Q: When and how do affiliates get paid?
A: In order to account for our refund period, and potential payment failures/disputes, commissions will be payable after 30 days. Once 30 days has passed, the commission will be counted toward your account balance. Each month on the first weekday of the month, we pay affiliates who have a commission balance of at least $50 USD via Paypal. If your commission total is under $50, the total will roll over to the next month. Bonuses will be paid out 30 days after the bonus threshold is met on the next payment day (example: You reach $1000 in commissions on November 15th. That bonus is calculated on December 1st, then paid out January 2nd or the first weekday of January).
Q: Is it okay to just promote the free courses and downloads rather than the paid membership?
A: Absolutely! We recommend this actually as people are 3X more likely to eventually purchase when they start with a free offer. We have a whole email sequence that introduces them to The Studio and gets them excited about making and selling their work using Liz's classes, so if you promote the free resources (an easy "yes" for your audience) we'll do the rest and you'll get paid if they sign up within 60 days!
Q: What if the customer gets a discount during the checkout process?
A: Affiliates will always make 30% of the sale price, so if a discount is applied at checkout the affiliate will get 30% of the discounted price as their commission.
Q: What if multiple people refer the same person?
A: Our system has a "first person wins" rule, so whatever link the customer first uses to visit TheStudioMembership.com is the one that will be tracked. So being the first to share about a new freebie or resource will help you lock in more customers.
Q: How long is the person tracked (aka cookie duration)?
A: When someone clicks an affiliate link, there is a 60-day cookie used to track that person's purchases so that the affiliate gets paid if the person purchases a membership within 60 days of the first click. The purchase must be made with the same browser and device since cookies are tracked on the browser level.
Q: Can I use my own affiliate link to join The Studio or buy something?
A: No. Affiliates are not allowed to use their own link to purchase memberships or products. This is considered a self-referral and is not eligible for commission, and our affiliate platform automatically tracks self-referrals to avoid this.
Q: What happens if someone I referred requests a refund or does a chargeback?
A: If a customer receives a refund or their payment is reversed, the associated affiliate commission will be voided. This means your affiliate account balance may fluctuate throughout the month depending on refund status (our refund rate is below industry standard so it is not common!).
Q: Do I need to disclose that I’m an affiliate?
A: Yes. The FTC requires that you clearly state when you’re using an affiliate link. For example, you could say, “I may earn a commission if you join through this link.”
Q: Can I read the full terms before I apply?
A: Yes, you can read the full terms here.