How to make money reviewing Amazon products: From Amazon Associates to shoppable videos

Amazon doesn't pay for customer reviews, but it does pay commissions on review content. Learn how Amazon Associates, the Influencer program, and shoppable videos work, what they pay, and the rules to follow.

If you've ever bought anything on Amazon, you've probably scrolled through the reviews to see what other buyers had to say. Product reviews are a cornerstone of the Amazon shopping experience - they help build trust and give customers the confidence to make a purchase.

So can reviewing products on Amazon make you money? Yes, but not the way most people assume. Amazon doesn't pay anyone for the customer reviews on its product pages, and its rules ban reviews written in exchange for compensation. What it does pay for is review content you create as an affiliate: blog posts and videos with Amazon Associates links, an Amazon Influencer storefront, and shoppable videos that appear on product pages. When a shopper buys through your content, you earn a commission.

There are rules to learn before you start, and commission rates vary a lot by product category. Keep reading to find out how each program works, what it pays, and how to make money reviewing Amazon products.

Amazon reviews: A brief look

Amazon reviews play a crucial role in the ecommerce ecosystem, not just for customers, but also for sellers and entrepreneurs on the platform. Reviews are one of the most influential factors that drive purchase decisions - shoppers rely on them to assess product quality, functionality, and trustworthiness, and sellers use reviews to improve their product rankings and boost credibility.

There are two kinds of Amazon reviews, and only one of them can earn you money. Customer reviews, the star ratings and written reviews under a product, are unpaid: the Amazon Associates Operating Agreement explicitly prohibits customer reviews that are created, edited, or removed in exchange for compensation. Review content you publish as a creator is different. Through the Amazon Associates and Amazon Influencer programs (which we'll discuss later), you earn commissions when shoppers buy through your links, your storefront, or your videos.

Reviews help build social proof, which can significantly increase conversions for products. That's exactly why paying for them is off-limits. Amazon bans sellers from offering free products, discounts, or payment in exchange for customer reviews, and the FTC's final rule on fake reviews and testimonials, in effect since October 21, 2024, makes it illegal in the US to buy fake reviews or pay for reviews that express a particular sentiment. The only sanctioned way to receive free products for reviews is Amazon Vine, an invitation-only program that Amazon runs itself (more on that below).

One big advantage of monetized review content is that it can be about any product. The products don't have to be new or even Amazon-owned products; they just have to be sold on Amazon. And you don't have to be a professional videographer or a master presenter either. All you need is a camera, a product, honest opinions, and a working knowledge of Amazon's rules for reviewers and affiliates.

Things you need to know before reviewing Amazon products

Amazon has strict rules for its reviewers outlined in its Community Guidelines pages. They're a set of rules designed to ensure that product reviews are genuine, trustworthy, and helpful to customers. If you plan to make money reviewing Amazon products, it's crucial to follow these rules, as failure to do so can lead to account suspension or being banned from the platform entirely. Affiliates and influencers also have to follow the Associates Program Operating Agreement, which applies to every piece of content you're paid for.

Here are some of the key guidelines reviewers must follow:

Provide honest and unbiased reviews

Amazon emphasizes that reviews should reflect your actual experience with a product. You are prohibited from posting fake reviews or inflating a product's rating for personal gain. This includes not posting reviews on behalf of others or encouraging fake positive reviews for compensation.

No incentivized reviews (with exceptions)

In the past, sellers often gave free products or discounts in exchange for reviews. Amazon banned this practice in 2016 to protect the integrity of the review system, and the FTC's 2024 rule on fake reviews now adds legal penalties for buying reviews. The only exception is Amazon Vine, where Amazon invites trusted reviewers (called Vine Voices) to receive free products in exchange for honest reviews. Vine Voices aren't paid, and sellers can't choose who reviews their products or influence what they write.

Avoid reviewing products you are personally or financially connected to

You're not allowed to review products from sellers with which you have a personal relationship or association, like family members, close friends, or personal businesses. Amazon considers this biased, and it can lead to account suspension.

Other types of reviews Amazon may consider biased and can delete are:

• Reviews by the product manufacturer, posing as unbiased shoppers.
• Multiple negative reviews for the same product from one customer.
• Reviews of games in exchange for bonus in-game credits.
• Negative reviews from a seller of a competitor's product.
• Positive reviews from an artist on a peer's album in exchange for receiving a positive review from them.

No self-promotion or advertising

You can't include promotional content, links to websites, or ads in your customer reviews. The review should focus solely on the product and your experience with it. Your affiliate links belong in your own content (your blog, videos, social posts, or storefront), never in a customer review.

Only do a single review per product

You're only allowed to post one review per product, which means you can't submit multiple reviews of the same product, whether from the same account or from a second one.

