Reselling can feel overwhelming at first. This guide breaks the process into clear steps you can actually follow.

Passive Income Streams

In addition to selling products, resellers can tap into affiliate marketing to earn extra income. Affiliate

marketing is a performance-based model where you earn commissions by promoting other companies’

products. Essentially, you place special tracking links to products or services, and when someone buys

through your link, you get a cut. It’s called passive income because after setting it up, you can earn money

from referrals even while you sleep. As Shopify notes, affiliate marketing “allows you to earn passive

income from your content” with no startup capital – you just need an audience or platform where you can

place links .

Why Affiliate Marketing for Resellers?

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Monetize Your Audience: If you have a blog, YouTube channel, or social media following related to

your niche, you can recommend products your audience will love. For example, a home decor

reseller could blog about “Top 10 interior design books” and include affiliate links to those books.

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Diversify Income: Affiliate sales add another revenue stream on top of your reselling profit. When a

reseller’s inventory dips, affiliate links can still earn commissions on related products.

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Low Risk: You don’t need to buy inventory or handle returns for affiliate products. It’s effectively free

money for successful referrals.

Getting Started with Affiliate Programs

1.

Find Affiliate Programs: There are many options. Some popular ones include Amazon Associates

(Amazon’s affiliate program), eBay Partner Network, and ShareASale or CJ (which have thousands of

merchants). Many brands have their own affiliate programs (search for “[Brand Name] affiliate program”). Choose programs that fit your niche. For example, if you resell crafts, an affiliate program

for art supplies or craft tutorials may be ideal.

2.

Sign Up: Most affiliate programs are free to join. Once approved, you’ll get unique tracking links. For

instance, under Amazon Associates, you’ll get special links for any Amazon product. Make sure you

follow each program’s rules (e.g., Amazon requires you to generate a sale within 180 days of joining,

otherwise you’ll be removed).

3.

Integrate Links: Place the affiliate links in appropriate content:

4.

Blog Posts: Write informative posts that naturally include product mentions. For example, a reselling

blog could write “Essential tools for online sellers,” linking to label printers or packing supplies via

affiliates.

5.

Product Pages: If an item you sell isn’t in stock, you could direct customers to a similar item (with an

affiliate link) on another platform.

6.

Newsletters: Share affiliate products in your email newsletter (make sure to disclose it’s an affiliate

link).

7.

Social Media: In platforms that allow linking (like Instagram Stories with swipe-up, or TikTok bio

link), share affiliate products. Or review products in videos and mention you have a link.

8.

In-Package Flyers: Some sellers include a small card in shipments saying “Loved this? Check out XYZ

(link)!” using a short affiliate link.

9.

Focus on Value: Don’t spam random links. Provide useful recommendations. For instance, write a

quick review or show how you use an affiliate product. Customers are turned off by blatant ads, but

trust your opinion if you genuinely endorse something. Shopify reminds us: affiliate marketing

works best with “products you believe in” .

10.

Disclose Transparently: Legally, you must disclose affiliate links (“We may earn a small commission

if you buy through this link”). This honesty builds trust. Many readers appreciate the heads-up and

know you’re not hiding anything.

Examples and Strategies

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Gear and Supplies: If you resell electronics, you could partner with electronics stores or Amazon to

link to chargers, cases, or tech accessories. A “must-have gadgets” blog post can feature those links.

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Courses and Ebooks: As a reseller, you likely learned some skills along the way. You can promote

courses you took on entrepreneurship, photography, or marketing. Many online education

platforms (Udemy, Skillshare) have affiliate programs.

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Niche Partnerships: Suppose you resell eco-friendly home goods. You could become an affiliate for

a sustainable fashion brand or eco travel gear – complementary niches.

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Affiliate for Tools: Another idea is to affiliate for services like “best dropshipping app” or “inventory

management software.” Many SaaS companies in e-commerce have affiliate programs. Maximizing Affiliate Income

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Create Evergreen Content: Write blog posts or guides that are always relevant (e.g. “How to start

reselling on Amazon”). Affiliate links in these pages can earn money over time. SEO and Traffic: The more eyes on your content, the more potential clicks. Basic SEO practices

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(keyword research, quality content) help affiliate posts rank and attract visitors organically.

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Track Performance: Use the affiliate dashboard to see which links get clicks and conversions. Shift

focus to what works. Some affiliates offer tools or apps to track which pages or links perform best.

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Experiment: Try different placements and formats. Maybe a sidebar link isn’t working, but a review

article is. Also, test new programs – perhaps a different commission structure yields better results.

Affiliate Marketing Realities

Keep in mind, affiliate income often starts slow. Shopify points out many beginners do not earn income

. Plan to invest time in creating helpful resources. Over instantly; it requires building content and traffic months, as your content accumulates visitors, commissions can steadily grow. Some resellers supplement a few hundred dollars extra per month, while full-time affiliate bloggers earn much more by scale.

Compliance and Disclosure

Always comply with affiliate program rules: - Amazon, for instance, prohibits using affiliate links in certain

promotions (like email newsletters in some cases). - Etsy has its own affiliate program (ShareASale) for

linking to Etsy shops, which might be useful if you want to promote your own or partner shops.

And always label links clearly. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in the U.S. requires transparency. Even a

brief note like “As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases” near the link suffices.

Conclusion

Affiliate marketing can dovetail nicely with reselling. It requires no additional inventory but can bring in

passive commissions. As Shopify sums up: you just need “an audience that trusts your

recommendations” . Leverage your store’s platform – whether that’s a blog, email list, or social media –

to subtly recommend related products and capitalize on commissions. With quality content and ethical

practices, affiliate marketing can become a valuable passive income stream alongside your main reselling

business.

If you want to keep leveling up, browse more guides on ResellerStartKit and use the calculators in our Tools section to sanity-check every deal.