Affiliate Program Terms and Conditions

## 1. About the Program

The [Platform Name] Affiliate Program (the "Program") allows individuals and organizations ("Affiliates") to earn commissions by referring new paying customers to [Platform Name] via tracked referral links.

### 1.1 Eligibility

To join the Program, you must:

- Be 18 years of age or older. - Be a legal resident of a country where [Platform Name] operates. - Have a payout method we support (Stripe Connect, PayPal, bank transfer in eligible regions, UPI in India). - Not be a current employee, contractor, or immediate family member of an employee or contractor of [Platform Name]. - Not have been previously banned from the Program. - Comply with all applicable laws including FTC disclosure rules (US), ASA disclosure rules (UK), DSA disclosure rules (EU), and equivalent in your jurisdiction.

### 1.2 Application and Approval

Affiliates apply via the partner portal. Approval is at [Platform Name]'s discretion. We may decline applicants who do not meet quality, audience-fit, or compliance standards. Decisions are typically made within 5 business days.

## 2. How Commissions Work

### 2.1 Standard Commission

| Affiliate Tier | Commission on First-Year Revenue | Recurring Commission (Months 13-24) | Commission on Year 3+ | |----------------|----------------------------------|-------------------------------------|------------------------| | Standard | 20% | 10% | 0% | | Verified (10+ closed-won referrals) | 25% | 15% | 5% | | Premier (50+ closed-won referrals OR named partner) | 30% | 20% | 10% |

Commissions are calculated on net revenue (after refunds, taxes, and discounts) actually collected by [Platform Name] from the referred customer.

### 2.2 Eligible Subscriptions

Commissions apply to: - New paid subscriptions on the Team and Business tiers. - One-time payments above $99 (e.g., annual plan upfront payment).

Commissions do NOT apply to: - Free Starter-tier signups. - Existing customer upgrades (we have a separate expansion bonus for Verified+ Affiliates). - Customer-to-customer or self-referrals. - Marketplace template purchases (separate creator royalty terms apply). - Refunded or charged-back transactions. - Subscriptions canceled within the 14-day refund window.

### 2.3 Cookie Window and Attribution

When a visitor clicks an Affiliate's tracking link, a cookie is set in the visitor's browser identifying the Affiliate. Attribution is awarded to the Affiliate associated with the most recent cookie at the time of the visitor's signup.

| Touchpoint | Window |

| First-click cookie | 90 days from first click | | Last-click cookie | 30 days from last click — **last click wins** | | Re-engagement cookie | 30 days, refreshes on each new click |

If a customer signs up after multiple Affiliate clicks, the **most recent click within the 30-day window** receives full attribution.

## 3. Exclusivity Rules

### 3.1 Non-Exclusive by Default

The Program is non-exclusive. You may promote competing products simultaneously, including direct competitors of [Platform Name], unless you have signed a separate Premier Partnership Agreement that establishes exclusivity in defined terms.

### 3.2 Premier Exclusivity (Optional)

Premier Affiliates may opt into a 12-month exclusivity arrangement in exchange for: - A 5-percentage-point commission increase across all tiers. - Co-marketing fund eligibility. - Listing as a "Featured Partner" on [Platform Name]'s website.

Exclusivity terms are governed by a separately signed Premier Partnership Agreement and not by these general T&Cs.

### 3.3 Geographic Exclusivity

[Platform Name] does not grant geographic exclusivity. Multiple Affiliates may operate in the same region.

## 4. Tactics That Will Result in Immediate Disqualification

Affiliates may NOT engage in any of the following. Violation results in account suspension, forfeiture of unpaid commissions, and potential legal action.

### 4.1 Brand and Trademark Misuse

- Bidding on [Platform Name]'s brand name, product names, or close variations in paid search (Google Ads, Bing Ads, etc.). - Registering domain names that include [Platform Name]'s brand or close variations (e.g., platformname-deals.com). - Using [Platform Name]'s logos, screenshots, or copyrighted materials without explicit written permission. - Misrepresenting the affiliate relationship, e.g., implying employment or official partnership beyond what is granted.

### 4.2 Misleading Promotion

- Making false claims about [Platform Name]'s features, performance, security, or compliance. - Promising results, savings, or outcomes that [Platform Name] has not approved in writing. - Operating fake review sites that purport to be independent but are owned or controlled by the Affiliate. - Using the Program's commission structure as the basis for unauthorized "exclusive deals" or "secret discounts."

### 4.3 Spam and Cookie Stuffing

- Sending unsolicited bulk email (spam) promoting [Platform Name]. - Cookie stuffing: setting Affiliate cookies on users without an active click on a tracking link. - Click fraud: paying or incentivizing fake clicks. - Force-loading tracking pixels via iframes, popups, or other deceptive mechanisms.

### 4.4 Self-Referral and Fraud

- Signing up using your own Affiliate link (self-referral). - Coordinating with referred customers to circumvent the refund or cancellation period. - Creating multiple Affiliate accounts to evade tracking, tier requirements, or account suspensions. - Submitting falsified payment, identification, or tax documentation.

