Affiliate programmes that pay partners for real sales
We design, launch and manage affiliate programmes for Shopify brands: the right platform, fair commission rules, motivated partners and tracking both sides can trust.
Affiliate Marketing: what it covers
Affiliate marketing pays publishers, creators, review sites and loyal customers a commission when they send you a sale. Because you pay for orders rather than impressions, it can be one of the more controlled ways to grow reach. It also puts your products in places your ads do not reach, such as comparison articles, gift guides, niche blogs and newsletters.
A good programme needs more than an app. We start with strategy: which partner types suit your category, what commission your margins can support, and how affiliate sales fit alongside paid search, influencer work and email. Then we set up the platform, such as an affiliate app built for Shopify or an established network, recruit partners and give them the links, creative and product information they need.
Ongoing management is where programmes grow or fade. We keep partners active with regular updates and offers, review which ones bring new customers rather than existing ones, adjust commissions, and check for fraud such as brand-term bidding, coupon leakage and fake orders before commissions are approved.
- Affiliate programme strategy and goals
- Platform selection and Shopify integration
- Commission structure and payout rules
- Programme terms and brand bidding policy
- Partner recruitment and outreach
- Affiliate onboarding and creative kits
- Tracking links, codes and attribution rules
- Coupon and voucher site management
- Fraud and policy compliance checks
- Partner newsletters and promotions
- Commission approvals and payouts
- Partner and programme performance reports
The challenges we solve
A programme nobody promotes
Many brands install an affiliate app, add a sign-up page and wait. Without recruitment, onboarding and regular contact, few partners join and fewer stay active. A programme needs the same planning and outreach as any other channel, plus a steady supply of offers and creative that gives partners something to talk about.
Commission on sales you would have had anyway
Coupon sites and partners bidding on your brand name can claim credit for customers who were already at checkout. Without clear terms, sensible attribution windows and reviews of where traffic comes from, commission spend rises while new customer numbers do not. We write rules that reward genuine introductions.
Tracking that partners do not trust
If clicks go missing or orders are not credited, partners stop promoting you. Cookie restrictions, overlapping discount codes and checkout changes all affect tracking. We test links and codes on your Shopify store, set clear attribution rules and share transparent reports so both sides can see how commissions are calculated.
Our Affiliates services
Programme strategy
Goals, partner types, attribution rules and budget limits set from your margins and customer lifetime value, so the programme grows without paying more for a customer than they are worth.
Partner acquisition
Outreach to content publishers, review sites, niche bloggers, creators, loyalty and cashback partners and your own customers, with a pitch that explains why your products are worth promoting.
Platform setup
Setup in a Shopify-compatible affiliate app such as UpPromote, GoAffPro or Refersion, or a network such as Awin or impact.com, including tracking, payouts and a branded partner dashboard.
Commission structure design
Rates and bonuses designed around product margins, new versus returning customers, partner type and seasonal pushes, with clear rules on returns, cancellations and payout timing.
Tracking and attribution
Tracking links and unique codes, cookie windows, rules for orders that two partners both touched, and checks that orders from your Shopify checkout are credited correctly.
Programme optimisation
Regular reviews of active partners, conversion by partner type and offer performance, with commission changes, new creative and recruitment focused where results are strongest.
Partner reporting
Monthly reports for you on sales, new customers, commission cost and top partners, plus clear statements for partners so they can see exactly what they earned.
Fraud checks
Reviews for brand-term bidding, cookie stuffing, coupon leakage, self-referrals and suspicious orders before commissions are approved, so you pay only for legitimate referrals.
How we work
Business & Market Discovery
We learn how your business makes money: your products, margins, customers, competitors, target markets and revenue goals, so every later decision is anchored to commercial reality rather than platform metrics.
Marketing Audit & Research
We review existing campaigns, tracking setup, audience data, ad account history, creative performance and how well your website converts, to find wasted spend, missing data and quick opportunities.
Strategy & Campaign Planning
We choose the right channels, allocate budget between them, and plan campaign structure, target audiences, creative direction and the conversion goals each campaign will be measured against.
Campaign Setup & Launch
We configure campaigns, conversion tracking, landing pages, creatives, audiences and conversion events, then check everything fires correctly before launch so data is reliable from the first day.
Testing & Optimisation
We run structured tests on audiences, keywords, creatives, bidding strategies, landing pages and budget splits, keeping what works and retiring what does not, one clear change at a time.
Reporting & Scaling
We analyse results, highlight new opportunities and report in plain language. When the data is reliable and returns hold up, we scale budgets and expand into new channels, products or markets.
Frequently asked questions
Which affiliate platform should a Shopify store use?
The right platform depends on how many partners you expect and where they come from. Shopify affiliate apps such as UpPromote, GoAffPro or Refersion suit brands recruiting their own customers, creators and smaller publishers. Networks such as Awin or impact.com give access to larger publishers and content sites but cost more to run. We compare both against your goals.
How much commission should we offer?
Commission should be set from your margins, average order value and how much a new customer is worth over time, not copied from a competitor. Many brands pay more for new customers than returning ones, add bonuses for top partners and use lower rates for coupon sites. We model a few options before launch and adjust once real data arrives.
How is affiliate marketing different from influencer marketing?
Affiliate partners are paid a commission on the sales they send, while influencers are usually paid a fee for content and posting. The two often overlap: many creators join affiliate programmes, and influencer deals can include a commission on top of a flat fee. We manage both so partners are not paid twice for the same order.
How do you prevent affiliate fraud?
We prevent fraud with clear programme terms, regular traffic reviews and checks before commissions are approved. That includes watching for affiliates bidding on your brand name, cookie stuffing, discount codes leaked to coupon sites, self-referral orders and unusual return patterns. Suspicious orders are held or declined in line with the terms partners agreed to.
How long does an affiliate programme take to grow?
Affiliate programmes grow gradually, because partners need time to join, create content and earn trust with their audiences. The first months usually focus on setup, recruitment and building a core group of active partners. Content such as reviews and gift guides can keep sending sales long after it is published, so the channel builds on itself.