Looking to monetize your book blog or literary website?
Dive into the world of affiliate marketing with the top book affiliate programs.
Whether you’re passionate about fiction, non-fiction, or niche genres, these affiliate programs offer lucrative opportunities to earn commissions while sharing your love of literature.
From renowned online retailers to specialized book clubs, we’ve curated a comprehensive list of the best book affiliate programs to help you turn your passion for reading into a profitable venture.
Explore our selection and start earning today!
Best Book Affiliate Programs.
Here are the best book affiliate programs:
1. Barnes & Noble.
Barnes & Noble is a survivor of the digital reading revolution.
They adapted better than others, launching the Nook e-reader to compete with the Kindle.
Their analog book business has also been successful, with the company claiming the title of #1 bookstore in the US, with 1 million titles in stock at any given time.
They remain competitive by selling not just novels and children’s books, but also student textbooks.
Because, contrary to popular belief, printed books continue to have a large market.
Sit down.
You’re unlikely to retire on the money you receive from referring new clients to Barnes & Noble, which pays a 2% affiliate commission.
And their EPC is small.
The only reasons why they pass the line here are:
- Brand name – You won’t have to work to market the brand name.
- Their ‘Network’ Earnings score indicates that their affiliates are generating money.
So, join their affiliate program, but don’t go exclusively with them.
- URL: Barnes & Noble
- Commission: 2%
- EPC: $4.77
- Cookie duration: 1 day
2. Bigger Books.
Between 2001 and 2014, Bigger Books was a prominent e-tailer of both old and new college textbooks.
That was the year they started offering textbook rentals, simply because many students couldn’t buy the textbooks they required for the next semester.
However, they also provide a comprehensive choice of eTextbooks, which replace bulky books with e-reader files.
They’re also eager to purchase your old textbooks, which reduces the expense of investing in them in the first place.
This affiliate program offers a 5.5% commission on all textbook sales and rentals, with an average payout of $4.98 per sale.
Their ‘Power Rank’ score and EPC indicate that they have a lot of affiliates generating money.
In addition, they have an 18% conversion rate.
When you consider that education is the most successful affiliate category (the average education website generates more than $15,500, according to our affiliate marketing data), this program is undoubtedly one of the best book affiliate programs available.
- URL: Bigger Books
- Commission: Up to 6.5%
- EPC: $90.42
- Cookie duration: 30 days
3. Thrift Books.
I became a huge admirer of purchasing old books around a decade ago when I accomplished a key bucket list goal: spend a year reading.
Used books were my “go-to” since I could get a full box of them for the price of one new hardback novel.
Unfortunately, I was unaware of ThriftBooks at the time, even though it has since grown to become the largest online retailer of used books in the USA.
As of the time of writing, they have seven million books in stock, ranging from kid’s classics to the newest fiction thrillers, as well as rare and valuable items.
You are not sure how to sell secondhand books to your target audience?
Tell them that reading previously owned books reduces their carbon impact.
Which is completely true.
As an affiliate marketer, you’ll get a 5% commission on each sale that your visitors make.
However, if you generate more than $10,000 in sales every month, you will get an 8% commission.
It’s always wonderful to see a vendor give a sliding scale to top high performers since it motivates other affiliate marketers to work hard to rise to the next level.
- URL: ThriftBooks
- Commission: 5%
- EPC: $21.85
- Cookie duration: 7 days
4. Second Sale.
When I landed on the homepage of Second Sale, a used book expert, two things struck me:
- They have the worst header I’ve seen in years!
- They have more than 10 million secondhand books in stock.
But you shouldn’t ever judge a book by its cover; we’ll explain why later.
They are willing to sell your visitor’s books for as low as $3.78.
However, they are equally willing to purchase used books from your visitors, or anybody else for that matter.
They also provide standard shipping for free on almost every book they have in stock.
While we condemned their header for being ugly, these people turn more than 30% of their visitors into affiliate sales.
If you’re not sure if that’s good or bad, believe me when I say it’s outstanding.
So, even if you believe their website is outdated or disorganized, they’re keeping both new and current consumers extremely pleased.
And it is considerably more significant than a few design flaws.
