Affiliate marketing is a tricky space to navigate, but if you have the right support and guidance, it can be one of the most lucrative industries to work in. ShareASale is an affiliate marketing network that has managed to create a fairly big name for itself in the market. The following is a detailed review to see whether the popular network offers what it promises.

About ShareASale

ShareASale is one of the biggest affiliate networks in the market. It has provided its service to affiliate marketers for nearly 20 years and has managed to establish a name for itself. The company, in its own words, strives to offer customers an “advanced Affiliate Marketing platform”. Since January 2017, a large part of ShareASale’s affiliate operations has been acquired by Awin, a global affiliate network. This has allowed ShareASale to increase its reach and also provide international opportunities to even more affiliates across the world. Domestic affiliates and publishers in countries that had hitherto been denied the opportunity to join the ShareASale affiliate network, can now participate with ease.

The company is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. It is also a Charter Member of the Performance Marketing Association and is also a member of the Illinois Technology Association. The company also offers over 3,900 affiliate programs for merchants to choose from! Some of the most popular merchants include Weebly, Johnston & Murphy, Sears Parts Direct, etc.

Network/Offer Type

As mentioned above, ShareASale has over 3,900 different affiliate programs that people can join. These programs belong to several different categories so an affiliate or publisher has many different options to choose from. Some of the most prominent and popular categories include:

Accessories — Jewelry, cosmetics, shoes, etc.

— Jewelry, cosmetics, shoes, etc. Clothing — Men’s, women’s, children’s

— Men’s, women’s, children’s Classifieds — eCommerce solutions, advertisements, B2B marketing

eCommerce solutions, advertisements, B2B marketing Automotive — Cars, trucks, rentals, supplies, etc.

Cars, trucks, rentals, supplies, etc. Food and Drinks — Grocery

Grocery Gourmet — Specialty food items

— Specialty food items Gifts — Flowers, gift baskets, candies, etc.

These are only some of the categories the network offers. You can pick any of the categories that interest you out from the vast list that has been provided here. There are also different types of offers available from which you can pick and choose the ones that suit your conditions the best. You can pick between pay-per-lead, pay-per-sale and pay-per-click programs. The company is also adding new programs on almost a daily basis.

The company also offers Green programs that are related to environmental causes and have Fair Trade merchants, among other things. The programs take into account several such considerations so affiliates and publishers can pick from a variety of programs that are in keeping with their ethics and larger business politics.

ShareASale Affiliate Offers

ShareASale has almost 4000 different offers. These affiliate programs fall under a range of different categories and allow affiliates to choose a program and offer based on their preferences, no matter how specific they might be. There are fashion merchants, business merchants, green merchants, home and garden merchants, and much more, for you to choose from.

The sale commission on each offer varies, depending on the merchant. For some, it may be 3.00%, while others may be offering as much as 30% in sales commissions. Similarly, some programs offer a flat rate commission, such as $20 per lead or $40 per sale.

As of now, the company seems to have categorized 5,921 programs under the pay-per-sale category and 333 under the pay-per-lead category. New programs are being added on an everyday basis so there is never a paucity of choice.

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Quality of Offers

The quality of offers depends entirely on the specific offer that you have chosen to take up. As has been mentioned above, the sales commission can be as low as 3% or as much as 30% or higher. Now, simply because an offer has low sales commissions does not automatically make it an offer of lesser quality. There is a good chance that it provides the affiliate with other perks and add-ons, which make it a good offer overall. You may be provided with material to include on your page, sophisticated and modern sales banners, links, etc. All these materials make your job as an affiliate much easier as the more sophisticated the lure on your platform, the greater the chance that your readers and audience will go to the merchant’s website through your referral. Especially if you are operating on a pay-per-click model, this is an especially important step that ensures that your earnings are high.