Disclose your affiliate relationship

Wherever you share Amazon links, you have to make it clear that you earn from them. The Associates program requires the statement "As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases" on your site or profile, and the FTC expects a clear disclosure near the links themselves.

How to make money reviewing Amazon products

Whether you're just starting or you're already an Amazon enthusiast, earning commissions from product reviews can be both fun and lucrative. It takes more than leaving a few comments here and there, but if done right, it can become a steady stream of income online.

Here are the best ways to make money reviewing products on Amazon:

Make shoppable videos

Shoppable videos are probably the first place you'll want to start, assuming you don't have a blog. These videos are short, product-focused clips that you upload as a member of the Amazon Influencer program. They can appear on your storefront and directly on Amazon product pages. You earn a commission when a shopper watches your video for a minimum period (set by Amazon) and then buys the product featured in it.

These videos are particularly popular in categories like tech, beauty, fashion, and home goods, where seeing a product in action, whether it's a makeup tutorial, a tech unboxing, or a straight-up review, can significantly impact a buying decision. The best part about making these types of videos is that they don't even have to be Amazon-exclusive content. You can reuse videos you've already made for other platforms, as long as they meet Amazon's guidelines: remove other platforms' watermarks, and don't mention other websites, prices, or outside links in the video.

Some benefits of reviewing products on Amazon by making shoppable videos are:

• Increased engagement: Millions of customers on Amazon use videos as the main source when looking for products. Videos on product pages put your review in front of shoppers who are already close to buying, which can add to your credibility as a reviewer.
• Higher conversion rates: By giving potential buyers a visual demonstration of the product's features, functionality, and usage, you help build trust and improve conversion rates, consequently increasing your earnings.
• No audience required: Shoppers find your videos on product pages, so you can earn even without a large following of your own.

To create shoppable videos, you need to be part of Amazon's Influencer program. So when it comes to the challenges of producing reviews in this format, what you can encounter are:

• Lower commission rates: Purchases made from videos on Amazon's site earn fixed onsite rates, which are lower than standard Associates rates. Luxury beauty pays 4%, home and furniture 3%, most other categories 1%, and TVs, PCs, toys, video games, and physical books just 0.5%.
• Competition for visibility: With a growing number of creators producing shoppable videos, it can be hard to stand out and get your content seen by Amazon shoppers.
• Strict review process: Despite accepting content posted on other platforms, videos must meet Amazon's guidelines. They may reject or even delete content if it doesn't comply with the rules.
• Slow monetization: While videos can lead to commission earnings, you might not see immediate results. If your video doesn't perform well in terms of engagement or sales, it could take time before you start generating significant income from shoppable videos.

What is social selling the inbound way?

Join the Amazon Associates program

One of the oldest and most popular ways to monetize your Amazon reviews is by joining the Amazon Associates program. This is an affiliate marketing program where you earn a commission for every sale made through your unique affiliate link.

This program is best for bloggers, publishers, and content creators with a qualifying website, mobile app, or social media account. You don't need a massive audience or to be a hardcore reviewer - you just need to know how to share helpful opinions on products and create content around them. There is one hurdle: Amazon only reviews your application after you drive three qualifying sales within your first 180 days, and accounts that don't get there are closed (you can reapply).

Once you sign up for Amazon's affiliate program, you'll get a unique link for every product you want to promote. When someone clicks your link and buys that product (or even a different one) within a set time frame, you earn a percentage of the sale. You'll need a place to share those links, whether that's a blog, YouTube channel, social media page, or even a well-organized email list. Standard commissions range from 0% to 10% of the sale price, depending on the product category: 10% for luxury beauty, 4.5% for kitchen, automotive, and physical books, 3% for home, toys, and beauty, and 1% for grocery and video game consoles. Gift cards, wireless plans, and alcohol pay nothing.

Affiliate marketing only works when people trust your opinion. If you're just posting generic reviews that don't really say much, customers may not be interested in your opinions. Your reviews need to add value, pointing out the pros, cons, and overall experience of the product.

For example, let's say you're reviewing a new coffee maker. Instead of saying, "This is the best coffee maker I've ever used," you should dive deeper. Talk about how easy it was to set up, how the coffee tastes compared to other machines, and whether it fits nicely on a small countertop. Add in a few high-quality photos or even a quick video demonstration, and you'll instantly increase the value of your review.

As a reviewer, you can technically create content around anything as long as it can be found on Amazon. But if you want to be strategic about being an Amazon affiliate reviewer, weigh demand against the commission rate. Luxury beauty (10%), kitchen (4.5%), and fashion, shoes, and jewelry (4%) pay well, while popular tech categories pay among the least: PCs earn 2.5% and TVs 2%, so a tech reviewer needs far more sales to earn the same amount.

