Rules For Operating As A Sub-Affiliate
Updated: January 31, 2025
Any affiliate creating or participating in any sub-affiliate, sub-publisher, distribution partner or other similar third-party relationship driving affiliate referrals to the Shopify Affiliate Program requires prior explicit written approval in accordance with Part B, Section 7.1.4 of the Shopify Affiliate Marketing Program Terms.
If you are creating a sub-affiliate or third-party program within your Shopify Affiliate Program account, your first step is to reach out to shopify-affiliate-compliance@shopify.com to request instructions on how to receive written consent.
Detailed Requirements:
- Creation of, or participation in any third-party relationship requires Shopify’s prior written approval, which may be revoked at any time.
- If you are a current Shopify Affiliate participant, and are shifting to participate as a sub-affiliate in a program managed by another affiliate:`
- You must provide notice to Shopify, and receive express written consent to do so.
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As the sub-affiliate network owner:
- You must receive written consent for each sub-affiliate participating in your program, in the format required by Shopify
- NOTE: As you add new sub-affiliates, we require this list to be updated in real-time.
- You are limited to a single tier of affiliate relationships.
- You may not work with affiliates that have previously been terminated by Shopify.
- You may not allow a sub-affiliate joining your network to begin promotion of Shopify without Shopify’s explicit consent.
- Your contract with your sub-affiliates shall expressly exempt Shopify from any liability.
- You will not be permitted to onboard a sub-affiliate with an existing Shopify affiliate relationship
- Upon Shopify’s request you must provide documentation of all sub-affiliate identifying information, which shall include:
- The sub-affiliates business name (if applicable), physical address, primary contact person name, and email address.
- The sub-affiliates primary method of promotion, and all websites/properties they plan to leverage in promoting Shopify through your network.
- The unique tracking information that will be transmitted to Impact for each of the sub-affiliates (specifically SharedID); and
- their receipt and acceptance of the Shopify Affiliate Marketing Program Terms.
- All sub-affiliates participating in your network must be content-focused; coupon/deal and loyalty affiliates are not allowed. Newsletter sub-affiliates are only viable for approval if you can provide proof that they are following the CAN-SPAM and GDPR compliance processes, and an example of their material.
- You must ensure that your sub-affiliates comply at all times with the terms set forth in the current Shopify Affiliate Marketing Program Terms.
- You are responsible for your sub-affiliates’ activities in the Shopify Affiliate Program, and any content they create where they leverage your affiliate link, or refer to participation in the Shopify Affiliate program. You will demonstrate the ability to monitor the behavior and actions of your sub-affiliates with an established internal QA policy.
- Any violation of the Shopify Affiliate Marketing Program Terms by your sub-affiliates shall constitute a violation by you (associated with your account), and Shopify shall have full recourse against you with respect to such a violation, including without limitation, commission reversals, suspension, or termination from the Program.
- You will be required to remove any affiliate from your program at Shopify’s request. The failure to do so may result in recourse against your account.
- You must promptly investigate any complaints received, and immediately terminate any sub-affiliate that you reasonably determine has engaged, or is engaging, in violations of Applicable Law or the Shopify Affiliate Marketing Program Terms.
- You will ensure that any payouts offered to sub-affiliates will never exceed that of what Shopify offers as the current Public Terms offering.