What is affiliate marketing, how does it work and what do commissions depend on? Shopee, Lazada and TikTok Shop programs compared from their official pages, a 7-day start plan, cautions and links to step-by-step walkthroughs.
Affiliate marketing means recommending someone else's product through your own tracked link and earning a commission when a purchase through that link meets the programme's conditions. You hold no stock, ship nothing and handle no after-sales. This article explains the model, compares the Shopee, Lazada and TikTok Shop programmes from their official pages, and shows how to start without overspending.
Key takeaways
- Affiliate means recommending products through your own link and earning commission on orders that meet the conditions
- Three parties are involved: the product owner, the affiliate, and the platform that tracks sales and pays
- Each platform has its own sign-up conditions and rates, which can change, so check the official page first
- Income is uncertain and depends on how well your content matches buyers; nobody can guarantee it
What affiliate marketing is
Affiliate marketing is a model where the product owner pays a reward to the person who brings in a customer, only when a real sale happens, not by views or likes. The affiliate gets a unique link the system uses to see where a sale came from.
In Thailand people often call it affiliate or online agent work. Common examples are TikTok review clips with a product basket, or a Facebook post with a link to a Shopee product page.
Affiliate is one of several online marketing channels. See what the other channels are in What Digital Marketing Is.
Who is involved
The three parties in affiliate
Scroll the table sideways to see the remaining columns
NoteA link is not income
A link that gets clicks is not commission yet. An order must pass the platform's conditions, for example not being cancelled or returned. Details differ by platform.
How affiliate works, step by step
The main steps are almost the same everywhere. What differs is the system's screens and the fine print.
Sign up for the platform's programme
Fill in your details, connect the channels you promote on, such as TikTok, Instagram, Facebook or YouTube, and wait for approval. Some platforms have minimum account conditions.
Pick products your audience genuinely wants to know about
Choose products that fit the content you already make. Products unrelated to your followers rarely get attention.
Create your own link
The system gives you a link tied to your account. Use only this one; a link from someone else sends the sale to them.
Make content and place the link
Reviews, comparisons, how-to-use tips or a list of what you use daily, as short video, posts or live streams.
People buy through the link and the system counts the sale
If they buy within the time window the system sets, the sale is tied to your link. The window differs by platform.
Wait for checks, then receive commission
The order must be delivered and not returned or cancelled to count under the rules. The platform then pays on its cycle.
We wrote the real sequence out in detail already. Read on at Shopee Affiliate for beginners and TikTok Shop Affiliate: your first commission.
How commission is calculated: a worked example
Commission is usually a percentage of the product price. The rate varies by product, category and campaign. Lazada's official page explains that commission is the net basket value multiplied by the category rate, excluding refunded amounts. TikTok Shop lets the seller set the rate as a percentage of price, per its Thai seller help page. Checked Oct 2026.
The numbers below are invented to show the method. They are not any platform's real rate.
Worked example (invented numbers)
Scroll the table sideways to see the remaining columns
WarningThese numbers are not a promise
The example only explains the formula. Real income depends on the product, the audience and the platform's rules. Some months may bring no orders at all. Do not plan your finances around affiliate income.
Shopee, Lazada and TikTok Shop compared on facts only
This table lists only what the official pages state. There are no commission rates, because each platform changes them by product and campaign. Conditions can change, so check the official page again before signing up.
Three affiliate programmes compared (checked Oct 2026)
Scroll the table sideways to see the remaining columns
The TikTok Shop details come from the Thai Seller Center knowledge pages on creator sign-up and on affiliate collaborations. Sellers can choose to open products to all creators or invite specific ones. Exact payout details such as dates and minimums were not stated on the pages we read, so we give no figures.
NoteConditions can change
The table was read from official pages in Oct 2026. If it conflicts with the current page, trust the platform's official page. Step-by-step screens are in the walkthroughs linked above.
How affiliate differs from dropship, reselling and KOL work
These words get mixed up, but they differ in who holds stock, who ships and who serves the customer.
Affiliate compared with other models
Scroll the table sideways to see the remaining columns
One creator can do several at once, for example paid reviews on some pieces and affiliate links on others. If you wonder how a KOL differs from an influencer, read what is a KOL: KOL vs influencer vs KOC.
Dropshipping has more detail on suppliers and platform rules, covered in What Dropshipping Is.
