Affiliate Disclosure

What an affiliate relationship means

MileShift Report may earn compensation when a reader follows a qualifying commercial link and completes an action covered by that arrangement, such as a purchase. This is different from a normal citation included only to support an article. A link to a manufacturer, regulator or research source is not automatically an affiliate link.

This page explains our disclosure standard. It does not identify a particular active affiliate program, establish that a named retailer is our partner or claim that revenue has been earned. Where a commercial relationship applies to a recommendation, the explanation on that page should make the relationship understandable to the reader.

Where a reader should find the disclosure

Our standard is a plain-language statement near the relevant recommendation or commercial link, explaining that MileShift Report can receive compensation. It should be noticeable before a reader acts on the recommendation and readable on mobile. A link to this policy in a footer is not a substitute for explaining the relationship where it matters.

The FTC’s endorsement guidance explains why the relationship should be clear and close to the recommendation. It also cautions that readers may not understand the financial meaning of the words “affiliate link” alone. Our policy therefore calls for an explanation of compensation, not just technical terminology or a purchase button.

A disclosure must describe the actual arrangement. Commission, sponsorship, a free product and a loaned review vehicle are different relationships. If more than one is relevant, one vague label should not conceal the others. This policy is not a certification that every older page has already been reviewed for these requirements.

Commissions do not establish price or suitability

Do not assume that an affiliate link provides the lowest price, an exclusive discount or identical terms to another buying route. The merchant’s current checkout, shipping charges, taxes, subscription conditions and return policy need to be checked directly. This page does not guarantee that following a link leaves the final price unchanged.

MileShift Report is an automotive publication, not the seller in a third-party transaction. A product mention does not establish fitment for your vehicle, the quality of a particular seller or an entitlement to a warranty. Confirm the exact product and terms with the merchant before buying. Questions about an order, cancellation or refund belong with the party that sold it.

Editorial and advertising boundaries

Our editorial standard is that a commission must not purchase a favorable independent conclusion or fabricated experience. A recommendation still needs a clear basis, relevant limitations and accurate attribution. Commercial incentives must not be used to invent a test, suppress a material qualification or imply professional review that did not occur.

Display advertising and paid promotional articles are separate commercial formats described on our Advertising & Sponsorship page. They require appropriate identification. The Editorial Policy covers sources, conflicts, AI assistance and the distinction between editorial work and promotion.

Paid link markup is not the reader disclosure

Our standard is to qualify paid links with the sponsored link attribute. Google’s outbound-link documentation identifies this attribute for paid placements and also accepts nofollow. That markup communicates a relationship to search systems; readers still need an understandable explanation on the page.

Neither a qualified link nor an affiliate disclosure guarantees a product, a search ranking or a commercial result. These are publishing requirements, not a claim that an automated system has validated every link across the archive.

Ask about a recommendation or missing label

If a relationship is unclear, ask about a disclosure. Include the page URL, identify the recommendation or destination link and explain the concern. A missing label should be reported; its absence alone is not proof that a link is unpaid.

Please do not send payment details, order credentials or identity documents. This contact route is for publication questions, not merchant customer support. Older pages are being reviewed individually, and this policy should not be read as a completed audit of the entire website.