- URL: Second Sale
- Commission: 5%
- EPC: $81.03
- Cookie duration: 90 days
5. Calendar Club.
Yes, I understand it says Calendar Club.
And no, they don’t solely offer calendars.
In reality, they’re more of a family-oriented bookstore, offering a large selection of entertaining and instructive items for kids.
However, they also provide adult lifestyle and motivational books.
I enjoy how they’ve organized their books so you can select certain authors, activities like bedtime books, or even the kind of book you want to read – comedy, sports, travel, entertainment, and so on.
A wonderful touch is that they have locations in the United States and the United Kingdom, so they can cater to either regional or worldwide customers.
Affiliate marketers are paid a 5% commission on all book sales, but you’ll get a 10% commission on any further calendar purchases.
Another thing worth noticing is that they provide a 45-day cookie, which is 44 days longer than some of the other affiliate marketing programs mentioned there.
Who doesn’t provide a 7-day cookie these days?
- URL: Calendar Club
- Commission: Up to 10%
- EPC: $26.81
- Cookie duration: 45 days
6. Eagle Saver.
Eagle Saver does not want to sell you anything.
Instead, they want to purchase your secondhand books (along with CDs, DVDs, and games) for cash.
That includes a single copy of a book, as well as boxes of the same title, for which they offer a specific “bulk checkout” option.
You also won’t have to wait for payment; the money will be in your PayPal or bank account 24 hours after Eagle Saver gets your books.
If you’re concerned about shipping expenses, don’t worry; you can choose FedEx or UPS and print the shipping label. Eagle Saver bears the financial cost for you.
The site looks and feels outdated, but how are their affiliates doing?
Their affiliates are performing really well due to the 28% conversion rate, 5% commission, and 45-day cookie period.
What more do you want from an affiliate program?
I mean, besides getting paid to do nothing, which is highly unlikely.
- URL: Eagle Saver
- Commission: 5%
- EPC: $78.70
- Cookie duration: 45 days
7. Vital Source.
You can purchase a small collection of paper textbooks for your college course.
Or, you could buy eTextbooks from Vital Source instead to save trees.
Because of the high expense of purchasing textbooks, some students may choose to do without, lowering their marks.
Vital Source allows students to choose the precise eTextbooks they want, yet for up to 80% off standard costs.
This is feasible since this firm works with 7,000 educational institutions, 500 retailers, and 1,000 publishers.
As a result, they may negotiate better pricing on behalf of all students.
To successfully monetize this offer, your audience needs to comprise a high number of students.
However, if you do, you can get a 3% commission for each customer you refer to them.
And you have 30 days to convert that interested visitor into a paying lead.
- URL: Vital Source
- Commission: 3%
- EPC: $53.28
- Cookie duration: 30 days
8. Premier Collectibles.
Finally, we’ll look into Premier Collectibles, which sells a wide range of rare and unique books.
If you’re a book addict (like me), you undoubtedly fantasize about one day walking into a used bookstore and finding an autographed first edition of “The Hobbit”.
While that is unlikely to happen, one may always hope.
In the meantime, Premier Collectibles may have an autographed first edition of the book you’re looking for.
Or perhaps an autographed copy of their favorite author’s book.
Either way, this is one of those genuinely unique affiliate marketing programs that you can promote for both pleasure and profit.
Autographed books and first editions are often priced in the hundreds, but may even be worth tens of thousands.
And, regardless of the book’s worth, you will get a 15% commission on each sale.
Which may amount to thousands of dollars for selling a single book.
- URL: Premier Collectibles
- Commission: 15%
- EPC: $34.25
- Cookie duration: 60 days
Conclusion.
Harnessing the power of book affiliate programs can significantly enhance your website’s revenue potential while also enriching your readers’ literary experiences.
By partnering with reputable book retailers and clubs, you not only earn commissions but also provide valuable recommendations to your audience.
Remember to continuously evaluate and optimize your affiliate strategies to maximize your earnings.
Whether you’re a book blogger, reviewer, or enthusiast, these top affiliate programs offer a pathway to monetize your passion for literature effectively.
Embrace the opportunities they present, and embark on a journey towards financial success in the world of book affiliate marketing.
