There are many advantages. For anyone with a website, it is one of the best ways to earn money on the internet.

Here are some of the advantages of Affiliate Marketing:

1. You don't a need product. You are promoting other peoples products.
2. You don't need an inventory. No money is tied up and getting dusty on the shelf.
3. You can do affiliate marketing anywhere with a computer and an internet connection.

The affiliate simply makes an agreement with the merchant to allow them to promote the merchant's products. The affiliate places special links provided by the merchant to link to the merchant's website. In exchange, the merchant will pay the affiliate a commission for each sale made if a web user goes from the affiliate website to the merchant site and makes a purchase.

The advantages for a merchant can be enormous. The merchant only pays based on pay per performance meaning the merchant only pays a commission when a sale is made. Promoting a merchant's products can substantially increase their advertising exposure (global advertising instead of just local advertising) and if the merchant has many affiliates, this could be like an entire sales force. Since the merchant wants as many affiliates as possible, the affiliate program is usually free to join. There may be some requirements that an affiliate must meet prior to joining, such as the minimum amount of traffic required to the merchant's website, for example.

As an affiliate, being at home appeals to many people who want to make a serious living using the internet. There are no travel expenses, you don't have to be at your office at a certain time, you can set your own hours and the list goes on. The product is already proven and developed and as an affiliate, you deliver targeted customers to the merchant. If a sale is made, you earn a commission.

It's a win-win situation.

The internet gives you global exposure; there are millions of users online every day. There is no limit to the number of potential customers you can deliver to the merchant. As you gain more effective advertising strategies, the number of potential customers will increase meaning more sales and more income. If in the event it does not make money, there are many other products and affiliate programs to choose from. You should never have to enter any agreement that binds you to sell a merchant's product for any period of time.
After all, it is your time and money.

To summarize, being an affiliate:

1. Offers an opportunity to work from home
2. You can set your own hours and even make it only a sideline business
3. You can promote products that have been proven and developed
4. You are not bound to continue with the merchant if the product doesn't sell. If the product does not make you money, cut your losses and move on