Normally, an affiliate earns commission only when a customer clicks their referral link and makes a purchase in that session. If the same customer returns later and buys again—without clicking a referral link—the affiliate gets nothing.
The Lifetime Commissions add-on changes this. Once a customer is linked to an affiliate, that affiliate earns commission on all future purchases from that customer, regardless of how they arrive at your site.
How It Works
- A visitor clicks an affiliate's referral link and makes their first purchase
- The customer is permanently linked to that affiliate in your system
- Whenever that customer makes another purchase—days, months, or years later—the affiliate automatically earns commission
This is especially valuable for businesses with repeat customers: membership sites, subscription services, consumable products, or any store where customers return to buy again.
When Lifetime Commissions Make Sense
| Business Type | Why Lifetime Commissions Help |
|---|---|
| Subscription/membership sites | Affiliates earn on every renewal, not just the first payment |
| E-commerce with consumables | Reorders automatically credit the original affiliate |
| Coaching or course businesses | Upsells and additional courses reward the affiliate who brought the customer |
| Service businesses | Returning clients generate ongoing affiliate revenue |
Configuration Options
The add-on offers flexibility in how lifetime commissions are applied:
- All purchases: Affiliate earns on every transaction from linked customers
- Conditional rules: Limit lifetime commissions to specific products or categories
- Manual assignment: Administrators can link or unlink customers from affiliates
Settings are found in AffiliateWP → Settings → Commissions once the add-on is activated.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if a customer was referred by one affiliate but later clicks a different affiliate's link?
By default, the original affiliate keeps the lifetime relationship. However, you can configure the add-on to allow reassignment if preferred.
Can I see which customers are linked to which affiliates?
Yes. Go to AffiliateWP → Affiliates, click on an affiliate, and view their linked customers. You can also manage assignments from individual customer records.
Does this work with WooCommerce subscriptions?
Yes. Lifetime Commissions integrates with WooCommerce Subscriptions, Easy Digital Downloads, and other popular e-commerce plugins. Recurring subscription payments automatically credit the linked affiliate.
Can I get this add-on installed on my site?
Yes. AffiliateWP and its add-ons are available to WebOps hosting customers at no extra cost. Contact support to request installation.
Related Add-ons
- Sign Up Bonus – Reward affiliates for joining your program
- Affiliate Info – Let affiliates personalize their referral experience
