In this CJ Affiliate review, we will take a look at the platform and determine whether or not it is still worth it in 2023. To save time, this review will only cover things related to the affiliate side of CJ Affiliate, so if you would like to know more, and/or get the full list of features, feel free to look at their homepage.
Ever used CJ Affiliate before? Please leave a comment down below regarding your experience to prevent this review from being one-sided.
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Website
Year Founded and History
CJ, or as it was known at the time, Commission Junction, was founded back in 1998, before being bought in 2003 by ValueClick and renamed CJ Affiliate in 2014. The program is one of the top-rated and it has paid out billions since it was first founded.
What is CJ Affiliate?
CJ Affiliate is one of the largest online networks there is, connecting vendors (Merchants) with affiliates (Publishers), all on a single platform.
For Beginners Affiliate Marketing is the art of promoting the products/services that belong to one another and then earning commissions for every sign-up/sale you make. CJ Affiliate brings those with products/services and those who want to promote together, all the while providing the needed tools, features, and so on to market the products/services. They also handle payment and so forth.
What Does it Cost?
CJ Affiliate is completely free to join.
User Interface and Ease of Use
Signing up is simple and can easily be done within a few minutes. A few tasks, such as completing a profile, tax and payment info, promoting methods, and so forth, will need to be completed.
The dashboard itself is straightforward and the marked tabs make navigation a breeze. The color scheme is simple, and easy on the eyes, with no bright colors, flashing banners, and so forth which can cause headaches.
The product list is simple and well-detailed, and most of the time a lot of information is provided. Browsing products is easy, and one does not need to go back and forth to the sales page while looking for something suited to your needs.
However, I have found that searching for products can be frustrating at times as CJ Affiliate sorts their products into not only categories but also sub-categories instead of grouping niche-specific items together, making it a task to find products specific to your niche. There is also the search for products, which involves ticking a bunch of boxes and then pressing search, a rather tedious method of finding products, but that is just my personal opinion.
I have however realized that loading speeds are slow no matter how strong your internet connection is.
What Do You Need to Sign-Up and Be Accepted?
A checklist will need to be completed and accepted before you can apply to advertise programs and get paid. When completing the checklist be as thorough as possible to ensure that merchants will accept you to promote their products.
You will need the following:
- User Information – Full name, phone number, and so on.
- A Valid Email
- Network Profile – A list of sources from which you plan to drive traffic, such as email, social pages, websites, blogs, and so on. Give a detailed description of your marketing plan. In summary, give a sales pitch to show the merchant who you are and how you plan on promoting their products.
- Add a promotional property – Create a list of the sources that you plan to have advertising links on.
- Company details and tax forms – Submit your W-8Ben or W-9 and choose the currency you work with.
- Add payment details – Pick a payment method that works best for you.
- Answer questions – General questions usually only take a few seconds to answer.
What About Getting Paid?
There is a threshold of $50 (Make $50+) before payment can be made, which will be done on the 20th of every month. CJ Affiliate has a net 30 basis, which means your commissions will be pending for 30 days before they can be paid out, in case refunds are requested.
Unfortunately, CJ Affiliate does not work with PayPal, and so forth. Payments are direct deposit or Payoneer only.
Follow the rules, or you do not get paid. Read and re-read the terms and conditions very carefully and make sure the methods you use to promote are permitted. CJ Affiliate is a platform that has no quarrel with taking commissions even for the smallest of mishaps.
How Many Affiliate Programs Can Be Joined?
Well, that is completely up to you. As long as you qualify, you can join as many as your heart desires but take into account, that you have to apply for each one separately.
What About Support?
The default support option would be their support center, which consists of a knowledge base that answers questions. If the support center does not provide what you need, then you are redirected to a contact form, where replies can take anything from a few hours to a few weeks to come. It is not 100% responsive.
What About the Products?
CJ Affiliate has a large selection of products, including big brands such as Barnes & Noble, Verizon, InterServer, and so on. There are over 3000 products listed on their platform so you are bound to find something suitable.
Scam or Legit?
Now the most important question there is, is CJ Affiliate a scam or are they Legit? In my opinion, I can honestly say they are 100% legitimate. I have always received my payments on time, and the platform has never given me any major issues so far.
Nonetheless, there is quite a bit of complaints going around which calls for concern. There is one fact that I know with certainty, if you do not comply with their terms 100%, then you will not get paid, or at the very least, your payment will be delayed. It is that simple. CJ Affiliate does not tolerate cookie stuffing, spamming, and so forth. If you are a beginner and still finding your footing in the marketing world, then I recommend you stay clear of CJ Affiliate until you are 100% certain of yourself and what it is you are doing.
Can I make Money with CJ Affiliate?
Yes, you can, if you follow the rules and work hard at it. Affiliate marketing is not completely as easy as many would like you to believe. It takes hard work and dedication, no matter what affiliate marketplace you choose. Read more about What it Takes to Work Online and be Successful at it.
Are There Other Options Around?
ShareASale – Equivalent of CJ and my personal favorite Marketplace
Digistore24 – Great for Newbies
CJ Affiliate Review – Pros
- CJ Affiliate is one of the oldest Affiliate networks still around.
- The user interface is simple and beginner-friendly.
- They have a large variety of products, some of which are big brands, leaving something for almost every niche.
- Selling Ad Placement is an option for those with websites.
- Advertisers can be filtered depending on profit potential.
- The tools for creating links are beyond great.
Cons
Getting accepted as an affiliate on CJ is rather easy, but getting accepted by merchants to promote their products can be a bit more difficult. The merchants prefer working with experienced marketers over newer ones.
There are too many complaints on the web, mostly regarding payment failure due to breaking the rules. I am all for punishing those who break the rules, but with CJ they search out the smallest of mistakes to avoid paying their affiliates.
They have a very limited amount of payment methods. We live in the modern world, they could at least add PayPal or Bitcoin.
If you do not make sales for a certain period then you have to pay an inactive fee.
Let’s Sum This CJ Affiliate Review Up…
When it comes to picking an all-in-one affiliate program, CJ Affiliate used to be the first pick, but that is no longer the case. When I joined back in 2012, it was a great pleasure working with them. Affiliates used to be treated with respect, whether beginner or pro. I no longer feel the same towards them as they have become the same as many other platforms, only in it for their gain and forgetting the smaller people.
And asking fees for inactivity, it’s just ludicrous. They make it as if it is some great honor to be able to promote their products and you need to pay if you dare step back for a moment. There are many other great marketplaces around, and this type of thinking is what usually sinks a company in the end.
Well, this is it for this CJ Affiliate review. Ever worked with CJ or still do? Please leave your feedback as this will help others to make a more informed decision.
Thank you and have yourself an awesome day!
