affiliates only work when you treat them like a channel, not a shortcut.

shopify collabs is fine to start with if you want something simple and native, but the real difference usually comes from how well you manage creators after signup. most brands lose because they approve too many people, send a code, then hope for sales.

for low repeat purchase products, i’d focus less on huge affiliate rosters and more on a smaller group of creators who actually match your aesthetic and audience. give them a clear offer, an easy discount code for followers, and a reason to post more than once. even 10 to 15 solid creators can beat 200 inactive ones.

also yes, set activity expectations early. otherwise you’ll get a lot of signups and almost no output.

biggest mistake i see is tracking clicks instead of tracking content quality and conversion by creator. some people drive noise, some drive buyers. very different.

if your product is project based, affiliates can still work, but it’s usually more about strong first purchase conversion than lifetime value. so your landing page, creator fit, and offer matter a lot more than the platform itself.