You can earn a commission when someone clicks your affiliate link and buys from Costco. The program runs through Rakuten Advertising, not Costco directly, and it pays a flat rate per new member rather than a percentage of the cart. That’s the first thing to understand, because it changes how you should promote.
Getting set up takes about an hour, most of it waiting for approval. Here’s the honest version of how it works and where people lose money.
What you actually need to start
You need a website, blog, or a social media account with real followers. Costco’s program isn’t like some Amazon alternatives where you can sign up with a blank profile. Rakuten reviews your application, and they want to see that you have a platform where people will actually click your links.
You also need to be in a country where the program operates. The Costco affiliate program is available in the US, Canada, UK, and a few other regions. If you’re outside those, you’ll need to work with a proxy or find a different retailer.
One more thing: you need patience. Approval can take a few days to a couple of weeks. Don’t build your whole strategy around getting approved tomorrow.
How to join and get your links
Go to Rakuten Advertising’s site and search for Costco in their advertiser directory. You’ll apply through their portal. Once approved, you search for Costco again inside the Rakuten dashboard, grab your affiliate link, and start placing it.
The link itself is a long URL with tracking codes. You don’t paste that raw link anywhere. You shorten it or use a plugin to cloak it, but the tracking code has to stay intact. Test it before you publish anything.
Here’s the workflow that works:
- Apply through Rakuten Advertising.
- Wait for approval, checking your email regularly.
- Find the Costco program in your dashboard.
- Generate your unique tracking link.
- Test the link in an incognito window to confirm it tracks.
- Place the link in your content.
The step people get wrong
Most affiliates promote Costco like it’s Amazon. They write “here are 10 things to buy at Costco” and drop links throughout. That’s the mistake.
Costco’s affiliate program pays a flat fee for new memberships, not a percentage of products. The commission is around $10 to $20 per new member, depending on the promotion. You don’t get paid for the $200 of groceries someone buys. You get paid when someone signs up for a membership through your link.
So the content that converts is about membership value, not product roundups. Write about whether a Costco membership is worth it, how much you save on gas, or how the executive membership pays for itself. That’s what pushes someone to click “join now” through your link.
How do you tell if you’re doing it wrong? Look at your click-to-conversion rate. If you’re getting clicks but no commissions, you’re sending people to product pages instead of the membership signup. Fix that by linking to the membership page directly.
How to adapt your approach
If you have a blog about saving money, write a cost breakdown of a Costco membership. If you run a food blog, write about buying in bulk for a family of four. If you’re on a budget, focus on the gas savings and the rotisserie chicken.
For social media, short video works well. Show what $100 gets you at Costco, then mention that a membership pays for itself in a month. Put your link in the caption or the bio, not in the video itself.
Seasonal content also does well. Before the holidays, write about Costco gift baskets or party platters. In January, write about organizing your pantry with Costco finds. The membership angle stays the same, but the hook changes.
One thing to keep in mind: Costco’s program has a cookie window that’s usually around 30 days. If someone clicks your link and buys a membership three weeks later, you still get credit. That’s generous compared to some programs, so it’s worth mentioning to your audience that they can come back to your link.
How to finish and scale
Once you have one piece of content that converts, don’t stop there. Make a second one with a different angle. Then a third. The flat fee per membership means you need volume, so you want multiple pieces of content targeting different search terms.
Track everything in a spreadsheet. Note which content gets clicks, which gets conversions, and what time of year performs best. Costco’s membership prices change, and Rakuten runs special promotions with higher payouts. If you know your baseline, you’ll spot the good deals.
You can also combine this with other money-making methods. If you’re already using AI tools to create content, you can use them to draft multiple angles on the membership value topic. Just make sure you edit heavily and add your own experience, because the flat-fee model rewards content that actually convinces people.
And if you’re looking for more ways to earn from your phone, check out how to make money online using your phone or the broader list of smart ways to make money. If you’re already working with AI tools, this guide on making money with AI pairs well with the content production side.
Is it worth your time?
Costco’s affiliate program is not a get-rich-quick setup. The flat fee per membership means you need a decent amount of traffic to see meaningful income. But if you already have an audience that trusts your recommendations, it’s a clean, low-effort way to add a revenue stream.
The key is to stop treating it like a product affiliate program and start treating it like a membership recommendation. People don’t click your link to buy a specific item. They click because you convinced them that a Costco membership saves them money. That’s the whole game.
Start with one solid article, test your links, and watch your conversion rate. If it works, scale it. If it doesn’t, change your angle. The program isn’t going anywhere, and neither is the demand for saving money.
