Have more questions about our affiliate program? We answer a few of them below.
Looking for the basic terms of our program? While your contract within Impact has all the details, we have some general information available here.
Partner Program Info | Partner Program Assets | General Program Terms
Will commission rates change?
We figured weโd lead with this question first. The simple answer is yes, but we still plan to pay considerably more than other programs. Until March 31, 2026, commissions will range from 3-6% depending on what is purchased (see your terms for specifics). After this date, standard commissions will range from 3-5%.
| Promo Commission Rates (through 3/31) | Standard Commission Rates |
|---|---|
| – Complete Weather Stations, Most Weather Instruments, Apparel, Outdoors, STEM – 6% – Individual Maximum Weather Instruments and Accessories, Davis Sensor Suites – 4% – On sale items (greater than 10%) – 3% | – Complete Weather Stations, Most Weather Instruments, Apparel, Outdoors, STEM – 5% -Individual Maximum Weather Instruments and Accessories, Davis Sensor Suites – 4% – On sale items (greater than 10%) – 3% |
Select partners will continue to receive promo commission rates based primarily on performance criteria.
How can I keep the promo rates after March 31?
As noted above, high-performing partners will continue to be paid at the promotional rate. To qualify, a partner must have either:
- Referred more than 10 sales to Cirrusly Weather; or
- Totaled more than $5,000 in total sales.
With an average order value of several hundred dollars, some partners may be able to qualify for the promotional rates in the future with only a few qualifying referrals. However, there is another way to qualify for these rates for smaller publishers with audiences that match our target audience.
Those who agree to link exclusively to Cirrusly Weather when recommending products we sell may be considered for promotional rates in the future. To qualify under this program, your site content must fall within the following categories:
- Earth Sciences
- Education
- Environmental Groups
- Meteorology/Climate
- Real reviews of the products we sell
Participation in this program is optional, but it provides an opportunity for smaller creators to become eligible for our higher commission payouts without meeting the sales requirements.
Is the window for a purchase to occur really 30 days?
Yes, it really is! Unlike Amazon, your lead has a month to make a purchase. This is also beneficial to you as we’ve noticed that more often than not, a customer does not complete a purchase on the first visit. Typically, it comes on successive visits a day or two later.
However, there are some important caveats. The lead would have had to not involve other partners in the decision-making process.
If this happens in the first 30 minutes, no matter where the visitor goes, you are credited for the sale. However, if the visitor returns to our site through another partner’s link after that time, that partner gets credit for the sale. If the user doesn’t visit another partner site in that 30-day time-frame and comes back and makes a purchase (even if they visit us directly), you get the commission.
This may be shortened in the future, but right now, we are aiming for exposure and want to reward our early partners.
Why does the commission rate drop so much for discounted products?
You may think we’re making a killing here, but even a 10% sale on many of these products can significantly cut into our margins. Adding a 6% commission on top of this in many cases simply isn’t a sustainable business model. Rather than make on-sale purchases commission-ineligible, we’ve decided to match Amazon commissions for items in our catalog if the sale price is more than a 10% discount from the MSRP.
Prices may change, so be aware that when promoting a product with a regular selling price that is around 90% of the MSRP. This may produce lower commissions than expected if we must drop the price further to remain competitive, which may or may not be long-term.
We think this is the fairest solution for everyone.
Will ad blockers remove my affiliate code?
Yes, some ad blockers have been known to sanitize affiliate links, resulting in the removal of the affiliate ID. While our affiliate marketing system features strategies to attempt to ensure proper attribution even with ad blockers in place, we cannot guarantee 100% coverage.
If you’re especially concerned about this, we recommend you request that visitors disable their ad-blocker.
When do I get paid?
Your commission locks 27 days after the month the commission was earned. In plain English, roughly 4-8 weeks after the sale, but anywhere from 4-12 weeks after the lead first visits our site if they don’t immediately make a purchase.
What should I avoid?
We monitor for fraudulent activity, including click inflation, cookie stuffing, and attribution manipulation. Partners exhibiting anomalous click patterns that don’t match actual site traffic will be reviewed and potentially removed immediately. See our full program terms for details.
Are you an โauthorized resellerโ of (insert brand here)?
Good question. Yes, but contractually, we are only permitted to use such phrasing with one of our many partners, so weโd ask that you not use this phrasing to describe when referring to the manufacturer we sell. In all cases, we are authorized to sell the products we do, but describing that partnership is a completely different thing.
Can I use my links to buy something myself?
No. We regularly audit for things like this, so please donโt do it, as it could also put your entire Impact account at risk. However, you would get a BETTER deal if you just asked us. If you see something in our catalog thatโs not already discounted heavily, drop us an e-mail. Weโd be glad to work out a deal for you as a thank you for helping us expand our reach!
Iโm a content creator. How do I pitch something to you?
Weโd be happy to take a look at it, but please keep in mind that this is not a high-margin business overall, and weโve decided to make higher commissions a feature of our program rather than a goal that nobody ever seems to reach. But thatโs not always the case, and there might be exceptions. All we ask is that itโs creative, and not something that Claude, Gemini, or ChatGPT wrote (at least the majority of, weโre not fooling ourselves!). Home and garden and STEM creators will probably have the best chance of success, though.
What happens if something is returned?
We certainly donโt hope this happens (and it shouldnโt, as weโve taken steps to reduce the potential of returns overall). If the return happens within the 27-day period during which your commissions are held, the amount would be deducted from your earnings. However, if it happens after this date, you would still be paid for the sale regardless, as typically returns at this point are done for customer service reasons outside of our return policy.