How Retailers are [RETHINKING] Creator Partnerships in 2026.

Creator programs are changing as retailers like Target and Aerie realize they require a multifaceted approach that doesn’t just rely on affiliate links.Retailers from Target to Urban Outfitters and Aerie are trading one-size-fits-all affiliate schemes for hybrid creator programs that mix gamified communities, tiered rewards and performance-based pay. The goal: to fix affiliates’ weak spots like tracking gaps, scaling headaches and creator frustration with flat commissions. 

Target recently scrapped its commission-based creator program in favor of two new programs: the Club Target, a gamified community for “everyday guests and emerging creators,” and Target Ambassadors, an invite-only tier for established creators with “enhanced commissions, performance-based incentives and access to exclusive campaigns,” said Sarah Travis, Target executive vp and chief digital and revenue officer.

Club Target is more in line with the formats of programs recently launched by Urban Outfitters, American Eagle, and Aerie, which engage smaller creators at scale, while Target Ambassadors leverages creator-guided shopping platform LTK to activate bigger creators with more reach.
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