Affiliate Commission Configuration

Affiliate Commission Configuration

The Affiliate module supports a sophisticated, multi-tier commission rule engine. Global defaults can be overridden at any level: storewide → category → product → variation.

Global Commission Rate

Set the default commission under Settings → Affiliate → Default Commission:

• Type: Percentage (e.g., 15%) or Flat Amount (e.g., $5.00 per sale)
• Base: Commission is calculated on the order subtotal excluding tax and shipping
• Cookie Window: How long the referral is attributed after the first click (default: 30 days)

Category-Level Overrides

Set a different rate for an entire product category — useful when margin varies by category:

1. Go to Catalog → Categories → [Category] → Affiliate
2. Toggle Override global rate
3. Enter the category-specific rate

Product-Level Overrides

Override the rate for a specific product on the product edit page under the Affiliate tab. This takes priority over category rates.

Variation-Level Overrides

For products with variants, you can set a different commission per variation (e.g., higher commission on premium storage models). Configure on the variation edit form.

Priority Order

Commission rate resolution: Variation override → Product override → Category override → Global default. The most specific rule wins.

First Purchase vs. Lifetime Attribution

• First Purchase Only — Affiliate earns commission only on the referred customer's first order
• Lifetime — Affiliate earns commission on every order the referred customer places, for as long as the cookie is valid

Set this under Settings → Affiliate → Attribution Model.

Payout Management

1. Affiliates request a payout from their dashboard once they exceed the minimum threshold
2. Admin reviews pending payout requests under Marketing → Affiliates → Payouts
3. Mark as Paid after processing the payment externally (bank transfer, PayPal, etc.)
4. The affiliate's balance is deducted and they receive a payout confirmation email

Fraud Detection

• Self-referrals are blocked — affiliates cannot earn commissions on their own purchases
• Same-IP purchases within the cookie window are flagged for review
• Refunded orders automatically deduct the affiliate's pending commission