Too many choices make it easy to fall prey to a serious case of paralysis by analysis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But where many affiliates trip themselves up is looking for ultra-niche programs to promote\u2026completely overlooking the big brands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Being a Microsoft affiliate is a perfect example of something many affiliates won\u2019t have even considered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And they\u2019re not sure why.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So we decided to take a deep dive and do a thorough Microsoft affiliate program review for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Let\u2019s see what we found.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Microsoft<\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"Microsoft](https://www.authorityhacker.com/"https:////www.authorityhacker.com//wp-content//uploads//2022//01//microsoft-homepage-screenshot-1024x364.png/")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nMicrosoft<\/a> has been around since long before home computers were a thing.<\/p>\n\n\n\nSo, although the company was founded in 1980, Bill Gates and Paul Allen had been tinkering with (and selling) computers and software since 1972.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The company was a small scale operation until they landed a contract with IBM to create an operating system for the soon-to-be-released IBM PC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But instead of actually developing their own product, Gates and Allen instead bought an OS from a local Seattle software developer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And now 40 years later Bill Gates is the richest man in the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Which is pretty much the best example of thinking outside the box in modern history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The other one was whoever invented sliced bread.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Since then Microsoft has grown to be a giant in both software and hardware products, particularly in the consumer market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This includes hardware and software, apps, games, and productivity tools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So let\u2019s take a look at the types of products you\u2019ll be able to earn money from as a Microsoft affiliate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What Products Can You Promote?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Before we get to what you can make money with, it\u2019s just as important to cover off the products that Microsoft does not pay commission on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s actually a pretty long list, but here are the main products or services to watch out for:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n- Windows<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Microsoft Band<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Windows Mixed VR<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Microsoft Visual Studio<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Xbox Game Pass trials<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Microsoft 365 trials<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s a real pain in the ass not to be able to promote their flagship Windows products as a Microsoft affiliate, for example.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But then again, you could always fall back on Amazon<\/a> because they\u2019re still willing to pay you 2.5% commission on sales of Windows software products.<\/p>\n\n\n\nNote: We discuss the above idea in more detail later on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So now that we\u2019ve gotten the bad news out of the way, let\u2019s look at all the Microsoft goodies you can sell:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n- Xbox console, games and accessories<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Xbox Game Pass<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Surface tablets and accessories<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Movies and TV shows from the Windows store<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- eBooks<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Office 365 subscriptions<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- All apps from the Microsoft store<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Computers (desktops and laptops)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Computer hardware and peripherals<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
So if your audience likes gaming PCS the Microsoft site has at least one for them:<\/p>\n\n\n
\n![\"Microsoft](https://www.authorityhacker.com/"https:////www.authorityhacker.com//wp-content//uploads//2022//01//microsoft-products-1024x269.png/")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nOr maybe they just want an Office 365 subscription for their entire family, plus the 1TB of free cloud storage they get as part of that:<\/p>\n\n\n
\n![\"Microsoft](https://www.authorityhacker.com/"https:////www.authorityhacker.com//wp-content//uploads//2022//01//microsoft-subscription-pricing-1024x267.png/")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nAnd then there are the people who just want the social clout of owning something like the Surface Studio 2.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n![\"Microsoft](https://www.authorityhacker.com/"https:////www.authorityhacker.com//wp-content//uploads//2022//01//microsoft-surface-studio-1024x364.png/")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nPeople like me, for example. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
What we\u2019re getting at is that the Microsoft affiliate program has a product to fit most niche sites that revolve around electronics<\/a>, smartphones, business, or even home lifestyle products.<\/p>\n\n\n\nAnd you won\u2019t have to do much pre-selling here \u2013 everyone on this planet knows who Microsoft is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How does the Microsoft affiliate program work?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
