How to Track Influencer Sales on Shopify Without Discount Codes?

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You're running influencer campaigns, but you can't figure out which creators are actually driving sales.

Most Shopify merchants default to discount codes for tracking. Create a unique code for each influencer, count redemptions, done. But that method is broken. Customers forget codes. Codes leak to coupon sites. And worse, you're training shoppers to wait for discounts instead of buying at full price.

There's a better way to track influencer performance on Shopify without touching discount codes. You'll get cleaner data, protect your margins, and still know exactly which influencer drove which sale.

In this guide, we'll show you five proven methods to track influencer-generated revenue without discount codes, plus the tools that make it simple.

Why Discount Codes Fail for Influencer Tracking

Before we get into better solutions, here's why discount codes create more problems than they solve.

Customers Forget to Enter Discount Codes at Checkout

Your influencer posts. Someone sees it, gets interested, clicks through to your store... and forgets to enter the code at checkout.

That sale happened because of the influencer. But your tracking shows nothing. You've just lost attribution data on a customer who was directly influenced to buy. Research shows that discount code tracking only captures sales when codes are actively used. Every forgotten code is a data gap.

Influencer Discount Codes Leak to Coupon Sites

You give an influencer a code for their followers. Next thing you know, it's posted on RetailMeNot, Honey, and a dozen coupon forums.

Now random bargain hunters are using "SARAH10" even though they've never heard of Sarah. Your attribution is polluted. You can't tell which sales came from the influencer's actual audience versus coupon sites. This is incredibly common. Influencer codes leak constantly, skewing your data and making it impossible to measure true performance.

Discount Codes Train Customers to Wait for Sales

Once you start offering discount codes through influencers, you condition shoppers to expect them. People will browse your products, then wait until they see an influencer post with a code before buying.

Premium brands especially hate this dynamic. You're eroding margin and damaging brand perception just to track attribution. There has to be a better trade-off.

Why Zero-Discount Codes Confuse Shoppers

Some merchants try creating 0% discount codes purely for tracking. The code has no value, but records usage.

Terrible idea. When customers apply a zero-discount code, Shopify displays "0% savings" in the cart. That looks like a broken code. Customers get confused, frustrated, sometimes even abandon their cart thinking something's wrong.

You end up with support tickets asking "Why didn't the code work?" Not worth it.

Managing Multiple Influencer Codes Is Time-Consuming

Each influencer needs a unique code. You have to create them in Shopify, set expiration dates, configure discount amounts, manage usage limits, handle conflicts with other promotions.

With 10 influencers, it's manageable. With 50? You're spending hours in Shopify's discount admin. And mistakes happen. You meant to create CODE15 for 15% off, but accidentally set it to 50% off. Oops.

The fundamental problem with discount codes isn't just operational complexity.

Why Tracking Links Work Better Than Discount Codes

Here's what changed everything: you don't need customers to do anything special. You just need to know where they came from.

Unique tracking links solve this. Each influencer gets a custom URL. When someone clicks it and buys, you know exactly who sent them. No code to remember. No manual entry. No leaking to coupon sites.

The customer experience stays clean. Your brand image stays intact. And your attribution data actually reflects reality.

Now let's break down exactly how to implement this.

Method 1: How to Track Influencer Sales with UTM Parameters

UTM parameters are the simplest way to track influencer traffic without codes. You add special tags to your URLs that tell analytics where visitors came from.

How UTM Tracking Works

A regular product URL looks like this:

https://yourstore.com/products/best-seller

A UTM-tagged URL for influencer Jane looks like this:

https://yourstore.com/products/best-seller?utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=influencer&utm_campaign=jane_doe

Those parameters (source, medium, campaign) travel with the visitor. When they complete a purchase, Shopify records those tags on the order. You can then filter your analytics to see sales from "campaign: jane_doe."

No discount code required. The tracking happens invisibly in the background.

