Shopee marketing isn't limited to Shopee Ads or platform campaigns. Sellers can also use Shopee Affiliate to let Creators and Influencers promote their products and earn commissions when eligible sales are generated.

This approach allows stores to reach new customers through Creator content while making marketing costs more closely tied to actual sales.

This guide explains what Shopee Affiliate is for sellers, its pros and cons, and which businesses should consider using it.

What Is Shopee Affiliate?

Shopee Affiliate is a program that allows Creators or Affiliate Partners to promote Shopee products and stores through channels such as Social Media, Shopee Video, and Shopee Live.

When a customer purchases through an eligible Affiliate referral, the Creator can receive a commission based on the program's terms.

From a seller's perspective, Affiliate marketing essentially allows Creators to help sell your products.

For example:

Creator reviews a serum → Adds the product → Customer purchases → Sale is generated → Creator earns a commission

This gives sellers another way to reach potential customers without relying entirely on paid advertising.

How Does Shopee Affiliate Work for Sellers?

The process can be broken down into four steps:

1. Seller joins products in the Affiliate program
Choose which products you want Creators to promote.

2. Creators select products to promote
They can create reviews, short-form videos, livestreams, or Social Media content.

3. Customers click and purchase
Customers visit the product through the Affiliate promotion and place an order.

4. Seller pays the applicable commission
The commission is calculated according to the applicable program terms and rates, which may vary by product, seller, brand, or campaign.

Benefits of Shopee Affiliate for Sellers

1. Reach New Customers

Instead of relying only on customers searching within Shopee, Creators can introduce your products to their existing audiences.

This works particularly well for products that are easy to demonstrate, review, or feature in content.

2. Generate Sales Through Content

Creators can present products in different formats, such as:

  • Product reviews
  • How-to content
  • Unboxing
  • Product comparisons
  • Before & After content
  • Livestream selling

This allows your products to appear beyond your Shopee storefront and reach customers through Creator content.

3. Performance-Based Marketing

With a pay-per-sale Affiliate model, sellers can align part of their marketing costs with eligible sales generated through the program.

This differs from traditional advertising, where you typically pay to generate traffic even when visitors don't purchase.

4. Reach Relevant Creator Audiences

Different Creators have different audiences and areas of expertise. Sellers can look for Creators whose audiences match their target customers.

For example:

Skincare → Beauty Creator
Supplements → Health & Lifestyle Creator
Gadgets → Tech Creator

Choosing the right audience is often more important than simply choosing a Creator with a large number of followers.

Potential Drawbacks

Shopee Affiliate isn't necessarily suitable for every product or business.

1. You Need to Pay a Commission

When eligible sales are generated through Affiliate, sellers need to account for the applicable commission.

Calculate your profit margin before deciding how much commission your business can afford.

2. Less Control Over Content

Creators may present your product in their own style, so sellers won't have complete control over every piece of content.

It's important to provide clear product information, key selling points, and communication guidelines.

3. Some Products May Be Harder to Promote

Highly technical products or products targeting a very niche audience may require more effort to find suitable Creators.

Which Businesses Should Use Shopee Affiliate?

Shopee Affiliate can be particularly suitable for stores selling products that are easy to review, demonstrate, or feature in content, such as:

  • Beauty & Skincare
  • Fashion
  • Food & Beverages
  • Gadgets
  • Home & Living
  • Lifestyle products
  • Products with clear selling points

It works especially well when the product has enough profit margin to support Affiliate commissions and has strong potential for Creator-driven sales.

Shopee Affiliate vs. Shopee Ads

Both can help increase sales, but they work differently.

Shopee Ads
The seller pays for advertising to increase product visibility and traffic.

Shopee Affiliate
Creators promote products and receive commissions based on eligible sales.

You don't necessarily have to choose one. They can work together.

For example:

Shopee Ads → Generate Traffic
Affiliate → Expand Creator Reach

Using both can help diversify your customer acquisition strategy.

Should Your Store Use Shopee Affiliate?

It can be a good option if your product has sufficient profit margin and is suitable for Creator content.

Before starting, calculate:

Selling Price − Product Cost − Platform Fees − Affiliate Commission − Other Costs = Actual Profit

If there is still a healthy margin after these costs, Affiliate can become another effective sales channel.

However, don't simply offer a very high commission to attract more Creators. If sales increase but your profit disappears, the strategy may not be sustainable.

Conclusion

Shopee Affiliate for sellers is a way to use Creators and Influencers to promote products and generate sales on Shopee, while linking part of your marketing cost to eligible sales.

If your products are easy to review, have clear selling points, and offer enough margin for commissions, Shopee Affiliate can be an effective way to expand your reach and customer base—especially when combined with Shopee Ads, Shopee SEO, and Content Marketing.

Commission rates and program terms may change, so sellers should always check Shopee's latest requirements before launching an Affiliate campaign.