You can sign up for this affiliate program via a number of different networks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Rakuten Advertising affiliate network<\/a> appears to be their primary affiliate marketing partner internationally.<\/p>\n\n\n\nRakuten also seems to be in the early days of finally upgrading their affiliate portal\/dashboard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Yay!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tradedoubler<\/a> is another option for signing up for this program if you\u2019re an affiliate based in the UK<\/a> or Ireland.<\/p>\n\n\n\nAnd then finally, FlexOffers<\/a> provides you with a way to become a Microsoft affiliate, but you\u2019ll make money based on a reduced commission rate. This is because you\u2019ll be a sub-affiliate via FlexOffers<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nSigning up for any of the above affiliate networks will require your name, email address, and some basic business info.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As with the affiliate program for any big brand, your site will need to be family-friendly, accessible, free of hate speech, minus pornography, etc., etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Basically, if you\u2019d be ashamed to show your website to your mother then the Microsoft affiliate program manager will probably feel the same way when they review your application.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With that said, just make sure you apply to the correction version of the program \u2013 they have separate programs for the US, Canada<\/a>, Asia\/Pacific (APAC), Latin America, New Zealand<\/a>, and Australia<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nSo\u2026once you\u2019re approved, let\u2019s review what you can earn as a Microsoft program affiliate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Microsoft Commission Structure<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
As is the case with most big affiliate programs, Microsoft pays different commission rates on different products sold through affiliate links.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And that can make things really confusing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One flat commission rate across the board would obviously be far better for you in terms of both managing offers and predicting your income.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Like a flat 10% commission rate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But that\u2019s not what\u2019s on offer here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So here\u2019s my attempt at making Microsoft\u2019s multiple commission rates that bit easier to understand:<\/p>\n\n\n
\n![\"Microsoft](https://www.authorityhacker.com/"https:////www.authorityhacker.com//wp-content//uploads//2022//01//microsoft-commission-rates-1024x304.png/")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nThe highest commission rates are paid to affiliates promoting their Xbox games, movies, and TV episodes through their affiliate links.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That was an unexpected finding, but it allows you to focus your attention where it belongs\u2026and not where your gut instinct might bring you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The next best commission rate is for what they refer to as \u2018Other Office Products\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This simply means purchases of Microsoft Office products that are not available via subscription \u2013 basically any \u201cOffice\u201d software that is not Office 365.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So that\u2019s worth knowing because this program also has a list of products where you get paid a fixed amount per lead. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fortunately, this is far less confusing:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n- Office 365 monthly subscription – $5<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Office 365 annual subscription \u2013 $10<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Xbox Game Pass (PC) – $1.30<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Xbox Game Pass Ultimate – $1.50<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
But the nuance here is that an Office 365 subscription will only put $5 in your pocket whereas a \u201cboxed\u201d version of Office will probably earn you 5x as much.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So you can go with items that earn money based on a percentage affiliate commission, or just focus on the CPA offers instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And remember, because this is not the Amazon Associates<\/a> program there are a number of ways for you to promote this affiliate program \u2013 blog, YouTube<\/a>, or even social media.<\/p>\n\n\n\nIf the listed commission rates look on the low side of things in comparison to say VPN affiliate programs<\/a>, well\u2026they are.<\/p>\n\n\n\nBut they\u2019re also pretty standard in terms of what\u2019s offered by other programs in this niche.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A big company typically means big overheads and usually pretty thin margins to offer its affiliates. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Or that\u2019s what they tell us. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Microsoft Affiliate Program Reviews<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Now, this part of the research was really interesting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Why?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Because it\u2019s usually really<\/em> easy to find tons of affiliates bitching about a given affiliate marketing program.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s par for the course in blogging \u2013 affiliate programs take a hammering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
All that\u2019s usually left is sifting through them to find the most outrageous ones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But that wasn\u2019t the case with the Microsoft affiliate program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And believe me, I spent hours scanning forums and other popular rage outlets for any outpourings of anger because Microsoft didn\u2019t pay somebody, or kicked somebody out of the program for no reason.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Every search resulted in the same outcome for me \u2013 no negative feedback.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here\u2019s one of the very few examples I found online, comparing Microsoft\u2019s program to Amazon\u2019s offering:<\/p>\n\n\n
