Ever seen an affiliate link like this – “https://yourstore.com/?ref=4fernB2jake”?
Oh, cute — would you click that? I wouldn’t. I mean… What is this? A discount or a gateway to the dark web?
Exactly. Now imagine what your customers are thinking.
This is where a WooCommerce coupon affiliate program totally flips the script.
Instead of pushing messy, forgettable URLs, you hand your affiliates clean, branded coupon codes like JAKE15 or FREESHIP25. Easy to remember. Easy to say and easy to trust.
In this guide, you’ll learn:
- Why do coupons beat affiliate links?
- How to create a WooCommerce coupon based affiliate program?
- Clever ways to use affiliate coupons.
So let’s get started.
Why use coupon codes instead of affiliate links in WooCommerce?
Affiliate links are losing their charm — and their clicks at some places.
On platforms like Instagram and TikTok, links are either hidden, blocked, or simply not clickable in posts.
And let’s be honest — who trusts a long, messy URL full of weird numbers and symbols?
In contrast, affiliate coupons are:
- Visible, memorable, and great for affiliate tracking in WooCommerce
- Easy to share anywhere, even in podcasts, reels, or print ads
- More trusted by customers (who’d rather use SAVE20 than click a shady link)
- Perfectly suited for social platforms that limit or strip link functionality
According to a study by Forrester Research, customers are increasingly flocking to affiliate sites that offer coupon and discount codes. So not only are they easier to use — they actually work better.
Create, track & reward coupon affiliates with StoreApps’ Affiliate for WooCommerce
If you’re looking to launch a Woo coupon affiliate program that’s easy to manage, flexible, and actually gets results, you need the right tools.
Say hello to Affiliate for WooCommerce.
This go-to plugin is trusted by 5700+ WooCommerce store owners to run successful, coupon-based affiliate programs.
Why is it perfect for a Woo coupon affiliate program?
Because it’s built to do exactly that:
- Create and assign unique trackable coupon codes to affiliates
- Set up commissions based on those coupons
- Track every sale made through the code — no complicated links required
- Prevent coupon misuse with smart restrictions
- Give affiliates their own dashboard to monitor clicks, sales, and earnings
- Pay via coupons and also automate payouts via PayPal and Stripe
And here’s the best part, you don’t need to be a tech wizard to get it all set up.
If you can install the plugin, you’re already halfway there.
Steps to set up your WooCommerce coupon affiliate program
Start by installing Affiliate for WooCommerce like any standard WooCommerce plugin.
Once activated, go to WooCommerce > Settings > Affiliate in your WordPress admin.
Here configure the general settings of the plugin. We won’t dive into every toggle and dropdown here.
Check out this blog for the full general settings walkthrough for setting up a successful WooCommerce affiliate program.
Enable affiliate registration
Allow people to register as affiliates through a simple form. You can approve them automatically or manually, depending on your preference.
Create unique coupons for affiliates
With this plugin, you can easily create and assign coupons to affiliates.
- First enable use coupons for referral option from
WooCommerce > Settings > Affiliateto allow coupon referral tracking. - Create a coupon in WooCommerce (like you normally do)
- Set the discount — say 20%
- Assign it to an affiliate
- And you are done
Once assigned, the coupon appears right inside the affiliate’s dashboard under: My Account > Affiliate > Profile.
Set commission rules
Affiliate for WooCommerce allows you to create different commission rules.
Start with the basics: referral medium. You can set different commissions based on how the referral came in — via link or coupon.
Next up: order coupon based commission.
Want to get super specific with which coupons earn commission? The new Order Coupon rule lets you exclude or include certain coupons from triggering commissions.
Let’s say, you don’t want to assign affiliate commission if the customer uses a referral coupons since you’re offering a big discount via the store coupon. And only want to reward genuine sales.
You can easily do this with our new exclude/include coupon orders from affiliate commission feature.
Read out this blog to know about this new feature update.
Not only this, Affiliate for WooCommerce also allows you to create different commission types, such as:
- Storewide commission
- Multi-tier commission
- Affiliate based commission
- Affiliate tag based commission
- Affiliate’s valid referral order count (tiered based commission)
- Order payment method based commission
- Order coupon based commission
- Product based commission
- Product category based commission
- Product taxonomy based commission – brands, type, tag, visibility, shipping class, and other custom taxonomies
- User’s first order based commission
- User role based commission
- Subscription parent order based commission
- Subscription renewal order based commission
You can mix and match these conditions to create smart, coupon-powered commission plans.
Marketing campaigns & materials
Want your affiliates to promote like pros? Set up affiliate marketing campaigns to share ready-to-use promotional materials, banners, logos, swipe files, HTML embeds, even eBooks.
Affiliates can grab these assets right from their dashboard and use them in emails, reels, blogs — wherever they shine.
Affiliate dashboard
Your affiliates need a place to see their coupon codes, commissions, and feel like part of the team. That’s where the Affiliate Dashboard comes in.
