Buy now is the default and it's the worst option available. Here's what works instead.
Stuart Miles Posted
The button text on a product block is the smallest thing you can change and one of the few that reliably moves the number.
It’s also usually left on the default, which is “Buy now”, which is the weakest thing it could say.
Why Buy now underperforms
Because it asks for a decision the reader hasn’t made yet.
Somebody reading a review is deciding. They want to know what it costs, who has it, whether it’s in stock. “Buy now” skips all of that and asks them to commit, and the honest response to it is not yet.
It also describes something that isn’t about to happen. Clicking doesn’t buy anything — it takes you to a retailer. A button that misdescribes what it does gets clicked less.
What works better
Text that says what actually happens next.
- Check price at Argos — names the action and the destination
- See today’s price — implies the price moves, which it does
- Compare retailers — honest when you're showing several
- View deal — unremarkable, but better than demanding a purchase
Naming the retailer is worth more than people expect. Readers have preferences and existing accounts, and seeing a name they recognise removes a step.
What else to try
Show the price on the button, or right next to it. The price is the information the reader came for. Making them click to find it costs you the ones who wouldn't have clicked.
Say something when it’s out of stock. A live button on a sold-out product wastes the click and annoys the reader. Better to show it as unavailable and put an alternative next to it.
Keep it consistent. Different button text on different pages is a small thing, but it makes a site feel assembled rather than built.
Changing it
Button text is part of your global widget styling, so it's set once and applies everywhere — including articles published years ago.
It’s a ten-minute change. It’s also one of the few in this category with a directly observable effect, so it’s worth doing before anything more elaborate.
Common questions
What should affiliate button text say?
Something describing what happens next - checking a price or viewing a deal at a named retailer - rather than Buy now, which asks for a commitment the reader hasn’t made.
Why does Buy now perform badly?
It asks for a purchase decision the reader is still making, and it misdescribes the action, since clicking goes to a retailer rather than completing a purchase.
Should I name the retailer in the button?
Usually yes. Readers have retailer preferences and existing accounts, and recognising the name removes a step.