Affiliate Disclosure
Affiliate Disclosure
Slug: /affiliate-disclosure/ Meta title: Affiliate Disclosure — GrindCircle Meta description: GrindCircle participates in the Amazon Associates program. Here's exactly how that works and what it means for you.
Last updated: [DATE]
The Short Version
GrindCircle.com participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
This means: when you click a product link on this site and buy something on Amazon, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. The price you pay is exactly the same whether you use my link or go to Amazon directly.
The Longer Version
I want to be straight with you about how this works, because I think most disclosure pages are written in a way that buries the important stuff.
What affiliate links look like here: Any time I link to a product on Amazon — in a review, a buying guide, a comparison article, or a "top picks" section — that link is likely an affiliate link. I use standard Amazon Associates links. There are no hidden trackers beyond what Amazon itself uses.
Does this affect my recommendations? No. And I mean that in a specific way, not a hand-wavy "I promise" way. I recommend things that I believe are actually worth buying for what they cost. If a product is overpriced, overhyped, or has a significant flaw that matters to most users, I say so — even if it's a popular product with a high commission rate. An honest site that people trust is worth more long-term than a few extra dollars on a bad recommendation.
Products I've used vs. products I haven't: I'm a professional barista. Some of the equipment I write about here I've used commercially, or I've had direct hands-on time with. When that's the case, I say so explicitly. For products I haven't personally used, I'm transparent about that too — I'll tell you I'm working from manufacturer specs, user reviews on Amazon, or community discussions on r/espresso and Home-Barista.com. I never fabricate test data.
Other affiliate programs: At this time, Amazon Associates is the primary affiliate program I use. If that changes, I'll update this page.
FTC Compliance
This disclosure is made in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR Part 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
In plain English: the FTC requires that I tell you when I have a financial relationship with a brand or retailer that could influence what I write. I do. This page exists to tell you that.
Questions
If you have any questions about affiliate relationships or how specific products on this site were evaluated, contact me. I'll tell you directly.