If you're new to affiliate marketing, the idea of earning commissions for promoting other people's products can be both exciting and confusing. How do you know how much you'll earn? How is the sale tracked and reported? When will you get paid for the sales you've driven?
Here's a simple overview of how ClickBank commissions work:
How Commissions Are Calculated
Every ClickBank product has a commission rate that is set by the vendor, ranging from 1% to 75%. When you drive a sale to that product, ClickBank processes the sale, applies its charges, then calculates the commission rate based on the remaining net sale amount. Here's an example of how much you'll earn on a one-time purchase product with a 55% commission rate:
Retail Price: $29.95
Subtract 7.5% + $1: -$3.25
Net Sale Amount: $26.70
55% of Remainder: $14.69
Therefore, as the referring affiliate for this sale, you would earn $14.69.
Recurring products can have different commission rates for the initial purchase and the rebill purchases, but the calculation is performed in the same way.
The maximum commission you can earn on a single sale is $150.
Getting Paid
Obviously, the goal of being an affiliate is to get paid for your efforts. To receive your first commission payment, there are two requirements:
For more details about these requirements, and more information about how and when we send payments to you, see the How We Pay You article.
All accounts default to a paper check payment method until you elect to change to direct deposit or wire. If you're located in an eligible country, you can start receiving payment via direct deposit. Once you become eligible for direct deposit, you can specify this as your payment method in Settings->Payment Information. If you are not within a country supported by direct deposit you may be eligible to receive wire payments or can continue to receive payments with a check.
Refunds and Chargebacks
One question you may have is whether you will still receive your affiliate commission if the product is returned or if the customer requests a chargeback on the purchase. Unfortunately, the answer is no. All money is returned to the customer, so the vendor and affiliate must return their portions of the sale as well.
Because of the 60-day return period for all ClickBank products, we utilize a return allowance to cover the possibility of returns.
FAQ
Q: I misspelled my ClickBank nickname in my HopLink and I know I've made sales! Can I get that money?
A: Possibly. If the misspelled nickname you used belongs to another ClickBank user, we cannot transfer that money to your account. However, if the misspelled nickname does not belong to anyone else, you can contact customer service for access to that account. All sales made using that nickname will be listed in the account's sales reporting, even though the account did not exist when the sales were made. However, we cannot transfer money from that account to your main account.
Q: Can vendors cheat affiliates by "undoing" the commission on a sale, or by pretending that a sale was returned?
A: No. Unlike some other affiliate networks, ClickBank is the retailer in the transaction and is responsible for tracking and paying commissions, so vendors cannot attempt to avoid paying commission on a sale. If a vendor requests a refund on a sale, they lose their portion of the sale as well, so there is no incentive for them to pretend that a sale has been refunded.
Here's a simple overview of how ClickBank commissions work:
- You find a product to promote and create a customized HopLink.
- You promote the product online.
- A customer clicks on your HopLink, goes to the vendor's website, and ends up purchasing the product from ClickBank.
- You receive credit for promoting the sale. Your commission is calculated based on the net sale price (see below) and credited to your account within two minutes of the sale.
How Commissions Are Calculated
Every ClickBank product has a commission rate that is set by the vendor, ranging from 1% to 75%. When you drive a sale to that product, ClickBank processes the sale, applies its charges, then calculates the commission rate based on the remaining net sale amount. Here's an example of how much you'll earn on a one-time purchase product with a 55% commission rate:
Retail Price: $29.95
Subtract 7.5% + $1: -$3.25
Net Sale Amount: $26.70
55% of Remainder: $14.69
Therefore, as the referring affiliate for this sale, you would earn $14.69.
Recurring products can have different commission rates for the initial purchase and the rebill purchases, but the calculation is performed in the same way.
The maximum commission you can earn on a single sale is $150.
Getting Paid
Obviously, the goal of being an affiliate is to get paid for your efforts. To receive your first commission payment, there are two requirements:
- You must reach your payment threshold, which you set in your Settings.
- You must meet the Customer Distribution Requirement.
For more details about these requirements, and more information about how and when we send payments to you, see the How We Pay You article.
All accounts default to a paper check payment method until you elect to change to direct deposit or wire. If you're located in an eligible country, you can start receiving payment via direct deposit. Once you become eligible for direct deposit, you can specify this as your payment method in Settings->Payment Information. If you are not within a country supported by direct deposit you may be eligible to receive wire payments or can continue to receive payments with a check.
Refunds and Chargebacks
One question you may have is whether you will still receive your affiliate commission if the product is returned or if the customer requests a chargeback on the purchase. Unfortunately, the answer is no. All money is returned to the customer, so the vendor and affiliate must return their portions of the sale as well.
Because of the 60-day return period for all ClickBank products, we utilize a return allowance to cover the possibility of returns.
FAQ
Q: I misspelled my ClickBank nickname in my HopLink and I know I've made sales! Can I get that money?
A: Possibly. If the misspelled nickname you used belongs to another ClickBank user, we cannot transfer that money to your account. However, if the misspelled nickname does not belong to anyone else, you can contact customer service for access to that account. All sales made using that nickname will be listed in the account's sales reporting, even though the account did not exist when the sales were made. However, we cannot transfer money from that account to your main account.
Q: Can vendors cheat affiliates by "undoing" the commission on a sale, or by pretending that a sale was returned?
A: No. Unlike some other affiliate networks, ClickBank is the retailer in the transaction and is responsible for tracking and paying commissions, so vendors cannot attempt to avoid paying commission on a sale. If a vendor requests a refund on a sale, they lose their portion of the sale as well, so there is no incentive for them to pretend that a sale has been refunded.