\n![\"Microsoft](https://www.authorityhacker.com/"https:////www.authorityhacker.com//wp-content//uploads//2022//01//microsoft-affiliate-program-review-1024x304.png/")
Source: quora<\/a><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nAnd as you can see it\u2019s not really negative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I tracked down another article on Medium (via Reddit) where one company was pissed at the way Microsoft handled their transition away from Tradedoubler to Impact Radius.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n![\"Microsoft](https://www.authorityhacker.com/"https:////www.authorityhacker.com//wp-content//uploads//2022//01//microsoft-affiliate-revenue-1024x340.png/")
Source: Medium<\/a><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nBut that was only because they lost a ton of money due to the hiccups caused by the change i.e. nobody told them it was happening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The thing is the above screenshot actually reinforces something about this affiliate program \u2013 the annoyed people were making stacks\u2019o\u2019cash promoting the Microsoft affiliate program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Also, as part of researching articles like this, I\u2019ll typically reach out to the relevant affiliate program manager with a question or two.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To their credit Microsoft\u2019s affiliate manager was super responsive when I reached out to him \u2013 I think he replied to me in under an hour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That might not seem like a big deal to you, but I usually get a 20% response rate with that stuff \u2013 80% of affiliate managers never bother replying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But Microsoft\u2019s reply was almost instant, while also directly answering my question…and he even managed to come across as friendly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That tells me a lot about how an affiliate program is run internally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It should tell you a lot too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Why not use Amazon instead?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
That\u2019s a really good question \u2013 I mean, why even bother with the Microsoft program at all?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While Amazon is definitely an option for any affiliate declined for Microsoft\u2019s program, it\u2019s not an affiliate El Dorado either.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And that\u2019s for a couple of reasons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The first is that Amazon only offers a 24-hour cookie whereas Microsoft instead offers a 14-day cookie. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Yes, Amazon is an affiliate conversion machine…but that 1-day cookie can be tough to work with if somebody is about to drop two grand on a Surface tablet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That\u2019s not exactly an impulse buy, right?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The next issue is that although Amazon is the biggest e-commerce platform on Earth (for now) they also cannot stock everything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And that includes every single Microsoft product in existence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In Amazon\u2019s case, they actually have a pretty weak selection of Microsoft products…which are regularly out of stock.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That means you\u2019d have to choose products that will both convert well with your audience and where you don\u2019t get screwed by Amazon because of a lower commission rate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Not quite as easy as it sounds, eh?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The same applies to using the eBay affiliate program<\/a> instead of Microsoft\u2019s program\u2013 you\u2019re going to have to work to find offers that match what your audience wants.<\/p>\n\n\n\nAnd in the case of some unscrupulous eBay sellers, pray that the software license is legit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, on review, there are alternatives you can use but going direct with Microsoft is quite probably the easiest solution here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Weighing it up<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nSo now that we\u2019ve turned the Microsoft affiliate program inside out and upside down, let\u2019s try to give you a TLDR version of whether or not it\u2019s worth your while.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pros<\/h4>\n\n\n\n\n- You\u2019ll never have to pre-sell Microsoft products to your audience<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Hundreds of products suitable for geeks and normies alike<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Reasonably competitive commission rates to earn money with<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- You can choose between a percentage-based commission or CPA offers<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Huge range of constantly updated creatives- they have their finger on the pulse<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Their 14-day cookie is 14x better than Amazon\u2019s<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- You can make affiliate cash selling apps, games, hardware and other software<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- An ideal affiliate program for bloggers<\/a> working in related niches<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Cons<\/h4>\n\n\n\n\n- Not getting paid for promoting their Windows products is bloody stupid<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Commission rates as low as 1% on a completely undefined list of products<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Nothing approaching a 10% commission rate<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
