I did mainstream stuff back in 2000. Had an online clothing store.
The percentages were TINY. 5% on average. And then then minute you made your first sale, the companies would send the customers you sent an email full of "deals" that would take them out of your affiliate code.
So I gave that up.
Tried to get back in the mainstream game the last couple of years.
I've had every application for every program I tried to join turned down.
I would buy domains, get some cheap non-porn hosting on Go Daddy and build sites specifically for the product (most recently cell phones and vegas hotel reservations)...I'm turned down by the affiliate program every time.