How To Set Up Affiliates Dropshipping Program For Your Dropshipping Store

Affiliate marketing and dropshipping are two of the most popular online business models. But what happens when you combine them? 

You get affiliates dropshipping, a powerful strategy that lets you earn commissions by promoting dropshipped products, or grow your store with the help of affiliate partners.

It’s an effective way to monetize your audience (if you are a content creator) or a dropshipping store owner hoping to boost sales without increasing ad spend; this model offers a low-risk, high-reward solution. 

In this guide, we’ll break down exactly what dropshipping with affiliates is, how it works, and how to set up your program step by step. 

Sneak peek: no tech skills required.

What Is Affiliate Marketing?

Affiliate marketing is a way to make money online by promoting someone else’s product and earning a commission when someone purchases through your unique link. 

Think of it like digital word of mouth: you recommend a product, and if your recommendation leads to a sale, you get paid.

To simply explain, this is how it works:

• A company or brand offers an affiliate program

• You sign up and get a unique affiliate link

• You share that link on your blog, social media, or email newsletter

• When someone clicks and buys, you earn a commission

How affiliate marketing works. Source: International Digital Marketing Agency

For example, if you love reading and post a blog with your favorite books, you can add affiliate links to each one. If readers buy a book through your link, you earn money at no extra cost to them.

This model works well for influencers, bloggers, or anyone with an audience. And it's also a good option for beginners who want to start online without creating their own products.

What Is Dropshipping?

Dropshipping is a way to sell products online without keeping any inventory. Instead of buying and storing items yourself, you set up an online store, list the products you want to sell, and when someone places an order, a third-party supplier handles the packing and shipping.

Similarly, the way it works is:

• You open an online store and choose products from a supplier

• A customer places an order in your store

• You forward the order to the supplier

• The supplier ships the product directly to your customer

How dropshipping works. Source: Red Stag Fulfillment

You never have to touch the product; you’re simply the middle person connecting customers to what they want.

For example, a fitness influencer might create a store selling activewear. When a follower buys a pair of leggings, the order is automatically sent to a supplier, who ships the item directly to the buyer.

Read more: An Honest Shopify Dropshipping Review (2025)

An Overview Of Affiliates Dropshipping

Affiliates dropshipping blends two models: affiliate marketing and dropshipping. 

This model doesn’t need you to run your store, yet you promote dropshipped products from someone else’s store using affiliate links. When people buy through your link, you earn a commission without managing a store or handling any logistics.

Setting up an affiliate dropshipping program can be a smart move for growing your business. It allows you to work with creators, bloggers, and influencers who promote your products in exchange for a commission, and you only pay them when they make a sale. 

Moreover, it’s a low-risk, low-cost way to make money online, especially if you're new to eCommerce or have an audience you’d like to monetize.

Not only that, there are more benefits generated from this business model:

• Increased revenue: Since affiliates only earn a commission when they bring in a sale, you’re paying for actual results. This makes it a cost-effective way to grow your sales without wasting money on ads that don’t convert.

• More website traffic: Affiliates promote your store through their websites, social media channels, email lists, and blogs. This gives your site more visibility and drives more visitors your way.

• Reach new audiences: Each affiliate has its own followers and audience. By partnering with different types of creators, you can tap into markets and customer groups you might not have reached otherwise.

• Diverse revenue streams: Relying on just one marketing channel is risky. An affiliate program spreads out your exposure across different platforms and people, which helps reduce risk and keep sales more stable.

• Higher conversion rates: People are more likely to trust recommendations from someone they follow. When an affiliate shares your product with their audience, it’s a form of word-of-mouth marketing, and that often leads to better conversion rates.

Setting Up An Affiliate Dropshipping Program

If you run a dropshipping business and want to get more traffic and sales without spending tons on ads, affiliate dropshipping is a smart move. 

It means working with affiliates, bloggers, influencers, or content creators who promote your products in exchange for a commission when they make a sale.

Let’s break down how to set up your affiliate program in simple steps:

Step 1: Choose the Right Affiliate Software

To manage everything smoothly, you’ll need affiliate marketing software. This means having a system in place that allows you to track affiliate sales, manage commissions, and see what’s working, all without requiring advanced technical skills.

To do this, you’ll need to choose affiliate marketing software. This tool will give you everything you need to run your program smoothly, such as:

• Giving each affiliate a unique referral link

• Tracking clicks, sales, and traffic from those links

• Automatically calculating commissions

• Keeping everything organized in one place

An affiliate software will help to keep track of your affiliate performance. Source: Scaleo

Some great affiliate platforms to consider are GoAffPro, Refersion, and UpPromote, especially if you use Shopify. These tools are beginner-friendly and built for eCommerce, making it easy to manage your affiliate dropshipping efforts without needing technical skills.

