The YouTube Affiliate program is LAME! Here's why.

Added: 2026-05-24

[00:00:00]So, today I decided to try something new. I'm like, "Oh, I want to tag some products and try the affiliate program cuz I bought these really cute clothes um and why don't I make a video and promote them, okay? I'm going to link that video up above.

[00:00:17]I'm not going to promote them in this video. This video is letting you know the affiliate program sucks.

[00:00:24]Okay? Because the way it works is um well, first of all, you have to have enough subscribers or whatever to be able to join and tag products on your page, which I was able to do.

[00:00:38]And then you get a drop-down list.

[00:00:41]And the items that I am wearing are not in the drop-down list. And they're super cute um to advertise as a um merchandise or products, the FTC has strict requirements. We have to say at the beginning of the video that I am promoting products. And I get part of the proceeds. And then I have to put it in the description of the top description in the description.

[00:01:10]Um and I have to click a box that says paid promotion. So, you have to let the viewers know that you're going to make money off the products. I think that's good. I didn't even mind learning about any of that. I'm like, that seems totally fair. But what I found super annoying is that the clothes that I am wearing are not in the drop-down list and I can't enter my own clothes.

[00:01:31]Furthermore, I bought these clothes at a certain store and the manufacturer's store.

[00:01:41]But in the drop-down list, they were sold by another company, a sporting goods company. And I'm like, "No, I want to give credit to the actual company where I bought it." Nope, not in the drop-down list. So, I'm like, "This sucks. I am not I was not having fun.

[00:01:59]I did add the um the tags to the Aritzia uh clothes that I had worn in another video. I did tag that, but again those specific dresses are no longer sold this year and those videos were made in 2024. So in those videos, I tried to find something a little bit similar. And then I decided to make a video with the clothes I I just bought last week. I'm like these should be on the drop-down list and they're not.

[00:02:30]Then I was wearing also some Lululemon pants. I hate Lululemon. I'm not going to promote them.

[00:02:36]So the whole affiliate program was just a lot of work and it was not fun and I'm here for a good time.

[00:02:44]I want it to be a good time.

[00:02:46]I want to be able to click on the things I want to click, but you know, that's the thing with affiliate program.

[00:02:56]So um uh and these pants too, I bought these pants a few years ago. I love them.

[00:03:04]These jeans.

[00:03:05]They're like a brand name and those I don't even know what the name of them is. I don't even know they probably don't even sell them anymore.

[00:03:14]I mean they're kind of like looser leg, you know. I know I look super huge. I'm only 5'3". I'm like, oh this would have been such a cute little video.

[00:03:24]And I could maybe you know, I was thinking, well, if I make money off the product promoting products and I get commissions, that could be fun cuz I love clothes. People ask me what I wear.

[00:03:36]I can make videos in different clothes cuz I like to try new things like in clothes that actually like cuz I'm super picky.

[00:03:44]And they took all the fun out of it. So I'm not doing any more affiliate videos.

[00:03:48]That was the only one and it's in my YouTube shorts. I I did pin it at the beginning of the video, but you can also find it in my YouTube shorts.

[00:03:58]That's all.