Coupons and cashback affiliates frequently fuel debate in affiliate marketing due to their role as the final touchpoint before a purchase. They can drive significant conversions by offering tangible value to consumers and incentivizing purchases. For brands, these affiliates provide access to high-traffic deal sites and loyalty platforms with strong SEO authority and large audiences actively seeking discounts, making them influential in boosting a program’s visibility and credibility. However, the question remains: is the conversion value from these affiliates worth the discount and commission paid?
The value of adopting coupons and cashback lies in their ability to drive consistent traffic and help with conversion. Brands entering or scaling affiliate marketing programs often find that these affiliates validate their offerings and boost trust among consumers by consistently appearing on reputable deals and discount sites. Coupons and cashback affiliates can also help businesses attract broader audiences, especially price-sensitive shoppers who may be unfamiliar with the brand. This exposure can contribute to the brand’s growth, particularly in competitive verticals, by increasing access to shoppers who might not have considered the brand otherwise.
The role of attribution, especially under the “last-click” model, is often a source of contention in affiliate marketing programs that incorporate coupon and cashback affiliates. These affiliates typically receive full credit for a sale when they act as the final touchpoint, which raises questions about their true impact on the buyer’s journey. For instance, customers often interact with other types of affiliates—such as content creators or comparison sites—that build awareness and educate them about a brand before arriving at the checkout stage. When last-click attribution credits the final touchpoint, it may overlook the contributions of these earlier touchpoints, which are vital in influencing purchasing decisions.
The financial implications of this model add further complexity. Brands not only pay a commission to the final-click affiliate but also absorb the discount or cashback amount applied at checkout. This can lead to substantial costs, sometimes overshadowing the actual value added by these affiliates, especially if they are simply capturing “already decided” customers. These customers have typically reached the checkout stage with a strong intent to purchase and use the coupon or cashback option more to secure savings than to make the buying decision. In these cases, the role of coupon or cashback affiliates is less about influencing the purchase and more about finalizing it, potentially leading brands to question if the commission and discount costs are justified.
This scenario underscores the importance of balancing cost and credit allocation across the affiliate spectrum. By reassessing attribution models, brands can better distribute credit. This ensures that affiliates who drive initial interest and brand education—often key to the overall purchase journey—are also fairly compensated, fostering both program sustainability and growth across various affiliate types.
Using extensions like Honey or Coupert minimizes the coupon/cashback site value having a widget incorporated on the brand website. Honey, for example, has around 17 million monthly active users, showing how integrated these tools have become in the purchasing journey. Many consumers now habitually click on a coupon or cashback extension before completing a purchase, as these tools can provide quick savings with minimal effort. This widespread usage means that a significant number of buyers, especially those who are already price-sensitive or seeking deals, rely on these extensions to finalize purchases. By bypassing dedicated affiliate sites, these extensions may undermine the brand visibility and awareness that traditional affiliates provide. As a result, brands might find themselves balancing the immediate conversion benefits of these extensions against the broader value of nurturing new customer touchpoints through other affiliates.
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As affiliate marketing evolves, some affiliate platforms have adapted by offering attribution models that allow brands to distribute credit more accurately across various channels. But this isn’t universally embraced; cashback and coupon sites tend to be less interested in these models. For them, acting as the “goal scorer” or the final touchpoint before a conversion holds distinct value.
Balancing these models effectively allows brands to leverage the benefits of coupons and cashback without undervaluing other affiliate contributions, aligning incentives, and ensuring long-term growth.