How to Set Up UTM Links for Each Influencer

Creating UTM links is straightforward:

Pick your destination: Usually a product page, collection, or homepage

Add UTM parameters to identify the influencer:

• utm_source: Platform (instagram, tiktok, youtube)

• utm_medium: Type of traffic (influencer, social, referral)

• utm_campaign: Unique identifier (jane_doe, fitness_march_2025)

Give the link to your influencer: They put it in their bio, video description, Stories, wherever

Track results in Shopify: Go to Analytics > Reports to see sessions and sales by UTM campaign

You can use Google's Campaign URL Builder to create these links, or just manually add the parameters to any URL.

What You Can Track with UTM Links

With UTM links, you'll see:

• Total clicks (in Google Analytics or a link shortener)

• Sessions in Shopify attributed to each campaign

• Orders that came through each influencer's link

• Revenue generated per influencer

• Conversion rate from click to purchase

Shopify's native analytics will show you all of this filtered by UTM parameters. You can pull reports showing exactly how much revenue each influencer drove.

UTM Tracking: Pros and Cons

Pro Tips for UTM Success

① Use consistent naming conventions

Pick a format and stick to it:

utm_campaign=influencer_firstname_lastname
utm_campaign=platform_influencer_month

This makes reporting cleaner and prevents duplicate campaigns with slightly different names.

② Shorten the URLs

A UTM link can get ugly:

https://yourstore.com/collections/new?utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=influencer&utm_campaign=jane_doe_march_2025

Use a link shortener or create a custom redirect (yourstore.com/jane) that forwards to the full UTM URL. This makes it easier for influencers to share and for audiences to type if needed.

③ Test every link

Before your influencer posts, click through the link yourself and make a test purchase (or at least get to checkout). Verify that Shopify captures the UTM data on the order.

Method 2: How to Use Shopify Collabs for Influencer Tracking

Shopify Collabs is Shopify's official influencer and affiliate program app. It's free, built directly into Shopify, and handles everything from link generation to commission payouts.

And you can absolutely use it without discount codes.

How Shopify Collabs Works

Collabs lets you create an influencer program where each creator gets:

• A unique referral link (or optional discount code)

• A dashboard to see their performance

• Automatic commission tracking

• Payout management

The genius part: referral links don't require codes. When an influencer shares their Collabs link, Shopify tracks the click with a cookie. Any purchase within the attribution window (you set this, typically 7-30 days) gets credited to that influencer.

You see exactly who drove the sale. The influencer sees their earnings. Shopify can even handle the commission payout automatically.

How to Set Up Shopify Collabs for Your Store

Install Shopify Collabs from the Shopify App Store (free for all merchants)

Configure your program terms: Set commission rate (flat amount or percentage), cookie duration, payment methods

Invite influencers: Send invites to creators you're working with, or use Collabs' creator search to find new partners

Generate referral links: Each influencer gets a custom link (something like yourstore.com/a/jane or a short code)

Influencers share their links: In bios, posts, videos, stories, wherever they promote you

Track and pay: View real-time performance in the Collabs dashboard, approve commissions, process payouts

The influencer experience is clean. They apply to your program (or accept your invite), get access to a simple dashboard showing clicks and earnings, and receive payment when you approve it.

What Makes Collabs Powerful for Influencer Tracking

→ Native integration with Shopify

Since it's built by Shopify, Collabs ties directly into your order system. Attribution is reliable. There's no third-party tracking pixel that might break.

→ Automatic commission calculation

You set the rules (10% of sales, $5 per order, whatever), and Collabs does the math. You approve payouts, but you're not manually calculating what each influencer earned.

→ Creator discovery tools

Shopify's creator search lets you filter by niche, audience size, location, engagement rate. You can find new influencers who align with your brand right in the app.

→ Professional influencer experience

Giving creators a proper dashboard (instead of just "here's a link, hope it works!") makes partnerships feel legitimate. They can log in anytime to see performance. This builds trust.

→ Flexible payment options

Collabs can handle payouts via PayPal or other methods. You approve the payment, Shopify sends it. Much easier than manually paying dozens of influencers.

Shopify Collabs vs Manual UTM Links: Which Is Better?

