Transparency

Affiliate Disclosure

How we earn, what we recommend, and why our editorial independence comes first.

Effective: April 25, 2026 Last Updated: April 25, 2026
Plain English Summary

Reader-Supported, Independent, Honest

The Intimate Guide is reader-supported. When you click a link to a product or retailer on our Site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission — at no extra cost to you. This is how we keep the Site free, independent, and ad-light.

We only recommend products we genuinely believe meet our editorial standards.

FTC Compliance

We comply with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission's Endorsement Guides (16 CFR Part 255) and similar consumer protection regulations in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and the European Union. This Affiliate Disclosure is part of our ongoing commitment to transparent, honest publishing.

How Affiliate Relationships Work

When you click certain links on our Site and complete a purchase on a partner retailer's site, our partner records the referral via tracking cookies and pays us a small percentage of the sale. This is called affiliate marketing.

Key Facts

  • The price you pay does not change because you clicked our link
  • We are not paid unless you actually purchase something
  • We do not receive your payment information
  • We do not see your individual purchase details
  • The retailer handles all customer service, returns, and warranties

Brands and Networks We May Partner With

We participate in affiliate programs with brands and networks that align with our editorial values around body-safe products, transparent business practices, and inclusive sexual wellness, including:

Lovehoney
LELO
We-Vibe
Adam & Eve
Dame Products
Womanizer
Satisfyer
Lovense
Others

We may also partner with other body-safe sexual wellness retailers, manufacturers, and educational platforms. We may add or remove partners over time. The presence of affiliate links does not indicate exclusive partnership or paid placement.

Editorial Independence

This is the most important part. We commit to:

What We Do

  • Test, review, and evaluate products based on our own editorial standards
  • Disclose affiliate relationships clearly within articles that contain affiliate links
  • Decline to review or recommend products that do not meet our body-safety, materials, or quality standards — regardless of commission rates
  • Maintain editorial independence from any single brand or network
  • Update reviews when products change, when better alternatives emerge, or when our research warrants

What We Do Not Do

  • Accept payment in exchange for positive reviews
  • Allow affiliate partners to write or edit our editorial content
  • Allow commission rates to dictate which products we recommend
  • Hide negative findings about products we receive commissions on
  • Promote products we have not researched or evaluated

If a product does not meet our standards, we will not recommend it — regardless of whether we earn a commission.

How Affiliate Links Are Marked

Within articles, affiliate links may be indicated through:

  • Disclosure language at or near the top of articles containing affiliate links
  • Use of HTML attributes such as rel="sponsored" and rel="nofollow" for technical disclosure to search engines
  • Standard disclosure language in product review sections

We aim to make our use of affiliate links clear without disrupting your reading experience.

What We Earn

Affiliate commission rates vary by partner, product, and sale value. Typical rates in our industry range from 5% to 30% of the sale price. We do not disclose specific commission terms with individual partners, as these are governed by confidentiality agreements common to affiliate marketing.

Display Advertising

In addition to affiliate links, we may display advertisements through programs such as Google AdSense or Ezoic. These ads:

  • Are clearly distinguishable from editorial content
  • Are managed by ad networks, not our editorial team
  • May use cookies for personalization and frequency capping (see our Cookie Policy)
  • Do not influence which products we review or recommend

Sponsored Content (If Applicable)

We do not currently publish sponsored articles. If we ever do, sponsored content will be:

  • Clearly labeled "Sponsored," "Paid Partnership," or similar
  • Visually distinct from editorial content
  • Subject to disclosure of the relationship with the sponsor

Returns, Refunds, and Customer Service

We do not handle returns, refunds, exchanges, warranties, or customer service for products purchased through affiliate links. All such matters are the responsibility of the retailer where you completed the purchase. Please review the retailer's own policies before purchasing.

Your Choice

You are never required to use our affiliate links. You may purchase any product directly from a retailer or competitor without using our links. Your support through our affiliate links is appreciated and directly helps us continue publishing free, research-informed sexual wellness content.

Questions

If you have questions about a specific affiliate relationship, our review methodology, or our editorial process:

Get in Touch

Email: contact@theintimateguide.com

Subject line: Affiliate Disclosure Inquiry

The Intimate Guide
Editorial Lead: Morgan Ellis

For our full editorial standards and review methodology, see our Editorial Policy.