Commonly Asked Support Questions

Why do I need a minimum number of followers to join?

The programme is designed for socially active brand fans, which is why there is a follower requirement.

The minimum is set by your brand, so quote your own number. You'll find it in Advocates > Groups > Group profiles > [profile] > Moderation Rules > Followers (Minimum followers). If your programme uses Moderation Intelligence, it's in Settings > Moderation Rules > Sign-ups.

If you have a loyalty program, it would be a good idea to guide these customers there. If not, you could highlight any current promotions or give them a preview of upcoming discounts to keep your loyal customers engaged.

How do I apply for the program?

Visit the program’s webpage, review the requirements, and if it seems like a good fit, click “Apply Now.” Please note that you must have a public social profile to be eligible for the program.

Why was my application rejected?

Due to capacity limits, we are unable to accept all applicants at this time, even if they meet the criteria.

It may be helpful to gather feedback from your operators about how applications are reviewed, and include actionable suggestions in your response.

For example, priority is given to those who meet the criteria, and we also assess how applicants create content.

You might encourage applicants to review some of our favourite user-generated content (UGC) as inspiration. The more aligned your content is with these examples, the more likely you will be accepted in the future. We encourage you to reapply in 60 days.

How long does it take to get approved?

Ensure that your response aligns with the review schedule followed by the operators. Typically, applications are reviewed within 48 hours.

A few things can change this: the verification email applicants receive can sometimes arrive late, and if your brand uses Smart Accept, some applicants are approved automatically.

How do I get paid, and when?

This is clearly outlined within the challenges in the program and also in the FAQs.

You can earn commissions on purchases made through your affiliate link. Your commission can be tracked on your portal’s homepage but may fluctuate due to cancelled or partially refunded orders.

Payments are normally made 45 days after an order is placed, allowing time for returns and processing, and will be sent via PayPal to the email address used when you signed up.

If you don’t have a PayPal account linked to that email, you can create one when you receive the payment.

Alternatively, you can update your email in the portal’s settings to match your existing PayPal account. You can refer to the platform’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy for more details, and feel free to reach out with any questions.

How/where do I use my tracking links?

You can share your affiliate link in your social bios, posts, or directly with friends, family, and followers.

On Instagram Stories, URLs can be hyperlinked directly into your story. You can also customise your affiliate link to point to a specific product page.

For Instagram Reels/Posts and TikToks, adding URLs is less straightforward. In these cases, we recommend directing your followers to the link in your bio through the caption to earn commissions.

Who can I speak to if I’m having technical issues?

Your brand’s support team will handle technical queries and can escalate issues that can’t be resolved internally to the program’s support team. Note that the support email is not advocate-facing, so it should not be shared with advocates. Your support team can also ask the Duel AI Support Agent in the Help Centre general troubleshooting questions, and escalate the issue if the problem persists.

Who can I contact with questions about the briefs?

This is managed by the brand’s support team, so coordination between the support team and the operators managing the program is essential.

When do applications close?

Applications are ongoing, but space is limited, so there will be times when more or fewer advocates are accepted.

Can I use my product vouchers/gift cards in stores?

Please reach out to your eCommerce team, as they are responsible for creating the promo codes.

Do I have to pay for delivery with my voucher/gift card?

For any questions regarding delivery and vouchers/gift cards, it’s best to connect with the eCommerce team. They created the promo codes and can provide the details. Keep track of popular questions from existing advocates to consider adding them to your FAQs.

Why isn't my referral or discount code working?

Check which kind of code it is first. Referral codes are multi-use and are meant for the customer an advocate refers. Reward codes are single-use — one per eligible order — and are issued to the advocate for reaching a tier or completing a challenge, so a reward code that has already been redeemed will not work a second time.

If the code is the right type and still unused, open the Promotions tab in the dashboard and check its status for that advocate: whether it has expired, reached its usage cap, or is valid for the storefront and region they are shopping in. Minimum spend, product exclusions and sale-item rules are set on your eCommerce platform rather than in Duel, so a code can be live in Duel and still be refused at checkout.

If the promotion has run out of codes, you can issue one manually from the Promotions tab or allocate one through an unlisted challenge. Note that an advocate buying through their own link or code is a self-purchase: the discount still applies, but no commission is paid on that order.

I made a purchase but my points haven't updated.

Points on direct purchases are only awarded if your programme has that feature switched on, and they depend on the order being matched to the advocate — usually by the email address used at checkout. The most common cause is an advocate checking out with a different email from the one on their portal account.

Points can also be deferred for a set number of days to allow for returns, and capped per purchase or per advocate. Both are configured by the brand. To confirm whether the order was matched, check the Orders tab or the advocate's profile (Performance > Revenue), and allow for the deferral window before escalating.

Why was my challenge submission rejected, and can I resubmit?

When a submission is rejected, the advocate sees the reason in the portal, along with any note from the brand, and a button to resubmit while the challenge is still open. No email is sent. See Challenge Rejection Feedback.

Why does my referral show as pending, or not show at all?

Pending means the order is still inside the return window set in Referrals & Affiliates. Commission is normally released around 45 days after the order, though the exact window is yours to configure. Totals can also move after the fact to reflect cancelled or partially refunded orders.

The statuses an advocate may see are: Pending (inside the return window), Scheduled (secured and due to be paid within 24 hours), Processing (handed to PayPal, awaiting confirmation), Paid (received), Unclaimed (no PayPal account matching the email they signed up with), and Unrewarded (automatically cancelled, with the reason recorded in the Note field).

If a referral does not appear at all, check that the referred customer used the advocate's link or code at checkout. Note that if an advocate leaves or is removed from the programme, any pending commission is not paid out.