Description
AffiliateLauncher runs affiliate, consultant, and distributor programs for online stores and direct-sales companies. This plugin connects your WooCommerce store to the AffiliateLauncher cloud service, so every order from a partner link is credited to the right person.
In AffiliateLauncher you manage your roster and enrollment, give each partner tracking links, set commission plans, review a sales and commission ledger, and export PayPal mass payment files when it’s time to pay. On your store, the plugin captures tracking links, saves the affiliate (and party or event, if used) on each order, and can show a lookup so shoppers credit their consultant.
Commissions are calculated in AffiliateLauncher, not inside WordPress. You paste three values from your AffiliateLauncher admin into the plugin, then connect a WooCommerce REST API key so order webhooks can sync.
- Tracking links in three formats: ?_f=site-id, short /al/r/site-id links, and #site-id
- Party and event credit with ?_e=event-id
- Optional storefront lookup so shoppers can pick their consultant
- Works with High-Performance Order Storage (HPOS) and the Cart and Checkout blocks
- Shopify and WooCommerce orders can feed the same company
External services
This plugin connects to AffiliateLauncher, a hosted service run by CNR Consulting Services, Inc. Nothing is sent until you enter an API base URL and integration key on the WooCommerce > AffiliateLauncher settings screen.
What is sent and when:
- Storefront pages (only when the cart float is turned on): the visitor’s browser loads the AffiliateLauncher lookup widget scripts from
<API base URL>/storefront-widget/and sends affiliate and event lookups, your company site ID, the integration key, and an anonymous session ID to the AffiliateLauncher API. - Admin settings screen: the “Open AffiliateLauncher” button links to your company page on the API base URL. Nothing is sent until you click it.
- Order sync: AffiliateLauncher reads order data through the WooCommerce REST API key and webhooks you authorize from AffiliateLauncher. Orders carry the affiliate, event, and session IDs this plugin saves at checkout.
The plugin also sets a first-party cookie, al_fsession, to keep the affiliate session for attribution.
AffiliateLauncher terms of service and privacy policy: https://directsales.software/pub/agreements
The plugin itself is free and GPL-licensed and does not license-gate features. Paid AffiliateLauncher plans are billed by the service, not inside WordPress. Support: affiliatelauncher@directsales.software.
Screenshots
Installation
- Upload the plugin zip via Plugins > Add New > Upload Plugin, or install from the WordPress.org plugin directory when available.
- Activate the plugin through the Plugins screen. WooCommerce must be active.
- Open WooCommerce > AffiliateLauncher.
- Paste your API base URL, company site ID, and WooCommerce integration key from AffiliateLauncher > Settings > WooCommerce.
- In AffiliateLauncher Settings (WooCommerce), connect the store with a WooCommerce REST API key so order webhooks can sync.
- Use a non-Plain permalink structure if you want pretty affiliate links (
/al/r/...). Query and hash links still work with Plain permalinks.
FAQ
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Does it work for party plan and direct-sales companies?
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Yes. Consultants share tracking links, orders can credit a party or event with an event ID, and the optional storefront lookup lets shoppers find their consultant at checkout so the right person gets credit.
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Can shoppers choose their consultant?
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Yes. Turn on “Show affiliate lookup float on the storefront” in WooCommerce > AffiliateLauncher. Shoppers can search for a consultant, and the choice is saved on their order.
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How do I pay affiliates?
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Commissions build up in the AffiliateLauncher ledger as orders sync. When you pay, mark the commissions paid and export a PayPal mass payment file. The plugin itself never moves money.
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Does it support HPOS and the Cart and Checkout blocks?
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Yes. The plugin declares compatibility with High-Performance Order Storage and the Cart and Checkout blocks.
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Can I use it with a Shopify store too?
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Yes. One AffiliateLauncher company can connect both. WooCommerce orders are stored as woo-{order number} so they never collide with Shopify order numbers.
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What happens when I uninstall?
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Deleting the plugin removes its settings. Affiliate and event details saved on past orders stay on those orders.
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Where do I get help?
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Post in the support forum for this plugin, or email affiliatelauncher@directsales.software with your store or company name.
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Does this plugin bill me inside WordPress?
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No. The connector is free. AffiliateLauncher cloud billing (if you use paid plans) is handled outside this plugin, for example Stripe for direct signup, or WooCommerce.com SaaS Billing if you purchase through the WooCommerce.com marketplace when that listing is available.
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What data is sent to AffiliateLauncher?
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Configured stores send the connector settings you enter and use AffiliateLauncher endpoints for affiliate lookup / attribution and related connector traffic. Order sync uses the Woo REST API connection you authorize from AffiliateLauncher. See AffiliateLauncher agreements in the cloud admin for processing details.
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Do I need pretty permalinks?
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Pretty affiliate paths (
/al/r/...) need a non-Plain permalink structure. Settings > Permalinks. Query (?_f=) and hash (#siteId) links still work when permalinks are Plain. -
I installed an older zip. How do I move to this version?
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Version 0.2.7 uses the plugin folder
affiliatelauncher. Older zips usedaffiliatelauncher-woocommerceoraffiliatelauncher-for-woocommerce, so WordPress may show more than one copy. Your settings carry over.- Go to Plugins and deactivate any older AffiliateLauncher / AffiliateLauncher for WooCommerce copy.
- Upload the new zip under Plugins > Add New > Upload Plugin, and activate it.
- Check WooCommerce > AffiliateLauncher. Your API base URL, company site ID and integration key should still be filled in.
- Delete the old plugin(s) from the Plugins screen while the new one is active. The new plugin keeps your settings when the old ones are removed.
Only one copy can be active at a time.
Reviews
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Contributors & Developers
“AffiliateLauncher” is open source software. The following people have contributed to this plugin.
Contributors
Translate “AffiliateLauncher” into your language.
Interested in development?
Browse the code, check out the SVN repository, or subscribe to the development log by RSS.
Changelog
0.2.8
- Set Author to CNR Consulting Services, Inc. Plugin URI https://directsales.software; Author URI https://cnrcode.com (WordPress.org ownership clarity).
0.2.7
- Set Plugin Name to AffiliateLauncher for WordPress.org slug
affiliatelauncher. - Align Text Domain and i18n calls with slug
affiliatelauncher. - Tested up to WordPress 7.1 and WooCommerce 11.2.
- Update the support contact to affiliatelauncher@directsales.software.
- Sanitize and validate cart float AJAX input.
0.2.6
- Declare GPLv2 or later (plugin header + LICENSE).
- Add WordPress.org
readme.txtwith external service disclosure and install docs. - Remove plugin settings on uninstall (order data is kept).
0.2.5
- Prior connector release (attribution, cart float, settings, HPOS / cart-checkout blocks compatibility).