Use referral discount rewards when you want the referring customer to receive a free reward after their friend makes a qualifying first purchase.
This setting is only available for first-purchase referrals. It is separate from the referral point amounts, and the bonus reward does not deduct points from the referring customer.
Before you start
Create the reward you want to use before you turn on the referral discount reward.
For the safest setup, use an enabled fixed amount, percentage, or free shipping reward. These are normal discount-code rewards and fit the referral discount workflow best.
Flexible rewards cannot be used as referral discount rewards.
Also check the reward's usage limits. For example:
Unlimited lets the reward be issued repeatedly.
Once per customer lets each referring customer receive it once.
Once total can stop the reward after it has been issued one time.
Open Referral Program settings
In Glow, go to Rewards > Referral Program.
Set Program Status to Enabled.
Set Issue rewards when... to New customer makes their first purchase.
The referral discount setting appears only for this first-purchase referral mode.
Turn on the discount reward
In the Referral Rewards section:
Set the point amounts for the existing member and new member.
Set Also award the existing member a discount code? to Yes - Award a discount code.
Use Select which reward to redeem to choose the reward.
Click Save Settings.
The selected reward is created for the existing member for free after the referred customer makes their first qualifying purchase and earns order points.
What the referring customer receives
When the referral qualifies, Glow can:
Award referral points to the existing member.
Award referral points to the new member.
Create the selected bonus reward for the existing member.
The bonus reward is free for the existing member. Glow records a referral reward event with 0 points deducted.
Important safety checks
The referred order must earn order points
The referral discount reward is only awarded when the referred customer earns order points on the first purchase.
If your order rules or settings can make that order earn 0 points, the discount reward may not be issued.
Choose the reward type carefully
For a referral discount bonus, use a fixed amount, percentage, or free shipping reward.
Flexible rewards are blocked for this setting.
If a product reward appears in the reward dropdown, test carefully before using it for referral discounts. The referral discount flow is built around issuing a bonus reward code to the referrer.
Check usage limits before launch
Usage limits still matter.
If the selected reward is limited to Once total, only the first successful referral reward may receive it. For most referral programs, Unlimited or Once per customer is safer.
Keep the reward enabled
The selected reward must stay enabled. If the reward is disabled, deleted, or no longer available, Glow may not be able to issue the referral discount reward.
How to test it
Use a new test customer so the first-purchase condition is clean.
Open the loyalty widget as an existing member and copy their referral link.
Use the referral link as a new test customer.
Place the new customer's first qualifying order.
Wait for Glow to process the Shopify order.
Open Analytics > Referral Stats and Analytics > points Activity.
Open the existing member's Glow profile and confirm the bonus reward or referral reward event appears.
Common issues
I do not see the discount reward setting
Set Issue rewards when... to New customer makes their first purchase.
The discount reward setting is hidden for signup and repeat-order referral modes.
I cannot save the settings
Make sure you selected a reward after choosing Yes - Award a discount code.
Also check that the reward is enabled and is not a flexible reward.
The referral points were awarded, but the discount was not
Check whether the referred order earned order points. The referral discount reward is not awarded when the referred order earns 0 order points.
Also check the selected reward's usage limits and whether the referring customer is excluded from the loyalty program.
I deleted the reward used for referrals
If a reward used for referral discounts is deleted, Glow disables the referral reward setting.
Choose a new reward in Rewards > Referral Program before continuing your campaign.
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