### 4.5 Disclosure Violations

- Failing to disclose the Affiliate relationship clearly and conspicuously in any promotional content (FTC, ASA, DSA, and equivalent rules apply). - Hiding or misrepresenting the use of Affiliate links in content, social posts, emails, or paid media.

## 5. How and When You Get Paid

### 5.1 Payout Schedule

Commissions are calculated monthly. Payments are issued on the 15th of the month following a 30-day refund/clawback window from the original transaction.

Example: A commission earned on a January 10 customer signup becomes payable on March 15 (after the February 9 end of refund window plus an additional buffer).

### 5.2 Minimum Payout Threshold

The minimum payout threshold is $50 (or local-currency equivalent). Balances below the threshold roll over to the next payout cycle.

### 5.3 Supported Payout Methods

- Stripe Connect Express (US, UK, EU, AU, CA, and other supported countries). - PayPal. - Bank transfer (US ACH, EU SEPA, UK BACS). - UPI / RazorpayX or Cashfree (India). - Other methods at [Platform Name]'s discretion.

### 5.4 Tax Documentation

Affiliates are responsible for their own tax obligations. [Platform Name] will request tax documentation (W-9 in US, equivalent in other jurisdictions) before any payout exceeding $600 in a calendar year. Failure to provide complete tax documentation will pause payouts until resolved.

### 5.5 Clawbacks and Adjustments

If a referred customer cancels, refunds, or charges back within the 30-day window, the corresponding commission is clawed back. Clawbacks are deducted from the next available payout. If insufficient balance exists, the Affiliate is responsible for repayment.

### 5.6 Currency and Conversion

Commissions are calculated in USD by default. Payouts in other currencies use [Platform Name]'s payment processor's prevailing exchange rate at the time of payout. Currency conversion fees are deducted from the payout amount.

## 6. Disclosure Standards

All Affiliates must comply with applicable advertising and disclosure laws, including but not limited to:

- **United States:** FTC Endorsement Guides — disclosure must be "clear and conspicuous." - **United Kingdom:** Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) and CMA guidelines. - **European Union:** Digital Services Act (DSA) and consumer protection directives. - **Australia:** ACCC influencer disclosure guidance. - **Canada:** Competition Bureau influencer guidelines.

### 6.1 Required Disclosure Language

Acceptable disclosure phrases include: "#ad," "#affiliate," "Sponsored," "Affiliate link," "I earn a commission if you buy through this link." The disclosure must:

- Appear at the start of the post or content (not buried at the end). - Be visible without clicking "more" or expanding a section. - Be in the same language as the surrounding content. - Be in plain language; obscure abbreviations (#sp, #col) are not sufficient.

### 6.2 Email and Newsletter Disclosure

Affiliate emails must include the disclosure in the body, not only in the footer or fine print.

### 6.3 Audio and Video Disclosure

Audio/video content must include verbal disclosure within the first 30 seconds AND a written disclosure in the description.

## 7. Ending the Affiliate Relationship

### 7.1 Termination by Affiliate

Affiliates may terminate participation at any time by emailing [affiliate@platform.com]. Upon termination, accrued and unpaid commissions remain payable subject to standard payout terms and clawback rules.

### 7.2 Termination by [Platform Name]

[Platform Name] may terminate an Affiliate's participation at any time, with or without cause, with 30 days written notice. Termination for cause (banned tactics, fraud, breach of these terms) is immediate. Upon termination for cause, all unpaid commissions are forfeited.

### 7.3 Post-Termination Obligations

Upon termination:

- The Affiliate must remove all [Platform Name] branding, links, and promotional content within 14 days. - The confidentiality and non-disparagement obligations of these terms survive for 24 months. - Tax reporting obligations survive in perpetuity per applicable law.

## 8. Changes to These Terms

[Platform Name] may modify these terms with 30 days notice via email and the partner portal. Continued participation after the effective date constitutes acceptance.

Material changes (commission rate reductions, cookie window changes, banned-tactic additions) will be announced 60 days in advance.

## 9. IP Rights

### 9.1 Use of Brand Assets

[Platform Name] grants Affiliates a limited, non-exclusive, revocable license to use [Platform Name]'s name, logo, and approved brand assets solely for promoting the Program in compliance with [Platform Name]'s brand guidelines.

### 9.2 Affiliate Content

Affiliates retain ownership of their original promotional content. By participating, Affiliates grant [Platform Name] a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to feature their content in [Platform Name]'s marketing materials, with attribution.

## 10. Limits of Liability

[Platform Name]'s total liability under the Program is limited to the total commissions paid to the Affiliate in the 12 months preceding any claim.

Affiliates indemnify [Platform Name] against any claims, damages, or liabilities arising from the Affiliate's promotional activities, including disclosure violations, false claims, or any misuse of the Program.