If you're only working with 2-3 influencers for a one-off campaign, manual UTM links might be simpler. But if you're building an ongoing influencer program with multiple partners, Collabs saves massive time.

It handles the administrative burden (link creation, tracking, commissions, payments) in one integrated system. And it's free.

The tradeoff is setup time. Influencers need to accept your invitation and create a Collabs account. For quick campaigns, this might feel like friction. For long-term partnerships, it's totally worth it.

Method 3: Dedicated Affiliate Tracking Apps for Shopify

Beyond Shopify's Collabs, there's an entire category of affiliate and influencer tracking apps that specialize in link-based attribution.

These apps create unique referral links, track sales, calculate commissions, and often provide advanced features like tiered commissions, multi-level referrals, or influencer portals.

Popular Shopify Affiliate Apps

Some well-rated options exist in the Shopify App Store ecosystem, though specific recommendations vary based on your needs. When evaluating affiliate apps, look for features like:

• Link-based tracking without requiring discount codes

• Flexible commission structures

• Influencer dashboard and portal access

• Integration with payment processors for automated payouts

• Detailed analytics and reporting

Most of these apps offer free trials or free plans for small programs, then charge monthly based on features or number of affiliates.

What Affiliate Apps Add Beyond Free Tools

Longer attribution windows. While Shopify Collabs and basic UTMs typically track 7-30 days, some affiliate apps support 60 or 90-day cookies. If your product has a longer consideration cycle, this helps capture delayed purchases.

Advanced commission structures. Want to pay influencer A 10% but influencer B 15% because she drives higher AOV? Affiliate apps let you set custom rates per person, tiered commissions based on performance, or even bonuses for hitting targets.

Influencer portals. Many apps give each influencer a login where they see detailed analytics (clicks, conversion rate, earnings), download branded creative assets, and track their payment history. This level of professionalism can attract better influencers.

Automated payouts. Integration with PayPal, Stripe, or even cryptocurrency for commission payments. Some apps handle the entire payout process automatically once you approve.

API access. For larger brands with custom workflows, some apps provide APIs to pull data into your own systems or trigger actions based on influencer performance.

When to Use an Affiliate App vs Shopify Collabs

There's no wrong answer. Both approaches work without discount codes.

Method 4: How to Track Influencer Sales with Smart Checkout Links

What if the link doesn't just track the visitor, but also pre-loads their cart and optimizes for conversion?

That's what smart checkout links do.

Why Direct-to-Checkout Links Convert Better

A traditional influencer link sends traffic to a product page:

yourstore.com/products/widget?utm_campaign=jane

The customer still has to click "Add to Cart," go through the cart page, then reach checkout. Every step is a chance to lose them.

A direct checkout link skips all that. It sends the customer straight to a pre-filled checkout with the product already in their cart. One click from influencer content to ready-to-buy.

This can dramatically improve conversion rates. You're reducing friction at the most critical moment.

How Checkout Links Solves This

Our app, Checkout Links, was built specifically for this use case. You create a smart link that:

• Pre-fills the cart with specific products and quantities

• Sends shoppers directly to checkout (or cart, or any custom page)

• Tracks performance with UTM parameters or custom tracking

• Shows up in Shopify's native analytics

• Can include automatic discounts, free gifts, or other offers (optional, but not required)

Here's how it works for influencer tracking:

Create a link for each influencer. Pick the products you want in the cart, choose whether to send to checkout or a product page, and add UTM tracking parameters. Checkout Links makes adding UTMs simple with a visual interface.

Optionally add incentives without codes. Want to give the influencer's audience a special offer? You can attach a discount or free gift directly to the link. No code needed. The customer clicks, the offer applies automatically. Clean experience.

Share the link. The influencer puts it in their bio, video, or wherever. When clicked, customers land on a ready-to-buy checkout.

Track everything. Checkout Links provides its own analytics dashboard showing performance per link (sessions, orders, revenue, conversion rate). Plus, since it passes UTM data to Shopify, you also see the attribution in your native Shopify reports.

