Skip to content
  • There are no suggestions because the search field is empty.

Reducing Referral Code Leaks

How to lower the risk of referral codes leaking, and what to do once a code has leaked.

Referral codes leak, usually to coupon websites and browser extensions. There are three main ways to reduce the risk, and two ways to pull a code that has already leaked. Weigh each one against the experience you want for your advocates and their customers.

If you'd like help choosing or setting these up, speak to your Programme Operator (PO).

🔢 Defense 1: Redemption limit

The main way to limit the damage when a code leaks is to lower its redemption limit.

  1. Set the limit on the code in your e-commerce platform.
  2. Set the same limit in Duel: in the promotion, set Redemption limit (Per promo code) to Fixed with the same number.
  3. Tick Renew code after redemption limit is reached so the advocate automatically gets a new code when theirs runs out.

Example: set each referral code to 50 uses. When a code reaches 50, the advocate gets a fresh one.

The downside: codes change more often, so a code an advocate shared in the past may no longer work when someone tries it later. That can frustrate both advocates and customers.

See Promo Codes for the redemption limit settings.

↑ Back to top

You can hide the discount inside the advocate's affiliate link, so customers get it automatically and never see the code. Most e-commerce platforms support this, as a path or a parameter. Set it up in the E-Store; see Hidden Referral Codes for examples.

The downsides:

  • Advocates can't share the code on posts that don't support links, such as Instagram in-feed posts.
  • It won't stop every leak. Coupon browser extensions such as Honey can still pick up the code at checkout. It does make leaks less likely.

If codes leak often, use defenses 1 and 2 together. With a lower redemption limit and the code hidden in the link, advocates keep sharing their link and the discount is added to the cart automatically, so the code they share never stops working.

↑ Back to top

🆕 Defense 3: New customers only

You can limit referral codes to new customers. This doesn't stop codes leaking, but a leaked code is then less likely to be misused and more likely to bring in new customers.

This is set in your e-commerce platform, not in Duel. It may put off existing customers, so make it clear in your portal that referral codes are for new customers only.

↑ Back to top

🚨 If a code has already leaked

  • One code: retract it. Go to Promotions, open the promotion, and on the Code distribution tab click the three dots next to the code, then Retract code. You can also remove the points or commission earned with it. See Retracting individual referral codes.
  • Several codes from an Action promotion: on the Promotions page, click Invalidate codes and upload a CSV with a code or email column. Codes that have already been redeemed aren't affected, and Personal promotions can't be invalidated in bulk. See Bulk Invalidate Promotion Codes with a CSV Upload.

Retracting or invalidating a code in Duel doesn't switch it off in your store. Deactivate the same code in your e-commerce platform too.

↑ Back to top