Affiliate marketing, explained plainly
Some of the links on Online Buyers Club are affiliate links. Here’s exactly what that means, how it works, and how it affects — or doesn’t affect — what we recommend.
What affiliate marketing is
Affiliate marketing is an arrangement where a retailer pays a small commission to a website that sends them a paying customer. When you click certain links on this site and go on to buy something, the retailer may pay us a percentage of that sale. It costs you nothing extra — the price you pay is the same whether you click our link or go to the store directly.
How it works on this site
When we mention a product or deal, some of the outbound links are tagged with an affiliate code. That code tells the retailer “this visitor came from Online Buyers Club,” and if a purchase follows, we may earn a commission. This is how the site stays free to use and ad-light.
- You click a link on this page.
- You’re taken to the retailer’s own site — we never process payments ourselves.
- If you buy something (often within a set window, e.g. 24 hours to 30 days), the retailer credits us a commission.
- Your price, checkout, and any warranty or return rights are entirely between you and the retailer.
Does it change what we recommend?
Commission rates are similar across most retailers we link to, so there’s little financial incentive to favor one over another. Where a product is included because it’s the best option we found — not because of a higher payout — we say so directly, and we’re upfront when we haven’t personally tested something.
If a deal looks bad, we say it looks bad — commission or not.
Our disclosure
In line with FTC guidelines on endorsements and testimonials, we disclose here that Online Buyers Club is a participant in various affiliate marketing programs, meaning we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases made through links on this site, at no additional cost to you. This applies across our deal listings, category pages, and buying guides.
Your choices
- You’re never required to use our links — search for the same product directly if you prefer.
- Ad and tracking cookies from affiliate networks may be set when you click through; you can clear or block these in your browser settings.
- Questions about a specific recommendation are always welcome — reach out via our contact page.