ShareASale has a lot of high quality offers from well-recognized brands. Offers are always changing, but at the time of writing this, here are some of the top brands:

Weebly

Reebok

MyPillow

Brooklinen

Erin Condren

Smile Direct Club

Sun Basket

ShareASale also has a great range of higher quality niche offers. Unlike certain CPA networks, ShareASale doesn’t have very many low-quality (aka “spammy”) offers. It’s comparable to both Commission Junction and Flex Offers.

ShareASale Payouts (Terms and Options)

Once you have been approved by a merchant to sign up for their program, you will receive a unique link which can be placed on your website. You will receive commissions based on the offer format you have chosen. It may be pay per click, pay per sale or pay per lead. Depending on what your arrangement is with a particular merchant, you will be paid a commission.

The payment will come through shareasale.com. You will be paid on the 20th of every month, provided you have accumulated a minimum account balance of $50 or more in the previous months’ transactions. The money that has been credited to your account does not accrue any interest. You can opt to receive your money via cheque or through Payoneer.

In case, however, if there is a VOID by a merchant or to put it simply if a merchant fails to make a payment or changes the terms of payment, ShareASale may recover the corresponding commission of that sale from you if it has been previously credited. In case your account balance is below the void balance, it will be deducted from your future earnings. A merchant may VOID a transaction in case there is evidence of fraud, in case the merchandise has been returned, in case the transaction has been duplicated, etc.

Note that commission will be deducted from your account automatically. ShareASale will never ask you to send money to the company.

Is ShareASale Trustworthy?

ShareASale is one of the biggest affiliate networks in the business. In the last few years, the company has also been acquired by Awin, which only means its reach is even wider. Thanks to its association with Awin, countries around the world where ShareASale was hitherto not available can also join affiliate programs provided within the network.

The company itself has been in the business for nearly two decades. In the last 20 years, it has managed to carve a space for itself in the affiliate marketing industry and has boasted of several prominent merchants that have chosen ShareASale as their affiliate network partner repeatedly.

The network also offers over 3,900 affiliate programs, which means there are plenty of options to pick between. This also means there is a need to narrow down to one or two programs out of all those options. ShareASale does boast of a highly effective search tool that makes it easier to find the affiliate program that one is looking for.

The affiliate network also has a reputation for having a responsive and accommodative customer care service. The customer care service is available for both affiliates and merchants and can be availed of 9 AM to 6 PM, Central Time. It is also known to pay its affiliates on time, promptly by the 20th of the month, provided you meet all the prerequisites.

How Does the Network Stand Out?

The network stands out in several different ways. For starters, it has a variety of options among its programs. The kind of opportunities and variety ShareASale can provide, few other affiliate networks can offer. It provides great deals, as well as a great platform to do business. The customer care service takes its job seriously and if there are any creases, they can be ironed out with ease. This is one of the biggest plus points that the affiliate network has to offer — it is its ease of use and smooth experience, for both affiliates and merchants.

It also offers a variety of reporting features that allow you to keep track of how your work is going. You can get a clear picture of whether your affiliate links are working the way they were intended to. It also provides great tracking features which allow you to track your progress in real time. This means that you can make a note of clicks and sales as they happen.

It has to be said, however, that in terms of payout, there is a slight room for improvement. The network does not accept PayPal and other popular digital wallets. The payout threshold is also high.

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ShareASale Application Process and Requirements

Signing up for ShareASale is a fairly straightforward process. As long as you are above 18 and can present a valid tax ID, you can apply for any of the affiliate programs. The final word about whether you get selected or not, of course, lies with the merchant. But as long as everything else checks out and you do not own an adult website or a platform that promotes any illegal activity, you are free to apply.

Conclusion

What has been presented above is a brief synopsis of everything that ShareASale has to offer. All the factors that you may want to consider have been elaborated upon above so you can get a clear idea about whether or not this affiliate network is the right fit for you. Finally, it is up to you to decide whether you would like to give it a shot. But from a cursory analysis, ShareASale certainly holds its ground. Let us know in the comments what you think of the affiliate network.

What is Your Experience?

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