Affiliate Disclosure

Last Updated: October 29, 2025

Our Commitment to Transparency

At Shores and Blues, we believe in being completely transparent with our readers. This page explains our affiliate relationships and how we may earn income when you make purchases through links on our Site.

What Are Affiliate Links?

Affiliate links are special tracking links that allow us to earn a commission when you click on a product link and make a purchase. These commissions help support our Site and allow us to continue creating free content for you.

Important: Using our affiliate links does not cost you anything extra. The price you pay is exactly the same whether you use our link or go directly to the merchant’s website.

Our Affiliate Relationships

Amazon Associates Program

Shores and Blues is a participant in the Amazon Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com and other Amazon domains.

When you click on Amazon product links on our Site and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

Other Affiliate Programs

We also participate in affiliate programs with other retailers and brands in the home decor and furnishings industry. These may include (but are not limited to) companies that sell bedding, furniture, home accessories, and coastal decor products.

When you purchase products through these affiliate links, we may receive a commission.

How We Choose Products to Recommend

Our Editorial Standards

Our product recommendations are based on:

• Our personal research and opinions
• Product quality and value
• Relevance to our audience interested in blue and coastal home decor
• Reader feedback and requests

We only recommend products we genuinely believe will provide value to our readers. Our affiliate relationships do not influence which products we feature or how we describe them.

Honest Reviews

We strive to provide honest, balanced reviews and recommendations. If we have concerns about a product or notice potential drawbacks, we will share them with you. Our goal is to help you make informed purchasing decisions, not just to earn commissions.

What This Means for You

Your Purchase Decision

Whether or not you use our affiliate links is entirely your choice. You are free to:

• Use our links to support our work
• Search for products independently
• Compare prices across different retailers
• Purchase wherever you feel most comfortable

No Obligation

You are never obligated to purchase anything through our affiliate links. We provide product recommendations and information to help you, not to pressure you into buying.

Your Price Stays the Same

Important: Clicking our affiliate links and making purchases does not increase the price you pay. Merchants pay us the commission from their own marketing budgets.

Product Information and Availability

Accuracy Disclaimer

While we make every effort to provide accurate product information, prices, and availability:

• Prices may change without notice
• Products may be discontinued or out of stock
• Product specifications may vary from what we describe
• Merchants control all product information and pricing

Always verify current prices, availability, and specifications on the merchant’s website before making a purchase.

Not the Seller

We are not the seller of any products linked on our Site. When you click our affiliate links and make a purchase, you are buying directly from the merchant (such as Amazon or other retailers).

We have no control over:

• Product quality or condition
• Shipping and delivery
• Returns, refunds, or exchanges
• Customer service
• Payment processing

For any issues with your order, please contact the merchant directly.

Income Disclosure

How We Earn

Shores and Blues earns income through:

• Affiliate commissions when you purchase products through our links
• Potential future income from selling our own digital products

Supporting Our Work

The commissions we earn help us:

• Maintain and improve our website
• Create free content and helpful resources
• Research and test products
• Cover hosting, tools, and operational costs

Your support through affiliate purchases allows us to keep our content free and accessible to everyone.

Our Independence

Editorial Independence

Our affiliate relationships do not compromise our editorial independence. We:

• Maintain full control over our content and recommendations
• Do not accept payment for positive reviews
• Clearly distinguish between sponsored content and organic recommendations
• Reserve the right to criticize products honestly, even if they are affiliated

No Guaranteed Recommendations

Merchants and affiliate programs do not pay us to recommend specific products. Our recommendations are based solely on our judgment of what will be valuable to our readers.

Disclosure Placement

In addition to this dedicated Affiliate Disclosure page, we also include disclosure notices:

• At the beginning of blog posts containing affiliate links
• Near affiliate links where appropriate
• In our Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions

These disclosures ensure you always know when content contains affiliate links.

Third-Party Advertising

We may display third-party advertisements on our Site. These advertisers may use cookies and tracking technologies to serve ads based on your browsing activity. We do not control these third-party technologies.

For more information about how we use cookies and tracking, please see our Privacy Policy.

Changes to This Disclosure

We may update this Affiliate Disclosure from time to time to reflect changes in our affiliate relationships or practices. When we make changes, we will update the “Last Updated” date at the top of this page.

We encourage you to review this disclosure periodically.

Compliance with Regulations

This disclosure complies with:

• New Zealand Fair Trading Act – Requirements for truthful advertising and disclosure of material connections
• U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Guidelines – Requirements for affiliate disclosure (applicable when promoting to U.S. audiences)
• General advertising standards – Transparency and honesty in commercial relationships

Questions About Our Affiliate Relationships

If you have any questions about our affiliate relationships, how we earn commissions, or this disclosure, please contact us:

Email: hello@shoresandblues.com
Website: shoresandblues.com

Your Trust Matters

Your trust is important to us. We are committed to transparency about our affiliate relationships and will always prioritize providing honest, helpful content that serves your interests.

Thank you for supporting Shores and Blues by using our affiliate links. Your support makes it possible for us to continue creating free content about blue and coastal home decor.