How Deal Sites Make Money: Affiliate Links Explained Simply

Deal websites, deal apps and Telegram deal channels are free to use. So it is fair to ask: how do they pay for their team, servers and the hours spent hunting deals? For most of them — including us — the answer is affiliate links.

We think readers should know exactly how this works, so here it is in plain English, with no jargon.

What Is an Affiliate Link?

When a store wants more customers, it runs an affiliate programme. Websites and creators join the programme and get special links containing their own tracking tag. When someone clicks one of those links and buys something, the store knows who sent the customer and pays that website a small percentage of the sale.

Amazon runs the Amazon Associates programme in India. Many other stores work through affiliate networks such as EarnKaro, Cuelinks and others.

How Do Affiliate Links Work?

1. You click a deal link on a website or Telegram channel.
2. The store notes the tracking tag — usually with a cookie that lasts a short time.
3. You buy as usual on the store's own website or app.
4. The store pays a commission to the website once the order is complete and not returned.

Do Affiliate Links Cost You More?

No. The commission comes out of the store's marketing budget, not your pocket. The product, price, delivery, warranty and return policy are exactly the same whether you arrive through an affiliate link or by typing the store's address yourself.

How Much Do Deal Sites Earn per Sale?

Usually a small percentage of the order value. The exact rate depends on the store and the product category, and it is only paid when the purchase is completed and not cancelled or returned. On a ₹1,000 order, the commission is often a few tens of rupees — which is why deal sites need genuinely useful deals and a lot of happy readers to keep going.

Why Good Deal Sites Still Check Every Deal

Because commissions are small and only paid on kept orders, a deal site only earns if its deals are genuinely good. Posting fake or poor deals would lose readers quickly. That is why we check each deal before posting: the current price against the usual price, the reviews and the seller. Read how to check if a discount is real to use the same checks yourself.

How to Tell If a Link Is an Affiliate Link

• Amazon links may contain a tag= part near the end.
• Short links like amzn.to, fkrt.it or ekaro links are commonly used for tracking.
• Honest sites say so openly — we do, on our affiliate disclosure page.

Other Ways Deal Sites Earn Money

Some deal sites also show ads, which is why you may see Google ads on our pages. Ads help keep the site free and have no say in which deals we choose. A few sites offer cashback, where they share part of their commission with you; we do not run a cashback programme.

Is It Safe to Buy Through Affiliate Links?

Yes, as long as the link opens the real store. You are buying from Amazon, Flipkart or another store directly, with the same protection, warranty and returns as always. If you ever land on an unfamiliar website, close it — see our Telegram deal channel safety guide for more tips.

Final Word

Affiliate links are how most free deal services pay their bills, and they do not change your price. What matters is whether the site is open about it and whether its deals are genuinely good. Browse today's picks on Today's Deals.