Affiliate Commission Policy

This Affiliate Commission Policy explains exactly how commissions are calculated, tracked, and paid within the Kreative Learners Academy Affiliate Program. This policy is part of the Affiliate Program Agreement and is incorporated by reference.

1. Overview

Affiliates earn commissions by referring new students to courses on the Platform. Commissions are calculated as a percentage of the net sale amount and are funded entirely from the Platform's share of revenue. This policy explains the official revenue model and all commission lifecycle stages.

2. Platform Revenue Model

Kreative Learners Academy uses a transparent revenue-sharing model. When a course is sold, the revenue is split between the instructor, the Platform, and (if applicable) the affiliate. The model ensures that instructor earnings are never reduced due to affiliate participation.

3. Regular Sale (No Affiliate)

When a student purchases a course without an affiliate referral, the revenue is split as follows:

4. Affiliate Sale (With Referral)

When a student purchases a course through an affiliate referral link, the revenue is split as follows:

Example: On a $100 course sale with an affiliate referral, the instructor receives $80, the Platform receives $17, and the affiliate earns $3.

5. Instructor Earnings Protection

6. Commission Funding Source

Affiliate commissions are funded entirely from the Platform's share. In a regular sale, the Platform receives 20%. In an affiliate sale, the Platform's share is reduced from 20% to 17%, with the 3% difference going to the affiliate. The instructor's 80% is untouched.

7. Pending Commissions

When a referred sale occurs, the commission is created with a status of pending. Pending commissions are not yet available for payout. They remain pending for the duration of the refund window (30 days from the sale date). During this period:

• The commission amount is visible in the affiliate dashboard
• The commission cannot be withdrawn or requested for payout
• If the sale is refunded or charged back, the pending commission is reversed

8. Available Commissions

After the 30-day holding period expires without a refund or chargeback, the commission automatically transitions to available status. Available commissions:

• Are eligible for payout upon meeting the minimum payout threshold
• Can be requested for payout through the affiliate dashboard
• Remain available until paid out or reversed due to a late chargeback

9. Paid Commissions

When a payout is processed, the included commissions transition to paid status. Paid commissions include a reference to the payout record and the Stripe transfer ID. Once paid, a commission cannot be reversed except in cases of proven fraud.

10. Refund Reversals

If a referred student receives a refund, the corresponding commission is reversed:

• Pending commission: Reversed immediately, removed from pending earnings
• Available commission: Deducted from available earnings
• Paid commission: Deducted from future payouts to recover the amount

Partial refunds result in proportional commission adjustments. For example, a 50% refund on a $100 sale would reduce a $3 commission to $1.50.

11. Chargeback Reversals

If a referred student initiates a chargeback through their payment provider, the commission is reversed following the same process as refund reversals. Chargebacks are treated identically to refunds for commission purposes.

12. Bonus Programs

The Platform may offer bonus programs that provide additional payouts when affiliates reach specific targets:

• Sales Count Bonus: Earn a bonus after reaching a specified number of sales
• Revenue Amount Bonus: Earn a bonus after generating a specified revenue total
• Conversion Rate Bonus: Earn a bonus for maintaining a high conversion rate

Bonuses are awarded automatically when targets are reached and are paid alongside regular commissions. Bonus terms and conditions are specified on each bonus record.

13. Campaign Commissions

Instructors or the Platform may create campaigns that offer higher commission rates for a limited time. Campaign commissions:

• Override the default commission rate for the campaign duration
• May be funded by the Platform or the instructor (as specified)
• Are subject to the same pending, available, and paid lifecycle
• Require instructor approval if they affect the instructor's revenue share (they do not by default, since commissions come from the Platform share)

14. Minimum Payout Threshold

The minimum payout threshold is $25.00 USD. Available commissions must accumulate to at least this amount before a payout can be requested. This threshold helps reduce payment processing costs and ensures efficient payout processing.

15. Payment Schedule

Payouts are processed on a rolling basis once requested and approved. The typical timeline is:

• Affiliate requests payout when available earnings meet the threshold
• Admin reviews and approves the payout request
• Funds are transferred via Stripe Connect to the affiliate's connected account
• Processing time depends on Stripe's transfer timeline (typically 2–7 business days)

For full details, see the Affiliate Payment & Payout Policy.

16. Commission Holds

The Platform may place a hold on commissions in the following circumstances:

• Suspected fraud or policy violation (pending investigation)
• Unusually high chargeback or refund rates
• Incomplete identity verification or tax information
• Stripe Connect account issues or payout failures
• Legal or compliance review

Held commissions remain in the affiliate's account but cannot be requested for payout until the hold is resolved. Affiliates will be notified of holds and the steps required to resolve them.