Start affiliate in 7 days
If you have never done it, run a small one-week test before investing real effort. This plan takes a short time each day and needs no money.
Day 1: pick one platform
Choose the one your followers or friends already shop on. Do not sign up everywhere at once.
Day 2: read the conditions and sign up
Read the official sign-up page, note the prohibitions, then sign up with an account you really use.
Day 3: choose 3 products you use or know well
Pick only what you can talk about honestly. If you have not used it, study real reviews and specs first.
Days 4 to 5: make 2 pieces of content
One short review and one comparison or how-to-choose piece, with the link placed where the system allows.
Day 6: say clearly it is an affiliate link
Add a label or a line saying you may earn commission when people buy through the link.
Day 7: look at the numbers and adjust
Did people click, did they buy? Then decide whether to continue, change products or stop.
Checklist before your first post
Done 0/6
How shops and creators use affiliate
Affiliate is not only for people seeking a side income. Shops can use both sides of it.
If you own a shop
TikTok Shop lets sellers set their own commission rate and either open products to all creators or invite those who fit the product, per the Affiliate Collaborations page on the Thai Seller Center. Small shops can use this because you pay when something sells, not a fee upfront. Let several small creators try first. For pricing and briefs, see pricing micro-creator reviews and influencer brief template.
If you are a creator or just starting content
Affiliate is an extra income that builds on content you already make. You need no product of your own, but you do need followers who trust you and want to hear what you say. Start with content creator from zero.
If you already sell on a marketplace
Affiliate links work alongside the path from social to your marketplace shop. See how to connect them at from social to marketplace.
If your account is brand new and you want it to look more established, Instafollow's follower service is one option. It does not guarantee sales, reach or acceptance into any programme, and should not be used to pass a platform's minimum requirement. Good content still matters more. See the TikTok services or the free trial, available only for services open to trial.
ArticleShopee Affiliate for Beginners: First Link and PostStart Shopee Affiliate step by step: sign up, make your first link, choose products, write 3 kinds of post with templates, log results and avoid common mistakes. No income claims, no commission rates.For short video and the product basket
ArticleTikTok Shop Affiliate for Beginners: Pick, Film, MeasureStart as a TikTok Shop affiliate step by step: sign-up conditions from the official page, 5 product checks, 3 clip scripts with blanks, what to tell viewers and a 14-day review. No income claims.And if you want to grow into reselling, see the starter guide here
ArticleBecoming a Social Media Reseller: Finding Customers, Setting Prices, and Using the APIReselling social growth services under your own brand earns margin and builds a customer base. Everything a new reseller should know before the first order.Cautions before you place a link
WarningAsked to pay first? Stop
The official sign-up pages we read state no sign-up fee for affiliates. If someone claims to be an agent and asks for a sign-up fee, a deposit or a purchase to unlock commission, that is a danger sign.
Tell your audience clearly the link is affiliate and may earn commission, and use the label the platform requires
Do not overclaim what a product does, especially supplements and cosmetics
Do not order through your own link for the commission; Lazada's terms prohibit it, and other platforms often do too
Do not use someone else's account or buy an account to sign up
Keep screenshots of the conditions in case the platform changes its rules
Income may be taxable; check with the Revenue Department or your adviser
Affiliate questions
What is affiliate marketing
Recommending products through your own link and earning commission on orders that meet the programme's conditions, without holding stock or shipping yourself.
Does it cost anything to start
The official sign-up pages we read state no sign-up fee. But it takes time to make content, and some programmes set account conditions; TikTok Shop states at least 1,000 followers.
How is affiliate different from dropship
With affiliate you take no orders and serve no customers; the product owner does. With dropship you are the seller, taking orders and serving customers while the supplier ships.
What percentage is the commission
There is no fixed number. It depends on the product, category and campaign. Check each product's rate in the platform's system, and note conditions can change.
When do I get paid
It depends on each platform's cycle. For example Lazada's conditions page says payment within 45 days after the invoice is issued, checked Oct 2026. Check the latest cycle before signing up.
Can affiliate really earn money
It can, but it is uncertain and nobody can guarantee income. Results depend on your content, your credibility and the products you choose.
Summary
Affiliate means recommending products through your own link and earning commission on orders that pass the conditions. Pick one platform, read the official conditions, test for 7 days, tell your audience it is an affiliate link, and do not count on income being certain.
