Partners FAQ

Updated August 30th, 2026

Q: What is this program and how does it work? 

A: Poetry Shop Partners is a service that allows participating websites and social media accounts to earn commissions on sales referred to ThePoetryShop.com.

1. We’ll invite you to participate and discuss options for working together.
2. Once approved, we’ll set you up in our system. This includes signing our Partner agreement, your payment account, and giving you personalized links to use.
3. You can bring poetry to others the way you do best; through social media, your blog, videos, or any other online outlet.
4. When someone clicks your link to ThePoetryShop.com, they are tracked with a 15-day cookie window until they make a purchase. Once they buy, you will receive a commission in your Partner account.
5. Over time, the commissions add up and we will automatically pay out your balance.

Q: What books can I recommend? 

A: We offer poetry books that are distributed through Ingram. If you are not sure if your book is distributed through Ingram, please contact us. 

Q: Can I recommend specific books, or just The Poetry Shop in general?

A: You can do both! You will get an affiliate link for ThePoetryShop.com. You can also use our system to get affiliate links for specific books, if that works better for the way you want to promote books. Commissions are the same on sales resulting from either link. 

Q: I know a book is available but I don’t see it on The Poetry Shop. What do I do? 

A: Let us know by email. If the book is available, we will confirm it is in stock and get it on our site quickly, usually the same day. Once it updates in our system, you will be able to get a link for it. 

Q: Can I recommend a book that is sold out or out of print? 

A: No. We can only complete orders and send commissions on books that are available for delivery. 

Q: Can I recommend a book that is in pre-order? 

A: Absolutely. Books sold in pre-order will still result in commissions. Once the book is available for distribution, the order will go through and be sent to the customer. We will pay commissions on pre-orders in good faith. 

Q: What happens after a customer purchases? How do books get to them? 

A: The order is sent to Ingram and fulfilled by their distribution center where they pack the order and ship it. The Poetry Shop handles any customer service issues.  

Q: Who can join? 

A: While we ramp up the Partner program, we are interested in working with.

• Poets who regularly share poetry recommendations with an audience through outlets like a newsletter, blog, or social media; organizers who are involved in online readings or other programming
• Publishers that focus on poetry and promoting poets, especially if you use affiliate links for the e-commerce fulfillment of books on your site
• Journals that focus on poetry, especially if you're already promoting books by the authors you include

At this time we can ONLY fulfill orders to US addresses. If your audience and potential sales are outside the US, it may not be a good fit. 

Q: How much can I get paid? 

A: We want to set you up for success with the most generous commissions available.

• 10% commission on books sold
• An extra 5% commission for new Poetry Shop customers
• 45-day window to get credit for customer purchases
• Get paid after only $20 in commissions

Q: Are there other benefits? 

A: Because Partners are often reading and reviewing poetry books, we provide individuals with a 10% discount. To implement this benefit, the discount is associated with the email address on the Partner account, which is then used for the Poetry Shop customer account. If you would like to associate it with a different email address, contact The Poetry Shop team. Only one email address can receive the discount. 

Q: What about other bookstores? 

A: Our commissions match the best commissions in the industry and offer special bonuses that other bookstores can’t match:

Competitor terms as of August 2026

Q: What if someone clicks my link, then clicks a different person’s link and makes a purchase? 

A: We use a ‘last link’ attribution model. The commission goes to the Partner that the customer clicks last before making a purchase.

Q: How do I get paid? 

A: Once you have an account in our affiliate platform, we will set you up with our payment system. Your balance can be paid through ACH bank transfer.

Q: When do I get paid? 

A: Your commissions accrue over time as customer make purchases. There are two periods of time that determine when you get paid. First, your commissions are held for 30 days. Then, on the 28th of every month, The Poetry Shop will payout the balance of your account. 

Q: Why are commissions held for 30 days? 

A: We do this to avoid a few potential problems. These problems are very rare, but this delay helps eliminate future problems. After 30 days, all possible discounts, returns, and chargebacks would have settled. After that, you know the money you get paid is yours.

Q: Is there a minimum amount needed for a payout? 

A: Yes, $20. 

Q: How can I get a discount coupon code? 

A: The Poetry Shop does not offer discount coupon codes for Partners.

Q: How much would I get paid for a transaction?

A: Here’s an example of a typical but simplified order when a new customer makes a purchase

• Book 1: $20
• Book 2: $20
• Taxes: $1.50
• Shipping: $4
• Total: $45.50
  

Commissions are calculated on the value of products sold:

• Book 1: $20
• Book 2: $20
• Your 10% Commission: $4 

(calculated on the $40 of books, not on taxes or shipping)

• Added new customer bonus: $2 

(calculated on the $40 of books, not taxes or shipping)

Your final commission: $6 added to your balance

Q: Do you ship as fast as the trillion-dollar online retailers?

A: No. But we do offer good rates on good shipping through the US Postal Service. See more here. 

Q: Do I need to tell people I'm earning a commission?

Yes. The FTC requires it, so this kind of disclosure has become commonplace. You can mention it near the link, in the newsletter itself, or out loud in a video or podcast. Something like "I earn a small commission if you buy through this link" is all it takes. We'll discuss it more when you join.

Q: Do you have an API so I can search and automate links? 

A: No, sorry, links have to be pulled from our system.