![\"Microsoft](https://www.authorityhacker.com/"https:////www.authorityhacker.com//wp-content//uploads//2022//01//microsoft-affiliate-commissions-1024x158.png/")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nURL: <\/strong>Microsoft affiliate program<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nCommission<\/strong>: Up to 7% or $10 per lead<\/p>\n\n\n\nPayment schedule:<\/strong> Net 60<\/p>\n\n\n\nPayment threshold:<\/strong> $50<\/p>\n\n\n\nCookie duration:<\/strong> 14 days<\/p>\n\n\n\nSummary<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
And that brings us to the end of our Microsoft affiliate program review post.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As you can see, their affiliate program is far from perfect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The obvious gaps in their product offerings is annoying, to say the least.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You really do need to read the fine print when it comes to what they pay commission on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But you have their huge market presence working in your favor for pretty much everything else they create.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And some of their commission rates are pretty impressive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example, you could go super-niche and earn commissions of up to 7% for selling Xbox games through your affiliate links.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The same goes for TV shows and movies in the Microsoft\/Windows store \u2013 there\u2019s a lot of potential there to earn commissions in the 7% range.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And let\u2019s not forget software products like Office 365 \u2013 they almost completely dominate that market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You could build a very profitable niche<\/a> site just promoting their Office 365 products alone. <\/p>\n\n\n\nSo, for all its flaws, there\u2019s still the potential for affiliates to make money with this program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The kind of money that buys personal and financial freedom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The trick is to get the basics of affiliate marketing right before you do anything else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And that\u2019s exactly the kind of stuff we share with you in our free training<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nYou\u2019ll learn how to research a niche, choose keywords, and get a basic affiliate site online.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pretty much everything you need to make money as an affiliate marketer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Completely free of charge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nMicrosoft<\/a> has been around since long before home computers were a thing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So, although the company was founded in 1980, Bill Gates and Paul Allen had been tinkering with (and selling) computers and software since 1972.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The company was a small scale operation until they landed a contract with IBM to create an operating system for the soon-to-be-released IBM PC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But instead of actually developing their own product, Gates and Allen instead bought an OS from a local Seattle software developer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And now 40 years later Bill Gates is the richest man in the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Which is pretty much the best example of thinking outside the box in modern history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The other one was whoever invented sliced bread.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Since then Microsoft has grown to be a giant in both software and hardware products, particularly in the consumer market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This includes hardware and software, apps, games, and productivity tools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So let\u2019s take a look at the types of products you\u2019ll be able to earn money from as a Microsoft affiliate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Before we get to what you can make money with, it\u2019s just as important to cover off the products that Microsoft does not pay commission on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s actually a pretty long list, but here are the main products or services to watch out for:<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s a real pain in the ass not to be able to promote their flagship Windows products as a Microsoft affiliate, for example.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But then again, you could always fall back on Amazon<\/a> because they\u2019re still willing to pay you 2.5% commission on sales of Windows software products.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Note: We discuss the above idea in more detail later on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So now that we\u2019ve gotten the bad news out of the way, let\u2019s look at all the Microsoft goodies you can sell:<\/p>\n\n\n\n So if your audience likes gaming PCS the Microsoft site has at least one for them:<\/p>\n\n\n Or maybe they just want an Office 365 subscription for their entire family, plus the 1TB of free cloud storage they get as part of that:<\/p>\n\n\n And then there are the people who just want the social clout of owning something like the Surface Studio 2.<\/p>\n\n\n People like me, for example. <\/p>\n\n\n\n What we\u2019re getting at is that the Microsoft affiliate program has a product to fit most niche sites that revolve around electronics<\/a>, smartphones, business, or even home lifestyle products.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And you won\u2019t have to do much pre-selling here \u2013 everyone on this planet knows who Microsoft is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can sign up for this affiliate program via a number of different networks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Rakuten Advertising affiliate network<\/a> appears to be their primary affiliate marketing partner internationally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Rakuten also seems to be in the early days of finally upgrading their affiliate portal\/dashboard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yay!