How to Configure the Affiliate Hierarchy for Referral Commissions

In DecoNetwork, every website (store) exists within a hierarchy. This hierarchy defines the relationship between stores, specifically identifying which store or client referred or created another. Understanding and configuring this relationship is essential if you want to track and reward referrals using commission structures.

Prerequisites

Why store hierarchy matters

Store hierarchy allows you to define who referred or recruited a store into your network. This relationship is critical when using referral commissions, as it determines who gets rewarded when sales occur.

• Track referrals: Identify which store or client brought in new business
• Reward growth: Automatically pay commissions to referring stores
• Maintain visibility: Understand relationships across your store network
• Enable scalable partnerships: Incentivize affiliates, teams, or clients to recruit new stores

Step 1: View the store hierarchy

Start by locating the hierarchy settings for the store you want to review.

1. Go to Admin → Websites
2. Select the store you want to manage
3. Click Administration → Ownership

Step 2: Set or update the parent store

You can assign or change the parent store to reflect the correct referral relationship.

1. On the Ownership page, locate the Affiliate hierarchy section
2. Click Reset Parent Store
3. Select the appropriate store that should act as the parent
4. Save your changes

Once set, this hierarchy establishes the relationship used for tracking referrals and applying commission logic.

Step 3: Enable referral commissions

After defining the hierarchy, you must configure referral commissions separately.

1. Go to Administration → Store Commission Settings
2. Tick Override Default Referral Commission Rate
3. Enter a value for the Referral commission
4. Save your settings

Once enabled, the parent store will receive a commission (kickback) whenever the child store generates sales, based on your defined rules.

Best-practice tips

• Assign the parent store at the time of store creation to ensure accurate tracking
• Use consistent naming conventions for stores to make relationships easy to identify
• Regularly review hierarchy settings to ensure they reflect real business relationships
• Pair hierarchy setup with clearly defined commission structures

Troubleshooting

No commissions are being paid

• Check that referral commissions are enabled in Store Commission Settings
• Verify that a parent store is assigned

Incorrect store receiving commissions

• Review the parent store setting in the Ownership section
• Update the hierarchy and re-test with a new order

Cannot find Ownership section

• Ensure you are accessing the store via Admin → Websites → Administration
• Confirm your account has sufficient permissions

FAQs

Does setting a parent store automatically create commissions?

No. The hierarchy only defines the relationship. You must enable and configure referral commissions separately.

Can I change the parent store later?

Yes. You can update the parent store at any time, but changes will only affect future commission tracking.

Can a template be used as a parent store?

Yes. A template store can act as the parent, allowing it to receive referral commissions from stores created using that template.

What happens if no parent store is assigned?

No referral relationship is tracked, and no referral commissions will be applied.

Additional resources

• Store Commission Settings
• How to Configure Standard and Referral Affiliate Commissions
• How to Pay Affiliate Sales and Referral Commissions