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Getting Started for Merchants

Getting Started for Merchants

Complete guide to setting up your affiliate program with refVenue

Getting Started for Merchants

This guide will walk you through setting up your affiliate program from scratch.

Step 1: Create Your Account

  1. Go to refvenue.com/register
  2. Sign up with your email
  3. Verify your email address
  4. Choose the "Merchant" role during onboarding

Step 2: Create Your First Program

Navigate to Programs

From your dashboard, click on Programs in the sidebar, then click Create Program.

Program Settings

Fill in the following information:

Basic Information:

  • Program Name: Give your program a clear, descriptive name
  • Description: Explain what affiliates will be promoting
  • Project URL: Your website URL (e.g., https://yourbusiness.com)

Commission Settings:

  • Commission Type: Choose between Percentage or Fixed
    • Percentage: e.g., 10% (affiliates earn 10% of each sale)
    • Fixed: e.g., $5 (affiliates earn $5 per conversion)
  • Commission Value: Enter the rate or amount

Advanced Settings:

  • Cookie Duration: How long to track referrals (default: 30 days)
  • Auto-Approve Affiliates: Whether to automatically approve new affiliates
  • Enable Tiered Commissions: For 2-level affiliate structures

Example Program

Name: SaaS Pro Affiliate Program
Description: Promote our SaaS product and earn 20% recurring commissions
Project URL: https://saaspro.com
Commission Type: Percentage
Commission Value: 20
Cookie Duration: 30 days

Step 3: Invite Affiliates

Manual Invitations

  1. Go to Affiliates page
  2. Click Add Affiliate
  3. Enter affiliate's email
  4. They'll receive an invitation email

Affiliate Signup Link

Share your custom signup link with potential affiliates:

https://yourdomain.com/?program=YOUR_PROGRAM_ID

Affiliates can self-register through this link (subject to auto-approval settings).

Marketplace Listing

Make your program discoverable:

  1. Go to Program settings
  2. Enable Marketplace Listing
  3. Your program appears in the marketplace
  4. Affiliates can browse and join

Step 4: Integrate Tracking

You need to add tracking to your website to capture referrals and conversions.

Option 1: JavaScript Integration (Recommended)

Add this script to your website's <head> section:

<script async src="https://yourdomain.com/refvenue.js"
        data-refvenue="YOUR_PUBLISHABLE_KEY"
        data-program-id="YOUR_PROGRAM_ID"></script>

Then track conversions:

<!-- After successful signup -->
<script>
trackRegistration('user@example.com');
</script>
 
<!-- After successful purchase -->
<script>
trackPurchase('user@example.com', 99.99);
</script>

Full JavaScript Integration Guide

Option 2: Stripe Integration (Automatic)

Connect your Stripe account for automatic purchase tracking:

  1. Go to Integration page
  2. Click Connect Stripe Account
  3. Complete Stripe OAuth flow
  4. Done! Purchases are tracked automatically

Full Stripe Integration Guide

Option 3: Server-Side Tracking

For more control, track conversions from your server:

fetch('https://tracking.refvenue.com/v1/track-conversion', {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
  body: JSON.stringify({
    program_id: 'YOUR_PROGRAM_ID',
    ref_code: 'AFFILIATE_CODE',
    publishable_key: 'YOUR_KEY',
    customer_email: 'user@example.com',
    revenue_amount: 99.99,
    conversion_type: 'purchase'
  })
});

Full Server-Side Integration Guide

Step 5: Test Your Integration

Test Referral Tracking

  1. Go to Links & Codes page
  2. Generate a test referral link
  3. Click the link in a new browser session
  4. Complete a test purchase/signup
  5. Check Dashboard to see the conversion

Test Coupon Tracking

  1. Go to Links & Codes page
  2. Create a test coupon code
  3. Use the coupon at checkout
  4. Check Dashboard to verify tracking

Step 6: Manage Your Program

Dashboard Overview

Your dashboard shows:

  • Total affiliates
  • Total conversions (signups + purchases)
  • Total earnings (what you owe affiliates)
  • Recent activity

Managing Affiliates

Approve/Block Affiliates:

  • Review new affiliate applications
  • Approve legitimate affiliates
  • Block suspicious accounts

Monitor Performance:

  • See each affiliate's clicks, conversions, and earnings
  • Identify top performers
  • Address underperformers

Managing Conversions

Review Conversions:

  • All conversions start in "Pending" status
  • Review for fraud or quality issues
  • Approve or reject as needed

Handle Refunds:

  • Stripe automatically handles refunds
  • Manual conversions: mark as refunded in dashboard
  • Commissions are automatically reversed

Best Practices

Security

  • Never share your secret Publishable key publicly
  • Use the publishable key for client-side tracking
  • Regularly review fraud incidents
  • Monitor quality scores

Commission Structure

  • Start conservative: Begin with lower commission rates
  • Test and adjust: Monitor profitability
  • Competitive rates: Research competitor programs
  • Clear terms: Set clear payment terms

Affiliate Relations

  • Clear guidelines: Provide promotion guidelines
  • Timely payments: Pay affiliates on schedule
  • Regular communication: Keep affiliates informed
  • Performance bonuses: Reward top performers

Next Steps

Need Help?

IntroductionFor Affiliates