Example · Instagram and TikTok

The influencer whose discount code is in every story.

Lena Hoffmann shows her yoga routines on Instagram and TikTok, and her followers ask about the mat every time. She now has the influencer code LENA10 as a discount code and a link in her story and profile. You see which channel brings which orders, and Lena sees her clicks in her own partner area. Her commission arrives once a month via PayPal.

A code people remember

Every partner gets a partner voucher of their own. Lena asks for LENA10, and you approve the code.

Every click with its source

Click tracking stores landing page, referrer and UTM data. The statistics show whether the story, the profile or the video sells.

Commission via PayPal

Lena enters her PayPal account. You review the payout and transfer it with one click through the PayPal API.

How it works

How does Lena join the affiliate program?

With the behaviour Partners must apply and be manually activated, Lena fills in the application in her customer account: Your desired code “LENA” and, under How would you like to promote us?, her channels and reach. The page already shows her what her partner link and voucher code will look like. Under Applications you check her details and click Approve.

  • Own commission: in the Commission tab you give Lena a rate of her own, here 10 percent of net instead of the default for everyone.

  • Partner voucher: the application creates a Shopware promotion with a code of its own for Lena, with a 10 percent discount by default. The voucher only assigns her customers once you have approved Lena.

How does the voucher become the code LENA10?

By default the code pattern of the partner voucher combines the partner code with random characters. For a video Lena needs something shorter: in the partner area she clicks Change next to Your voucher code and enters “LENA10” as the New voucher code. The request lands under Code requests, and with Approve Voucher Code it applies.

What happens when someone taps the link in the story?

Lena links your-shop.com/?partner=LENA&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=story in her story and the same link with utm_source=tiktok in her TikTok profile. The click assigns the visitor to Lena, through the session and the partner cookie. With Automatically add partner voucher, LENA10 is in the cart as soon as the first product is; nobody has to type the code.

  • UTM parameters: click tracking stores utm_source, utm_medium, utm_campaign, utm_content and utm_term with every click. They also work on the short link and are carried along by the redirect.

  • Link to a specific page: for a video about the yoga mat, Lena creates a link straight to the product page in her partner area.

And people who only know the code from the video?

Many watch a video and order later, without the link. They type LENA10 into the Promo code field in the cart. The partner voucher gives the discount and assigns the customer to Lena at the same time; the order carries Lena's partner code just as with a click.

  • Commission does not depend on clicks: an order through the code alone has no click, but counts for Lena all the same.

  • Partner vouchers: for coupon code tracking, the list shows orders, net revenue, the total discount and the commission per voucher. That shows you what LENA10 brings in and what it costs.

Which channel brings the orders?

Under Clicks every click is listed with Time, Partner, Referrer, Customer and Order; you can show landing page, UTM data, device and browser as well. If a click is followed by the first order, the order is linked to it. In the Statistics, the Click sources tab sums it all up: Referrer, Devices and UTM source and campaign, each with clicks and conversion.

  • Click statistics in the partner area: Lena sees Clicks & orders in the last 30 days with the Conversion rate, a daily chart and the Top landing pages. She does not see IP addresses, user agents or customers.

  • Data protection: a shortened IP is stored. Bots do not count, and the plugin deletes expired click data daily, after 365 days by default. The storage belongs in your privacy notice.

How does the commission reach Lena?

Lena gets the remuneration type Payout and, in the partner area under Your payout details, chooses PayPal as the Payout method with her PayPal account (email address). With automatic payouts, a request for her balance is created on the 1st of every month. Under PayPal payouts you review it, approve it and click Transfer now.

  • Review list: each payout shows the recipient, the previous payouts and the orders behind it. A first payout or new payout details are flagged.

  • Run: the plugin sends the approved payouts one by one through the PayPal API and shows the progress line by line. Each run is listed under Payout runs afterwards.

  • Fraud check: if someone orders with the email address Lena receives her payouts at, the plugin flags the order as a suspicion.

The calculation

What does an order from the story bring in, and what does it cost you?

A follower taps the link in Lena's story and buys the yoga mat Pro 6 mm and a set of two cork yoga blocks, with 19 percent VAT. LENA10 is in the cart automatically. Lena's rate: 10 percent of the net value of the goods after discount, without shipping.

Commission for Lena

Yoga mat Pro 6 mm, gross€69.90

Cork yoga block, set of 2, gross€24.90

Partner voucher LENA10, 10%-€9.48

Net value of the goods after discount€71.69

Commission for Lena, 10%€7.17

Program costs

Turnover via partners, net€71.69

Discount of the partner voucher, net€7.97

Commission for Lena€7.17

Cost of this order€15.14

The dashboard does the same sum for all partners: the Program costs tile adds up commission and the discount of the partner vouchers, net and without shipping.

How much does the automatic payout transfer?

On the 1st of the month Lena has a balance of €247.83. The automatic payout creates a request for the whole balance, rounded down to whole euros. The rest stays and comes with the next payout.

Automatic payout on the 1st

Available commission€247.83

Stays in the balance€0.83

Payout via PayPal€247.00

How to set it up

Application and discount code

The discount applies to every new partner voucher; you change a single voucher in its Shopware promotion.

Where to find them in the settings (affiliate program menu on the left under System → Settings):

  • Partners · Registration card → BehaviourHow may customers sign up to the affiliate program?

