Best Buy Affiliate Program 2021 – Trash Affiliate Program

Best Buy has an affiliate program. You could technically sign up today, paste your affiliate links into your content, and start sending traffic toward one of the most recognizable retail brands in the United States. On paper, that sounds fine. In practice, it is a waste of your time, and I want to show you exactly why before you spend a single hour building content around it.

I have been doing affiliate marketing as a full-time income source for years. I have looked at hundreds of affiliate programs. The Best Buy affiliate program is, without exaggeration, one of the worst I have ever reviewed. This is not a knock on Best Buy as a store. It is a straight assessment of their commission structure and the terms attached to it. Once you see the numbers and the fine print, you will understand why virtually any other affiliate program out there is a smarter choice for your time.

What You’ll Walk Out With

The exact commission rates Best Buy pays (and the long list of what they pay nothing for)
The new-customer-only caveat that quietly kills most of your commissions before they ever land
A direct comparison of Best Buy vs. Amazon Associates commission rates
Why Newegg is a stronger option for tech and gaming content creators
Why B&H Photo pays more and covers a wider range of product types
How Target and Walmart fill the gaps for non-tech product categories
A math breakdown showing how many sales you would need to meet a real income goal at 0.5%
How to find the right affiliate program for your niche using finder.platformproof.com

What the Best Buy Affiliate Program Actually Pays

Let’s go straight to the commission structure. Best Buy caps their affiliate commissions at half a percent. Not five percent. Not one percent. Half of one percent, which is 0.5%.

And that 0.5% does not even apply to their most popular and most-searched product categories. Here is the list of items that pay zero commission at all: laptops, tablets, desktops, video game hardware, virtual reality equipment, point of sale activation cards, and all Apple branded products.

Think about that for a second. If you are a tech content creator or a gaming channel, you are building content around laptops, gaming PCs, tablets, controllers, and headsets. Those are the exact products your audience came to buy. Best Buy pays you nothing for any of them.

What does pay? The 0.5% rate applies to a handful of other categories: TVs, sound systems, video game software (note: not hardware), Geek Squad services, fitness equipment excluding wearables, baby gear, and luggage and travel accessories. So if someone clicks your link and buys a TV, you might get something. But if they buy a MacBook, a Nintendo Switch, a pair of AirPods, or any Apple product at all, you get nothing.

The New Customer Caveat That Wrecks Your Conversion Rate

Even on the product categories that do pay, there is one more condition that makes the program nearly unworkable: Best Buy only pays commissions for new Best Buy customer transactions.

That means if someone clicks your affiliate link and completes a purchase, but they have a Best Buy account — which millions of people already do — you earn nothing. Zero. It does not matter how good your content was. It does not matter that your link sent them to the product page. If they have ever bought from Best Buy before and sign into their account, the commission does not count.

Best Buy is a 50-plus-year-old retail chain with tens of millions of loyalty members. The vast majority of people who are in a position to spend $1,000 on a TV or $500 on a sound system already have a Best Buy account. You are essentially fighting over a shrinking pool of first-time shoppers, and even within that pool, you are only earning 0.5% on a very narrow product list.

This is not a minor technicality buried in the fine print. This is a structural problem that eliminates a huge portion of your potential commissions before anyone even clicks through to checkout.

The Math: What 0.5% Commission Actually Looks Like

Let’s run the numbers so you can see this clearly. Suppose your goal is $1,000 per month in affiliate commissions. That is a reasonable starting target for someone building a content business.

At 0.5% commission, you would need to drive $200,000 in sales every single month just to hit that goal. That is not $200,000 in traffic. That is $200,000 in actual completed purchases, from new Best Buy customers, on qualifying product categories, in a 30-day window.

Say the average order value is $300. You would need roughly 667 qualifying sales per month. That is more than 20 per day. And remember, if even one of those customers signs into an existing Best Buy account, that commission disappears.

Compare that to Amazon Associates. If you are in a category that pays 3%, that same $200,000 in sales would earn you $6,000 — six times more. At 10%, you would earn $20,000. The math is not close. The Best Buy program is not a low-reward option. It is a near-zero-reward option dressed up as a program worth joining.

Better Alternative 1: Amazon Associates

Amazon Associates is the most obvious replacement, and it wins on almost every dimension. Commission rates run from 1.5% to 10% depending on the product category. Electronics fall in the lower range, typically around 1.5% to 3.5%, but that is still three to seven times what Best Buy pays on the same product types.

