Overview

This guide is for setting up what your partners earn, and for checking it works before real partners rely on it. It covers:

• the default commission, and when it is all you need;
• plans: as your default, for one partner, in campaigns, on links and per product — and which one wins;
• how commission becomes points in the partner’s wallet;
• a test run you can do yourself in about half an hour, plus a day’s wait.

For the day-to-day — approving, holding, paying — see Commissions & Payouts.

Before you start

• Distribution is open to partners (Distribution → Overview).
• You have at least one offer, so partners have something to give their audience. See Offers, Promo Codes & Links.
• You know your currency. Your partner programme works in your organisation’s currency. Commission, points and cash-outs are all in that currency.

:::info One programme The first time you open Distribution, Spotinga creates your partner programme, named “Your business partners”. Every plan, campaign and partner belongs to it. Do not create a second programme under Advanced → Programs. Distribution only uses one, and a campaign created in another programme never applies. :::

Step 1 — The default commission

Distribution → Settings → Default partner commission (%). Every partner earns this on every booking they bring, unless a plan applies (see below).

If one percentage is not what you want for everyone — a flat amount per booking, tiers, or a step-up — choose a Default plan on the same page (make the plan first, Step 2). It then replaces the percentage.

• It is a percentage of the booking value after the offer’s discount and before tax.
• 10% is a common start. 0 means no commission. Bookings are still credited to partners, so you both see what they sell.

For most operators, the default alone is enough. Only add plans when you need something the default cannot do.

Step 2 — Plans (optional)

A plan is a commission rule. Create plans in Distribution → Advanced → Plans (the same list as Operations → Settings → Commissions). Always pick your partner programme as the plan’s program.

Type	Pays	Example
Percentage	A rate of the booking value. Enter 12 for 12%	12% on everything
Flat	A fixed amount per booking, in your currency, whatever the booking value	300 per booking
Tiered	A rate (or amount) that depends on this booking’s value	8% up to 10,000; 12% from 10,000
Step-up	A rate that depends on the partner’s total sales with you so far, to reward your best	10% until 50,000 in sales, then 15%

For tiered and step-up plans, add one row per tier: From, To (blank = no upper limit), and Rate (%) or Amount. Leave no gaps between tiers. A booking that falls in a gap earns nothing from that plan.

Every plan can also have:

• Cap (%) — the most the plan pays, as a percentage of the booking.
• Cap (absolute) — the most the plan pays per booking, as an amount (percentage plans and tiers).

Creating a plan does nothing by itself. A plan only pays when you use it in one of the ways in Step 3.

Step 3 — Putting plans to work

Use	Where	What it is for
Default plan	Distribution → Settings → Default plan	Everyone’s commission, when one percentage is not enough
A partner’s own plan	Distribution → Partners → row menu → Commission plan	A negotiated rate for one partner — higher or lower — optionally until a date
Campaign	Distribution → Advanced → Campaigns	A plan for a period, for all partners, specific partners or specific links
Link with its own plan	Distribution → Advanced → Links	One link that pays differently, such as a link made for an event or a launch
Commission per product	Product editor → Distribution → Publish → Partner commission	A product that pays less (low margin), more (one you want pushed), or nothing

A partner’s own plan replaces your default (plan or percentage) for that partner, so it can be lower as well as higher — a reseller on 15%, or a partner on 5% while everyone else gets 10%. Give it an Until date for a trial period; after that they are back on your default. The Partners list shows each partner’s plan under their name, struck through once it has ended or the plan was archived. Partners see their own rate on your products.

Campaigns need a name, your partner programme, the plan, a start date and an end date. They apply only between those dates.

• All partners — “double commission in March”.
• Specific partners — a boost for a few partners for a period. For a standing deal with one partner, use their own plan instead.
• Specific links — a rate for chosen links (by link code).

Commission per product has three settings:

• Usual commission (the default) — the product follows the rules above.
• No commission — partners earn nothing on this product. Their bookings are still credited, so they see them.
• A plan — this product pays that plan only. Campaigns, link plans and the default do not compete with it. The plan’s caps and the programme cap still apply. If the plan is later archived, the product falls back to your usual commission, and the editor warns you.

Which commission wins

For each booking a partner brings, Spotinga works it out line by line:

1. Products with their own setting pay that setting — their plan, or nothing.
2. For the other products, every plan that applies right now is calculated — campaigns covering this partner or link, the link’s own plan, and the partner’s own plan or, if they have none, your default plan. The highest one wins.
3. If no plan applies, the default percentage is paid.
4. The winner is then capped: by the plan’s own cap, then by the programme’s Global commission cap (%) (Advanced → Programs), whichever is lower.
5. Finally, it becomes points — up to the partner’s points limit (see below).

Each conversion records the result. Open it in Distribution → Payouts → Conversions (the Conversions tab) to see every plan that was considered, the one that won, and whether a cap cut it down. That screen is the quickest way to check your setup.

Partners always see what they will actually earn on each product — on the partner link, in Discover and in your share emails — so they will spot a mistake too.

How commission becomes points

Partners do not receive commission as money straight away. They receive points, which they can spend with you or cash out.