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tradedoubler<\/a> is another option for signing up for this program if you\u2019re an affiliate based in the UK<\/a> or Ireland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And then finally, FlexOffers<\/a> provides you with a way to become a Microsoft affiliate, but you\u2019ll make money based on a reduced commission rate. This is because you\u2019ll be a sub-affiliate via FlexOffers<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Signing up for any of the above affiliate networks will require your name, email address, and some basic business info.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As with the affiliate program for any big brand, your site will need to be family-friendly, accessible, free of hate speech, minus pornography, etc., etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Basically, if you\u2019d be ashamed to show your website to your mother then the Microsoft affiliate program manager will probably feel the same way when they review your application.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With that said, just make sure you apply to the correction version of the program \u2013 they have separate programs for the US, Canada<\/a>, Asia\/Pacific (APAC), Latin America, New Zealand<\/a>, and Australia<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So\u2026once you\u2019re approved, let\u2019s review what you can earn as a Microsoft program affiliate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As is the case with most big affiliate programs, Microsoft pays different commission rates on different products sold through affiliate links.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And that can make things really confusing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One flat commission rate across the board would obviously be far better for you in terms of both managing offers and predicting your income.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Like a flat 10% commission rate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But that\u2019s not what\u2019s on offer here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So here\u2019s my attempt at making Microsoft\u2019s multiple commission rates that bit easier to understand:<\/p>\n\n\n The highest commission rates are paid to affiliates promoting their Xbox games, movies, and TV episodes through their affiliate links.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That was an unexpected finding, but it allows you to focus your attention where it belongs\u2026and not where your gut instinct might bring you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The next best commission rate is for what they refer to as \u2018Other Office Products\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This simply means purchases of Microsoft Office products that are not available via subscription \u2013 basically any \u201cOffice\u201d software that is not Office 365.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So that\u2019s worth knowing because this program also has a list of products where you get paid a fixed amount per lead. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Fortunately, this is far less confusing:<\/p>\n\n\n\n But the nuance here is that an Office 365 subscription will only put $5 in your pocket whereas a \u201cboxed\u201d version of Office will probably earn you 5x as much.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So you can go with items that earn money based on a percentage affiliate commission, or just focus on the CPA offers instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And remember, because this is not the Amazon Associates<\/a> program there are a number of ways for you to promote this affiliate program \u2013 blog, YouTube<\/a>, or even social media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If the listed commission rates look on the low side of things in comparison to say VPN affiliate programs<\/a>, well\u2026they are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But they\u2019re also pretty standard in terms of what\u2019s offered by other programs in this niche.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A big company typically means big overheads and usually pretty thin margins to offer its affiliates. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Or that\u2019s what they tell us. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Now, this part of the research was really interesting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Why?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Because it\u2019s usually really<\/em> easy to find tons of affiliates bitching about a given affiliate marketing program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That\u2019s par for the course in blogging \u2013 affiliate programs take a hammering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n All that\u2019s usually left is sifting through them to find the most outrageous ones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But that wasn\u2019t the case with the Microsoft affiliate program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And believe me, I spent hours scanning forums and other popular rage outlets for any outpourings of anger because Microsoft didn\u2019t pay somebody, or kicked somebody out of the program for no reason.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Every search resulted in the same outcome for me \u2013 no negative feedback.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here\u2019s one of the very few examples I found online, comparing Microsoft\u2019s program to Amazon\u2019s offering:<\/p>\n\n\n And as you can see it\u2019s not really negative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I tracked down another article on Medium (via Reddit) where one company was pissed at the way Microsoft handled their transition away from Tradedoubler to Impact Radius.<\/p>\n\n\n But that was only because they lost a ton of money due to the hiccups caused by the change i.e. nobody told them it was happening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The thing is the above screenshot actually reinforces something about this affiliate program \u2013 the annoyed people were making stacks\u2019o\u2019cash promoting the Microsoft affiliate program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Also, as part of researching articles like this, I\u2019ll typically reach out to the relevant affiliate program manager with a question or two.