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How to Prevent Affiliates from Claiming Specific Coupon Codes

This article explains the Coupon Exclusion tab and how to blacklist coupon codes.

Nick Castellano avatar
Written by Nick Castellano
Updated this week

If you use generic coupon codes to offer discounts to your visitors, but are worried that an affiliate might request the same code, then you can blacklist the coupon so your affiliates will not be able to claim it

By blacklisting unauthorized or generic coupon codes, businesses can effectively prevent unintended conversion attribution, thus maintaining the integrity of their affiliate programs.

With the Coupon Exclusions feature, you can either add a single code or upload a CSV file loaded with all the coupon codes you currently use in your shop. Once that is done, then you won't need to worry about which codes your affiliates are requesting.

By removing coupon triggers for specific codes, you can ensure these codes do not inadvertently generate affiliate conversions, further streamlining your conversion management process.

To access this feature please navigate to the Account>Settings>Coupon Exclusions tab:

Excluding A Single Coupon Code

Click the Add Coupon Code button located in the top right. 

This opens a window that allows you to add your code to blacklist and an optional description for personal reference. 

Excluding A Batch of Coupon Codes

Click the Upload Coupon Code CSV button to add multiple codes at once.

Click Download CSV template file, and fill in the spreadsheet. The spreadsheet will just be one column with 'Coupon_Code' as the header.

Once you have filled out the template, save it a CSV file and drag it into the Upload Blacklist Coupon CSV pop-up. You should see a message at the top informing you the upload was successful, and your newly excluded coupon codes should take just a few minutes to populate:

If the upload fails, be sure to remove any extra spaces or commas as that can cause formatting issues with CSVs. If you need help, give us a shout in the app or email us at: [email protected]

Using Coupon Exclusions for Conversion Management

Refersion’s reports can help ensure your coupon exclusions are working effectively:

  1. Identifying Invalid Conversions: Customize recurring reports to flag conversions using excluded coupon codes and routinely confirm your exclusions are correctly applied. Reports can be scheduled according to your program's activity level.

  2. Manually Denying Conversions: Use flagged reports to deny invalid conversions, or request Refersion’s support team to process bulk denials for handling large-scale issues efficiently.

FAQs About Coupon Code Management

Can I automate denying conversions with excluded coupon codes? While automation isn’t directly supported, Refersion offers tools like recurring reports and bulk denial options as effective workarounds.


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