2025 1(48) 25

The Concept and Essence of Affiliate Marketing: Historical Development and Main Characteristics of the Concept

Maksym Volodymyrovych Tereshchenko
student of higher education of the third (educational and scientific) level
ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0004-7336-8479
e-mail: maksym.tereshchenko@gmail.com,
Private institution of higher education “Rauf Ablyazov Eastern European University”, Cherkasy

Citation Format
Tereshchenko, M. V. (2025). The Concept and Essence of Affiliate Marketing: Historical Development and Main Characteristics of the Concept. Vіsnyk ekonomіchnoі nauky Ukraіny, 1 (48), рр. 160-164. https://doі.org/10.37405/1729-7206.2025.1(48).160-164

Language
 Ukrainian

Resume
The purpose of the article is to study the concept, essence and historical development of affiliate marketing, as well as to identify its main characteristics as a modern concept of Internet marketing. Particular attention is paid to the analysis of the evolution of partnership mechanisms and their impact on commercial communications in the digital environment.
Research methods: in the course of the study, a set of general scientific and special methods was used, in particular, analysis, synthesis, comparison and generalisation to reveal the theoretical foundations of affiliate marketing. The historical and logical method allowed to trace the evolution of the concept, and the systematic approach allowed to determine its main characteristics and place in modern marketing activities.
Results: the study has shown that affiliate marketing is an effective form of partnership in the digital environment based on the principle of reward for attracting customers. The historical stages of formation of this concept are analysed – from the first commission programmes in the 1990s to modern multi-level networks and automated platforms. The main characteristics of affiliate marketing are identified, including flexibility, cost-effectiveness and transparency of mutual settlements between the parties. The obtained results confirm the growing role of this model in the digital marketing system and its prospects for commercial projects.
The discussion of the results showed that affiliate marketing has gradually transformed from simple commission programmes into complex digital ecosystems using analytics, tracking and process automation. This allows companies to flexibly adapt affiliate programmes to different market conditions and target audiences. At the same time, the study revealed certain risks and problematic aspects related to traffic quality control and unfair behaviour of individual partners. A promising area for further research is the improvement of legal regulation mechanisms and ethical standards in the field of affiliate marketing.

Keywords
affiliate marketing; affiliate programme; digital marketing; commission; online advertising.

