To tell you about aff links?

[carmexmum]

When an "influencer" provides a link to a product (aff link),they generate money when people not only buy the product linked, but buy anything else from that website - for up to 30/60/90 days depending on the influencer/shop deal (unless you clear your cached cookies).
A lot of influencers like to aff link items from amazon (and other regularly used platforms) for this very purpose, so they make money off anything you buy for a period of time. Hence lots of influencers going overboard on aff linking items around Christmas, black friday etc.

Influencers also like to buy hauls of clothing from websites, do videos and aff links and then send the lot back (!) or link gifts and make endless money off them.

"loads of people are asking about this t shirt so here is the link" 🤑

Have you ever tried posting an Amazon link on mumsnet...?

I mean... Yeah, that's how they make their money? What did you think affiliate link meant? They're sharing it out of the goodness of their heart?

If I could make money off other people's shopping you're damn skippy I would, but my life is far too dull to be of any interest to the masses. I'd be a crap influencer. "Here's my affiliate link to some really nice tea towels that wash well at high heats without going all bunchy!"

I suppose I find it irking when the target market is, for example, a vulnerable and desperate new mum, or the product is targeted towards women's insecurities.

I don't mind Aff links as long as they are clearly marked as such and not in teeny text or hidden in a corner.

it doesn’t cost any extra money so it’s not really a problem, they’re not forcing people to buy

@MonsteraMama tbf I love a tea towel - maybe you could consider it ;)

That’s interesting OP, I think I did know that, but maybe I didn’t.

I’ve noticed that lots of influencers are going overboard of the aff links recently.
It is slightly disingenuous as it’s not clear that commissions will be paid for all future purchases not just that particular item. Maybe there should be more regulation and transparency.

Surely everyone knows that?

Also most cookies last 24/48 hours. No where near what you've said.

Mumsnet have a bit of clever software that changes all links to their affiliate links. It's a great way of making passive income.

Also as soon as you click on another link for that company through a link with different cookies the first ones get superseded.

So the first influencer might have influenced you, but usually by the time someone buys it their cookies are long gone.

to be fair I knew that if you bought that specific item they'd get something back, but didn't realise it applied to buying ANYTHING at all from the same website...

Does it matter?

This isn’t news. Affiliate links have been used for years and years (and are often clearly labelled as such).

How else do you think influencers make a living? You’re not paying them for their content, so why shouldn’t they use affiliate links? Monetising their content is literally their job, which is how you/your kids get to watch it, for your entertainment, without paying the content creator anything for it.

If you’re going to buy something anyway, it doesn’t cost you a penny more to use their affiliate link think it does to go to the site via Google.

Also, this isn’t unique to influencers. Lots of magazine, newspaper and consumer websites use them. And nobody is obliged to click on them.