Why This Boosts Conversions

Direct checkout links reduce the path from "interested" to "purchased" down to one click. The fewer steps between seeing an influencer recommendation and completing checkout, the higher your conversion rate.

We see this constantly. Influencer traffic is often high-intent but impatient. They're scrolling social media, they see something they want, they click. But if they have to navigate your store, find the product, add to cart, then go to checkout? Many drop off.

A pre-loaded checkout removes all that friction.

Plus, it looks premium. The customer clicks and immediately sees a checkout ready to go. It feels exclusive, like a VIP direct line to purchase. That perception can reinforce the influencer's recommendation.

When to Use Direct Checkout Links

This approach works best when:

• The influencer is promoting a specific product or bundle (not just "check out this store")

• You want to maximize conversion rate of the traffic they send

• You're comfortable with a more technical setup (using an app like Checkout Links to generate the URLs)

It's less ideal if the influencer's message is broad ("explore this brand!") because a direct checkout link is very specific. In those cases, a UTM-tagged homepage link might be better.

But for product-focused campaigns? Direct checkout links with tracking are incredibly powerful.

How to Add Offers Without Codes Using Checkout Links

Here's a clever tactic: attach a hidden offer to the checkout link that doesn't require the customer to enter anything.

For example, you could create a link that automatically applies a $5 discount or adds a free sample to the cart. The influencer shares the link. Customers click it, see the offer already applied at checkout, and buy.

You've given them an incentive (which can boost conversion), and you're tracking the source, and there's no code to enter or forget.

Checkout Links supports this with order discounts, free gifts, and free shipping that activate automatically from the link. The customer experience is seamless.

You still know exactly which influencer drove the sale because each link is unique and tracked.

Method 5: Post-Purchase Attribution Surveys

Even with perfect link tracking, you won't capture every influenced sale. Sometimes a customer sees an influencer post, doesn't click the link, but later Googles your brand and buys directly.

That sale was influenced, but your tracking shows nothing.

Post-purchase surveys help fill this gap.

How Attribution Surveys Work

After a customer completes their order, you ask them: "How did you hear about us?"

This can happen on the thank-you page (via a simple form or Shopify app) or in a follow-up email. Give them multiple-choice answers:

• Social media influencer (please specify who)

• Google search

• Friend or family recommendation

• Advertisement

• Other

When customers select "influencer" and name the creator, you've just captured an attribution that your link tracking missed.

Why Post-Purchase Surveys Reveal Hidden Influencer Sales

Research indicates that post-purchase surveys often reveal 2-3× more influencer-driven sales than what link tracking alone captures.

Think about it: not everyone clicks through immediately. Some people browse social media on their phone, then buy later on desktop. Others see a YouTube review, mentally bookmark it, then purchase days later when they need the product.

Without a survey, those sales look organic or direct. With a survey, you discover the true source.

How to Set Up Post-Purchase Surveys

Option 1: Thank-You Page App

Use a Shopify app like Fairing (formerly Enquire), KnoCommerce, or Octane AI to display a quick survey on the order confirmation page. Keep it simple:

"How did you hear about us?"
[Dropdown menu with options]

Make it optional (requiring it can frustrate customers), but incentivize responses by saying something like "Help us improve your experience!"

Option 2: Email Follow-Up

Send an email 1-2 days after purchase asking for feedback. Include the attribution question among other simple questions about their experience.

Option 3: Google Form Embedded

The simplest (but least integrated) option: embed a Google Form on your thank-you page asking about discovery source. Export the responses monthly and analyze.

How to Use Survey Data

Post-purchase surveys won't tie specific orders to influencers in real-time (like link tracking does). But they give you aggregate data.

If 100 customers say "I found you through @FitnessJane" but your link tracking only showed 40 sales from Jane, you know she's actually driving 60 more sales than you can directly measure.

This helps you:

• Allocate budgets more fairly

• Reward influencers who are genuinely impactful

• Understand the full scope of each partnership

Some brands use survey data to pay bonuses to influencers who show up frequently in responses, beyond their tracked sales.