• 1 point = 1 unit of your currency. ₹150 commission is 150 points. A partner has a separate balance with each operator, in that operator’s currency.
• Approval is automatic. A conversion approves itself one day after the booking’s activity date, if the order is paid in full and not cancelled or being cancelled. You can still approve or reject it sooner, and a conversion you put on hold waits for you.
• Points arrive within minutes of approval, and appear in the partner’s Points page in the shop.
• Spending: at your checkout, a partner can pay with points like cash — after tax, and only with you.
• Cashing out: once the balance reaches the minimum for your currency, the partner (or you, for them) can cash out. You get a payout to pay offline. See Commissions & Payouts.
• Cancellations: if an order is cancelled, all the points it earned are taken back. Any points the partner spent on a cancelled order are given back to them.
• Expiry: points expire 12 months after approval. The partner’s Points page shows what expires in the next 30 days.

Limits per currency (examples):

Currency	Least a partner can cash out	Most a partner can hold
INR	200	25,000
USD, EUR	50	1,000
GBP	40	800
AUD	75	1,500

When a partner reaches the most they can hold, they stop earning until they spend or cash out. The booking is still credited to them; the commission above the limit is simply not earned. If you work with high-volume resellers, remind them to cash out regularly.

Recipes

“Same rate for everyone.” Set the default commission. Nothing else.

“One partner gets 15%, everyone else 10%.” Default 10%. Create a 15% percentage plan. In Partners, open that partner’s Commission plan and choose it.

“A new partner on 5% for their first three months.” Create a 5% plan, give it to the partner with Until three months from now. They move to your default after that.

“300 per booking for everyone.” Create a flat plan of 300 and choose it as the Default plan in Settings.

“A launch month at double commission.” Default 10%. Create a 20% plan. Create a campaign: all partners, the 20% plan, from the 1st to the last day of the month.

“Our sunset cruise has thin margins.” Create a 5% plan. In the cruise’s editor, set Partner commission to that plan. Partners earn 5% on the cruise and 10% on everything else, even during the launch campaign.

“Reward our top sellers.” Create a step-up plan — for example 10% from 0, 15% from 50,000 — and run it as a campaign for all partners. Each partner moves up as their own sales grow.

“No commission, only discounts for followers.” Default 0, and an offer. Partners still see their bookings.

Test it before you invite anyone

A test run uses two accounts: you, as the operator in Host, and a test partner — any other email address you control, signed in to the shop. Use a third email address as the customer, because a partner’s link does not earn on the partner’s own bookings.

A. Set up

1. In Distribution → Settings, set the default commission (say 10%) and save.
2. In Distribution → Overview, make sure the toggle shows Open to partners.
3. Create an offer covering the test product, for example 10% off.
4. If you are testing a plan or campaign, create it now, with today’s date inside the campaign’s dates.

B. Become a partner

1. In Host, Distribution → Overview → Share an experience: pick the test product and the offer, and type the test partner email. This also tests your share email.
2. Open the email in a private browser window and follow the partner link. Check the commission it shows — it should be what you expect from your setup.
3. Sign up (or sign in) with the test partner email and complete the short partner onboarding. You can skip payout details for now. You land back on the product.
4. Promote this — this makes a code and a short link for the test partner.
5. In Host, Distribution → Partners now lists the test partner as active. Partners you share with never wait for approval.

C. Book through the partner

1. In another private window, open the short link, signed in as the customer email (or as a guest with that email).
2. The code should already be applied. Book the test product for today or tomorrow, and pay.
3. Within a few minutes, Distribution → Payouts → Conversions (the Conversions tab) shows a pending conversion for the test partner. Open it and check:
   • the commissionable amount is the price after the discount, before tax;
   • the winning plan is the one you expected — or Partner default if no plan applied;
   • the commission is right, and no cap cut it unexpectedly.
4. To test a link without a code, repeat with a plain product link from the partner’s Links page. Remove any code at checkout; the booking should still be credited to the partner.

D. Points

1. Either wait — the conversion approves itself one day after the booking’s date — or approve it yourself in Conversions.
2. Within a few minutes, the test partner’s Points page (shop → Home → Partner programme → Points) shows the balance with you. Distribution → Partners shows the same figure in its Points column.
3. Spend: as the test partner, add the test product to the cart. The cart offers Use my points; the invoice shows Paid with points. You can stop before paying.

E. Cancel and reverse

1. Cancel the customer’s booking in Host, and refund it.
2. Within a few minutes, the conversion shows as refunded (or rejected, if it was still pending), and the test partner’s points are taken back.

F. Cash out (optional)

Only possible once a test balance reaches the minimum for your currency, so you may want to test it with your first real partner instead.

1. As the test partner, add payout details in the shop, then Cash out. Or, in Host, Distribution → Payouts → Cash out points for them.
2. A pending payout appears in Payouts, and you are emailed.
3. Use Could not pay — the points go back to the partner. Or Mark paid with a reference, to test the full path.

When something is not right

What you see	Likely cause
No conversion after the booking	The order is not paid yet; the partner is not active; the code was paused; or, for a link without a code, the customer used the partner’s own email
Commission lower than the default	The partner has their own lower plan, or a campaign or link plan with a lower rate applied — a plan replaces the default percentage, it does not add to it
Commission is zero	The product is set to No commission; the default is 0; or the booking fell in a gap between tiers
Default plan or partner plan ignored	The plan was archived, or the partner’s Until date has passed — they are back on the default
A campaign did not apply	Today is outside its dates; the partner or link is not in its scope; it is in another programme; or its plan is archived
Commission cut short	A plan cap, the programme’s global cap, or the partner reached the most points they can hold
Conversion still pending after the booking date	The order is not paid in full, a cancellation was requested, or you put it on hold

When you are done, block the test partner (or let them leave the programme from the shop), and archive the test product and any test plans.