Affiliate Disclosure — FOGAMA
Affiliate Disclosure
FOGAMA believes in full transparency about how this site is funded and how affiliate relationships affect — and do not affect — our editorial content. This page explains our affiliate arrangements in plain terms, in compliance with the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) guidelines, UK Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) requirements, and EU consumer disclosure regulations.
Last updated: May 2026
The Short Version
FOGAMA earns affiliate commissions when you click certain links on this site and make a purchase. This costs you nothing extra. Our editorial rankings, review scores, and recommendations are determined independently by our testing methodology — not by commission rates or affiliate relationships. We only recommend knives we have tested and believe are genuinely worth buying.
What Is Affiliate Marketing?
Affiliate marketing is a performance-based arrangement where a website earns a commission by referring visitors to a retailer. When you click an affiliate link on FOGAMA and complete a qualifying purchase, we receive a small percentage of the sale value from the retailer — typically between 1% and 10% depending on the programme and product category. The price you pay is identical to what you would pay visiting the retailer directly. The commission comes from the retailer’s margin, not from any surcharge added to your purchase.
Amazon Associates Disclosure
FOGAMA is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising programme designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, and other Amazon marketplace sites. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
Amazon affiliate links on FOGAMA are identifiable by their URL structure (they contain “amazon.com” or similar Amazon domain addresses). These links are placed where they provide direct value — on product review pages and buying guides where we recommend specific knives.
Other Affiliate Partners
In addition to Amazon, FOGAMA may earn affiliate commissions from the following specialist knife retailers and platforms:
| Partner | Type | Region |
|---|---|---|
| ChefKnivesToGo | Specialist Japanese knife retailer | US / International |
| KnivesAndStones | Specialist Japanese knife retailer | Australia / International |
| HochoKnife | Specialist Japanese knife retailer | US / International |
| JapaneseKnifeCompany | Specialist Japanese knife retailer | UK / Europe |
| Burrfection Store | Japanese knife and sharpening retailer | US / International |
This list is updated when new affiliate relationships are established. Not all links on FOGAMA are affiliate links — links to research sources, manufacturer specifications, and reference materials are not monetised.
How Affiliate Relationships Affect Our Content
Affiliate relationships determine which retailers we link to and track commission from. They do not determine:
- Which knives we review or recommend
- How we score knives in our Blade Index testing
- Which knife ranks first, second, or last in a buying guide
- Whether a negative finding is published or suppressed
- The content of any review, comparison, or guide
A knife with a higher affiliate commission rate is not ranked higher because of that commission. A knife from a brand that does not participate in any affiliate programme we use will still be reviewed and recommended if it performs well on our testing protocols. Our ranking methodology is documented in full in our Editorial Policy.
Free Products and Review Samples
Occasionally, brands or distributors offer to send knives for review at no charge. When we accept a review sample, this is disclosed in the relevant review with the following language: “This knife was provided as a review sample. This has no effect on our testing methodology or scoring.” A free sample does not result in a higher score, more prominent placement, or any other editorial benefit to the supplier.
We reserve the right to decline review samples from any brand, and frequently purchase knives at retail price to maintain full independence of assessment.
FTC Compliance Statement
In accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (16 CFR Part 255), FOGAMA discloses its affiliate relationships on all pages where affiliate links are present. This disclosure appears in the footer of every page on this site and within the content of relevant reviews and buying guides.
This disclosure page constitutes FOGAMA’s primary transparency statement regarding material connections between FOGAMA and commercial entities referenced on this site.
Questions
If you have questions about our affiliate arrangements, how a specific link works, or any aspect of how FOGAMA is funded, contact us at [email protected]. We answer all enquiries about our commercial relationships directly and without evasion.