Beyond the commission difference, Amazon has a far broader customer base. Nearly everyone has an Amazon account, but the new-customer-only restriction does not apply. If someone clicks your Amazon link and buys, you earn a commission regardless of their history on the platform. Amazon also ships to virtually everywhere in the United States within two to three days, which removes the friction that sometimes stops people from clicking through to regional or specialty retailers.

For tech content creators who were considering Best Buy because of the product overlap, Amazon Associates is the clear starting point. The same laptops, tablets, and gaming gear that Best Buy pays zero on will earn you commissions on Amazon.

Better Alternative 2: Newegg

If your content focuses on PC building, gaming, or tech hardware specifically, Newegg is worth a serious look. Their affiliate program covers computer hardware, computer electronics, gaming and esports equipment, smart home devices, drones, and tech toys.

Newegg has a loyal audience that actively searches for components, peripherals, and gear. Someone who shops on Newegg is often making a more deliberate purchase than a casual shopper. They came to Newegg because they know what they want. That buyer intent translates into higher conversion rates for affiliate links, which matters as much as the commission percentage.

If your channel covers topics like budget PC builds, gaming setups, or home office tech, Newegg can be a strong revenue source that Best Buy simply cannot compete with.

Better Alternative 3: B&H Photo

B&H Photo runs one of the most respected affiliate programs in the photography and video production space. Their base commission is 2%, with the opportunity to earn more based on performance. That base rate alone is four times what Best Buy pays.

B&H covers photography products, video production equipment, computing products, audio products, and TV and entertainment gear. If you are in the creator economy — meaning your audience cares about cameras, lenses, microphones, audio interfaces, and studio monitors — B&H is the affiliate program built for that audience.

Their store is not a general retailer trying to be everything for everyone. It is a specialty destination that carries high-end gear, and the people who shop there tend to spend more per transaction. Larger average order values at a better commission rate means more money per referral.

Better Alternative 4: Walmart and Target

If some of your content covers categories like baby gear, home goods, or family products, both Walmart and Target have affiliate programs that pay better than Best Buy in those areas.

Target in particular pays 4% or more on baby gear and furniture. Best Buy lists baby gear as a qualifying category at their 0.5% rate. That means Target pays eight times more than Best Buy for the exact same type of purchase. If you have a parenting channel or lifestyle content that touches baby products, there is no reason to send that traffic to Best Buy.

Walmart’s affiliate program covers a wide range of household products, groceries, and general merchandise. Their commission rates are not extraordinary, but they are meaningfully better than Best Buy for most product categories, and Walmart does not restrict commissions to new customers only.

Not sure which affiliate program actually fits your content and audience?

Answer a few quick questions and get a personalized recommendation at finder.platformproof.com.

Honest Drawbacks of the Alternatives

I want to be fair here. The alternatives I listed are better than Best Buy, but none of them are perfect, and you should understand the trade-offs before you commit your content strategy to any single program.

Amazon Associates has cut its commission rates significantly over the years. The 2020 commission cut reduced rates on several popular categories, including electronics. Rates in the tech space sit at the lower end of Amazon’s range. Amazon also has a 24-hour cookie window, meaning if someone clicks your link but does not buy within 24 hours, you earn nothing. If they add to cart, you get a 90-day window, but only for that specific item.

Newegg has a more limited audience than Amazon. Their shoppers are tech-forward, which is great if that matches your niche, but if your audience is broader or less technical, conversion rates can be lower.

B&H Photo is a specialty retailer. Their 2% base commission is solid, but the audience is narrower. If your content does not align with photography, video, or audio production, their program may not be the right fit.

Target and Walmart affiliate programs are generally good for lifestyle, home, and family content, but they are not strong choices for tech or gaming niches. Their product selection overlaps with Best Buy in limited ways, and their commission rates in electronics tend to be modest.

The broader point is this: the right affiliate program is the one that matches your audience’s intent. A gaming channel should not be sending traffic to a baby gear program. A parenting blog should not be promoting GPU benchmarks. Match the affiliate program to what your audience actually comes to you to learn about.