Some advantages of Amazon Associates are:

• Wide product selection: Since Amazon offers millions of products, affiliates can choose items that align with their audience's interests, making it easy to integrate affiliate marketing into various niches like tech, fashion, or home goods.
• Trust and credibility: Amazon's global reputation and seamless shopping experience make it easier for affiliates to convert clicks into sales, as customers are already familiar with and trust the platform.
• Passive income potential: Once you've embedded affiliate links into your content, they continue to generate commissions as long as people click and purchase, offering passive income opportunities over time.

Despite the benefits, there are still some negatives to making money reviewing Amazon products with Amazon Associates, such as:

• Low commission rates: While Amazon offers a vast selection of products, its commission rates are lower than many other affiliate programs. Affiliates may need to drive significant traffic to earn substantial income.
• 24-hour cookie window: Unlike some affiliate programs that offer a 30-day cookie window, Amazon's referral window is limited to 24 hours. The customer must buy within that time for you to earn a commission, with one exception: items added to the cart during those 24 hours still count if they're purchased within 90 days.

Join the Amazon Influencer program

The other best way to monetize reviews on Amazon, the Amazon Influencer program, allows social media influencers to create a personalized storefront to showcase their favorite Amazon products. When your followers visit your storefront and purchase items, you earn commissions just like with the Amazon Associates program.

This program differs from Amazon Associates because it's built to leverage your influence on platforms like Instagram, YouTube, or TikTok. Instead of just placing affiliate links in your content, you get a custom Amazon page (your storefront) that curates all the products you're promoting. This not only makes it easier for your followers to shop but also gives you a more professional-looking platform to show off products.

Joining the Amazon Influencer program is fairly simple, but it does come with requirements. You need a YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook account to apply. While Associates lets you start sharing links right away and reviews your account after your first sales, the Influencer program vets you up front. Amazon looks at your follower count, but more importantly, it assesses how engaged your audience is. Quality is more important than quantity here - there are numerous accounts of reviewers getting accepted with only a few hundred followers. Even if you're not accepted on the first try, you can apply again.

Once you're accepted, you'll set up your personalized storefront. You can add various categories and create lists that showcase the products you're reviewing and recommending. The key to success with the Amazon Influencer program is continuous reviews showcasing the products in action, whether it's through Instagram Stories, TikTok videos, or vlogs.

Just like the Amazon Associates program, you earn a commission whenever someone purchases a product through your affiliate link or storefront at the standard category rates. Purchases driven by videos and other content shown on Amazon's own pages earn the lower onsite rates instead.

Some advantages of reviewing products as an Amazon Influencer are:

• Custom storefront: With a custom storefront, influencers can curate their own product recommendations in one place, enhancing the shopping experience for their followers. It's especially useful for influencers who promote a wide range of products and want a centralized hub.
• Trust factor: Since followers already trust the influencer's recommendations, they're more likely to visit their storefront and make purchases, increasing the influencer's earning potential.
• Versatility in promotion: Influencers can promote their storefronts across multiple platforms, from YouTube reviews and Instagram Stories to TikTok videos and Facebook posts.

And despite the benefits, to make money reviewing Amazon products with the Amazon Influencer program you will face some challenges, such as:

• Approval process: Not everyone is accepted into the Amazon Influencer program. Amazon typically looks for an engaged following, meaning creators with very small or inactive accounts may find it difficult to get approved.
• Low commission rates: Like the Associates program, the Amazon Influencer program offers relatively low commission rates compared to other affiliate programs, so it may take a large amount of traffic and conversions to generate significant income.
• Time-limited cookie window: The 24-hour referral window still applies, so followers need to buy within 24 hours of clicking your link (or add the item to their cart in that window and buy within 90 days) for you to earn a commission.

Earn bonus commissions with Creator Connections

Once you're in the Associates or Influencer program, look at Creator Connections in your Associates Central account. Sellers use it to run campaigns that pay creators a bonus commission, on top of the standard rate, for promoting specific products during a set period. You can browse open campaigns and opt in to the ones that fit your niche. It's one of the few ways to get paid more for reviewing a product without breaking Amazon's rules, because you're paid for your own content and the sales it drives, not for a customer review.

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How to make money reviewing Amazon products FAQs

The most frequently asked question about making money reviewing Amazon products.

Do I need to buy products to review them?

Not necessarily. In programs like Amazon Associates and Amazon Influencer, you can review any product sold on Amazon, even ones you already have at home. You just need to make sure the review is engaging and provides relevant information about the product. However, you may need to buy new products if you want to leverage trends and reach niches like electronics and fashion.

Why should you trust us

An expert in product reviews, content creation, and ecommerce, Joe Niehaus has a wealth of experience overseeing affiliate programs for numerous ecommerce brands. Currently contributing his skills at Whop, his work has also been highlighted in top-tier outlets such as Business Insider, Travel + Leisure, and GQ.