Affiliate links explained — what you should know

"This link is an affiliate link" now sits under more and more recommendations across the internet. Some readers distrust it immediately. Others ignore it. Both are too quick a judgement. Here is an honest explanation of how the system works and when you should take affiliate recommendations seriously.

How an affiliate link works

When a vendor (a seed supplier, say) offers an affiliate programme, anyone can become one of their affiliates. You get a special link with your partner code in it, for example:

https://saatgut-shop.de/produkt?aff=permakultur-gartenplaner

When a reader clicks through your link and buys, the shop knows: "this one came via you". You receive a commission — often 3–10 % of the sale price. For the buyer, nothing changes about the price — the commission comes out of the shop's margin.

Why shops do this

Classic advertising (Google Ads, Facebook) is expensive and untargeted. Affiliate programmes are more efficient: shops only pay when a sale actually happens. And: a recommender who knows their community probably reaches exactly the right audience.

When you can trust affiliate recommendations

• Transparency. The recommender marks affiliate links clearly — either with "[*]", "(affiliate link)" or a disclaimer block at the top.
• Consistent values. Are only products recommended that fit the profile? A permaculture blog that suddenly recommends glyphosate is suspicious.
• Negative reviews allowed. Does the author also recommend against products? Or is every review five stars? Credible recommenders also say what they would not buy.
• Sensible product counts. Fifty affiliate links per article is not informative, it's spam. Two or three well-curated ones are an honest recommendation.

When you should be suspicious

• Affiliate links not marked, or marked in a hidden way
• All recommended products from a single shop
• Exaggerated language ("MEGA DISCOUNT! TODAY ONLY!")
• A recommendation with no recognisable first-hand experience
• Commission rates of 50 %+ on "courses" or "programmes" — a common sign of a pyramid scheme

How we handle it in the Garden Planner

We build affiliate partnerships with vendors we know ourselves and consider worthwhile — exclusively organic seed (Bingenheimer, Dreschflegel, ReinSaat etc.) and quality tool makers (Krumpholz, Manufactum).

Affiliate links in generated shopping lists are marked as such. The commission funds the continued development of the tool — not someone's new car. The recommendations follow garden logic, not the margin.

Full list of our partners and terms: Partnerships & affiliate transparency.

Your gut as a filter

If a recommendation feels right — the author clearly knows their stuff, the product fits, the price is normal — then it's probably a good recommendation. Affiliate or not. If it feels off, trust your gut and don't buy. It's that simple.