If you have an online presence (or think you can build one), affiliate marketing is a great way to earn money.

Affiliate programs make it easier to find products and earn commissions – but some are more lucrative and user-friendly than others. The AliExpress Affiliate Program gives marketers access to a huge range of products that ship worldwide and a competitive commission rate.

Here’s our guide to mastering the AliExpress program, its pros and cons, and how it compares to other affiliate programs.

Key Consideration for Aliexpress Affiliate Program

  • Vast Product Range: AliExpress offers over 150 million products across various categories, making it easy to find products that suit your brand.
  • Global Access: The program is supported in 200 countries, allowing for a broad audience reach.
  • High Commission Rates: Earn up to 9% on most products and up to 90% on promotional “Hot Products”.
  • Cookie Duration: AliExpress offers a 3-day cookie duration, providing a decent window for earning commissions.
  • Support and Tools: AliExpress provides useful tools, tutorials, and promotional materials, including ad banners and a public API.

What Is AliExpress?

AliExpress is an online shopping platform that connects shoppers worldwide with retailers based mainly in China.

It features over 150m products in a wide range of categories – from garden furniture to hair extensions, and smartwatches – and competes with sites like Amazon, Shein, and eBay.

AliExpress screenshot

What Is The AliExpress Affiliate Program?

The AliExpress Affiliate Program allows individuals and companies to earn commission for promoting products featured on AliExpress.

This can be achieved through web content, social media, product integration, and other marketing channels.

AliExpress affiliate program

How Does The AliExpress Affiliate Program Work?

Anyone with an online presence can join the AliExpress Affiliate Program. Once registered, affiliates can:

  1. Choose from a selection of products
  2. Generate unique tracking links to those products
  3. Promote the products to their online audience

If shoppers click on a tracking link to make a purchase on AliExpress within a set window of time, the affiliate earns a commission.

Which Promotion Channels Qualify?

AliExpress affiliate program promo screenshot

AliExpress is open to partnering with affiliates operating with a wide range channels such as:

  • influencers
  • blogs
  • price comparison sites
  • shopping platforms

Commission Structure

Some other affiliate programs pay affiliates for clicks and traffic, but the AliExpress program pays commission for completed transactions. In other words, if someone clicks on your link and then makes a purchase, you earn money. You can earn up to 9% basic commission promoting AliExpress products and up to 90% for “Hot Products” i.e. promotional items.

Affiliate links operate using cookies which are set to expire after a set period. Affiliates only earn a commission if the shopper completes a transaction before the cookie expires. For the AliExpress Affiliate Program, the cookie duration is 3 days.

Pros of the AliExpress Affiliate Program

  • Huge inventory. With over 150m AliExpress products, it’s easy to find products that suit your brand.
  • Global access. The AliExpress Affiliate Program is supported in 200 countries and regions.
  • Relatively low effort. It’s possible to earn commission by posting simple videos.
  • High basic commission. Affiliates earn 9% on most products.
  • Useful tools, tutorials, and promotional materials. AliExpress provides ad banners, a WordPress plugin, and a public API.
  • High commission on “Hot Products.” AliExpress offers up to 90% commission on promoted items.
  • Low prices which make it easier to generate impulse sales.

Cons of the AliExpress Affiliate Program

  • Seller and product issues: Like most online marketplaces, AliExpress occasionally has problems with fake sellers, inaccurate product descriptions, and fake or unsafe products. Reviews indicate that AliExpress has more of these problems than most competitors.
  • Slow shipping. AliExpress products take between 5 days and several months to get to customers.
  • Trust issues. Some shoppers have a negative perception of Chinese products.
  • Low prices. Affiliates need to sell high volumes to make money.

Getting Started with AliExpress Affiliate [Step-by-step Guide]

If you’re interested in joining AliExpress’s in-house affiliate program, here’s how you get started.

Step 1: Create an Account

You can register by visiting the AliExpress Affiliate Program website. You’ll be asked for basic information about yourself, like name and contact details, and the details of the channel or channels you will use to promote products in order to set up your own AliExpress affiliate account.

AliExpress affiliate signup page

Alternatively, you can register to become an AliExpress affiliate using different affiliate networks such as Awin, FlexOffers, or CJ Affiliate. These networks give you access to lots of different brands through one platform.

Step 2: Wait to Be Accepted

According to the FAQs, “Anyone that has an online presence (not only on social media) with an amount of traffic (visitors) can join and become an AliExpress affiliate publisher”. Once you submit your details, wait 1 to 3 business days to see if you are approved.

AliExpress affiliate

Although AliExpress doesn’t provide very clear criteria, you’re only likely to succeed as an AliExpress affiliate marketer if you have a stable online presence and you can generate a good volume of traffic.

You should also be targeting an audience that might buy products on AliExpress.

For example, if you have a gardening blog targeting older people who generally do not like to shop online, you may struggle to promote AliExpress products to that audience.

