eComStart is supported by its readers and by affiliate commissions. If you buy or sign up through some links on this site, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. This page explains how that works and how we keep it from shaping our content.
Short version: some links on eComStart are affiliate links. We may be paid if you use them. The price you pay stays the same, and our opinions are not for sale.
How affiliate links work
An affiliate link contains a tracking code. When you click it and then make a purchase or start a qualifying sign-up, the company that runs the program can credit us and pay a commission. The commission is paid by that company. You are not charged more because you used our link.
We take part in affiliate programs for Shopify, which we work with through the Impact affiliate network, and for other software and ecommerce products and services that we write about.
This disclosure follows the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) guidance on endorsements and material connections, which asks publishers to be clear about financial relationships that could affect how readers view a recommendation.
How this affects our content
Editorial independence
Our writers choose topics and conclusions based on what is useful to readers. A commission is never a condition of coverage, and a company cannot buy a favorable review.
Drawbacks included
We state a product's weaknesses, limits, and costs, including for products we may earn money from.
Objective comparisons
When we compare tools or platforms, we describe the differences as accurately as we can, including options that pay us nothing, and we do not rank by payout.
Accuracy first
We rely on official sources, keep prices current where we can, and correct mistakes when we find them.
Affiliate income helps pay for research, writing, and updates, which is why we can keep the site free to read.
How to recognize an affiliate link
Affiliate links are usually buttons or text links that send you to a vendor's site, such as a "Start free trial" button or a link to a product's official page. Their web addresses often pass through a tracking or redirect domain before reaching the vendor. If you prefer not to use an affiliate link, you can go to the vendor's website directly instead.
Links can differ by country
Some affiliate programs only pay commissions for visitors from certain countries. Because of that, a link on eComStart may be an affiliate link for readers in some countries and an ordinary link for readers in others. The destination stays the same either way, and the offers you see on the vendor's site are set by the vendor.
Our relationship with BSS Commerce
eComStart is a sub-brand of BSS Commerce, an ecommerce development agency that also builds its own Shopify apps and offers services. When an article mentions a BSS Commerce product or service, we will say that it comes from our parent company. We hold these mentions to the same standards as everything else: accurate details, stated limits, and fair comparison with alternatives.
Read more on our About us page.
Questions about this disclosure
We update this page when our affiliate relationships or practices change. If you have a question about this disclosure or about a link in one of our articles, email us at hello@ecomstart.io or visit our contact page. You may also want to read our privacy policy and terms of service.