We scaled an affiliate program to $1.2M in just 5 months…with a 3,547% ROI.
But it didn’t start that way.
When we stepped in, tracking was broken. The top affiliates had gone silent, and CAC was rising fast. (A typical nightmare for any agency!)
But Here’s How We Fixed It (Step by Step):
1. We fixed tracking first because nothing else works without clean data. We found lagging reports, broken postbacks, and missing pixels that cost about $18K every month.
We rebuilt the system with server-side tracking, and affiliates started trusting the numbers again. As soon as that happened, traffic picked up.
2. Then, we focused on lowering CAC. We introduced tiered commissions with performance bonuses so partners had clear upside.
We launched bundle offers that increased AOV by 14% and onboarded 22 new review affiliates with stronger EPCs. Within 45 days, CAC dropped by 13.6%.
3. We scaled what already worked instead of chasing new ideas. We ran regular reviews with top affiliates, launched seasonal campaigns, and added a product feed API to control promotions.
On the creative side, we tested formats and found that short “3 reasons why” videos drove 31% better performance than long reviews.
4. We kept improving the system as we grew. We refreshed creatives every 45 days to boost CTR and offered custom assets to top partners, increasing conversions by 19%.
We also removed 8 low-quality partners after fraud tools flagged conversions and coupon misuse.
The end result:
$1.2M revenue
CAC ↓ 13.6%
ROI ↑ 3,547%
Need help with scaling your affiliate program? Reply to this email, and I’ll get in touch.
Brand Spotlight:
Who They Are & Why It Works
Cheech & Chong’s is a world-recognized cannabis-inspired lifestyle and wellness brand that channels its legendary counterculture spirit into driving e-commerce growth through a focused partner mix and strict governance.
Performance & Fit
Over 50,000+ confirmed new customer acquisitions driven through a single affiliate platform, while averaging a 14.3% conversion rate across high-intent affiliate funnels. Strongest results seen across lifestyle, wellness, and cannabis-focused partners.
How To Partner
The brand offers multiple high-converting funnels, a full library of UGC content and raw footage for partners, and a variety of top-performing products to promote. Reply to this email for Q4 partnership opportunities.
Content resource for the week:
Let me share a couple of my favourite content pieces to improve your affiliate marketing strategy and overall business.
Affiliate Spotlight:
Who They Are & Why It Works
CNN Underscored is the commerce and product-recommendation arm of CNN, publishing over 80 gift guides each holiday season and reaching 124 million monthly visitors on CNN.com. Their reputation, editorial integrity, and strong SEO presence make them one of the most trusted media partners for high-intent consumer traffic.
Performance & Best Fit
Articles average 10K to 700K+ page views with a 23% CTR, and placements are featured across CNN’s website, mobile app, and newsletter. Best fit for premium lifestyle, wellness, and gifting-friendly brands targeting older, high-income shoppers during Q4 and beyond.
How To Partner
CNN Underscored offers sponsored product placements in themed gift guides and editorial roundups (starting at $2,000–$3,500 per placement).
Your Question & My Answer:
Why did AffiStash show zero relevant results for my SaaS platform?
A: AffiStash is built primarily for ecommerce brands, not B2B SaaS. The results you get also depend on how you search. Try experimenting with different filters such as keywords, domains, industries, or verticals, to see which combination brings up the most relevant affiliates for your niche.
That’s it for this issue. If you want intros to any of our partners, reply today and I’ll connect you personally.
And if you have any questions for me, feel free to ask.
I read all of the emails. (Even the spammy ones!:)
Thank you for reading till the end.
Talk soon,
Fred