    Partners are activated directly:
    The customer will be automatically registered to the affiliate program and depending on the extension configuration will directly receive a partner code and a partner voucher.

    Partners must apply and be manually activated:
    The customer must apply for the affiliate program and can specify an individual partner code. The partner must be manually activated in the administration.

  • Marketing · Partner voucher card → Discount (in percent or EUR)The amount of the discount, in percent or EUR depending on the type.

  • Marketing · Partner voucher card → Automatically add partner voucherShould the partner voucher be automatically added to the shopping cart when a customer is directed to the shopping cart via a partner link? Alternatively, the customer would always have to activate the partner voucher manually in the shopping cart.

  • Partners · Code changes card → Partners are allowed to change their voucher codeIs the partner allowed to change their own voucher code? The extension checks the validity of the new code in any case - e.g. no special characters and no existing code.

    Yes, new code is changed directly:
    The partner may change their own voucher code at any time.

    Yes, new code must be checked manually:
    The partner may make a proposal for a new voucher code. The new code must be manually activated in the administration.

    No:
    The partner cannot change their voucher code.

Clicks and click statistics

Click tracking is on by default. You switch on the click statistics in the partner area on top.

Where to find them in the settings (affiliate program menu on the left under System → Settings):

  • Marketing · Click tracking card → Record clicks on partner linksStores time, shortened IP, user agent, landing path, referring domain and UTM data. Known customers and the first associated order can be linked. Repeated visits are usually recognised; occasional duplicate clicks are possible. Update your privacy information accordingly.

  • Marketing · Click tracking card → Retention in daysExpired click records are deleted daily. Statistics cover the retained data only; commissions remain unchanged.

  • Marketing · Click tracking card → Show click statistics in the partner areaShows aggregated clicks and conversions for the signed-in partner. No IP addresses, user agents or customer references are shown.

Payout via PayPal

PayPal needs a REST app with payouts enabled. After saving, Test connection checks the credentials; automatic payouts apply to all sales channels.

Where to find them in the settings (affiliate program menu on the left under System → Settings):

  • Payout · Payout methods card → Offer PayPalPartners can enter the email address of their PayPal account. Payouts are paid through the PayPal API.

  • Payout · PayPal card → Client IDClient ID of a REST app in the PayPal developer dashboard with payouts enabled.

  • Payout · PayPal card → SandboxSends payouts to the PayPal sandbox with test accounts instead of real money.

  • Payout · Automatic payout card → Activate automatic payoutsOn the payout day the extension creates a payout of the whole balance, rounded down to whole euros, for every partner whose type of remuneration is "Payout". The same limit applies as for a request of the partner: the smallest staggered amount or the minimum amount of the card "Payout · Compensation by payout". The payouts are reviewed like every request.

  • Payout · Automatic payout card → Day of the month (only for "Monthly")Applies to "Monthly": on the 1st, on the 15th or on the last day of the month.

Common questions

Does this work for an influencer program or brand ambassador program?

Yes, this is how a creator affiliate program works in your own shop: influencers, creators and brand ambassadors apply in the customer account with a desired code and their channels, and you review and approve the application. Each of them gets a discount code of their own and, if you like, a rate of their own. With partner groups such as Bronze, Silver and Gold, ambassadors who bring more orders or turnover move up to a higher rate automatically.

Can an influencer get a discount code of her own like LENA10?

Yes. Every partner has a partner voucher of their own as a Shopware promotion. By default the code consists of the partner code and random characters; the partner asks for a different code in the partner area, and you approve it under Code requests. If you like, a new code can also apply right away without review.

Does an order count for the influencer if only the code was typed in?

Yes. The partner voucher assigns the customer to the influencer as soon as it is redeemed in the cart, even without a click on a link. Commission does not depend on clicks.

How do I see whether Instagram or TikTok sells more?

Through UTM parameters in the link, for example utm_source=instagram and utm_source=tiktok. In the statistics, the Click sources tab shows clicks and conversion per UTM source and campaign, per referrer and per device. You find every single click under Clicks.

Does the influencer see her own clicks?

If you switch on the click statistics in the partner area: clicks and orders of the last 30 days, the conversion rate, a daily chart and the top landing pages. The partner area does not show IP addresses, user agents or customers.

Does the customer have to type in the discount code?

Not if they arrive through the partner link and you switch on Automatically add partner voucher. Then the plugin puts the voucher into the cart as soon as the first product is in it.

How does the payout via PayPal work?

The partner enters the email address of their PayPal account and requests a payout, or the automatic payout creates the request. You review it under PayPal payouts and send all approved payouts through the PayPal API with Transfer now. For that you need a REST app with payouts enabled.

What if the influencer orders with her own code?

By default her own order brings no commission, not even as a guest order with her email address. If someone orders with the address of her PayPal account, the fraud check also flags the order as a suspicion.

In detail in the manual

More examples

Coffee machine review Comparison site and blog Commission rules with a priority, so that thin margins do not bleed twice. Read on → Bronze, Silver, Gold Partner groups with promotion Whoever brings more moves up automatically and gets a higher rate. Read on → Partner with a VAT ID Agency with an invoice SEPA file, payout document and net settlement for business partners. Read on →

Try it in the demo shop.

The demo shop shows the partner area and the administration fully set up. The manual shows every setting.

Open the demo shop Manual View in the store