Best Practices for Code-Free Influencer Tracking

You've got the methods. Now let's talk execution. Here are the critical practices that separate accurate tracking from messy data.

① Every Influencer Gets a Unique Link

Never reuse links across influencers. Each creator needs their own distinct URL (or UTM campaign, or Collabs referral, or checkout link).

This seems obvious, but we see merchants who give 5 influencers the same link. Then you can't tell who drove what. Pointless.

Create a system:

utm_campaign=firstname_lastname
yourstore.com/creator-name
Collabs link for each individual

Keep a spreadsheet tracking which influencer has which link. Or use an app that manages this automatically (Collabs, affiliate apps, or Checkout Links).

② Communicate the Tracking Method Clearly

Tell your influencers exactly how tracking works:

"We're tracking your performance through a unique link. Always use this link when directing people to our store. If you just tag us without the link, we can't credit you for the sale."

Be explicit. Influencers are juggling multiple brand partnerships. They might forget or assume tagging is enough. It's not.

Give them simple instructions:

• Instagram: Put the link in your bio and Stories swipe-up

• YouTube: Link in video description

• TikTok: Link in bio (TikTok doesn't allow clickable links in captions yet)

• Email/newsletter: Hyperlink the mention

③ Test Before You Launch

Before your influencer blasts the link to 100,000 followers, test it yourself.

Click through the link. Complete a test purchase (or at least get to checkout). Then check:

• Does the UTM data appear on the Shopify order?

• Does the sale show up in your tracking dashboard?

• Is the attribution correct?

If the test fails, fix it before the campaign goes live. You can't recover lost data after the fact.

④ Set Realistic Attribution Windows

For affiliate apps or Collabs, you choose how long a cookie lasts. This determines how many days after a click you'll still credit a sale to the influencer.

Think about your product. If you sell trendy apparel and most people buy within hours of seeing an influencer post, 7 days is fine. If you sell premium furniture that requires research, 30-60 days makes sense.

Longer windows mean more attributed sales, but also risk attributing sales to influencers who had minimal impact (customer clicked their link weeks ago, then was convinced by something else later).

⑤ Monitor in Real-Time

When an influencer posts, watch your analytics.

Shopify's live view, Collabs dashboard, or Checkout Links analytics can show traffic and sales as they happen.

If you see a surge of clicks but no attributed sales, something's broken. Maybe the link is wrong, or the influencer posted an untracked URL. You can fix it immediately instead of discovering the problem days later when the campaign is over.

⑥ Don't Rely on Tracking Alone

Combine link tracking with:

• Post-purchase surveys to capture indirect influence

• Baseline sales analysis (did sales spike on the day the influencer posted?)

• Direct feedback from the influencer (what kind of response did they get?)

No single method is perfect. A multi-layered approach gives you the full picture.

⑦ Use Vanity URLs for Verbal Mentions

If an influencer is promoting you on a podcast, in a YouTube video, or anywhere they can't share a clickable link easily, create a short, memorable URL that redirects to their tracking link.

For example:

yourstore.com/jane → redirects to full UTM link
yourstore.com/podcast → specific link for podcast mentions

This makes it easy for the audience to type manually while still preserving attribution. You can set up redirects in Shopify (using metaobjects or page redirects) or with an app.

QR codes work too. Put a QR code with the tracking link embedded in video content, event signage, packaging inserts. Scanners get sent to the right place with attribution intact.

⑧ Keep Influencers in the Loop

Send regular updates:

"Your link drove 47 orders last month worth $2,300 in revenue. Here's what you earned in commission."

Transparency builds trust. If influencers see real results, they'll keep promoting you. If they're working in the dark, they'll assume nothing's happening and move on.

Apps like Collabs give influencers their own dashboard, which is even better. They can check anytime without bothering you.

How to Calculate Influencer Commissions Without Codes

One reason merchants love discount codes is the built-in commission proof: "You used SARAH10, so Sarah gets credit."

But with link tracking, you still have crystal-clear commission data. It's just based on clicks instead of code usage.

