Target Partner Program: A comprehensive review 2024

Target Corporation is an American retail corporation headquartered in Minnesota. It is the seventh-largest retailer in the United States and is a component of the S&P 500 Index.

Having survived over 50 years since 1962, the company has grown through expansion and acquisitions. Over the years, Target has become known for offering upscale, trend-forward merchandise at affordable prices. Their stores sell a wide range of products, including clothing, household goods, electronics, toys, and groceries

Does Target have an affiliate program?

Target does offer affiliate marketing through its program called Target Partners.

Here are some key points to remember:

• Program Name: Target Partners
• Website: Target partner program
• Open to: Individuals with websites, blogs, or social media followings, primarily based in the US, and adhering to a family-friendly content policy.

Through Target Partners, you can earn commissions by promoting Target products on your online platforms using unique affiliate links. This allows Target to reach new audiences while offering you a chance to monetize your content.

Here’s a summary of the program:

• Earning Potential: Up to 8% commission on qualifying purchases made on Target.com through your affiliate links.
• Open to: Anyone with a website, blog, or social media following, primarily based in the US, and adhering to a family-friendly content policy.
• Benefits: Promote a popular brand, access a wide range of products, and utilize various marketing tools.
• Drawbacks: The commission structure is tiered, meaning the rate only increases with higher sales volume.

Signing up is free and simple. Just visit the official Target Affiliate website and complete the application process, which takes less than 10 minutes. The Target team will respond to you in less than 2 months from the application close date. You can reapply to the program if your initial application is not accepted.

Keep in mind that, like any other affiliate program, an active website and/or a strong online presence is required.

Target partner commission rate

With some categories, affiliates can get commissions of up to 8% – which is the highest one in the whole program.

Let’s imagine a different scenario: suppose you promote an item from one of these high-ticket categories and it sells for $200, maybe a stylish handbag or a cutting-edge gadget. With an 8% commission rate, you would earn $16 from that single sale.

The first advantage is that the cookie duration is 07 days. To be more clear, you earn commissions on any purchases made by the same customer within 7 days of clicking your affiliate link, not just the initial one.

The second plus is that the stimulated Earnings Per Click (EPC) of this program is pretty high. Target’s program offers an average EPC of $12-$13, meaning you can expect to earn roughly that amount for every 100 clicks on your affiliate links.

Target commission structures

Target’s affiliate program offers a tiered commission structure based on the product category and your sales volume. These performance milestones allow affiliates to get higher commissions when achieve a certain sale amount.

The commission rate offered by Target is a tiered structure. Some categories offer increasing commission rates as your monthly sales volume grows. For example, the “Home & Outdoor Living” and “Home and Outdoor Living” categories might start at 5% commission for 0-10 sales, but increase to 8% for 10,000+ sales per month.

There are also lower commission rates hovering around 1%. For instance, health & beauty.

So, if you are active in the niches above, probably Target is a lucrative option.

Target un-commissionable product categories

The more troubling aspect of this affiliate program is that specific categories offer no commission at all.

If you’re not aware of this beforehand, you might invest time and effort into building a website centered around one of these categories, only to realize that your referrals bring in zero earnings.

Please note that the list can change, which means you need to keep up with your affiliate manager to get information. electronics, toys, and video games categories

One of the major downsides is that there are product categories that are not commissionable, including the following categories.

Groceries	Electronics	Pharmacy and OTC
Household essentials	Toys	Books
Baby care items	Sporting goods	SweetJoJo
Pets	Movies Video games and consoles	Contract mobile

Well, as Target policies deter the ambition of many affiliates, there is probably less attraction to affiliates to join Partner program participation.

However, this does not mean that you cannot earn a decent amount from Target. Don’t forget with some specific niche, Target offers a 5%-8% of order share which is pretty generous.

Earning potential as a Target affiliate

Let’s assume that there are 50,000 traffic monthly to your site for calculation.

Given:

• 50,000 visitors per month
• Conversion rate: 2%

With a 1% conversion rate, you can expect to generate: 50,000 visitors × 0.02 conversion rate = 1000 sales.

Now, let’s calculate the earnings based on a sample product – a camping tent priced at $80 with a starting commission rate of 5%: Each sale earns you 5% of $80, which is $4.

However, as your total number of sales is at tier 03 (6.5% commission), you will get 1.5% for each sale. Or $80 x 1,5% = $1,2 commission for each referral.

So, with 500 sales: 500 sales x ($1.2 + 4$) commission per sale= 1000 sales x $5.2 commission per sale = $5200

So, with 50,000 visitors per month and a 1% conversion rate, promoting the specified outdoor chair from Target could potentially earn you $5200 per month as a Target affiliate.