Step 3: Choose Products

AliExpress products

To maximize your chance of success and avoid brand damage, select products that:

  • Align with your existing audience or fit a clear niche that you can build around
  • Are in demand, popular, and competitively priced
  • Have plenty of positive reviews and offer speedy delivery

If you don’t have much success with the products you choose, you can always adjust your strategy later.

Step 4: Start Promoting Products

Feature the products on your chosen promotional channel – whether it’s a YouTube channel, a comparison site, paid Facebook ads, or an Instagram video like the one shown below.

Tip: Always direct your audience to the AliExpress affiliate link. Otherwise, you’re just doing a free promotion. Research how other affiliate marketers are promoting similar products to get a sense of what works.

Building a Successful AliExpress Affiliate Business

To build a successful affiliate business you need a good strategy. That means building an online presence, choosing the right products, and using data to iterate so you can maximize your traffic and conversions – and ultimately maximize your earnings.

Let’s examine each ingredient in a winning strategy.

Building an Online Presence

If you’re already an influencer or have a website that generates good traffic, you simply need to identify products that your existing audience will like and share them with your audience.

If, however, you’re starting from scratch, you’ll need to choose a channel and start building an audience.

It makes sense to choose a channel that matches your skill set and the products you’ll be promoting. For example, if you have a solid understanding of SEO and you like to write, a blog may be a good idea. If you know a lot about computer games, a YouTube review channel for gaming gadgets could work.

Here are two suggestions for beginners.

1. TikTok

Many affiliates marketers create short engaging videos promoting products and post them on TikTok. Viewers can then click on a link in the affiliate’s profile to access a linktree with the affiliate links which direct them to the AliExpress website.

To make TikTok videos, you probably need to order the products, which takes a while, but it’s easy to get set up on TikTok, and there are lots of videos to be inspired by. This video, for example, is promoting a portable cooker and shows the affiliate making a meal in bed.

The silly nature of the product helped the video go viral, likely converting tons of sales.

@lazychefpot

Replying to @All about beads #tiktokmademebuyit #hungryaf #lifehacks #nerflixandchill #foodadict #lazy

♬ #doyalike – kazeWIW

2. Pinterest Listicles

Another popular place to promote products is Pinterest. You can create lists like the one below to direct readers to a blog that contains your links. The good thing about Pinterest is that you can use images rather than videos which means you can potentially create your own content without ordering the products.

Canva is a useful tool for creating pretty Pinterest posts.

affiliate ad for AliExpress items

It’s worth noting that 70% of Pinterest users are female and Gen Z are the platform’s fastest growing demographic, so select your products accordingly.

Identifying Profitable Niches and Products

Instead of randomly selecting different products, it can be a good idea to stick to a niche. That way, you can build an audience around an area of interest over time. It makes sense to choose something you are passionate or knowledgeable about, but that’s not essential.

Look for niches that are trending on your chosen channel. It can be a good idea to choose very cheap items because viewers/readers will buy them on impulse, but you do need to sell a lot of items to make decent commissions.

This refillable perfume bottle, for example, is cheap and eye-catching.

AliExpress listing

 

Alternatively if you have a highly engaged audience who trust you, consider promoting products of higher value. A review blog like this one can focus on expensive products because readers who look at reviews are already invested in making a purchase and view the affiliate as an expert.

AliExpress telephoto lens listing

Driving Traffic and Increasing Conversions

The secret to generating traffic depends on your chosen channel.

For Social Media

It’s important to post regularly. Viral TikTok videos tend to contain something surprising or eye-catching in the thumbnail and many take advantage of trending video formats or songs. AI tools that dub and transcribe your videos in different languages can also help you reach a wider audience.

It’s not for everyone but many successful TikTokers develop a personal brand around their personalities. This account, for example, specializes in outfits for church.

woman with an AliExpress bag

For Websites

Make sure that your site is SEO-optimized in terms of both the technical set-up of the site and the content you’re producing. It should also function well on mobile. Keyword research using a tool like Ahrefs or SurferSEO can be particularly useful for blogs.

For All Channels

No matter what channel you’re using, data is key. If a post, video, or website update increased traffic or improved conversions, figure out why and repeat it. AliExpress will also provide data to help you see what’s working.

Also, keep an eye on:

  • Trends on your chosen channel
  • Seasons and fashions
  • Promotions and product launches on the AliExpress website
  • Changes to social media algorithms or Google’s SEO

Scaling Your Business

Once you’ve found a niche that works and you’re comfortable promoting products, you can start to diversify your offering.

  • Try new products, niches, and channels.
  • If you can recycle content for different channels or translate it into different languages, that could be an efficient way to scale.
  • You could hire someone to help you produce more content or even partner with other affiliates to expand your reach.

Of course, if a small side hustle works well for you, scaling is optional.

