Why aren’t referral rewards applying correctly?

Introduction

If referral rewards aren’t showing up or being applied, don’t worry — it usually means the order or customer doesn’t meet the referral program’s conditions. Roadmap has built-in safeguards (like one reward per new customer, minimum spend rules, and order validation) that can block rewards until requirements are met.

1. Check the Referee’s Eligibility

• Referral rewards only apply to new customers on their first order.
•  👉 If the referee already had an account or placed an order before, the referral won’t trigger.

2. Confirm Minimum Spend Conditions

• If you set a minimum order value, the referee must meet it.
•  👉 Example: Reward applies only if the order is $50+.

3. Verify Order Status

• Referrers only get their reward after the referee’s order is:
  • Confirmed.
• Not canceled or refunded.
  •  👉 Pending or refunded orders will not grant rewards.

4. Check Reward Restrictions

• Referral rewards may be limited to specific:
  • Products or collections.
• Customer groups/tags.
  •  👉 If the referee’s purchase doesn’t qualify, the reward won’t trigger.

5. Ensure Codes or Links Were Used

• The referee must use the referral code or link at checkout.
• Orders placed without the referral code won’t count.

6. Review Reward Settings

• Double-check your referral setup:
  • Is the reward active and published?
  • Are both referrer and referee rewards configured correctly?
  • Are there any limits (e.g. max referrals per customer)?

Common Questions

• Why didn’t my customer get their referrer reward?
  • Check that the referee’s order was valid, met minimum spend, and wasn’t canceled or refunded.
• Why didn’t the referee get their discount?
  • They must use the referral link or code at checkout, and meet spend/product requirements.
• Do referral discounts stack with loyalty rewards?
  • Yes — but if another discount is already applied, Shopify’s rules may block stacking.
• Can I manually fix a missed referral?
  • Yes — you can adjust points or apply a reward manually from the customer’s profile.

Summary

If referral rewards aren’t applying, check:

• ✅ Referee is a new customer placing their first order.
• ✅ Minimum spend and product rules are met.
• ✅ The referral code/link was used.
• ✅ The order was confirmed and not refunded.
• ✅ Rewards are active and published.

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