Considering Target partner EPC (Earnings Per Hundred Clicks) which is $12-$13, you can expect to earn approximately $6,000-$6,500 which is a bit higher than the calculation above.

Target Partner Program reviews

Here’s a review of Target’s affiliate program, Target Partners, summarizing both its advantages and disadvantages:

Reasons to join the Target Partner program

Strong brand recognition: Target is a well-known and trusted brand, making it easier to attract clicks and potential customers.

Decent commission rates: The target partner program offers a maximum of 8% commission. Though not every product can offer a share that high, an 8% commission rate is still a lovable, competitive amount.

Decent cookie duration: The 7-day cookie window allows you to earn credit for sales even if users click your link and buy a week later. Though this length seems shorter than the typical 30 days from many affiliate programs, a 7-day cookie is incredibly compared to the average of the retail segment. To be more specific, Target’s competitors Walmart offer a 03-day cookie while that of Amazon is only 24 hours.

Variety of products: Target offers over 1 million products across various categories, catering to diverse audiences and content creation possibilities.

User-friendly platform: The program utilizes Impact Radius, a credible affiliate network. This platform is known for its affiliate-friendly features, with detailed tracking capabilities.

Cons of the program.

Tiered commission structure: The higher commission rates are only achievable with significant sales volume. We can say that most affiliates cannot reach those milestones.

Limited commissionable products: Over 12 categories that offer a 0% commission rate is literally uncomfortable. Well, in other words, affiliates working in specific niches above are limited to the program. Not to mention there are many of the most popular product niches, just as electronics, household essentials, baby care, and toys.

US-centric program: While technically open to anyone, the program’s focus is primarily on US-based customers. If your audience base is not American, pretty sure that you won’t get access to the program.

How to make money with the Target Partner program

To monetize the Target Affiliate Program effectively, consider employing various strategies:

Target Product Reviews

Let’s talk about writing/filming product reviews. Instead of just listing features, think about sharing your own experiences and recommendations. Write in-depth reviews of popular Target products, detailing their features, and benefits, and add value as possible.

For instance, you could make videos showing off awesome Target items, like kitchen gadgets, and talk about how they’re super affordable and work great compared to other brands.

Examples of Target Products Suitable for Affiliate Marketing:

• Home & Outdoor Living: There are various choices to consider, like trendy home décor items, unique outdoor furniture sets, or seasonal essentials like patio furniture or grilling equipment during the summer.
• Apparel & Accessories: Clothing, shoes, and accessories are always in consistent demand. However, you may meet strong competition from other online affiliates (e.g. SHEIN affiliate) as this is the most popular product segment.
  

TikTok and Instagram probably are the most suitable platforms to promote Target products due to their visual-focus mechanism.

Share Target Promotions

Stay informed about Target’s special offers and promotions.

When they offer discounts or cool membership perks, share the news with your followers on your website, social media, or email newsletters. Make pieces of content that highlight the advantages of membership and the savings potential.

Provide your audience with unique promo codes to ensure they receive discounts, while you earn commissions.

Collaborate with Influencers

Identify influencers or content creators within your niche who vibe with the Target brand. d. Together, you can create awesome content or even run giveaways to reach more people and get them interested in buying through your links.

Consider producing sponsored content, product endorsements, or joint giveaways. By leveraging the reach and influence of these individuals, you can expand your audience reach and increase affiliate conversions.

By implementing these strategies, you can effectively leverage the Target Partner Program to generate income and capitalize on the brand’s offerings and promotions.

Target partner program alternatives

Target isn’t the sole retail giant offering an affiliate marketing program; there are numerous others. For instance, Amazon competes with Target in the online market, while Home Depot is only dominant in its niche of home improvement products. These alternatives to the Target partner program could potentially be more suitable depending on your niche and preferences.

• Amazon Associates: commission rate up to 20% with 1-day cookie duration
• Home Depot: Earn up to 8% commission with a 30-day cookie duration.
• DHgate: Commissions vary by product category (up to 50% in some cases), with a 30-day cookie duration.
• Walmart: Earn up to 4% commission with a 3-day cookie duration.
• AliExpress: Commissions vary by product category, with a 30-day cookie duration.

Overall

Target Partner program can be a viable option for some affiliates, particularly those with established audiences and content relevant to Target’s product offerings. However, the tiered commission structure and excluded categories might make it less attractive to others. It’s important to carefully consider your audience and niche before joining the program to ensure it aligns with your earning potential and content strategy.