How to Decide Which Program to Join

If you are standing at the starting line trying to figure out where to focus, here is a simple decision process based on content type:

General tech and consumer electronics: Start with Amazon Associates. Broad product selection, reasonable rates, massive buyer trust.
PC building, gaming hardware, components: Add Newegg alongside Amazon. Their audience intent is stronger for hardware purchases.
Photography, video, audio production: B&H Photo is your primary. Their catalog and commission structure are built for this audience.
Baby products, home goods, family content: Target pays 4% or more on baby gear. That is your strongest option over Best Buy or Walmart for those categories.
Surround sound, home theater: Amazon first, then Newegg or B&H for specialty audio equipment.
Best Buy: There is no content type where Best Buy is the right call. The 0.5% cap and the new-customer-only rule make it not worth your time regardless of your niche.

Find Your X

Choosing an affiliate program is really about matching a monetization method to your specific situation: your content type, your audience’s buying habits, and the income goal you are working toward. There is no single right answer for everyone, but there is definitely a wrong answer, and in this case it is the Best Buy affiliate program. The commission rates are too low, the restrictions are too tight, and the alternatives are too obviously better.

If you are not sure where to start or which income model fits your skills and audience, head to finder.platformproof.com. Answer a few questions about where you are and what you want, and you will get a clear recommendation for what to build first.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Best Buy actually have an affiliate program?

Yes, Best Buy does have an affiliate program. You can sign up and receive affiliate links for their products. The program exists. The problem is not the existence of the program but the terms: a maximum 0.5% commission on a narrow product list, zero commission on their most popular categories like laptops and Apple products, and commissions that only apply to new Best Buy customers.

What commission rate does Best Buy pay affiliates?

Best Buy pays up to 0.5% on qualifying product categories. That is half of one percent. They pay zero commission on laptops, tablets, desktops, video game hardware, virtual reality equipment, point of sale activation cards, and all Apple branded products. The categories that do qualify include TVs, Geek Squad services, fitness equipment excluding wearables, baby gear, and luggage.

Why doesn’t Best Buy pay commission on Apple products or laptops?

Best Buy does not publicly explain the reasoning in detail, but this is a common pattern with large retailers that have manufacturer restrictions or internal margin constraints. Apple products in particular tend to have tightly controlled distribution agreements. Whatever the reason, the result is the same for affiliates: the highest-intent, highest-traffic product categories pay nothing.

What is the new-customer-only rule and why does it matter?

Best Buy only pays commissions when the referred customer is making their first-ever purchase from Best Buy. If someone clicks your affiliate link but already has a Best Buy account and signs in, the transaction does not qualify and you earn nothing. Since Best Buy has tens of millions of existing customers, this condition eliminates a large share of the traffic you would normally expect to convert.

Is Amazon Associates better than the Best Buy affiliate program?

Yes, clearly. Amazon Associates pays between 1.5% and 10% depending on the product category. Even in the lower-paying electronics categories, Amazon’s rates are three to seven times higher than Best Buy’s 0.5% cap. Amazon also does not have a new-customer-only restriction, and their product catalog covers everything Best Buy sells plus far more. For most affiliates, Amazon is the logical starting point for physical product commissions.

Is Newegg a good affiliate program for gaming content?

Newegg is a strong option for gaming and PC hardware content. Their product catalog focuses on computer hardware, electronics, gaming and esports gear, smart home products, and tech accessories. The audience that shops on Newegg tends to have strong purchase intent, which can translate to better conversion rates for your affiliate links. If your content covers PC builds, peripherals, or hardware reviews, Newegg is worth adding to your affiliate stack alongside Amazon.

What does B&H Photo pay affiliates?

B&H Photo pays a base commission of 2%, with the opportunity to earn more based on sales volume. Their catalog covers photography products, video production equipment, computing, audio, and TV and entertainment gear. The 2% base rate is four times what Best Buy pays, and B&H is a respected destination for creators and professionals who are making considered, often high-ticket purchases in those categories.

Should I promote Best Buy at all, even as a secondary option?

There is no strong argument for including Best Buy affiliate links even as a secondary option. The 0.5% commission and the new-customer-only restriction mean the realistic earning potential is close to zero for most affiliates. Every hour you spend creating content around Best Buy links is an hour you could spend building content around programs that actually pay. Amazon, Newegg, B&H, Walmart, and Target all outperform Best Buy for virtually any content type. Use those instead.

Sources

Best Buy Affiliate Program commission rates (reviewed in video)
Amazon Associates commission rate schedule
Newegg affiliate program product categories
B&H Photo affiliate program terms (base 2% commission)
Target affiliate program rates for baby gear and furniture (4% or more)