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To their credit Microsoft\u2019s affiliate manager was super responsive when I reached out to him \u2013 I think he replied to me in under an hour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That might not seem like a big deal to you, but I usually get a 20% response rate with that stuff \u2013 80% of affiliate managers never bother replying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But Microsoft\u2019s reply was almost instant, while also directly answering my question…and he even managed to come across as friendly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That tells me a lot about how an affiliate program is run internally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It should tell you a lot too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That\u2019s a really good question \u2013 I mean, why even bother with the Microsoft program at all?<\/p>\n\n\n\n While Amazon is definitely an option for any affiliate declined for Microsoft\u2019s program, it\u2019s not an affiliate El Dorado either.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And that\u2019s for a couple of reasons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The first is that Amazon only offers a 24-hour cookie whereas Microsoft instead offers a 14-day cookie. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Yes, Amazon is an affiliate conversion machine…but that 1-day cookie can be tough to work with if somebody is about to drop two grand on a Surface tablet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That\u2019s not exactly an impulse buy, right?<\/p>\n\n\n\n The next issue is that although Amazon is the biggest e-commerce platform on Earth (for now) they also cannot stock everything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And that includes every single Microsoft product in existence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In Amazon\u2019s case, they actually have a pretty weak selection of Microsoft products…which are regularly out of stock.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That means you\u2019d have to choose products that will both convert well with your audience and where you don\u2019t get screwed by Amazon because of a lower commission rate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Not quite as easy as it sounds, eh?<\/p>\n\n\n\n The same applies to using the eBay affiliate program<\/a> instead of Microsoft\u2019s program\u2013 you\u2019re going to have to work to find offers that match what your audience wants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And in the case of some unscrupulous eBay sellers, pray that the software license is legit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So, on review, there are alternatives you can use but going direct with Microsoft is quite probably the easiest solution here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So now that we\u2019ve turned the Microsoft affiliate program inside out and upside down, let\u2019s try to give you a TLDR version of whether or not it\u2019s worth your while.<\/p>\n\n\n\n URL: <\/strong>Microsoft affiliate program<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Commission<\/strong>: Up to 7% or $10 per lead<\/p>\n\n\n\n Payment schedule:<\/strong> Net 60<\/p>\n\n\n\n Payment threshold:<\/strong> $50<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cookie duration:<\/strong> 14 days<\/p>\n\n\n\n And that brings us to the end of our Microsoft affiliate program review post.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As you can see, their affiliate program is far from perfect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The obvious gaps in their product offerings is annoying, to say the least.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You really do need to read the fine print when it comes to what they pay commission on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But you have their huge market presence working in your favor for pretty much everything else they create.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And some of their commission rates are pretty impressive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For example, you could go super-niche and earn commissions of up to 7% for selling Xbox games through your affiliate links.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The same goes for TV shows and movies in the Microsoft\/Windows store \u2013 there\u2019s a lot of potential there to earn commissions in the 7% range.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And let\u2019s not forget software products like Office 365 \u2013 they almost completely dominate that market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You could build a very profitable niche<\/a> site just promoting their Office 365 products alone. <\/p>\n\n\n\n So, for all its flaws, there\u2019s still the potential for affiliates to make money with this program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The kind of money that buys personal and financial freedom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The trick is to get the basics of affiliate marketing right before you do anything else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And that\u2019s exactly the kind of stuff we share with you in our free training<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You\u2019ll learn how to research a niche, choose keywords, and get a basic affiliate site online.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pretty much everything you need to make money as an affiliate marketer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Completely free of charge.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhat Products Can You Promote?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nHow does the Microsoft affiliate program work?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Microsoft Commission Structure<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Microsoft Affiliate Program Reviews<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Why not use Amazon instead?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Weighing it up<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Pros<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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Cons<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nSummary<\/h2>\n\n\n\n