We’ve already covered different fraud scenarios in our Fraud Center and Fraud Types articles but there’s another common situation brands deal with every day: refunds and returns and how commissions are handled.
Since orders are part of a live shopping experience, customers may sometimes request refunds after making a purchase. To help protect brands from paying commissions on refunded orders, we created the Return Window & Payout Rules feature. We’ll discuss how and when commissions are processed.
Let’s get started.
The Return Window is a holding period that temporarily pauses commission payouts after an order is placed.
It gives customers enough time to request a refund or return before commissions become payable.
For example, if your brand sets 30-day return window, commissions linked to those orders will stay on hold for 30 days before they can be paid out.
If the order gets refunded during that period, the commission is automatically rejected and no payout is made.
A customer places an order.
The commission is created and appears in the Payments then Pending tab.
The commission is placed on hold during the return window period. The return window period depends on how many days of return window days you “set” in Settings. By default its 14 days. You can customize.
During this time:
Payout actions are disabled in the meantime.
Refunds or returns are monitored automatically.
Once the return window closes:
No refund filed > commission becomes payable. Status is Payable.
Refund filed > commission is automatically rejected.
In addition to the return window, commissions may also be subject to a Minimum Payout Threshold.
This means we only process payouts once an ambassador’s total eligible commissions meet this threshold. For example, if your minimum payout is set to $20, any amount below this will remain on hold under On Hold — Below Minimum $ until the threshold is reached.
Both of these commission rules can be customized in:
Go to Settings
Click Preferences
Open Return Window & Payout Rules
During the hold period, commissions may appear under these statuses:
On Hold - Return Window: The commission is waiting for the return period to end before becoming eligible for payout.
On Hold - Below Minimum $: The commission is being held until the affiliate reaches the minimum payout threshold.
Rejected - Refunded (Pre-Payout): The order was refunded during the return window, so the commission was automatically rejected.
Payable - Pending: The return window has passed successfully, and the commission is now ready for payout.
Why This Matters
This feature helps brands:
Prevent accidental payouts on refunded orders
Reduce payout disputes
Automate commission protection
Keep payouts accurate and fair
In short, commissions are only released once an order has safely cleared the return window and payout conditions.
In some cases, a commission may already have been paid out when a refund is later detected. When this happens, we initiate a clawback.
The refunded commission amount will be deducted from future payouts to ensure fairness and accuracy.
Still need help?
Reach out anytime with our Support team using the button at the bottom-right corner of your dashboard, or email us at [email protected].
