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Costco offers an affiliate program – let’s check out the details and the pros and cons.
Costco Wholesale Corporation, founded in 1983, is a US multinational corporation that manages a chain of membership-only warehouses.
Costco, one of the largest retailers worldwide, offers brand-name products and its private label brand, Kirkland Signature, in bulk at reasonable prices.
The retail giant also has gas stations, optical and hearing aid centers, pharmacies, and travel services.
Costco’s brand dominates, with 100 million members, a quarter-million employees, and over 750 locations.
With multiple membership categories, a dedicated customer base, and hundreds of locations, you might be wondering if Costco offers an affiliate program so you can bring in some cash yourself.
How Does Costco’s Affiliate Program Work?
Costco’s affiliate program works through cost per sale (CPA). That means when a potential member decides to take advantage of a required membership, you get paid.
The commission rate is up to $6 per membership, with one-time, nonrecurring payments.
The cookie duration is session-based (not product-based).
The payment threshold is $50, with payments going to your bank account.
Join at FlexOffers.
Costco Affiliate Program Pros
Costco employs a full-time affiliate marketing manager that speeds up the overall process – ultimately supporting you, the affiliate. So that’s good news!
Also, Costco has established brand recognition. Just two words, but they are compelling. Costco is well-known in the United States and globally, making it easily recognizable to new members.
Costco Affiliate Program Cons
First of all, if you go to look for official Costco affiliate program information on their website, you won’t find it. That’s tough for those looking to create partnerships, who might not even realize the program exists.
But maybe that’s ok because Costco’s commission rate is meager.
Unlike other affiliate programs, Costco does not provide affiliates with marketing materials, such as banners or other creative substance.
A major con is that the company does not pay commissions on the number of products sold through your website, just the total memberships.
Even that depends on membership level, with affiliates earning only $3 for standard membership purchases and $6 for more expensive executive memberships.
Also, Costco’s conversion period is what we believe is “session-based.”
Costco does not offer deep linking, allowing partners to generate links to send traffic directly to Costco.
And finally, Costco isn’t driven by online sales, like Amazon or Walmart. The retail giant depends on actual, live customers walking through physical doors to make money. Online sales lag far behind competitors.
In Conclusion
Costco may be a household name that does well for itself, but that doesn’t mean affiliates will reap the same rewards.
Join at Flex Offers.
Lori Ballen is a real estate agent in Las Vegas. She’s a digital marketing specialist, speaker, and marketing coach and loves to share her “Ballen Method” to generate website traffic and leads online. Lori’s specialties are SEO content writing (ranking on the search engines), social media strategies, and affiliate marketing. Need a website? Contact Lori’s brothers Jeff and Paul Helvin at Ballen Brands.
