Competition in the e-commerce sector continues to intensify, prompting companies to seek effective methods for advertising, increasing sales, and building brand awareness. One of the most efficient approaches is affiliate marketing. Today, we take a close look at a detailed case study of a cosmetics company that successfully implemented this strategy in cooperation with the affiliate network webePartners.

Case Study – Affiliate Marketing for the Beauty Industry – see more HERE

Case study of affiliate marketing for an online beauty store

We analyze the effectiveness of affiliate marketing activities for an online beauty store specializing in natural skincare products for the body, face, and hair. The store offers products from well-known brands such as Mokosh, Organic Shop, Vianek, Duolife, Make Me Bio, and Orientana. In addition to cosmetics, the store also carries dietary supplements. At the moment the affiliate program was launched, monthly organic traffic was at the level of 30,000 users, and the average basket value amounted to 280 PLN.

Challenges for an Online Beauty Store

A cosmetics company selling its products online encountered a significant issue: despite offering high-quality products, online sales were not meeting expectations.

The rapid growth in the number of online beauty stores meant that the advertiser had to compete not only with large, well-established brands but also with smaller shops offering a wide and varied selection of products for women. The brand needed to improve its visibility among competing beauty retailers, reach new customers, and at the same time maintain the loyalty of those who had already been convinced to buy from them.

The key challenges for the affiliate marketing strategy included:

• Increasing online sales

• Improving brand recognition

• Optimizing advertising costs

Affiliate marketing in a performance-based Cost Per Sale model

In March 2022, the company established a strategic partnership with webePartners, an affiliate network specializing in performance-based Cost Per Sale (CPS) marketing, meaning publishers earn a commission for every sale generated. The process of launching the affiliate program was divided into several stages:

• Technical integration and program setup – the store was integrated with the webePartners affiliate system, enabling transaction tracking and commission assignment for publishers

• Defining program conditions and commission rates – based on the product assortment and average order value, a commission rate attractive to potential publishers was established

• Developing a system for distributing promotions and discount codes to motivate selected publisher groups – webePartners proactively sought suitable partners such as bloggers, influencers, and owners of niche content websites.

Objective of the affiliate program in the Cost Per Sale model

To define realistic goals for the affiliate program and the overall affiliate marketing strategy, the company analyzed its organic traffic sources, the target audience for the products offered, and the average order value. Based on this analysis, the most valuable publisher groups within the affiliate network were identified, along with the best methods to motivate them to promote the advertiser’s brand.

The following overarching goals were set for the first 12 months of the affiliate program:

• Increase monthly store traffic by 10,000 users

• Increase sales value by 20%

• Advertise exclusively in the commission-based Cost Per Sale model

Affiliate marketing activities within the partner program

A coordinated set of actions was implemented through the webePartners platform, combined with active collaboration across all publisher groups.

The first stage involved building a publisher network, with a strong focus on content creators such as blogs, niche websites, and social media channels — particularly a large group of beauty-focused Instagram influencers. The program also included discount and cashback platforms, product catalog sites, and Google CSS partners.

To attract as many publishers as possible, the advertiser provided static creatives in the most popular sizes, as well as video materials formatted specifically for social media.

Publishers were regularly informed about ongoing store promotions, as well as universal and dedicated discount codes. A key factor in accelerating the development of affiliate marketing was the periodic distribution of lists of the store’s best-selling products to all publishers.

The advertiser participated in special promotions and occasional campaign initiatives offered by discount platforms and thematic websites.

A steady influx of new publishers was maintained by inviting them through regular newsletters, featuring the program in the Affiliate Marketplace, and reaching out directly to potential partners from our active publisher database as well as those recommended by the advertiser. An important element in building the publisher network was a dedicated subpage on the advertiser’s website explaining the details of the affiliate program.

Top-performing publishers were offered access to a premium program.

The advertiser ensured timely validation of transactions and prompt commission payments.

Results achieved through affiliate marketing

GROWING PUBLISHER NETWORK IN THE PERIOD 2022–2024

The advertiser placed particular emphasis on attracting content-focused publishers to reach women consciously choosing their cosmetics. Active publishers from this group were acquired within the first three months. Discount and cashback platforms also joined the activities quickly.

In the first year, 120 publishers joined the program; in each subsequent year, the number of publishers in the affiliate program increased by an average of more than 85%. The share of active publishers generating traffic to the store reached 20%, while those generating actual sales accounted for about 9%.

INCREASE IN TRAFFIC AND SALES GROWTH

Already in the first year of cooperation, the targeted traffic increase of 10,000 unique users from the affiliate channel was achieved. As the publisher network expanded over the following years, generated traffic grew proportionally in line with ongoing activities. In 2024, the program delivered an average of 25,000 unique monthly users to the store.

In the first months, the affiliate channel contributed an average 10% increase in sales. In 2023, sales generated by publishers reached 300,000 PLN, accounting for 15% of the store’s total revenue, and in 2024 this figure rose to 450,000 PLN, representing 22% of annual revenue.

All affiliate activities were carried out exclusively in the Cost Per Sale model, which is a safe advertising approach for the advertiser, as publishers bear the risk of ineffective campaigns.

Thanks to publisher engagement, store sales increased by more than 20% year over year. As an added benefit, the advertiser gained brand-building exposure at no cost unless it resulted in a sale. The advertiser’s high level of involvement was a key factor in the rapid development of the affiliate program and in building a committed publisher network. Regular distribution of discount codes, frequent updates of advertising creatives, and fair transaction validation motivated publishers to effectively promote both the products and the brand of the online beauty store.

Results of the affiliate marketing program after two years

• 300 monthly transactions – publishers generated an average of 300 successfully completed transactions per month

• Total sales value of 450,000 PLN – a significant increase in online sales in 2024

• ROI of 1,500% – an exceptionally high return on investment, demonstrating the effectiveness of the affiliate model

• 50 active publishers – a broad network of partners across diverse promotional channels, enabling access to many new customers
  Sell and earn commission

Several factors were identified as crucial to the success of this collaboration:

• Attractive commissions for publishers – competitive rates that effectively motivated partners to promote the store

• Professional support from the affiliate network – assistance from the webePartners team in optimizing the affiliate program and providing ongoing guidance

• Diverse promotional channels – cooperation with bloggers, influencers, and niche content platforms allowed the brand to reach a wide audience

Conclusions

This case study clearly demonstrates that a well-designed affiliate marketing strategy can deliver substantial benefits for e-commerce businesses, both in terms of increased sales and enhanced brand recognition. A key element of success is professional collaboration with an experienced affiliate network capable of managing publisher relationships effectively and optimizing promotional efforts.