You have decided affiliate marketing is the right way into Western markets. Now what? This playbook walks through how to launch an affiliate programme in the UK, EU and US, step by step, with the specific points Chinese brands need to get right.
If you are still weighing up the channel, start with why affiliate marketing is the smartest way to enter a new market.
Step 1: Choose your first market
Do not launch everywhere at once. Pick one market, prove the model, then expand. Consider:
- Demand: where is search interest and category spend strongest for your product?
- Operations: can you deliver quickly, handle returns and offer local customer service?
- Compliance: what product, labelling and advertising rules apply?
- Partner ecosystem: are there strong publishers and creators in your category?
The UK is often a good first step: a mature affiliate market, English-language content that also reaches other markets, and a single set of rules to learn.
Step 2: Get your store ready to convert
Partners will only keep promoting you if their traffic converts. Before launch, make sure you have:
- A localised website or store with local currency, prices that include tax, and native-quality copy (not machine translation).
- Clear delivery times and costs, ideally from local warehouses.
- A simple returns policy and responsive customer service in the local language.
- Reviews and trust signals on product pages.
Step 3: Sort out compliance
Compliance is not optional, and it is a common blind spot for brands new to the West.
- EU product safety: since 13 December 2024, the EU General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR) has required an EU-based economic operator responsible for each product placed on the EU market. Online listings must also show manufacturer details, product identification and safety information.
- UK advertising disclosure: the Advertising Standards Authority treats affiliate content as advertising. Ads must be obviously identifiable upfront, for example with “Ad”, and the ASA has ruled “#affiliate” alone is not enough. Both the brand and the affiliate are responsible.
- US disclosure: the Federal Trade Commission expects affiliates to disclose their relationship with the brand “clearly and conspicuously”, close to the link, in language shoppers understand.
Put these rules in your partner terms and check content regularly. This is general guidance, not legal advice; take specialist advice for your products.
Step 4: Choose a tracking platform or network
Your tracking platform records clicks and sales, attributes them to partners and handles payments. Options range from large networks with built-in publisher marketplaces to software-as-a-service platforms you manage yourself. The platforms we work with include Impact.com, CJ, Rakuten, Partnerize, Everflow and PartnerBoost.
When choosing, compare the size of the publisher base in your market and category, tracking accuracy (including cross-device and app), fees, reporting and how easy it is to pay partners in different currencies.
Step 5: Design your commission structure
Set commission rates that work for your margins and are competitive in your category. Consider:
- A base CPA rate for all partners, with higher tiers for top performers.
- Different rates for new and returning customers.
- A budget for fixed-fee placements on high-value editorial and creator content.
- Clear rules on voucher codes, brand-term bidding and cashback to protect margin.
See how affiliate deals are priced for the main models.
Step 6: Build your partner kit
Make it easy for partners to feature you. Prepare a short brand story written for Western audiences, product information and specifications, high-resolution images and video, key selling points versus competitors, product samples for review, and a named contact who replies quickly.
Step 7: Recruit the right partners
This is where programmes succeed or fail. Joining a network does not mean publishers will find you. Prioritise partners that match your positioning, then approach them personally with a tailored pitch. Our guide to what Western publishers look for before they promote a new brand explains what gets a yes.
Step 8: Launch, measure and optimise
Track sales, conversion rate, average order value, returns and new-customer share by partner. Review monthly. Reward partners who deliver, fix what is not converting and add new partner types as you learn. Once the first market is working, repeat the process for the next.
A launch checklist
- First market chosen
- Localised store, delivery and returns in place
- Product and advertising compliance checked
- Tracking platform set up and tested
- Commission structure and fixed-fee budget agreed
- Partner kit ready, samples available
- Priority partner list built and outreach started
- Monthly reporting set up
Want help with any of these steps? Red Thread runs affiliate programmes for Chinese brands in the West, from strategy to day-to-day management. See our services or book a call.
Planning a specific market? Read our step-by-step guide to launching an affiliate programme in Europe, and see how we work in Europe and the US.
FAQs
How long does it take to launch an affiliate programme?
Setting up tracking and terms can take a few weeks. Recruiting and activating strong partners is ongoing, but most brands can have a first group of partners live within one to three months.
Do I need an affiliate network or can I run the programme myself?
You can do either. Networks bring an existing publisher base; SaaS platforms give you more control. Either way, you still need people to recruit and manage partners.
Can one programme cover the UK, EU and US?
Technically yes, but most brands run separate programmes or campaigns per market, with local currencies, commission rates, partners and compliance.