Calculating Influencer Payouts

With UTM links: Pull a Shopify report filtered by UTM campaign. Export orders attributed to each influencer. Calculate commission based on revenue or order count.

This is manual, but doable for small programs. A simple spreadsheet works.

With Shopify Collabs: Commissions calculate automatically. You set the rate (10% of sales, $5 per order, etc.), and Collabs tallies what each influencer earned. You review, approve, and Collabs can even send the payment.

With affiliate apps: Same as Collabs. The app tracks sales per influencer, calculates commission based on your rules, and often integrates with PayPal or Stripe for payouts.

In all cases, you have better data than with discount codes because you're capturing every click-through sale, not just the ones where customers remembered to enter a code.

Handling Disputes

"I sent you 100 clicks, where are my sales?"

With proper link tracking, you can show the influencer their exact stats:

• Clicks: 127

• Sessions: 105

• Add-to-carts: 34

• Orders: 12

• Revenue: $780

They can see the funnel. Maybe their traffic quality is low (high bounce rate), or the timing was off. You have objective data to discuss.

With codes, you just have "code used 5 times" with no visibility into the broader funnel. Much harder to diagnose or explain.

Why Checkout Links Is the Ultimate Influencer Tracking Solution

We built Checkout Links to solve exactly this problem: tracking influencer sales accurately while maximizing conversion.

What Makes Checkout Links Different

Smart URLs that convert. Our links don't just track, they pre-fill carts and send shoppers straight to checkout. This removes friction and boosts sales from every click.

Built-in UTM tracking. Adding UTM parameters is point-and-click. No manual URL construction. The tracking data flows into Shopify's native analytics automatically.

Comprehensive dashboard. See performance by link (sessions, conversion rate, AOV, revenue) in one place. You don't need to dig through Shopify reports.

Automatic offers without codes. Want to give influencers' audiences a deal? Attach a discount, free gift, or free shipping directly to the link. The customer clicks, the offer applies. No code entry required.

Personalization for returning customers. If a customer has shopped before, our links can pre-fill their previous order or abandoned cart to speed checkout. Perfect for influencer partnerships targeting repeat buyers.

Scheduling and access controls. Set when a link is active with scheduling, limit usage per customer, or add a passcode for exclusive drops.

QR codes for offline. Generate branded QR codes that open the tracking link. Put them on packaging, event materials, or video content.

Proven and trusted. Checkout Links won a 2025 Shopify Build Award and carries the Built for Shopify badge. We're integrated directly with Shopify's checkout and analytics. It just works.

How to Use Checkout Links for Influencer Campaigns

Install Checkout Links (free 7-day trial, then $15/month)

Create a link for each influencer: Pick products, set destination (checkout/cart/custom page), add UTM tracking

Optional: Add an automatic offer (discount, free gift, etc.) without requiring a code

Share the link with your influencer to use in their content

Track performance in the Checkout Links dashboard and Shopify analytics

Optimize by seeing which influencers drive the best conversion rates and revenue

The entire setup takes 5 minutes per influencer. And because the links send to pre-loaded checkouts, you'll see higher conversion than with standard tracking links.

Real Use Case: Influencer Campaign with Zero Codes

A Shopify merchant selling skincare works with 15 beauty influencers. Instead of creating 15 discount codes (which would leak and train customers to wait for deals), they use Checkout Links.

Each influencer gets a custom link that:

• Sends to checkout with the promoted serum already in cart

• Adds a free sample automatically (no code needed)

• Tracks with UTM campaign set to the influencer's name

The merchant sees exactly which influencer drove which sales. Customers get a seamless experience (click, sample appears in cart, ready to buy). No discount codes. Full attribution.

Result: 22% higher conversion rate than previous code-based campaigns, cleaner data, and happier customers who didn't have to hunt for codes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I track influencer sales without giving them a discount code or any discount at all?

Yes. You can track influencer sales using unique links (UTM-tagged URLs, Shopify Collabs referral links, affiliate app links, or smart checkout links like Checkout Links) without offering any discount to customers. The tracking happens via the link itself, not a code. Customers pay full price, and you still know exactly which influencer drove the sale.

