In this review, we will discuss everything you need to know about AliExpress affiliate program.
AliExpress, doesn’t really need a lot of introduction.
If you are on this page, you must have heard of Aliexpress, one of the top mode in the e-commerce world.
Just like Amazon, Aliexpress is another e-commerce website that sells all levels of products, though cheaper.
In fact, Aliexpress products are one of the cheapest high quality products in the online market.
Seems like that’s not enough marketing strategy to drive in customers and improve their visibility.
AliExpress is also relying on affiliate marketing as one of the ways to drive in more customers and users.
Anyone that brings in customers would make money.
Is that not what you have been looking for?
But those questions are still running through your mind.
Eventually, this page contains all the questions you have about the AliExpress affiliate program. So, read on.
What is AliExpress?
AliExpress is a Chinese e-commerce marketplace. The website has tons of merchants registered on it, usually from china.
It was launched in 2010 and was one of the pioneers of what we know as the billion dollars e-commerce marketplace.
As a vendor, you can set up your products on AliExpress and start selling.
Are you among those that confuse Aliexpress with Alibaba?
They are pretty different.
AliExpress is a retail company that sells directly to the final consumer. Alibaba is an e-commerce marketplace for wholesalers to buy in bulk from vendors.
Well, Both websites are created for the motive of smooth online transaction for physical products, especially from China.
So, does AliExpress have an affiliate program?
Yes, they have an affiliate program where you can pocket commission from referring to their products.
How Does AliExpress Affiliate Program Work?
AliExpress affiliate program offers the same commission per sale, popular amongst e-commerce stores.
You refer visitors to particular products and earn your money.
However, when we look deeply into what their affiliate programs offer, things would start varying.
The significant part is their cookie duration and commission rate.
Most people do look out for the host of the affiliate program which is very important when signing up.
Well, the Aliexpress affiliate program is hosted by AliExpress hosted, CJ Affiliate (Commission Junction), Awin and FlexOffers.
Though the affiliate program is hosted inhouse and by other affiliate network, I wouldn’t advise signing up through the in house management.
This is because it is stressful signing up from their website directly.
Likewise, the main reason people sign up via the main affiliate program page on the companies website is due to support which is somehow poor on Aliexpress.
There have been reports of no access to a real affiliate page. Nor an email response about the affiliate program if you were eventually able to sign up.
Likewise, if you later encounter a problem in Aliexpress affiliate program, you will have to find the solution all by yourself since their support is of no reach.
In fact, I will pick Amazon, Walmart, Target and Khols affiliate program over Aliexpress when their support is used as comparison.
Well, if you are using other affiliate networks, their support will attend to you.
Even The affiliate page is useless.
Filled with Grammatical errors -maybe we could have given them the excuse that they translated Chinese to English.
What about the bad UI? Sign up button won’t even click.
Sincerely, if you are using a phone to sign up, it wouldn’t have been worse for you.
Like I said earlier, you should sign up via other affiliates networks. And I prefer Flex offers.
Would you believe AliExpress uses a SiteStripe feature that is only available in house? This is a feature that allows affiliates to link directly to a certain product.
If you are not signing up via their inhouse host, you’d be deprived of the usage of the sitestripe feature.
Isn’t this so ridiculous to both affiliates and their market returns!
Which Products can You Promote in The AliExpress affiliate program?
Unlike the likes of Walmart that exclude products affiliates can promote, you can promote and earn commission on any Aliexpress products.
That’s to tell you that if we start listing which products you can promote the list is endless.
Precisely, no matter the niche you represent, once you can promote, there would be a category that satisfies what you want to sell.
Here are the top categories:
- Home and Garden
- Women’s Fashion
- Men’s Fashion
- Electronics
- Home appliances
- Beauty and cosmetics
- Outdoor gear
- Sports gear
- Footwear
Meanwhile, all of these products are tagged with very inexpensive fees.
AliExpress Affiliate Program Commission?
If you are signing up via FlexOffer, the commission rate of AliExpress affiliate programs is within 2%-8.5%.
That’s the same range you will get from the Amazon affiliate program.
Target affikiate program don’t even offer up to 5% at all.
Is this saying AliExpress is better in terms of commission rate?
It’s difficult to say yes because cheap products are sold on AliExpress.
Eventually, the affiliate returns in Aliexpress might not be as high as we would have expected from Target or Walmart.
Similarly, if you are signing up via Awin, the commission rate is 2%-7%.
