EmpowerNet California. If a particular person owns a web site, sells his merchandise by way of the website, and if he pays other internet site owners, or bloggers for sending buyers to his site, then he becomes the marketer. If you have a internet site and direct surfers to different merchants for services and products via blogs, or e-mail links then you become the affiliate. There are several merchants who are affiliates too. They have their personal affiliate marketing system, acquire site visitors from other affiliates and they also direct targeted traffic to other merchants in return for commission.