Amazon gives tech creators 20-day early access to new product launches

Amazon India has unveiled a specialised Tech Influencer Program, offering creators up to 20 days of early access to high-value product launches, alongside benefits such as studio access, stabilised commissions, and brand deal opportunities.

“We are announcing our first cohort of Tech Influencers who have shown high-quality, authentic content with strong engagement rates. It is not about size, it’s about authentic influence,” said Nidhi Thakkar, Head of Creator Program, Amazon India, in an interaction with exchange4media.

The program, an extension of the Amazon Influencer Program (AIP), marks Amazon’s effort to deepen its creator partnerships beyond affiliate links. The AIP, which recently crossed one lakh creators in India, remains open to all with basic eligibility—“around 2,000 followers and a public profile,” Thakkar noted, calling it a “democratic, transparent, and flexible” program.

Tech creators at the forefront
While Amazon already runs verticalised influencer programs in fashion, beauty, parenting and home décor, the tech program is positioned as a premium initiative. Tech creators will gain access to Amazon’s creator studios in Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore, equipped with editors and professional sets.

“Tech products are expensive and launch fast. We want to make sure creators get early access, up to 20 days before, so they can prepare authentic reviews and content,” said Thakkar. Stable commission rates are another feature—“because in tech, commissions often fluctuate, we want to give them predictability.”

For Avanish Deshmukh, who runs the YouTube channel Tech Terminus with close to 70,000 subscribers, content creation began during the lockdown days of 2020. A college student then, he turned his passion for gadgets into a full-fledged channel reviewing PCs, laptops and accessories. Five years later, tech has emerged as one of the fastest-growing influencer categories, second only to gaming, followed by beauty and fashion.

“The first major struggle of any tech influencer is arranging the product. Brands have restrictions on how their products can be reviewed. That’s why I prefer to do organic reviews by arranging the products myself. It builds trust with the audience,” said Deshmukh, speaking at the sidelines of Amazon’s Tech Influencer Program launch. 

Unlike barter collaborations common in beauty and fashion, tech brands often provide devices for reviews without paying creators. “Mostly I do organic reviews, but brands like Lenovo and Asus have given products for editorial reviews, where we can say anything without limitation,” he explained.

His earnings rely heavily on three streams—Google Ads Search, affiliate links, and brand partnerships. “For me, affiliate is the highest currently, then brand deals, and lastly Ad Search. Overall, it’s a six-figure income,” he said, without disclosing specifics.

Search-first content and high engagement
Deshmukh builds visibility by targeting search-based topics. “I focus on products that are most searched on the internet. Based on that, I select what to review,” he said. His long-format reviews, often around 10 minutes, record nearly 40% engagement rates.

While flash collaborations help with visibility, Deshmukh believes lasting partnerships are critical. “A long-term relationship means products are available on time. For us, timely access is everything,” he said. Despite challenges, Deshmukh insists tech is where growth lies. “The audience values authentic reviews. As long as you build trust, affiliate marketing and brand monetisation follow,” he said.

From love, money and fame to community and learning
Thakkar explained that Amazon’s framework for creators is built on “love, money and fame,” with the aim of helping creators build careers on commerce-first content. Besides monetary incentives, Amazon is focusing on peer-learning sessions, enterprise tools such as deep linking and auto-DMs, and access to brand deals via its marketplace partnerships.

The monetisation model remains performance-linked rather than CPM-based. “At the core, it continues to be an affiliate conversion-driven program. For strategic deals like festive sales, we may offer milestone-based incentives, but we don’t monetise at impression level like Instagram or YouTube,” Thakkar clarified.

Regional and category expansions
Apart from tech, Amazon has seen strong traction in regional content—particularly in Telugu, Tamil and Bengali—and in categories such as parenting. “Influencers drive a lot of consideration in parenting. Mothers helping mothers, WhatsApp groups, affiliate links spreading organically—that’s powerful,” Thakkar said.

Amazon has also invested in creator skilling. Its Creator Central hub, integrated into the Amazon app, enables influencers to generate links, track commissions, schedule content, and access analytics. Complementing it is Creator University, launched last year, which provides structured learning modules for new creators.

“Even a noob can get started. You can generate a link, schedule posts, and track performance. We don’t want an agency to tell you how you did—we want creators to see directly what’s working,” Thakkar emphasised.

With over one lakh creators already on board, Amazon’s influencer play is poised for a broader role in India’s marketing ecosystem. As Thakkar summed it up, “We want creators to see Amazon as the platform where they can earn money, fame and love—and for customers to benefit from authentic, commerce-first content.”