3% on a $600 order beats 10% on a $25 one — 7.2x over

3% on a $600 order beats 10% on a $25 one — 7.2x over
Average order value (AOV) swamps commission rate. The math: 3% × $600 = $18 vs 10% × $25 = $2.50. The niche-evaluation checklist before you build:
— Estimate the category's typical AOV from live listings
— Multiply by the current commission rate for a per-order ceiling
— Discount by conversion: high-AOV items convert ~2-4% vs ~8% for cheap impulse buys
— Compute expected value per click, not per sale
— Favor categories where AOV × rate × CVR clears your $0.30 EPC baseline
Furniture (3%, ~$280 AOV) routinely out-earns Toys (3%, ~$22 AOV) per click despite the identical rate.
So what: screen new niches on EPC potential, not the headline commission percentage.