Payment Structure:
If you are signing up via Flex Offers, you’d be paid 60 days after your referral has bought the products. Same as if you had signed up via the inhouse host.
The 60 days period is normal amongst most affiliate program involving physical products.
It is used for managing inventory and ascertaining the fact that your referral would not be returning the products.
AliExpress Affiliate Program Cookie Duration?
If you are signing up via FlexOffer, the cookie duration for Aliexpress affiliate program is 3 days -same as Walmart affiliate program.
After your referral has clicked your affiliate link, you have an extra 3 days to convince them to buy a certain product.
If they should make a purchase within the 3 days, it would be attributed to you. However, any purchase made after the 3 days would not be attributed to you.
The 3 days are just too short. Especially with all the ridiculous qualifications the affiliate program already has.
Hold on! Did I just hear you say what does cookie duration mean?
Ok, let’s run through it.
Cookies are a set of data packets that settle in browsers and are used for monitoring the action of a particular person on a website.
Hence, when your referrals visit AliExpress website, they would be asked to accept cookies.
After accepting cookies your referral actions on Aliexpress website would be monitored and recorded.
However, this would only be active within the 3 days, stated as the cookie duration.
This must be more simplified now.
Meanwhile, if you were lucky enough to sign up to their affiliate program via the inhouse host, the commission rate is 30 days.
How to Sign up to AliExpress Affiliate Program?
I told you I prefer to sign up via the affiliate networks. Preferably, FlexOffer because they seem to have the best offer of all the affiliate programs.
Go to Flex Offers website and sign up.
Afterwards, search for AliExpress amongst the list of supported affiliate programs and join them.
It might take some days for you to receive a mail whether your application has been approved into the affiliate program or not.
For other reason, you might like to sign up via the affiliate page directly (this would sign you up with the inhouse host), follow this steps:
- Go to AliExpress portals
- Click on Get started
- Input your personal information and business information.
- Finally click on sign up.
- You are expected to receive a verification mail first.
- Then afterwards you wait for the mail that will ascertain your application into the affiliate program or not.
However, you have to be very patient when signing up on Aliexpress portal because it is really difficult to get around the complicated User interface.
Can You Make $1000 Monthly From AliExpress Affiliate Program? Is It Worth Trying?
Except you have a ton of audience, I don’t think it is possible. The products are cheap, the concept of the affiliate program is insensitive, so it’s not easy for affiliates to get the best results out.
Sincerely, it is hard to reach $1000.
You can’t refer to high paying products directly if you are joined via one of the affiliate networks.
If perhaps you choose to sign up via their primary host, you will go through ridiculous issues. And even bare with no support after signing up.
Pros and Cons of AliExpress Affiliate Program
Pros
- Products variety: There are lots of products to promote on the AliExpress affiliate program.
- Longer cookie duration: Compared to Amazon, Aliexpress has a longer cookie duration.
- Ships worldwide: Aliexpress delivers to every country.
- Recognized brand: Alibaba is one of the leading e-commerce marketplace.
Cons
- Slow shipping: Goods shipping take too long. Some can take 1 month to two months for the products to be delivered to customers. You don’t expect them to see AliExpress as a serious company worth promoting to them.
- No support: I wonder how an affiliate program would be run without a feasible support system.
- Low prices: You need more sales to take something out of this product.
Alternatives to AliExpress Affiliate Program
The list of e-commerce stores that offer affiliate program is endless.
Here is a list of those that can serve as alternative to Aliexpress affiliate program:
1. Amazon affiliate program
Commission rate: 1%-8%
Cookie duration: 24 hours
2. Walmart affiliate program
Commission rate: 1%-4%
Cookie duration: 3 days
Read Walmart affiliate program review
3. Target affiliate program
Commission rate: 1%-4%
Cookie duration: 7 days
Read Target affiliate program review
4. Overstock affiliate program
Commission rate: 6%
Cookie duration: 30 days
Read Overstock affiliate program review
Similarly, you can check out our reviews of high paying e-commerce affiliate programs worth trying.
Wrapping Up
Is this ending on a wrong note in your end? I can’t lie, I wouldn’t join Aliexpress affiliate program when there are the likes of Amazon and Walmart affiliate programs.
Yet, it doesn’t change the fact that, Aliexpress is one of the biggest e-commerce stores. If their affiliate marketing is not worth trying, dropshipping on Aliexpress is worth it.
