Frequently Asked Questions
The short version of everything outdoor professionals ask us before signing up.
How much do I earn?
Each retail partner sets its own commission rate, and you keep the larger share of it. The rates are not the same across brands, so what you earn on a pack is not what you earn on a camera. See what each partner pays.
What does it cost?
Nothing. Your catalog is free to set up and free to keep. We take a share of the commission on a sale, so we only earn when you do.
Who is GearBook for?
Working outdoor professionals: guides, athletes, instructors and educators, and others whose job puts them in the field. If people already ask you what gear to buy, that is the qualification. You tell us what you do when you sign up.
Can I join if I live outside the United States?
Not yet. We pay commissions through Venmo, and the account we pay from can only send money to US accounts, so we can currently only take on members who live in the United States. We would rather say that on the signup form than approve you and be unable to pay you. Opening this up is on our list, and the newsletter is where we will announce it. If you are in the US but the form is not letting you through, tell us and we will sort it out.
Do I need to know anything about affiliate marketing?
No. We handle the partner accounts and build the tracking behind every product, so a sale finds its way back to you without you setting anything up. You pick gear and share your link.
How do I add products?
Search our retail partners' catalogs from your dashboard, which covers hundreds of thousands of real products, and pick the one you mean. If something is not in there, paste the product link instead. Either way, you write the part that matters: why you recommend it.
Do I have to build my product list from scratch?
No. Gear templates are curated lists built for common specialties. Once you are approved, apply one from your dashboard and it fills a catalog for you; then use it as-is or change anything you like.
When do my products go live?
Usually straight away. Adding a product from your dashboard builds its tracking link and puts it on your page. Now and then a link has to be made by hand; that product shows as pending for a day or two and then appears on its own. Signup itself takes no products, so your page starts empty and fills as you add gear.
Can I update my product picks?
Yes, whenever you want. Add, remove, or swap products from your dashboard and your page updates itself. Editing what you wrote about a product keeps it live; changing the link it points to means the tracking has to be rebuilt first.
How many products can I have?
Up to 8 in a catalog, and up to 5 catalogs. Separate catalogs are useful when you do more than one thing: a ski touring list and a rock climbing list do not have to live on the same page.
How long until my catalog is live?
We review every application personally and are usually back to you within a few days. Once you are approved your page exists straight away, and it fills up as fast as you add gear to it.
What if someone buys something that's not in my catalog?
Usually you still earn. When someone clicks your link, the retailer remembers that click for its purchase window, 30 days at every partner we work with today, and anything they buy there inside that window is credited to you, not just the product you linked to. Two conditions: the retailer’s network has to have tracked the click, so a shopper who clears cookies or switches devices may not be attributed to you, and the sale has to be approved, so returns and cancellations are reversed. Each retailer’s window is on the commission rates page.
Which retailers do you work with?
Backcountry, Suunto, Osprey, West Marine, Adorama, Scuba.com, SunnySports, Kailas, and Gregory today, and we are actively adding more across other disciplines. The current list, with what each one pays, is on the commission rates page.
When am I paid?
Once a month, by Venmo, to the username you gave us when you signed up. We pay out a sale once the retailer's network has approved it, which happens after its return window closes, so a purchase made this month is usually paid in a later one. Your dashboard shows clicks as they are reported to us, updated daily; sales and earnings appear once we have reconciled the month with the retailer's network, and each month's payout is marked pending until it has been sent. Venmo can only send money to US accounts, which is why membership is US-only for now.
Can I cancel?
Yes, anytime, with no fees or penalties. Get in touch and we will take your catalog page down and stop tracking.
Want the full picture?
If you're the read-everything type, we wrote up the whole process: every step from signing up to your first payout, with a worked example of what a sale actually pays.
See How GearBook Works
Or browse the newsletter archive and contact us with anything we missed.