Etsy Affiliate Program

Types of products: Handmade crafts, art, custom goods.

Where to join: Etsy Program at Awin

Commission structure: 4%

Cookie length:  30 Days

Payment Methods:  Payoneer, ACH

Etsy is the coolest marketplace. I am a big fan of the arts and appreciate the sacrifices made to pursue a passion. It is not an easy way to make a living – even for the most talented.

Etsy provides an outlet for all sorts of creative people. From personalized mementos to creative wedding gifts you will find handmade goods at Etsy.

But can you make money as an Etsy affiliate? Let’s take a look.

How to Join the Etsy Affiliate Program

The affiliate program is managed by Awin but Etsy approves each application. Etsy is one of the stricter affiliate programs. You must have a website for instance. Here are a list of do’s and don’ts for becoming an Etsy affiliate.

Etsy Affiliate Program Application

Do

  • Have a website and URL
  • Have a good amount of content
  • Focus on relevant content;
  • List any Etsy shops you own or are related to ( send email to Etsy’s Affiliate team)
  • List all sites you will promote from

Don’t

  • No comparison price sites
  • No coupon, cash back, voucher or other reward for purchase sites
  • No controversial sites (Politics, religion, sex, drugs etc.)
  • No sites that exist solely to promote Etsy items are not allowed

There is a small application fee of $5. This is not a large amount to ask but is an unusual request not found in many affiliate programs.

Go to our affiliate programs page for more program reviews.

Can you be an Etsy Seller and an Etsy Affiliate?

You can be both an Etsy seller and an Etsy affiliate.

However, you will not get credit for any converting traffic you send to your own listings.  When you register as an Etsy affiliate you must provide any seller accounts or those held by family members. So as a seller you are promoting the Etsy marketplace, community and other shops.

This is one place where Amazon affiliate program is more generous than Etsy. You can for instance get paid an affiliate commission on your own FBA listings at Amazon. You get the profit of your FBA item and the Amazon Associate commission.

Etsy Products

Etsy product selections are amazing. If you are planning an event it is the go-to place to find special one-of-a-kind products and gifts. This is what makes the affiliate program exciting. No one is going to comparison shop Amazon & Target for the items found on Etsy. Some of the most popular categories at Etsy are:

  • Jewelry — Jewelry is a hot category at Etsy. From custom one of a kind pieces  to hand-made wedding rings you can find it on Etsy.
  • Home and Living — These products range from garden pottery to hand-crafted home decor of all kinds.
  • Craft Supplies and Tools —  Become a known member of the Etsy community and sell products to your fellow craft makers.
  • Toys and Games – Form handcrafted baby items to toys for adults.
  • Party decorations – From bachelor parties and weddings to bar mitzvah, Etsy is the place to make your event special.
  • Clothing — Clothing is popular. Many of them come with personalization options
  • Vintage — Restored older items to replica vintage items – bring back your customer’s youth

Etsy Commission Rates and Rules

Etsy pays 4% for each sale.

Etsy does not want you to send prospects directly from ad campaigns. You will receive no commission if the last click to Etsy was from a PPC network. You can use paid ads, you must send them to a landing page or other pice of content on your website.

The Etsy program is international there is no separate application to get credit from international buyers.

Social media is allowed if the platform is ok with affiliate marketers and the social site is associated with the approved website.

You can not use Etsy, Etsy misspellings, or Etsy logo in any ads.  Here is a complete list of Etsy affiliate rules.

Affiliate Tools and Support

Etsy has a solid program and of course Awin knows how to take care of affiliates. As an affiliate, you’ll have access to:

How to Promote Etsy Online

Etsy is going to work best for two types of audiences.

— First there is the art and handmade goods lover.

— The second group are the event buyers.

 

Arts and Crafts Lovers

If your site focuses on a particular craft or art technique then you are a natural for Etsy. You can easily include example products in your information posts. So if you decide to do a how-to post on ash-glazed pottery you can link to good examples at Etsy.

Content Sales Funnel

Event Planners

Etsy is a great opportunity for wedding and other event planners. You can write articles about how to create the perfect wedding invitation or bridesmaid’s gifts. Include examples from Etsy. This will both drive traffic to your event website for potential new customers and give you affiliate income opportunities. Etsy is a great place for your audience to find that special gift. This is one of the largest markets for Etsy.

Content Marketing

This is the foundation of almost all affiliate marketers. Even PPC ad focused affiliates will want to direct prospects to landing pages, reviews, and other content. Particularly if you are focusing on more expensive products like an entire wedding package, you want to create a sales funnel. The objective is to engage with the prospect and give them lots of valuable information. This creates trust so that when you direct them to Etsy they convert well.

Etsy having so many unique products it is a natural fit for long-tail keyword tactics. There may not be many monthly searches for “ash-glazed pottery technique”, but you will be able to rank on page 1 for that term. If you were to write a general pottery article you be lucky to get page 5 on the results page. Page 5 yields zero traffic from search, so from an SEO standpoint — why bother?

Social Media

Etsy is a natural for platforms like Pinterest and Facebook. Always best to link back to your site to warm-up the prospect with more info – then link them to Etsy.  Some basic rules for promoting on social media …

  • Be a community influencer
  • Promote in Niche-specific Groups
  • Be catchy, funny, somehow grab them.
  • Create quality content to add value
  • Include great images in the content
  • UseShortened URLs

Go to our affiliate tips page -- learn how to promote products.

Pros and Cons — Etsy Affiliate Program

 

ADVANTAGES

Huge trust and brand awareness

Unique products that can’t be price shopped

Many impulse buyers – not price sensitive

DISADVANTAGES

Low 4% commission rate

Can be difficult to get approved

Should You Become an Etsy Affiliate?

For some niches, this is a resounding – YES. Who would benefit from the Etsy affiliate program?

  • Artists and those in crafts and hand made goods.
  • Wedding or event planners.
  • Christmas, anniversary and other holiday niches

If you have a more general, technical or other topic niches, the 4% commission rate might be too low. Only a small subset of your community might purchase from your Etsy link, so it may not be worth the effort.

FAQ

How much does Etsy pay affiliates?

Etsy affiliates receive a 4% commission on eligible purchases.

How long do you have to make a sale from someone who uses your affiliate link?

Etsy has a 30-day cookie. As long as the customer purchases within 30 days of arriving with your affiliate link you will receive the commission.

What products are eligible for affiliate sales?

All products available on Etsy.com are eligible for commissions.

Does Etsy run its own affiliate program?

Etsy's affiliate program is managed by Awin who provides affiliate support and marketing materials.