Cashback and Coupon Affiliates: How They Work

Cashback affiliates share part of their commission with shoppers as money back, and coupon affiliates publish discount codes and deals. Both earn a commission when a shopper buys through their tracked link. They can drive large volumes, but brands should manage them carefully so they reward real influence rather than sales that would have happened anyway.

Key takeaways

1. A shopper visits the cashback site and clicks through to the store.
2. The click is tracked and the shopper buys.
3. The store pays the cashback site a commission after validation.
4. The cashback site passes part of it to the shopper's account.

Coupon sites rank for searches like "[brand] coupon code". They list codes and deals with tracked links. When a shopper clicks to reveal or use a code and then buys, the coupon site earns the commission.

• Use exclusive codes per partner so you know who drove the sale.
• Set different commission rates for new vs returning customers if your tracking supports it.
• Ban unauthorised codes (codes you did not give the partner).
• Review attribution windows and how last-click rules affect content partners. See Attribution Models Explained.
• Watch toolbar and extension behaviour that may override other partners' clicks; set rules in your terms.

Cashback and coupon affiliates are powerful for volume, especially during sales. Managed with clear codes, fair commissions and good attribution, they add real customers instead of just taking credit. Read our Affiliate Compliance Guide for policy ideas.