Earn with every referral

Frequently asked questions

The basics

Who can become an affiliate?

Anyone with a regular iOrderTrack consumer account can apply, whether you primarily shop on the marketplace, run a content site or social channel, or just want to refer friends and family. Internal staff accounts (customer service, managers, VPs, platform admins) aren't eligible — they exist to manage the platform, not earn commission on it. If you work for iOrderTrackand also want to refer buyers, create a separate consumer account from a personal email.

What does it cost to join?

Nothing. No signup fee, no monthly fee, no minimum traffic requirement. You apply, we review for fit (typically within two business days), and you start with a fresh referral code the moment you're approved.

What's the commission rate?

The current default rate is set platform-wide and shown on your dashboard once you're approved (it's a flat percentage of the order's subtotal — shipping, tax, and platform fees don't count toward the commission base). We're allowed to change the rate for future referrals at any time, but we never adjust commissions on orders already attributed to you.

What's "attribution"?

When someone clicks your referral link, we set a first-touch cookie in their browser tied to your code. If they sign up and place a paid order within 60 days, that order is attributed to you and you earn a commission. "First-touch" means thefirstaffiliate they clicked through wins — if a buyer clicks affiliate A's link and then later clicks affiliate B's, A still gets the commission as long as the original click hasn't expired.

Sharing your link

Where do I find my referral code?

On your affiliate dashboard once you're approved. The format is a short alphanumeric code (8 characters). Tack?ref=YOURCODE onto any iOrderTrackURL — the home page, a category page, a specific product — and you're tracking clicks immediately.

Does the link have to go to the homepage?

No. Any iOrderTrackURL works. Deep-linking to the exact product page usually converts best because there's no extra navigation step. If you're an affiliate signed into the site, you'll also see a one-click "Copy affiliate link" widget on every product page that builds the URL for you.

Can I run paid ads on my referral link?

Yes, with two restrictions. (1) You can't bid oniOrderTrack's own branded keywords on search engines (e.g. "iOrderTrack") — that competes against us for our own customers. (2) You can't run ads that misrepresent the marketplace or its sellers, including fake discounts, fabricated reviews, or claims we don't make ourselves. Outside those bounds, paid social, content marketing, comparison sites, deal pages, and influencer placements are all fair game.

What about email and SMS?

Fine for opt-in lists you control. Don't spam — any unsolicited bulk messaging that gets reported will result in commission clawback and account suspension. We honor every spam complaint forwarded to us by carriers and email providers.

Commissions & tracking

What does the commission lifecycle look like?

Every attributed order writes a commission row in your dashboard in one of four states: pending (order paid, return window still open), cleared (return window closed, eligible for payout), paid(rolled into a payout you've received), or clawback (refunded order, original commission reversed). You see every state change with a timestamp.

How long until pending becomes cleared?

We clear commissions in batches after the standard 30-day return window closes on the order, so the commission survives any buyer-initiated refund. Admins can clear-pending early in some cases (closed digital orders, etc.); commissions tied to active disputes stay pending until the dispute resolves.

What happens if my buyer returns the order?

We write a clawback row that nets against your pending or cleared balance. We don't claw back from already-paid payouts; if your clawback exceeds your current balance, the negative carries forward against future commissions.

Will I get commission if the buyer was already shopping?

If a buyer already has a iOrderTrack account and clicks your link during a normal shopping session, you get commission on their next order placed within the 60-day window. If they were already logged in with an existing pending cart, the cookie attaches at checkout — so referring to mid-funnel shoppers still works.

Payouts

How do I get paid?

Three methods supported: PayPal (fastest — typically same-day once issued), ACH bank transfer (1-3 business days, US accounts only), or paper check mailed to a US address. You pick your method on the dashboard and it can be changed any time.

What's the minimum payout?

$50 cleared balance. Below that, commissions accumulate until you cross the threshold — we don't cut $12 checks. Once you're past the floor you can request a payout on demand from the dashboard.

When do payouts actually run?

On demand, plus a monthly sweep on the 1st of each month for any balance over $50 that hasn't been claimed. Once a payout is issued you'll see it on the dashboard with the external reference (PayPal transaction id, ACH batch number, or check number) so you have a paper trail to match against your bank.

What if a payout fails?

We email you and revert the affected commission rows back to cleared. Common causes: bounced ACH (wrong routing number), unverified PayPal account, or undeliverable check. Fix the issue on your dashboard and retry the payout — the commissions don't disappear.

Taxes & reporting

Will you send me a 1099?

US-based affiliates who earn over $600in payouts during a calendar year get a Form 1099-NEC by January 31 of the following year, mailed to the address on file. You'll need a completed W-9 on file under Tax info on your dashboard before we can issue your first payout.

What is backup withholding?

If the IRS notifies us that you're subject to backup withholding (B-Notice or C-Notice), or if you haven't provided a signed W-9, we're required by law to withhold 24% of your payouts and remit it to the IRS on your behalf. The withheld amount appears on your year-end 1099-NEC (Box 4) and you reconcile it on your annual tax return. The simplest way to avoid this is to complete your W-9 before your first payout.

I'm outside the US — what about me?

Non-US affiliates fill out Form W-8BEN (individuals) or W-8BEN-E (entities) instead of a W-9. We support both. Depending on tax treaty status between the US and your country, withholding ranges from 0% (full treaty) to 30% (no treaty). Year-end reporting goes on Form 1042-S rather than 1099-NEC. Once you submit a W-8, the correct rate applies to your subsequent payouts automatically.

Where do I see my tax info?

Open your dashboard and scroll to the Tax infosection. You'll attest US-vs-foreign status, fill in legal name + TIN (SSN or EIN), pick a tax classification (sole proprietor, S-corp, partnership, etc.), and sign electronically. The TIN is encrypted at rest with AES-256-GCM — only the last 4 digits are visible on the dashboard, and any admin reveal action is audit-logged with the actor, IP, and timestamp.

Suspension & clawback

What gets you suspended?

Fraud (self-referrals, fake clicks, fake accounts), spam (mass unsolicited messaging), trademark squatting oniOrderTrackbranded keywords, misrepresenting our marketplace, or promoting categories we explicitly don't allow affiliates to promote (e.g. regulated goods). Suspension freezes commissions and disables your code; cleared balances above the minimum are still paid out one final time so you're never stranded.

Can I appeal a suspension?

Yes. Open a support ticket from your dashboard. We review every appeal manually — usually within 5 business days. If we find we made the wrong call we reinstate your account and unfreeze commissions.

What happens if my affiliate account is closed?

Pending and cleared commissions over the $50 minimum are paid out via your registered method. Below the minimum, they're forfeited (we're not running a charity, but we're also not in the business of withholding earned money). Your referral code stops working immediately; any in-flight cookies expire normally at 60 days.

Still got questions?

Open a support ticket from your dashboard once you're approved, or email affiliates@iordertrack.com before applying. We aim for replies within one business day.