# Getting started as a store

> From a new account to a program affiliates can find – account, price, tracking and a test purchase.

A store is ready for affiliates when two things are in place: your website is saved, and tracking is running. Until then, the program is hidden from the catalogue. This page takes you through everything in order. Pricing, terms and the maths behind them are on [start an affiliate program](/en/start-an-affiliate-program).

The store dashboard is available in English and Danish – this page uses the English menu names.

## Before you start

- The address of your online store (e.g. `yourstore.com`).
- Access to the store's admin – or a developer you can send the guide to.
- A few minutes for a test purchase in your own shop.

## 1. Create the account

Create the store account at store.affilyflow.com. Sign-up asks for:

- the store's name,
- the store's website – the address affiliates link to and where we check your tracking,
- the country where the business is registered – it decides the VAT on your invoices,
- an email and a password, and that you accept the terms.

Then confirm your email. The link in the email expires after one hour.

> [!NOTE]
> Right now a new store account gets DKK 250 in starter credit on its balance once the email is confirmed. The credit is used before your own deposits and cannot be paid out. Accounts created by the Shopify app do not get it.

## 2. Set up the program

A program is created for you from the start, with a 30-day cookie period. Open **Program** and go through it:

- **The price.** Enter what the affiliate gets, or your total price per sale – each is worked out from the other. The network fee is 20% of the total price, and the affiliate gets the other 80%. A total price of 20% gives the affiliate 16% and 4% in fees.
- **The cookie period.** How long after a click a purchase counts. It can be set from 14 to 90 days; we recommend 30. The period is locked on the click and enforced on our server.
- **The approval period.** 30, 45, 60 or 90 days to reject a sale. Set it to your return period – see [Approval and refunds](https://www.affilyflow.com/en/docs/store/approval-and-refunds).
- **The rules.** Paid search, coupon sites and allowed channels.
- **The description.** The first thing affiliates read on your program page.

Save the program when it fits – even if you keep the defaults. That marks the task as done under **Get started**.

## 3. Set up tracking

Open **Program → Setup**. The page always has three steps: choose platform, install, test.

The first step asks **Where do you sell?** Choose the platform your store runs on. Setup tries to recognise the platform from your home page and picks it for you.

| Your shop | Guide |
|---|---|
| Shopify | [Shopify](https://www.affilyflow.com/en/docs/store/shopify) |
| WooCommerce | [WooCommerce](https://www.affilyflow.com/en/docs/store/woocommerce) |
| Smartweb, HostedShop or the new Dandomain Webshop | [Smartweb and HostedShop](https://www.affilyflow.com/en/docs/store/smartweb) |
| DanDomain Classic | [DanDomain Classic](https://www.affilyflow.com/en/docs/store/dandomain-classic) |
| Shoporama | [Shoporama](https://www.affilyflow.com/en/docs/store/shoporama) |
| Magento 2, PrestaShop or Shopware 6 (via Google Analytics 4) | [Magento 2](https://www.affilyflow.com/en/docs/store/magento), [PrestaShop](https://www.affilyflow.com/en/docs/store/prestashop), [Shopware 6](https://www.affilyflow.com/en/docs/store/shopware) |
| A store developed for you | [Custom-built store](https://www.affilyflow.com/en/docs/store/custom-built) |
| Stripe Checkout or Payment Links | [Stripe](https://www.affilyflow.com/en/docs/store/stripe) |
| Webflow, Wix or something else entirely | Choose **Other**. Webflow has its own guide: [Webflow](https://www.affilyflow.com/en/docs/store/webflow) |

> [!TIP]
> Do you take payments with Stripe, but the shop runs on Shopify, WooCommerce or one of the Danish platforms? Choose the platform. Stripe is only the right choice when customers pay in Stripe Checkout or through Payment Links.

If someone else will add the code, press **Send to developer**. We email the whole guide with ready-made code snippets to the address you enter.

If you want to understand what happens from click to sale before you start, read [How tracking works](https://www.affilyflow.com/en/docs/start/how-tracking-works).

## 4. Test with a test purchase

Press **Open test link** in the test step and place an order in the tab that opens. Stay on Setup: the page follows along and shows the test click and the purchase with order number and amount. Then it asks whether the amount is right.

- A test purchase carries no commission or fee and is not counted in your numbers.
- Buy in the same browser the test link opened in.
- Cancel the order in your shop afterwards.

Shopify stores use the test link in the Affilyflow app, and with Stripe the test purchase can be made in Stripe's test mode with a test card after the test link – see [Stripe](https://www.affilyflow.com/en/docs/store/stripe#test). If something goes wrong, see [Testing and troubleshooting](https://www.affilyflow.com/en/docs/store/testing-and-troubleshooting).

## When the program becomes visible

The program appears in the catalogue, on affilyflow.com and in the product search once the website is saved and tracking is running. "Running" means:

| Tracking | Running when |
|---|---|
| The Shopify app | the app has reported that the pixel is active |
| The WooCommerce plugin | we have received the first signal from the plugin |
| Stripe | we have received the first event from your webhook |
| A script on your own website | the script has been found on the home page, and the sale code has reported a purchase – a test purchase counts |

A program that pays per lead only needs the script.

The Overview shows whether the program is visible and what is missing. Affiliates who have already joined keep their links, even while the program is hidden.

## The Get started list

On the **Overview**, **Get started** lists what is missing:

1. Add your website
2. Set up tracking
3. Review your program
4. Describe your store and customers
5. Add billing details
6. Add funds to your balance

Under **Along the way** are the milestones: first affiliate and first sale. The list can be hidden; the status panel still shows what is missing.

## Balance and invoice

Commission and fees – for Danish stores also the VAT – are drawn from the balance when a sale is approved. Add funds under **Finance** before the first sales are approved.

Approved sales are invoiced together once a month. Fill in name, address and country under **Settings → Billing** in good time: an invoice cannot be changed once it has been issued.

Source: https://www.affilyflow.com/en/docs/start/getting-started-store