An affiliate who left Amazon for direct programs

An affiliate who left Amazon for direct programs

Context: a niche-site owner documented moving the same buyer recommendations from Amazon Associates to direct manufacturer affiliate programs.

What was done:
— Same articles, same recommended products where a direct program existed
— Replaced Amazon links (1–4% commission) with direct programs (8–20%)
— Kept Amazon only where no direct option existed

Reported outcome over two quarters:
— Click-through to merchants fell about 15% (direct checkouts convert worse than Amazon's trusted cart)
— Despite fewer conversions, affiliate revenue rose from about $6,400 to $10,100/month
— Higher commission rates more than offset lower conversion

Caveats: single site; Amazon's conversion advantage is real and the 15% click-to-sale drag may understate it, since direct programs also have longer, leakier attribution. Some direct programs later cut rates, a fragility not captured in a two-quarter window. Self-reported.

Implications: the case quantifies the core affiliate trade-off — commission rate versus conversion friction — and shows rate winning here, though not universally.

What we still don't know: the durability of direct-program rates, which advertisers cut far more aggressively than Amazon adjusts its category percentages.