Lazada fuels SEA affiliate surge with US$100m investment
Lazada expands its LazAffiliate program with new tools and big payouts—just in time for the 6.6 campaign.
Southeast Asia’s eCommerce battlefield is getting even more performance-driven. Lazada has announced a massive US$100 million investment into its LazAffiliate program—an unmistakable signal that the Alibaba-backed platform is banking on creator-led commerce to anchor its growth in 2025 and beyond.
The timing is no coincidence.
With the 6.6 mega sale around the corner—and the even bigger 11.11 and 12.12 campaigns looming—Lazada is positioning affiliate marketing not as an add-on, but as a core revenue engine.
This article explores what’s changing in the LazAffiliate ecosystem, why it matters now, and how marketers and creators can respond strategically.
Short on time?
Here’s a table of contents for quick access:
- What’s new in the LazAffiliate program?
- Why Lazada is prioritizing creator commerce now
- What marketers should know
ContentGrip Staff
What's new in the LazAffiliate program?
Lazada’s revamped affiliate program goes beyond just bigger budgets. The overhaul includes:
- Intuitive platform upgrades: A streamlined affiliate interface, real-time dashboards for conversion tracking, and tools to build custom storefronts for curated listings.
- Better incentives: High-commission product lists, campaign-specific bonuses, and a new structure that rewards high-performing affiliates—up to 36% commissions for those using store vouchers during the 6.6 campaign.
- Brand-backed boosters: Store vouchers funded directly by Lazada, used as promotional fuel to enhance affiliate effectiveness and sales conversion rates.
- US$100k creator rewards: The top 10 creators promoting fashion and beauty brands in the 6.6 sale will share a US$100,000 bonus pool.
These features suggest Lazada isn’t just growing its affiliate ecosystem—it’s professionalizing it.
Why Lazada is prioritizing creator commerce now
Lazada’s push taps into a significant trend: creator commerce is no longer niche. According to a report by Cube and Impact.com, 82% of SEA consumers bought something recommended by an influencer in 2024, up from 79% in 2023. That’s real traction.
Affiliate-led campaigns now represent about US$15 billion in Net Merchandise Value, or 20% of SEA’s online sales this year. From a pure economics perspective, Lazada’s US$100 million bet is less about experimentation and more about scaling what’s already working.
The company is also keeping pace with regional competitors. Just this year, REV Media and Remix launched REV Affiliate+ in Malaysia, while global players like Stagwell have doubled down on Southeast Asia by adding Leverate Group, an Indonesian based agency, to its global affiliate program. The arms race in affiliate infrastructure is on.
What marketers should know
For marketers, this move reshapes how to approach affiliate strategies in the region. Here’s what to keep in mind:
1. Treat affiliate like a media channel, not a side hustle
The lines between influencer marketing and affiliate marketing are blurring. Lazada’s program offers granular tracking, dynamic commission structures, and promotional levers (like co-funded vouchers)—all things marketers usually associate with paid media. It’s time to fold affiliates into broader media planning conversations.
2. Explore creator segmentation and localization
With zero entry barriers and tools built for everyday users, LazAffiliate opens the door to micro- and nano-creators—people whose reach may be modest but whose trust with niche audiences runs deep. Regional marketers can localize efforts, testing creators by city or language group.
Patrecia Meliana
3. Plan campaign timelines around peak incentives
The most lucrative opportunities now sync with mega sale periods (6.6, 9.9, 11.11, 12.12). Marketers should get ahead of these timelines, creating briefs and assets well before incentives like the US$100k pool go live.
4. Shift mindset: affiliates as revenue partners
With real-time dashboards and conversion visibility, affiliate creators are becoming accountable, measurable sales partners—not just reach-boosting influencers. Consider applying performance KPIs typically reserved for PPC or paid social.
Lazada’s US$100 million commitment to affiliate marketing is more than a headline—it’s a strategic play to win the SEA digital commerce war with the help of creators, not just ads.
For marketers and brand leaders, the takeaway is clear: performance-based creator marketing is no longer optional.
The winners in this new wave will be those who treat affiliate programs like strategic growth levers, not tactical experiments.
