The AffiliateWP Allow Own Referrals Addon is an extension designed to enhance the functionality of the AffiliateWP affiliate management plugin. This addon allows affiliates to earn commissions on their own referrals, meaning affiliates can earn a commission if they refer themselves or make purchases through their own affiliate links. In most affiliate programs, affiliates cannot earn commissions on their own referrals (i.e., they cannot use their affiliate link to make purchases and earn a commission). This is done to prevent abuse of the system. However, there are legitimate cases where allowing affiliates to earn commissions on their own purchases can benefit both the affiliate and the business, especially in cases where the affiliate is a loyal customer, a part of the business, or purchasing items for personal use that they will also promote.

Key Features of the Allow Own Referrals Addon:

1. Affiliates Can Earn Commissions on Their Own Purchases:
   • The core feature of this addon is that it allows affiliates to earn commissions on their own purchases. If an affiliate purchases something through their affiliate link, they can earn a commission on that sale.
   • This is particularly useful in cases where affiliates may want to purchase products from your store for personal use or to review, and still be rewarded for their marketing efforts.
2. Fully Integrated with AffiliateWP:
   • The addon works seamlessly with AffiliateWP. It takes advantage of the existing affiliate tracking system and integrates directly into the affiliate dashboard. This means that when an affiliate makes a purchase through their own affiliate link, the transaction will be recorded, and they will be credited with the commission.
   • Referral Tracking: Just like other referrals, purchases made by affiliates through their own links will appear in the affiliate’s referral report. This allows both the affiliate and the admin to track the commissions earned from their own referrals.
3. Customizable Settings:
   • The Allow Own Referrals Addon gives administrators control over when and how this feature is applied. Store owners can choose to allow or disallow affiliates earning commissions on their own purchases through the AffiliateWP settings.
   • This can be enabled globally for all affiliates, or it can be set on a per-affiliate basis, allowing more flexibility in managing your affiliate program.
4. Prevention of Affiliate Abuse:
   • Although affiliates can earn commissions on their own referrals with this addon, the plugin includes safeguards to prevent abuse. For example, store owners can set rules to avoid scenarios where affiliates continuously buy their own products to earn commissions on repeated purchases. You can apply settings that limit the number of times affiliates can earn commissions on their own referrals, or apply certain conditions that reduce the possibility of fraud.
5. Automatic Commission Assignment:
   • Once an affiliate makes a purchase through their affiliate link, the system will automatically calculate the commission and assign it to the affiliate. The purchase is treated like any other referral and tracked in the same way, meaning it is fully automated.
   • Commission Payouts: The commission earned from their own referral is included in the affiliate's total earnings, which will then be paid out according to your affiliate payout schedule.
6. Compliant with Affiliate Program Guidelines:
   • The addon is designed to comply with common affiliate program rules, allowing you to create a more flexible and customizable affiliate program without violating any basic terms of service that might discourage affiliates from engaging in legitimate behavior.
7. Boosts Affiliate Engagement:
   • Allowing affiliates to earn commissions on their own purchases can encourage higher engagement with your affiliate program. Affiliates who are also loyal customers of your business may feel more motivated to promote products, knowing that their purchases will help them earn commissions.
   • Affiliates may also be more likely to create content (such as blog posts, social media mentions, or product reviews) based on their purchases, as they see a financial incentive.
8. Flexible Affiliate Program:
   • For businesses that have employees, loyal customers, or influencers working as affiliates, this addon can serve as a good incentive, allowing them to earn commissions for products they genuinely want or need. It's a way of recognizing affiliates who believe in your products and actively use them.
9. Increased Affiliate Loyalty:
   • Allowing affiliates to earn commissions on their own referrals can create a sense of loyalty and investment in your brand. Affiliates will be more likely to continue promoting your products if they feel they can benefit from purchases they make themselves.

Benefits of the Allow Own Referrals Addon:

1. Increased Sales for Your Store:
   • When affiliates know they can earn commissions on their own purchases, they may be more likely to buy more products from your store and promote those products more aggressively.
2. Enhanced Affiliate Program Flexibility:
   • The addon adds flexibility to your affiliate program, allowing you to accommodate a broader range of affiliate needs and behavior, from employees to loyal customers or even product testers.
3. Encourages Product Reviews:
   • Affiliates who earn commissions on their own purchases are more likely to provide honest product reviews, create content (like unboxing videos, blog posts, or social media promotions), and genuinely engage with your product line.
4. Customizable Control:
   • You can control how and when affiliates are allowed to earn commissions on their own purchases, with options for limiting or applying this rule on an individual basis. This allows you to prevent any unwanted misuse of the system while still offering the benefits of this feature.
5. Helps Reward Loyal Affiliates:
   • For affiliates who are also customers or who are deeply invested in your products, this addon can reward them for their ongoing support and product use.
6. Better Tracking and Transparency:
   • The integration with AffiliateWP means that all purchases and commissions earned from affiliates' own referrals will be tracked and recorded in the same way as other referrals. This ensures transparency in reporting for both affiliates and store owners.

How to Use the Allow Own Referrals Addon:

1. Install and Activate the Addon:
   • First, ensure you have AffiliateWP installed and activated on your WordPress site. Then, download and install the Allow Own Referrals Addon from the AffiliateWP website.
2. Enable the Addon:
   • Go to the AffiliateWP Settings page in your WordPress dashboard and navigate to the Allow Own Referrals settings. Here, you can choose whether to allow all affiliates to earn commissions on their own purchases, or you can enable the feature for specific affiliates.
3. Set Limits or Restrictions (Optional):
   • You can set limits on how often affiliates can earn commissions from their own referrals. For example, you may limit the number of purchases an affiliate can make using their own affiliate link in a given timeframe.
   • You can also apply additional restrictions to control potential abuses of the system.
4. Track Own Referrals:
   • Once enabled, affiliates can generate affiliate links to products and make purchases on your site using those links. These purchases will automatically be tracked, and the affiliate will earn a commission, just like any other referral.
5. Monitor and Pay Out Commissions:
   • You can track own referrals through the Affiliate Dashboard and in the referral reports. When it’s time to pay out commissions, commissions from own referrals will be included as part of the affiliate’s total earnings.

Compatibility:

• WordPress: Fully compatible with the latest version of WordPress.
• AffiliateWP: Works seamlessly with AffiliateWP and integrates well with other AffiliateWP add-ons, such as Referral Rate by Product, Referral Notifications, and Recurring Referrals.
• eCommerce Platforms: Works with eCommerce platforms like WooCommerce and Easy Digital Downloads, ensuring affiliates can earn commissions on their own purchases within those systems.

Conclusion:

The AffiliateWP Allow Own Referrals Addon adds an important layer of flexibility to your affiliate program. It allows affiliates to earn commissions on their own purchases, encouraging deeper engagement, loyalty, and product promotion. By giving affiliates the ability to benefit from their own purchases, you enhance the value of your affiliate program and create more incentives for your affiliates to actively promote your products. This addon is perfect for businesses that want to reward affiliates who are also customers, influencers, or internal employees, and it ensures that those affiliates are motivated to engage more with your store. If you're running a WooCommerce store or a digital product business and want to provide a richer affiliate experience, the Allow Own Referrals Addon is a great tool to consider. Let me know if you need further help or assistance in setting this up!