Following The Rules

As a rule of thumb, you should always disclose the fact that you could earn a commission when you promote products as an affiliate marketer. This is both a legal and ethical issue so it’s very important to follow the rules.

It’s also important to follow the rules laid out by AliExpress to avoid being removed from the affiliate marketing program. It’s difficult to find a current version of the AliExpress Affiliate Program rules, but they will cover basic things like not promoting discriminatory or stolen content.

AliExpress Affiliate Program vs Other Affiliate Programs

The AliExpress Affiliate Program is not the only affiliate program out there. There are lots of affiliate programs looking for marketers to promote products. Here’s how the AliExpress Affiliate Program compares to a few of them.

 AliExpress Amazon Shein Temu
 Brand Well known but not globally trusted  Industry leader Well known but not globally trusted Well known but not globally trusted
 Products Huge inventory. Lots of cheap items  Huge varied inventory at range of price points.  Fast fashion Huge inventory. Lots of cheap items
 Commission  9% basic. 90% for Hot Products  1-10% depending on product category 1% for existing customers. 10-20% for new customers 5-20% on orders from new users.
 Cookie life  3 days  24 hours  24 hours  15 days
 Shipping  5 days – months  Often next day  8-9 business days  6-8 business days
 Other pros Solid commission and extensive selection  Great commission on fashion, luxury, and handmade Perfect for influencers and models Freebies and discount codes for your followers, recruiting commissions, cash bonuses
 Cons  You need to sell high volumes Poor commission on toys, tools, baby products You need to sell high volumes You need to sell high volumes

Amazon

Amazon’s affiliate program is called Amazon Associates and it’s on our list of top affiliate marketing programs for 2024.

The biggest strength of this affiliate program is the brand. Everyone has heard of Amazon, it sells almost everything, and its logistics and customer service are industry-leading.

In terms of commission, the Amazon affiliate program is better for some niches than others. Their lowest commission rates are very low, with just 1% for video game consoles and 3% for electronics, but it’s highest commission rates are great, with 10-12% for fashion.

Amazon affiliate program

Plus, if someone follows your link to Amazon, you can earn a commission on their whole shopping cart. However, they have a short cookie life of just 24hrs.

Amazon affiliate program pros and cons

Shein

Shein front page screenshot

Shein represents almost one-fifth of the global fast fashion market and generated $23B in revenue in 2022, making it one of the best options for fashion influencers – although they offer products in most categories.

Unlike AliExpress, Shein is not a marketplace for retailers. They commission their own products. However, like Temu and AliExpress, most of their products are shipped from China.

It is difficult to find the details of their affiliate program on their website. It isn’t listed in the main menu. But a page on their European website promises 10-20% commission and a 30-day cookie duration.

benefits of shein affiliate program

If you register via the affiliate platform CJ Affiliate, the Shein commission rate is 15% for a new customer (15%) but only 1% for an existing customer with a 24-hour cookie window. If this is accurate, you’re going to need to be generating lots of new traffic.

Temu

Temu was the most downloaded iPhone app in the US in 2023. Like their competitors, they cover everything from beauty products to pet supplies, and ship to consumers all over the world. They’re known for their super low prices.

benefits of shein affiliate program

Temu’s Affiliate Program boasts more than 300k affiliates, a commission of 5 to 20%, and perks like credits and rewards for every download you refer. However, Temu only offers commission on purchases made by new users, which makes your job as an affiliate much harder.

temu affiliate program bonuses

Top 8 Tips For AliExpress Affiliates Success

  1. Track important metrics like views, clicks, and conversions as well as factors like the length of your videos or the word count of your articles to figure out what works.
  2. Make use of AliExpress resources including promo ideas and deep links that lead to specific categories or product pages.
  3. Use A-B testing to try out different strategies. For example, share the same video (or a very similar video) at different times of day, or divide your mailing list in half to test out two different subject lines on the same email.
  4. Optimize SEO: Ensure your content is search engine optimized to attract organic traffic.
  5. Use Social Media: Use platforms like Instagram and TikTok to showcase products.
  6. Create High-Quality Content: Invest in creating engaging and informative content.
  7. Use Analytics Tools: Track performance with tools to refine your strategy.
  8. Engage with Your Audience: Foster a community by interacting with your audience.

So Is AliExpress Affiliate Marketing Worth It?

The AliExpress Affiliate Program is a good opportunity for anyone with an existing audience to earn money online.

With some hard work, you can even build an audience from scratch to support a popular niche. Most of the products are cheap, but the commission is fairly competitive. Every affiliate program has its strengths and weaknesses so do your research to discover the best niche and strategy.

There’s plenty of money to be earned from the AliExpress Affiliate Program.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Affiliate Marketing Legal?

How Much Does AliExpress Pay Per Sale?

How Much Can I Earn From Affiliate Marketing?

What Are the Alternatives to the AliExpress Affiliate Program?