It’s no great secret that I’m quite a big fan of Clickbank. I made my first ever affiliate commission on the platform over 10 years ago, and have enjoyed using Clickbank ever since.
One question I get asked from time to time is: “how does Clickbank work?”
It’s a bit of an open-ended question, and most of this has already been covered in my Clickbank review, but I thought I’d take the time to actually explain it in a bit more detail.
So here you have my 101 guide to the way Clickbank functions.
What Is Clickbank?
Clickbank is an affiliate network.
It provides a platform for vendors to sell their products (usually digital information products). It also provides a system for affiliates to make money by promoting those products. Finally, it also looks after the customers by ensuring that their personal information is kept safe when shopping, and that you actually get access to the products that you’ve paid for.
Clickbank For Vendors
A vendor is a person/business that wants to sell a product.
Historically, Clickbank has been a popular option for vendors of digital information products and software. These days, it is still primarily focused on info products and software but there are also a few physical products on there as well.
Clickbank handles the payment processing, affiliate payments and product access for customers on your behalf. You just create your product, create a sales website/page, and then set up the price details etc in Clickbank.
Clickbank For Affiliates
In the affiliate marketing world, Clickbank is a very famous name indeed. Just about every successful affiliate marketer out there has probably pushed a Clickbank offer or two during their time. In fact, I know some successful “super affiliates” who basically refuse to use any other platform.
Clickbank For Customers
From a customer’s perspective, there’s not really too much to say about Clickbank, other than:
- It provides a safe gateway for purchasing.
- It helps ensure that you get the product you’re paying for (normally you will receive your access immediately after payment)
- You can fall back on Clickbank to – usually -take your side during a dispute with a vendor.
Conclusion
Fundamentally, Clickbank is a platform that brings together three distinct parties:
- Vendors – people who have a product to sell (software, eBook, video course or whatever)
- Affiliates – people who want to sell those products to their audience to generate commissions
- Customers – the people who do the actual buying. Without customers, vendors and affiliates would have a tough time indeed!