Overview
Fitlab Reviews is an independent supplement research publication. We earn revenue through affiliate commissions — specifically through the Amazon Associates Program and the Awin affiliate network. We have no outside investors, no brand partnerships, and no sponsored content arrangements.
The short version: we get paid when you buy through our links. Our scores and rankings are set before we know what any affiliate pays. If those two things ever conflict, the scores win — full stop.
FTC Requirement
The Federal Trade Commission (16 CFR Part 255) requires clear disclosure of material connections to products we recommend. Any link to Amazon or Awin partner pages earns us a commission. We comply with this requirement site-wide — on every page that contains affiliate links.
Our Affiliate Programs
We participate in exactly two affiliate programs:
| Program | Platform | Commission | Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon Associates | Amazon.com / Amazon.in | 1–4% of sale price (varies by category) | All Amazon product links site-wide |
| Awin Network | Multiple retailers | Typically 3–8% (merchant-set) | Retailer-specific product pages we link to |
Affiliate links are identifiable by their destination URL (amzn.to links, tagged Amazon URLs, or Awin redirect domains). We also label them in our HTML with rel="sponsored" as required by Google's link attribute guidelines.
Commission rates vary by product category and individual merchant. A product that earns us a higher commission receives no preferential treatment in scoring or ranking. We also review and link to products that generate zero affiliate revenue — including products sold only through channels where we have no affiliate relationship.
The Editorial Firewall
Our review process is deliberately structured so that commercial considerations cannot reach reviewers at the point of scoring:
Product selection
Products are added to our review queue based on market share data, reader requests, and category coverage gaps — not affiliate availability or projected commission revenue.
Scoring (blind to affiliate data)
Reviewers score products using our five-dimension rubric against written standards. At the time of scoring, reviewers do not have access to the affiliate commission rate for the product being evaluated. The scoring rubric was published publicly in 2024 and has not changed since.
Publishing
After scores are locked and peer-reviewed internally, editors add affiliate buy links to purchase buttons and "where to buy" sections. Scores are never adjusted after this point based on affiliate considerations.
Annual re-review
All published scores are re-evaluated annually using the same blinded process. Scores can move up or down based on formulation changes, certification updates, or pricing shifts — never based on affiliate program changes.
What We Never Do
| Practice | Our position |
|---|---|
| Accept payment for a higher score or ranking | Never |
| Accept free products in exchange for a positive review | Never |
| Allow a brand to read or alter copy before publication | Never |
| Publish sponsored content labelled as editorial | Never |
| Remove a published review because a brand requested it | Never |
| Use affiliate commission rates as a factor in product selection | Never |
| Recommend a product we haven't reviewed | Never |
| Use affiliate links on buy buttons | Yes — always disclosed |
| Accept unsolicited product samples for review | Accepted — disclosed in the review |
Product Samples
We occasionally receive unsolicited product samples from brands. When a sample is used in our review process, we disclose this fact in the review. Receiving a sample does not guarantee a review will be published, and it does not guarantee a positive review. Brands that send samples receive no editorial access and cannot influence our scores.
We do not accept samples in exchange for guaranteed coverage or positive treatment. We do not have paid advisory relationships, consulting agreements, or equity positions with any supplement brand we review.
Corrections Policy
If we publish a factual error — in a score, a dose figure, a citation, or an editorial claim — we correct it promptly and note the correction inline in the article. Score changes are logged in our Database Changelog with a timestamp and the reason for the change. We do not delete reviews; we update them with corrections noted.
To report an error: contact us here. We respond to correction requests within 72 hours.
Policy Changelog
Awin network disclosure added
- AddedExplicit disclosure of Awin affiliate network participation
- UpdatedCommission rate table with current ranges for both programs
- Updated"What We Never Do" table expanded with two new rows
Editorial firewall formalised
- AddedFour-step editorial firewall process explicitly documented
- AddedAnnual re-review step formalised in writing
- UpdatedProduct samples section clarified
Initial policy published
- AddedAmazon Associates disclosure
- AddedFirst version of "What We Never Do" table
- AddedFTC compliance statement