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No — Referbro automatically detects self-referrals by matching email addresses and IP addresses between the referrer and the friend. If a self-referral is detected:
  • The order is flagged as Self-Referral in Analytics
  • No reward is issued to the referrer
  • The friend’s discount still applies (they placed a valid order)
You can see self-referral counts in Apps → Referbro → Analytics → Order Breakdown.
It depends on the Allow Without Code setting in your Campaign Settings:
SettingBehavior
Disabled (default)The friend must apply the discount code at checkout. If they don’t, no reward is issued to the referrer.
EnabledAs long as the friend arrived via the referral link (tracked by cookies), the referrer earns their reward — even if the code wasn’t applied.
We recommend enabling Allow Without Code for most stores. Many customers forget to apply the code, and link-click tracking is reliable enough for attribution.
Rewards are issued after the Reward Return Period (configured in Campaign Settings). This period starts from the date of the friend’s valid order.For example, if you set the return period to 7 days:
  • Day 0: Friend places an order
  • Day 7: Referrer receives their reward (cashback, store credit, or gift card)
This delay accounts for returns and refunds. If the order is cancelled within this window, the reward is voided automatically.
Yes — you control this via three toggles in Campaign Settings:
ToggleWhat It Controls
Combines With Order DiscountsStack with order-level discounts (e.g., “10% off entire order”)
Combines With Product DiscountsStack with product-level discounts (e.g., “₹50 off this item”)
Combines With Shipping DiscountsStack with shipping discounts (e.g., “Free shipping”)
By default, these are disabled. Enable the ones that make sense for your pricing strategy.
No — Shopify Checkout Extensibility is now available on most Shopify plans, not just Plus. As long as your store uses the extensible checkout (not the legacy checkout), you can add the Referbro widget to the Thank You and Order Status pages.To check: go to Shopify Admin → Settings → Checkout → Customize. If you see a visual editor, you’re on the extensible checkout.
Toggle the Active Status to off in Apps → Referbro → Campaign Settings. This immediately:
  • Hides the Refer & Earn widget on your storefront
  • Stops generating new referral codes
  • Stops sending automated WhatsApp messages
Existing discount codes remain valid until their Shopify expiry. Pending rewards in the return-period pipeline will still be processed.
Referbro supports five reward types for referrers:
Reward TypeHow It Works
CashbackA monetary reward credited to the referrer (manual payout by you)
Store CreditShopify store credit issued automatically via Admin GraphQL, with optional expiry
Gift CardA free product gift code created on Shopify and sent to the referrer via WhatsApp
Flat Amount Discount CodeA cart-wide flat discount code (e.g., ₹100 off) created on Shopify and sent to the referrer via WhatsApp
Percentage Discount CodeA cart-wide percentage discount code (e.g., 15% off) created on Shopify and sent to the referrer via WhatsApp
Choose the reward type when creating your campaign. Note:
  • For Flat Amount Discount Code, enter the discount amount (e.g., 100 for ₹100 off).
  • For Percentage Discount Code, enter the percent value (e.g., 15 for 15% off). It is stored internally as a fraction (0.15).
  • You can set a Store Credit Expiry (in days) to encourage referrers to use their credit.
  • Discount code rewards are automatically created on Shopify and sent via WhatsApp after the reward return period.
Yes — WhatsApp is optional. Without WhatsApp, customers can still:
  • See the Refer & Earn widget on your storefront
  • Copy their referral link and share it via any channel (SMS, email, social media)
  • Earn rewards when friends make purchases
WhatsApp adds automated messaging at key touchpoints, but the core referral program works without it.
Updating the discount amount in Campaign Settings applies to new referral codes only. Existing codes retain their original values.To update all existing codes, use the bulk update API endpoint:
POST /api/shop/:shopId/update-discount-codes
This updates all active discount codes on Shopify. Run during low-traffic hours to avoid performance impact.
Referbro automatically restricts referral discounts to new customers (“Customers with no purchases”).When you run a campaign, the app automatically creates a “Customers with no purchases” segment in your Shopify admin and links the referral discount codes to it. This prevents existing customers from using a friend’s referral code, ensuring your referral program rewards genuine new customer acquisition.See Customer Segmentation for details.