Most affiliate programs underperform during BFCM because incentives aren’t built to compete. Affiliates are choosing which brands to feature in roundups and hauls, and if your incentives don’t stand out, you won’t make the cut.

That’s why commission structures, bonuses, and recurring incentives matter. Affiliates commit early and sell harder when they know exactly how—and how much—they’ll get paid. The right plan makes your brand the clear choice in a crowded inbox and keeps partners pushing even as competition peaks.

Download our full playbook, How to Launch a High-Converting Affiliate Program Before BFCM [2025 Edition], for a complete step-by-step guide to building a program that performs under holiday pressure.

Flat-rate vs. percentage commissions

The foundation of any incentive plan is your base commission. Affiliates think about their time in terms of earnings, so clarity is non-negotiable here.

• Flat-rate commissions work best when your product pricing is simple and consistent. For example, paying $15 per conversion on a $40 product gives affiliates a clear, predictable return, no math required. They know exactly what each sale is worth.
• Percentage-based commissions make more sense when you sell across a wide price range. A 15% payout motivates affiliates to push higher-value carts, since selling a $250 bundle now earns them $37.50 instead of being capped at $15.

As a general rule, if your AOV is under $50, affiliates prefer flat rates because the payout feels more concrete. If your AOV is over $100, percentage-based incentives usually drive better results, since affiliates see bigger upside potential.

Tiered commissions that reward top performers

Most successful affiliate programs follow the 80/20 rule: 20% of affiliates drive 80% of the revenue. If you only offer a flat base commission, your top performers will eventually hit a ceiling. Tiered commissions give them a reason to push harder.

For example, you might set a base commission of 10%, but bump it to 15% once an affiliate crosses $5,000 in sales during BFCM week. 

Another option is creating VIP tiers for consistently high-volume affiliates, offering perks like early access to holiday bundles or exclusive product drops.

This structure signals to affiliates that the more they sell, the more they earn. Instead of capping their potential, you scale with them. That keeps your best partners focused on your brand instead of spreading effort across competitors.

BFCM-specific bonuses that spark urgency

Your regular commission isn’t enough to create the urgency BFCM demands. Affiliates need extra motivation to post more often and push harder while traffic is peaking. That’s where time-sensitive bonuses come in. Some proven formats include:

• Temporary boosts: Increase commissions from 12% to 20% solely for the BFCM weekend.
• Milestone rewards: Offer a $200 cash bonus once an affiliate hits 100 sales during the sale weekend.
• Leaderboard competitions: Rank affiliates in real time and reward the top 3 performers with cash, gift cards, or exclusive bundles. These mechanics gamify your program. Affiliates are competitive by nature, and when they know they’re only a few sales away from unlocking a reward, they’ll push harder to close the gap.

Recurring commissions for subscription brands

If you run subscriptions (with products like skincare, protein, supplements, etc), your incentive plan can’t stop at the first order. Affiliates see every renewal as recurring revenue, and if you don’t reward that, they’ll prioritize competitors who do.

A proven model is 20% on the first purchase, then 10% on every renewal for six months. This shifts affiliates from one-off promoters into long-term advocates. Each new subscriber they bring in compounds their earnings, keeping your brand top of mind well beyond BFCM.

With affiliate platforms like Social Snowball, recurring commissions are automated. Integrations with tools like Skio and Stay AI let you track and pay renewals without extra manual work, so affiliates stay motivated, and your team stays lean.

Ready to launch incentives that keep affiliates engaged through BFCM?

The difference between an affiliate program that fizzles out and one that dominates during BFCM usually comes down to incentives. A strong mix of flat or percentage commissions, tiered rewards for top performers, time-sensitive bonuses, and recurring payouts keeps affiliates active and motivated when it matters most.

With Social Snowball, you can set up these incentives in minutes, protect margins with fraud-safe systems, and automate payouts to stay reliable. Instead of scrambling during the busiest week of the year, you’ll run a controlled, performance-driven channel that compounds results.

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