Amazon has launched a new affiliate program, Elevate, targeting India’s growing creator economy by offering higher commissions, exclusive brand partnerships, and real-time performance analytics to select digital content creators. The program is designed as an extension of the company’s existing Amazon Influencer Program (AIP), which currently includes over 60,000 creators.
“India now has close to 900 million internet users, but only about 350 million of them transact online,” Zahid Khan, director of Shopping Initiatives for India and Emerging Markets, Amazon, said in an interaction with financialexpress.com. “What nudges users to transact is often content, a video, a recommendation, or a live stream.”
According to Amazon’s internal research, 60% of Indian consumers say their buying decisions are influenced by digital content creators. The company sees affiliate-driven content as a key lever in expanding e-commerce participation, especially in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities where creators are emerging as trusted guides for new digital users.
Elevate is targeted at high-performing creators within the AIP ecosystem. While the company has not disclosed exact selection criteria, Khan said consistency in content creation, actual sales performance, and early momentum among new creators are important indicators. The program also factors in engagement both on and off Amazon platforms.
Creators enrolled in Elevate receive one-on-one account management, access to premium studios with high-end equipment, early access to brand launches, and participation in Amazon Live, the platform’s live-streamed shopping feature. Higher commission structures, sometimes two to three times the standard rates, are also being tested.
“We’ve seen creators earn up to 10x more under the new structures, but it’s all performance-based,” Khan added. “It’s not about where you are now, but your momentum.” Elevate also adds a new layer of bespoke analytics. While all AIP creators receive data on clicks, conversions, and estimated earnings, Elevate members get minute-level breakdowns, especially for live sessions. This allows creators to assess which presentation styles or moments drive better engagement.
Khan said India’s influencer landscape is increasingly shaped by micro and nano creators with niche, regional followings. “In India, cultural and linguistic diversity means creators from small towns can build deeply loyal communities,” he said. “That influence is often stronger than sheer follower counts.”
He added that the lines between brand-building and performance marketing are starting to blur, with creators now contributing to both awareness and conversions. Amazon’s internal models aim to quantify that full impact, which is influencing how the company integrates creators into media planning.
But scaling creator-led commerce isn’t without challenges. Khan pointed to the need for seamless tooling, particularly for influencers operating across multiple platforms. Trust, he noted, remains a broader industry issue. “As more money flows in, we risk bad actors promoting poor-quality products,” he said. “Transparency, like clearly labelling sponsored content, is key to sustaining trust.” As competition from other platforms with affiliate offerings intensifies, Amazon is betting that its advantage lies in intent-rich users and commerce-specific intelligence. “When someone engages with content on Amazon, they’re often already in a buying mindset,” said Khan.
Elevate, while currently exclusive, is open to any creator demonstrating growth and commitment. “We’re watching for up-and-coming creators who are building fast,” Khan noted.