What if the influencer just tags my brand instead of using the link?

Then you won't capture that traffic in your tracking system. That's why clear communication with influencers is critical. Explain that tracking only works if they use the specific link you provide. Social media tags and mentions are great for brand awareness, but they don't create attribution data.

If this keeps happening, consider using post-purchase surveys to ask customers "How did you hear about us?" You might discover sales influenced by tags that didn't click through the link.

How long after clicking the link will a sale still be attributed to the influencer?

This depends on your tracking method. UTM links typically track same-session or same-day purchases (unless you're using Google Analytics with longer cookie tracking). Shopify Collabs and affiliate apps let you set an attribution window, usually 7 to 30 days. This means if a customer clicks the link on Monday and buys on Wednesday, the influencer still gets credit.

Choose a window based on your product: shorter for impulse buys, longer for considered purchases.

What's the easiest way to get started with link-based influencer tracking?

Start with Shopify Collabs if you want a free, all-in-one solution. Install the app, create your program, invite your influencers, and let them share their referral links. Everything is tracked automatically.

If you want to maximize conversion and have more control, try Checkout Links. The 7-day free trial lets you test smart checkout links with tracking before committing. Create a link for one influencer, see how it performs, then scale up.

Can I use both discount codes and tracking links together?

Yes, but it's usually unnecessary and can create confusion. If you give an influencer both a code and a link, and a customer uses both, which one gets credit?

Pick one method. If you want to offer discounts, attach them directly to the tracking link (using an app like Checkout Links) so the discount and tracking are unified. This way, the customer experience is simple and attribution is clear.

How do I prevent tracking links from being shared on coupon sites?

Unlike discount codes (which constantly leak to coupon sites), tracking links are less likely to spread. Why? Because they don't give the customer a discount (usually), so there's no incentive for bargain hunters to share them.

That said, if your influencer's link does include an automatic offer, it could theoretically be shared. Monitor for unusual traffic sources (check your analytics for unexpected referrers). If a link is being abused, you can deactivate it and issue a new one.

Most affiliate apps and Checkout Links support usage limits per customer or per link, which can prevent abuse.

Will tracking links slow down my site or affect checkout performance?

No. UTM parameters are just URL query strings that don't affect page load. Shopify Collabs and quality affiliate apps use lightweight tracking pixels or Shopify's native API, which also have no noticeable performance impact.

Checkout Links is Built for Shopify, meaning it meets Shopify's standards for speed and UX. It runs on Cloudflare Workers for fast global performance. Your checkout won't slow down.

Can I track influencer sales on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube?

Absolutely. Tracking links work across all platforms:

As long as the influencer shares the unique tracking URL and people click it, you'll capture the data regardless of platform.

How do I pay influencers their commission without discount code redemption counts?

With link tracking, you have even better data than code redemptions. Pull a report showing orders attributed to each influencer (from Shopify Collabs, your affiliate app, or Shopify's UTM reports).

Calculate commission based on total sales or order count. Many apps (Collabs, affiliate apps) calculate this automatically. You just approve the payout and they handle sending it via PayPal or another method.

It's actually easier than manual code tracking because the apps do the math for you.

Start Tracking Influencer Sales the Right Way

Discount codes are a relic of old affiliate marketing. They leak, they train customers to wait for deals, and they miss a huge portion of influenced sales.

Link-based tracking solves all of this. Clean attribution data, protected margins, seamless customer experience, and often higher conversion rates when you use smart checkout links.

Pick your method:

• Free and simple: UTM links or Shopify Collabs

• Advanced features: Dedicated affiliate apps

• Maximum conversion: Checkout Links for pre-loaded checkouts with tracking

Most merchants find that Checkout Links delivers the best combination of ease, power, and results. The 7-day free trial gives you time to test with one influencer campaign and see the difference.

No discount codes. Just clear data and more sales.

Try Checkout Links free for 7 days and start tracking influencer performance the smart way.