Too Long; Didn't Read
Affiliate marketing has become the norm among review sites. Review sites are the most common type of affiliate marketing, but not all are like this. Cashback sites like Rakuten, Ibotta, Honey are all affiliate advertisers. Some marketers take info from other honest review sites while others will just rehash what they found on Amazon. If they aren't adding anything new or are just fluffing up the review, then it's likely that the writer didn't use the product. A good affiliate adds value to the reader's buying decision.