Even as a JVZoo Top Earner, I Knew This Model Wasn’t Sustainable
I am JVZoo Top Earners’ Society member. I’ve sold thousands of products on JVZoo since starting in 2017. I know how the system works inside and out.
And yet, despite my success on the platform, I made the decision to step away completely. Not because JVZoo itself is bad – I have a ton of respect for Simon, the new CMO, as well as Laura and Chad, who’ve built an incredible platform. My issue wasn’t with JVZoo.
It was with the entire way the marketplace ecosystem operates.
The Launch Model is a Broken System
Here’s how it works on JVZoo (and most affiliate-driven marketplaces):
- You build a product – You spend months developing it, refining it, making sure it’s perfect.
- You launch it – Affiliates promote it to their lists, and sales flood in.
- The hype dies fast – Within a week, your sales drop by 80% or more.
- You repeat the cycle – You either launch another product or accept that sales will keep declining.
That last part is where the problem lies.
You’re not running a business – you’re running on a hamster wheel.
I had launches that pulled in tens of thousands of dollars in a day, but by the next month, sales had all but disappeared. I had to keep launching over and over just to maintain revenue.
I saw vendors who had been doing this for 10+ years, still stuck in the same cycle – constantly launching, constantly grinding, constantly having to please affiliates.
I didn’t want that to be my future.
Affiliates Have It Easy – Vendors Do the Hard Work
One of the biggest issues with JVZoo’s model is how heavily weighted it is in favor of affiliates.
- Affiliates just copy and paste an email, add their affiliate link, and hit send.
- They take 50% or more of the sale – even though they’ve done almost nothing.
- Meanwhile, you, the vendor, have:
- Paid for development
- Handled customer support
- Created the entire product
- Covered transaction fees and refund costs
And if something goes wrong? They’ll happily promote someone else’s launch tomorrow.
Affiliates have no loyalty – and I don’t blame them. They’re in it for the commissions. But for me, I was losing control of my own business.
Why I Became Independent (And Why You Should Too)
Instead of relying on JVZoo, WarriorPlus, or any other launch-based platform, I built my own ecosystem.
✅ I control my own traffic – No more depending on affiliates to promote my products.
✅ I keep 100% of my sales – No more 50% commissions eating into my revenue.
✅ I build products with longevity – Instead of throwaway launches that die in a week.
✅ I own my customers – No more middlemen between me and my buyers.
And the best part? My income no longer fluctuates wildly. I don’t have to do constant launches. Sales come in steadily, month after month, without needing to chase affiliates.
The Next Step: Owning the Marketplace Itself
Leaving JVZoo back in 2020 wasn’t just about selling on my own website. It was about taking full control of my business.
That’s why I created Deal Quokka – my own marketplace for digital products.
Think about it. Who makes the most money?
- The vendor? No. They grind endlessly, launching over and over.
- The affiliate? They make easy commissions, but they rely on others.
- The marketplace owner? Yes. Always.
Owning your own platform is the ultimate power move. Instead of playing the game, you become the game.
Final Thoughts: The Reality of Marketplace Selling
If you’re selling on marketplaces, understand what you’re really doing. You’re not building a business – you’re just feeding into a system that isn’t designed to benefit you long-term.
If you ever want to be truly independent:
✅ Stop relying on affiliates
✅ Stop chasing short-term launches
✅ Stop being at the mercy of marketplaces
Instead:
✅ Build your own traffic
✅ Sell directly to customers
✅ Create a business that runs without constant launches
I appreciate JVZoo for what it is – it gave me a great start.
But real wealth and business longevity come from independence.
And that’s exactly what I’ve built.
