Etsy Affiliate Program Review: 4% Commission Rate (2023)
Looking to join the Etsy affiliate program and get paid as a blogger or influencer? Etsy.com is one of the most popular ecommerce marketplaces for handmade goods, with sales growing by double-digits recently according to Bloomberg. So, ready to learn how to get paid to promote Etsy products you love and work with the brand?
In this article, I'll be sharing my personal experience with Etsy affiliate marketing and answer frequently-asked questions such as how it works, how to sign up, commission rates, and more.
Can you become an affiliate on Etsy?
Yes, the official Etsy affiliate program is featured on their website here: https://www.etsy.com/affiliates.
The Etsy affiliate program is managed by the Awin affiliate network, requiring an Awin account to join.
It is 100% legit and completely free to sign up and join.
How much do Etsy affiliates make?
The Etsy affiliate program pays 4% commission rate per qualifying sale, depending on product category.
Etsy affiliate links have between a 7-day to 30-day cookie period. This means that if a user clicks your link and makes a valid purchase within 7 or 30 days, then you will receive a commission on the purchase price.
Pros and Cons of Etsy affiliate program
Pros
Etsy's Affiliates can earn up to 4% commissions (a percentage of revenue) on qualifying sales that result from featuring links to Etsy products and other Etsy content on their site. Our team currently offers support in English, French, Italian, Spanish and German.
7 to 30-day cookie windows
Post links to your favorite finds on your website, blog or social media via our easy-to-use platforms—every approved sale means money for you.
Members of Creator Co and our Affiliate Community enjoy access to exclusive Etsy content, competitions, trend reports, and more.
Cons
Etsy products can be quite niche and since many are handmade from small individual sellers, there aren't really any big recognizable brands on the marketplace. This just makes your job as an affiliate a little bit tougher since you will have to sell your audience on a specific niche product or seller.
Can you join Etsy affiliate as a seller or social media influencer?
Yes! Etsy has a "Creator Co" program that is separate from their Affiliate Program on Awin.
The Creator Co program is designed specifically for social media content creators, and is open to Etsy sellers.
Note that the Etsy affiliate program is ALSO open to Etsy sellers as well.
How to start Etsy affiliate marketing and get approved?
In order to get approved for the Etsy affiliate program, you will need a website and Awin network account. On their website, they list out the types of websites who they typically partner with:
Media
Editorial publications
Bloggers
If you need help creating a professional affiliate website quickly, check out my affiliate marketing for beginners guide.
If you're a social media influencer, you can also check out the Etsy Creator Co program which is different from the affiliate program.
My personal experience and thoughts on the Etsy affiliate program
After reviewing dozens of affiliate programs, I find Etsy to occupy a distinct niche of mostly hand-crafted home goods and arts and crafts.
Etsy itself is a very large marketplace with tons of very cool personalized items and trinkets, that make really good gifts for special occasions and even just home decor.
I would recommend the Etsy affiliate program for those in the interior design and home decor niches, but the truth is that Etsy actually has a very wide range of product categories, so it would be unfair to put them in a narrow definition.
For example, there is even jewelry and clothing sold on Etsy, amongst other things.
Overall, I think the 4% commission rate is about average for these types of products, and it is nice to see closer to that 30-day cookie window, although it can range to be just 7-days as well.
Best Alternatives to Etsy affiliate
I've reviewed dozens of competitors and here are my best recommendations and picks that are similar to Etsy's market along with competitive commission rates.