Referensces

  1. Fuks, K., Kosar, N. (2024). Skladovi kompleksu marketynhu na rynku tsyfrovykh produktiv i posluh z yikh rozrobky [Components of marketing complex in the digital products and development services market]. Ekonomika ta suspilstvo – Economy and society, 61. DOI: https://doi.org/10.32782/2524-0072/2024-61-158 [in Ukrainian].
  2. Affiliate Marketer: Definition, Examples, and How to Get Started, (2025). Investopedia. Retrieved from https://www.investopedia.com/terms/a/affiliate-marketing.asp#:~:text=What%20Is%20Affiliate%20Marketing%3F.
  3. Molder, J., Stumpf, C., Wang, H. (2024). Social Media Platform Recommendations for aZen Networks: An Interactive Qualifying Project. Worcester, Worcester Polytechnic Institute. 82 р.
  4. We make your efforts count, measurably and meaningfully. CJ.com. Retrieved from https://www.cj.com/about-us#:~:text=reliable%20partnership,specializing%20in%20affiliate%20marketing%20technology.
  5. Beech, I. (2021). When did affiliate marketing start? A brief history. Breezy. Retrieved from https://breezy.io/blog/when-did-affiliate-marketing-start.
  6. Barry Levine. Mobile platform Tune (formerly HasOffers) sings right notes, lands $27M. VentureBeat. Retrieved from https://venturebeat.com/entrepreneur/mobile-platform-tune-formerly-hasoffers-sings-right-notes-lands-27m-2/#:~:text=Founded%20in%202009%20by%20twin,MAT%29%20and%20HasOffers.
  7. Sharp, E. 15 powerful affiliate marketing statistics worth paying attention to. AWIN. Retrieved from https://www.awin.com/us/affiliate-marketing/15-powerful-affiliate-marketing-statistics#:~:text=2.%2081,adopted%20affiliate%20marketing.
  8. FTC Publishes Final Guides Governing Endorsements, Testimonials. Federal Trade Commission. Retrieved from https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2009/10/ftc-publishes-final-guides-governing-endorsements-testimonials#:~:text=The%20revised%20Guides%20also%20add,an%20advertisement%20to%20the%20findings.
  9. Tracking cookies are out – consequences for affiliate marketing. Visable. Retrieved from https://www.visable.com/en_int/magazine/basics/tracking-cookies-affiliate-marketing#:~:text=However%2C%20tracking%20cookies%20are%20controversial,measure%20may%20not%20be%20used.
  10. CPA Marketing. The Ultimate Customer Acquisition Strategy For B2C Marketers. Perform. Retrieved from https://www.performcb.com/ultimate-cost-per-acquisition-strategy-b2c/#:~:text=,Lead.
  11. How Brands Maintain Affiliate Marketing Compliance. Shopify. Retrieved from https://www.shopify. com/blog/affiliate-marketing-compliance.
  12. Global partnerships that just work. Admitad. Retrieved from https://www.admitad.com/#:~:text=Global%20partnerships%20that%20just%20work.
  13. Hutsaliuk, O. M., Vasylenko, V. A., Viriienko, I. S. (2024). Vprovadzhennia innovatsiinykh tekhnolohii marketynhovoho menedzhmentu v intehratsiinu diialnist korporatyvnykh pidpryiemstv [Implementation of innovative marketing management technologies in the integration activities of corporate enterprises]. Visnyk ekonomichnoi nauky Ukrainy, 1(46), рр. 118–123. DOІ: https://doі.org/10.37405/1729-7206.2024.1(46).118-123 [in Ukrainian].
  14. Hutsaliuk, O. M., Bohutenko, Ya. A., Kolovorotnyi, S. A., Kuzmyak, Yu. Y. (2024). Stratehuvannia rozvytku orhanizatsiino-komunikatsiinykh system pidpryiemstv zi spozhyvachamy v umovakh minlyvoho seredovyshcha, konkurentsii ta povedinkovoi ekonomiky [Strategizing the Development of Organizational and Communication Systems of Enterprises with Consumers in the Context of a Changing Environment, Competition and Behavioral Economics]. Upravlinnia ekonomikoiu: teoriia ta praktyka. Chumachenkivski chytannia – Management of Economy: Theory and Practice. Chumachenko’s Annals, рр. 52-61. DOI: https://doi.org/10.37405/2221-1187.2024.52-61 [in Ukrainian].
  15. Hutsaliuk, O., Bondar, Іu., Zhurylo, I., Dub, V. (2024). Economic strategizing and integration management of hotel and restaurant business enterprises in the hospitality industry system. Ekonomichnyi visnyk Donbasu – Economic Herald of the Donbas, 4(78), рр. 82–90. DOI: https://doi.org/10.12958/1817-3772-2024-4(78)-82-90.
  16. Kolodіnskyi, S. B., Hutsaliuk, O. M., Kramskyi S. O. (2022). Management of inter-firm cooperative relations for the exchange of innovations by enterprises of Ukraine. Intellectualization of logistics and Supply Chain Management, 15, pp. 46-55. DOI: https://doi.org/10.46783/smart-scm/2022-15-4.
  17. Kolodynskyi, S., Hutsaliuk, O., Kramskyi, S., Zakharchenko, O. (2022). Internet Marketing and Structural Changes e-Commerce in Ukraine. Ekonomichnyi visnyk Donbasu – Economic Herald of the Donbas. 4 (70). pp. 38-44. DOI: https://doi.org/10.12958/1817-3772-2022-4(70)-38-44.

Full Text (.pdf)

Received: 20.05.2025
Accepted: 11.06.2025
Published: 19.06.2025