Case study · Digital products & commerce
Subscription commerce with a built-in affiliate programme
A platform for selling custom digital products on multiple subscription options, with a complete affiliate system: referral links and tracking, commission calculation, partner reporting and payouts.
Summary
The business sells a range of custom digital products, each with its own subscription options, and grows through affiliates and partners. We built one platform that handles both sides: customers buying and subscribing, and affiliates referring, earning and getting paid. Attribution, commission calculation and payouts are automatic and auditable instead of manual.
The challenge
Selling different digital products on different subscription options is complex enough. Adding an affiliate programme raises the stakes. Every sale has to be attributed to the right partner, commissions have to follow agreed rules, and partners expect to see their numbers and be paid accurately.
Done with spreadsheets and off-the-shelf add-ons, this quickly becomes error-prone. Referrals get missed, commission rules are applied inconsistently, and every payout cycle means manual reconciliation and partner disputes.
Requirements
- Multiple subscription options for different digital products.
- A referral link for each affiliate, with reliable tracking.
- Commissions calculated automatically according to defined rules.
- Reporting for affiliates and for the business.
- A payout process with a clear record of what was paid.
How it works
From referral click to partner payout
- Step 1
Refer
An affiliate shares their unique referral link.
- Step 2
Track
The visit and resulting sign-up or purchase are attributed to that affiliate.
- Step 3
Subscribe
The customer chooses a product and subscription option.
- Step 4
Calculate
Commission is calculated automatically from the applicable rules.
- Step 5
Pay out
Approved commissions are paid, with a record kept.
What we built
Platform modules
Digital product catalogue
Custom digital products, each with its own description, pricing and subscription options.
Subscription management
Multiple plans per product, sign-up, renewals and account management for customers.
Affiliate accounts & links
Affiliate onboarding and unique referral links for every partner.
Referral tracking
Attribution of sign-ups and purchases to the referring affiliate.
Commissions & reporting
Rule-based commission calculation with dashboards for affiliates and the business.
Payouts
A payout workflow from approved commissions to payment, with full history.
Outcome
Why one integrated platform
- Accurate attribution. Sales are linked to the right affiliate automatically, not reconciled by hand.
- Consistent commissions. Rules are applied the same way to every qualifying sale.
- Transparency for partners. Affiliates can see their referrals and earnings, which builds trust and reduces disputes.
- Scales with growth. New products, plans and partners can be added without new manual processes.
Related
Growing through partners?
Planning subscriptions, referrals or an affiliate programme?
Tell us about your products, plans and how partners earn. We'll suggest how to model subscriptions, attribution and commissions, and what a POC should validate first.
- Talk directly with an engineer
- NDA available before you share details
- Clear POC scope agreed before development
- Continue into full development — or not