Your affiliates can access it right from My Account > Affiliate.
Here they can find:
- Their assigned coupon codes
- Total coupon-driven sales
- Commissions earned
- Payout history
and more…
They can even personalize their referral IDs, generate product-specific links, and select their preferred payout method — whether it’s PayPal, Stripe, or store credit.
Track performance + prevent misuse
From the store owner dashboard, you can view:
- Total sales made via affiliate coupons
- Commissions earned per affiliate
- Conversion rates, clicks, and refunds
- Product-wise sales tied to coupon codes
- Top-performing affiliates and campaigns
This helps you quickly spot your coupon MVPs and optimize campaigns.
And protect your program from shady tactics:
- Disallow self-referrals so affiliates can’t use their own coupon codes for personal discounts
- Use
Order Coupons = Yesrule to block commissions referral coupons - Set coupon usage limits, expiry dates, and product/category restrictions
- Enable manual approval of affiliates to keep quality in check
- Monitor high refund rates or suspicious spikes in coupon use
Payouts
Once affiliates start bringing in sales with their coupon codes, it’s time to send them their well-earned commission.
Affiliate for WooCommerce gives you flexible payout options.
- Coupons – fixed cart: Instead of cash, offer affiliates a fixed amount coupon they can use on your store (like $50 off).
- Coupons – store credit: Reward affiliates with store credit (e.g., $100 added to their account) — flexible, reusable, and keeps the money in your ecosystem.
Other payout options (if you still want to offer variety):
- PayPal: Manual or automated PayPal payouts.
- Stripe: Manual and automated Stripe payouts.
- Other: Use this when paying affiliates via bank transfers, UPI, or any external method.
Turning simple coupons into affiliate magic
Affiliate coupons aren’t just about giving discounts, they are powerful marketing tools. Here’s how you can use them to drive real results:
Give influencers unique, branded coupon codes
Instead of messy referral links, give each influencer a clean, memorable code like JESSICA15 or FITMOM20.
These branded codes match their personal style and feel more genuine to the audience. Not to mention that they are easy to share across Instagram, TikTok, or even in-person.
Turn customers into micro-affiliates
Your happy customers are your best marketers.
So why not join them in your affiliate army. Simply give them their own codes like ALICE10. They’ll proudly share it with friends and family.
And every time it’s used, you know exactly who drove the sale.
Reward blogger partners and product reviewers
When a blogger writes about your product or drops a YouTube review, give them a unique coupon code like GEARREVIEW20.
It’s a win-win situation as they offer value to their audience, and you get clear data on which reviews actually convert.
Run product-specific promotions
Want to push a new launch or clear inventory?
Create a code like NEWTOTE25 that’s valid only for a specific product and assign it to targeted affiliates.
It helps you to keep the offer focused and makes tracking product-based campaigns super easy.
Use gift card-based rewards
Not a fan of cash payouts? No problem.
Reward your top-performing affiliates with store credit or fixed cart coupons like $50 OFF or $100 gift voucher.
It keeps them engaged and brings them back to shop again.
Assign coupons to affiliates promoting high-value products
Selling premium items? Hand-pick your best affiliates for those.
For example, create coupons like LUXEHAIR100, valid only for your high-end $500 styling kit, and offer a higher commission for these specific sales.
Track performance for specific campaigns
Running a seasonal campaign like Black Friday, Cyber Monday, or Spring Sale?
Create campaign-specific coupons like BF25-AF or SPRING20-JANE for your affiliates.
That way, you can see which affiliate and which campaign drove how much.
Coupons don’t just convert — they connect.
They give your affiliates something personal, trackable, and powerful to share.
And for you? They bring clarity, control, and conversions.
Ready to start your own coupon affiliate program?
You’ve seen how it works. You’ve scrolled past the examples (maybe nodded at a few).
And now you’re probably thinking “Okay… this actually sounds doable.”
Well, it is.
With Affiliate for WooCommerce, you can create a woo coupon affiliate program in minutes. Just:
- Set up the plugin
- Hand out some smart, trackable coupon codes
- Let your affiliates do what they do best
- You? Relax and watch sales roll in (ideally with snacks or a cup of coffee)
Try Affiliate for WooCommerce today
FAQs
1. Can I use both coupon codes and affiliate links?
Yes, you can use both to track affiliate performance in WooCommerce.
2. Will affiliate tracking work if the customer removes the coupon?
Technically yes due to the presence of cookie in the browser that was created when user applied the coupon.
3. Can I assign one coupon to multiple affiliates?
No, you can assign one coupon to one affiliate only.
4. Can I track affiliates without offering a discount?
Yes, you can assign zero-discount coupons just for tracking affiliate sales.
5. What happens if two affiliates promote the same customer?
Based on what is set under Credit first/last affiliate’ setting, the desired affiliate will receive commission for a successful referral.