with eBay affiliate program
I've reviewed dozens of affiliate programs and am just very happy that eBay offers their own program, due to their immense variety of niche products that simply aren't as available on Amazon Associates.
Also, some brands and products don't have an affiliate program at all, so eBay presents a third-party opportunity to still earn commission on products that typically wouldn't be eligible.
I'm a big fan of eBay and highly recommend you try buying or selling something on there.
Once you realize you can get money for stuff you no longer use or need, it can get addicting to get rid of a lot of junk.
Overall, I think the 4% commission rate is decent and my only knock is the 24-hour cookie window which is on the short side, but it's the same as Amazon Associates.
Best Alternatives to eBay affiliates
After reviewing dozens of affiliate programs, here are my best recommendations that you may be interested in that are related or similar to eBay.