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Zazzle Affiliate Program vs the Bear Grips Pro Shops Affiliate Program

March 26, 2026 6 min read By Cameron Wells
Quick Answer
Table of Contents
  1. What the Zazzle affiliate program pays for
  2. What the Bear Grips Pro Shops affiliate program pays for
  3. Side-by-side comparison
  4. Which model pays better for which kind of person
  5. Frequently Asked Questions

"Zazzle affiliate program" and "Bear Grips affiliate program" sound like the same category of thing, but they pay for two different actions. Zazzle's affiliate program is a standard retail content-affiliate setup: an affiliate applies, gets a tracking link, and earns a commission when someone clicks through and buys a product. The Bear Grips Pro Shops program is a vendor-to-vendor referral model built into the SaaS itself: a vendor earns for referring another business to open its own shop, not for driving a single product sale.

What the Zazzle Affiliate Program Pays For

Zazzle runs an affiliate program open to bloggers, content creators, and coupon or deal sites who want to link to Zazzle products. The structure is standard for retail affiliate marketing: apply, receive tracking links, and earn a commission on completed purchases that come through those links. This rewards driving traffic to Zazzle's marketplace generally, not a specific seller's shop, and it pays on end-customer transactions rather than on bringing new sellers onto the platform.

What the Bear Grips Pro Shops Affiliate Program Pays For

Every Bear Grips Pro Shops vendor, on the free plan or a paid plan, gets a shop and a unique, customizable affiliate code at signup automatically, no separate application required. Referring another business or creator to open their own Pro Shop pays 10% of that new vendor's subscription, for as long as they stay subscribed, plus $1 for every unit the referred vendor sells through their shop. Payouts run on a bi-weekly cycle. This is a vendor-referral model built directly into the platform, distinct from Zazzle's content-affiliate structure. See the full program breakdown for how the payout math works.

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Side-by-Side Comparison

CategoryZazzle affiliate programBear Grips Pro Shops affiliate program
What triggers a payoutAn end customer purchase through a tracking linkA referred vendor's subscription, plus units that vendor sells
Who typically joinsBloggers, content creators, coupon and deal sitesAny vendor, automatically at signup
Application requiredYes, separate affiliate applicationNo, included automatically with every shop
Recurring incomeOne-time commission per purchase10% of the referred vendor's subscription for as long as they stay subscribed
Payout cycleVaries by affiliate network termsBi-weekly

Which Model Pays Better for Which Kind of Person

A content creator or deal-site operator who wants to earn from directing shoppers toward products they did not make is better matched to a content-affiliate model like Zazzle's. A vendor who already runs their own apparel shop and knows other gym owners, studio owners, or creators who might want one too is better matched to a vendor-referral model, since the income compounds as a percentage of another business's ongoing subscription rather than a single transaction. Many Bear Grips Pro Shops vendors stack this alongside their own shop income for a second, largely passive revenue line. See a similar breakdown against Teespring's affiliate model for another point of comparison.

Get a Shop and an Affiliate Code, Free

Every signup gets both automatically. 10% of a referred vendor's subscription plus $1 per unit sold, paid bi-weekly.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to apply separately to get a Bear Grips Pro Shops affiliate code?

No. Every vendor, free or paid, receives a shop and a unique affiliate code automatically at signup.

Does the Bear Grips Pro Shops program pay on my own sales too?

The affiliate side of the program pays on referred vendors specifically. Sales through the vendor's own shop are separate margin the vendor keeps directly.

Can I update my affiliate code later?

Yes. Updating the code also updates the referral URL tied to it.

Is the Zazzle affiliate program the same as being a Zazzle seller?

No. Selling designs on Zazzle and joining Zazzle's affiliate program are two separate programs. A seller earns royalties on their own designs, while an affiliate earns commission for driving purchases through a tracking link.

Cameron Wells
Cameron WellsCustom Apparel and POD Industry Writer

Cameron has been writing about the custom apparel and print on demand industry for seven years, with a background in e-commerce operations. He covers platform comparisons, no-minimum vendors, and what is changing for small custom merch businesses.

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