Navigating Coupon Code Policies as an Affiliate Publisher

When managing coupon codes as a publisher, it's essential to know the policies set by advertisers and affiliate networks. Typically, the coupon code policy is detailed on the advertiser detail page:

"Publishers may only use coupons and promotional codes that are provided exclusively through the affiliate program."

However, not all advertisers have a clear code policy, which can create challenges for coupon publishers like us.

At Surfmyads.com, we have built several in-depth applications to manage our day-to-day operations, considering our portfolio of 9+ websites. We have a merchant activation team who reviews new programs across 25+ networks daily, including any changes in the status of existing merchant programs. During this process, our team reviews program term changes and communicates any changes with cross-channels.

Our merchant management backend system relies heavily on API calls, so networks must provide an efficient API. Unfortunately, most networks don't send program terms-related data via APIs, so our merchant activation team must manually review those terms by checking the advertiser detail page. Some advertisers don't put those terms on the page and only send them via email, which can be a hassle to deal with. (Sigh)

If there is any coupon code policy on the advertiser detail page, our merchant activation team adds relevant context to our backend system. This ensures that our coupon and offer optimization team sees it clearly and doesn't end up adding unauthorized coupon codes to our system. We even add warnings to our app to ensure other teams don't make the same mistake. Take a look at how we incorporate this warning into one of our apps.

Program terms are essential for publishers to comply with all the rules and policies. We suggest that networks and merchants keep the terms clear and straightforward, using a standardized format to avoid confusion. Networks should also make it easy for us to see these terms on the front-end UI to prevent disputes between advertisers and publishers.

We recommend avoiding immediate removal or transaction returns if a publisher accidentally adds codes outside the affiliate network. There's a possibility that the publisher didn't see the terms clearly, so perhaps a three-strike rule could be put in place instead.

In conclusion, If you need to apply a code policy, just ensure it's clearly communicated to publishers.