Once your software is set up, you’ll be ready to recruit affiliates, track performance, and reward partners who bring in real results, all while focusing on growing your dropshipping business.

Read more: How to Sell Affiliate Products On Shopify — Apps & Pro Tips

Step 2: Figure Out Your Commission Rate

Once your affiliate program is set up, the next step in building a successful affiliates dropshipping strategy is deciding how much to pay your affiliates when they make a sale.

This is called your commission rate, and it’s super important as it helps attract quality affiliates and keeps them motivated to promote your products.

A good affiliate rate for dropshipping typically ranges from 10% to 30% per sale, depending on the type of product and your profit margins. 

If you sell lower-margin items, a 10–15% rate works well. Higher-margin or premium products can support rates of 20–30% to attract top affiliates better. 

Aiming for 15–20% is a strong middle ground for most stores. You can also offer bonus rates or tiered commissions to reward high performers and drive more sales during promotions or launches.

Here’s how to figure it out specifically for your store:

• Look at your profit margin: Since you’re running a dropshipping store, you're already working with thin margins. Make sure the commission you offer still leaves you with a profit after each sale.

• Start with a base rate: Many dropshipping stores offer rates between 10% and 30% per sale. If you sell higher-priced items or have a big profit margin, you can provide more.

• Plan for promotions: Leave some wiggle room in your budget to increase commission rates during special sales or events. This encourages your affiliates to promote even harder during peak times.

• Make it attractive: The more generous and fair your commission rate is, the more likely affiliates will want to join and stick with your program.

Step 3: Look for Affiliates to Join Your Program

Once your affiliates dropshipping program is set up and your commission rate is locked in, it’s time to find the right people to promote your products. 

These people, your affiliates, can help drive traffic and sales by sharing your store with their audience.

Example of how an influencer does affiliate marketing on social media. Source: HubSpot Blog

To do this effectively, follow these steps:

• Start with influencers and content creators in your niche, such as YouTube creators, bloggers, or users on Instagram or TikTok. They already have an audience that trusts them, so their recommendations carry weight.

• Reach out to your happy customers: They’ve already bought from you and loved the experience, so why not invite them to join your program and refer others?

• Consider affiliate types like cashback or coupon sites, comparison websites, and review blogs, especially if you're targeting deal seekers or shoppers conducting research.

• Match your affiliates to your audience: Think about where your ideal customers spend time online and find affiliates who are active in those spaces.

When recruiting for your affiliate dropshipping program, always check that your potential affiliates have high-quality content, look for clear photos, engaging posts, and an active following that aligns with your target audience. 

You can also speed up the process by using affiliate platforms or networks, which help you connect with experienced marketers already looking for products to promote.

Read more: How to Start a Profitable Alibaba Dropshipping Business in 2024

Step 4: Run Campaigns with Your Affiliates

Now that you’ve got affiliates on board, it’s time to put your affiliates dropshipping program into action. 

Start by making sure your partners have everything they need to promote your store effectively. This includes banners, product images, and clear messaging. You can provide them with a simple folder of marketing materials or a shared link with updated assets.

Here are some campaign ideas you can start doing with your affiliates:

• Product reviews: Ask affiliates to create detailed video or blog reviews highlighting your product’s features, benefits, and personal experience.

• How-to or tutorial blog posts: Encourage content that shows your product in action or solves a common problem your audience faces.

• Social media posts: Let affiliates promote your products through engaging content, such as Instagram Reels, TikTok videos, or stories that show real-life usage.

• Giveaways or contests: Run limited-time promotions where affiliates ask their audience to participate for a chance to win your product.

• Email campaigns: Affiliates with newsletters can include your products in curated emails, special offers, or seasonal picks.

• User-generated content challenges: Collaborate on challenges where followers create and share their content featuring your products, boosting reach and engagement.

• Lifestyle photo shoots: Provide affiliates with samples so they can style and photograph your products in settings that match your brand.

Conclusion

Affiliate dropshipping brings together the best of two worlds: the flexibility of affiliate marketing and the simplicity of dropshipping. 

No matter if you are trying to promote products or run a store, this model provides a smart and scalable way to increase revenue, reach new audiences, and build long-term brand awareness, all while keeping your costs low and performance measurable.

Ready to get started? Use a page builder like GemPages to design high-converting landing pages and take your affiliate dropshipping strategy to the next level.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)