What an affiliate link is
An affiliate link is a normal-looking hyperlink with a tracking parameter. When you click it and end up making a purchase on the destination site, the merchant or its affiliate network pays us a small percentage of the sale. The price you pay is exactly the same as if you'd typed the URL by hand.
Why we use them
Affiliate commissions are the primary way we keep Wow Discounts running. They pay for the hosting, the tools we use to track prices and deals, and the time we spend hunting down the discounts we write about. They are not tied to favorable coverage, and we are not paid extra for ranking a product or deal higher than another.
Programs we may participate in
We participate in, or may participate in, the following kinds of affiliate and merchant referral programs:
- Major online retailer affiliate programs (e.g., Amazon Associates, Walmart Affiliate)
- Manufacturer-direct programs run on networks such as Impact, ShareASale, CJ, and Awin
- Performance networks for consumer-electronics, home, and lifestyle brands
Where required, programs that mandate specific disclosure language take precedence — for example, programs may require us to state that "as an Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases."
FTC compliance (16 CFR Part 255)
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission's "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising" (16 CFR Part 255) require us to disclose any "material connection" between us and the brands or products we endorse. Affiliate commissions are a material connection. Our policy:
- Every article that contains affiliate links includes a clear, plain-English disclosure near the top or in the article's footer.
- This page (Affiliate Disclosure) is linked in our main navigation and in the footer of every page on the Site.
- We use language a normal reader can understand — no fine print, no hidden footnotes.
What we do not do
- We don't accept money to publish a positive write-up.
- We don't let brands review or approve our copy before publication.
- We don't take "gift" products that come with strings attached. If a brand offers a unit, we tell them upfront we may not write about it, may write something unflattering, or may simply return it.
- We don't republish manufacturer marketing copy as our own commentary.
How we choose which deals to cover
We pick deals and products based on what readers ask about, what we ourselves shop for, and what we think is a genuinely good way to spend less. Affiliate availability is checked after the editorial decision has already been made. If the best deal in a category isn't part of any affiliate program, we still cover it and link to it (without a commission).
Editorial firewall
The people who write our articles and the people who handle our affiliate programs are the same small team — but our editorial process insulates the writing from commercial considerations. Specifically:
- We finalize the recommendation and rationale before adding affiliate links.
- We never replace a top pick with a higher-paying alternative.
- If two deals are roughly tied on merit, we say so, and we'll link to both.
Pricing and availability
Prices and availability on linked merchant pages can change quickly. The price you see on the merchant site at checkout is the authoritative one. We do our best to reflect current pricing, but we cannot guarantee it.
Cookies on outbound clicks
When you click an affiliate link, the merchant or its affiliate network may set cookies in your browser to attribute your purchase to us. These cookies are governed by the destination site's policies, not ours. See our Privacy Policy for more on cookies.
Questions or concerns
If you spot a link you believe is undisclosed, or you have any other concern about our use of affiliate links, please email us at support@wow-discounts.com. We take this seriously and will look into it.
For more on how we work, see Editorial Standards.