How the Two-Tier Upsell Affiliate Network Works
When a buyer purchases tickets to Event A, they see curated upsell recommendations for Event B in their cart. If they buy, the commission splits between the organizer who surfaced the upsell and the affiliate who originally referred the buyer. Everyone grows together.
What It Is
The upsell affiliate network is a two-tier commission system that rewards everyone involved when a buyer discovers and purchases a second event through another organizer's cart.
Tier 1: Direct Affiliate
Affiliates earn commission on Event A (the primary ticket they referred). Standard affiliate behavior.
Tier 2: Upsell Commission
When that same buyer also purchases Event B from the upsell carousel, the affiliate earns 40% of the upsell commission.
Organizer A Earns 60%
The organizer whose cart surfaced Event B earns 60% of the upsell commission — rewarded for the discovery they enabled.
Organizer B Sets the Rate
Organizer B opts in, sets their commission rate (5% minimum), and their events appear in the network. They keep the rest.
The Commission Split
A concrete example: Organizer B sets a 10% commission on a $100 ticket. That ticket sells through Organizer A's cart, referred originally by an affiliate.
Organizer B Keeps $90
Organizer B set a 10% commission on their $100 ticket. They keep $90 — the full ticket price minus the commission they chose to offer.
Organizer A Earns $6
Organizer A surfaced Event B in their cart upsell carousel. They earn 60% of the $10 commission = $6. This is passive income for enabling the discovery.
Affiliate Earns $4
The affiliate who originally referred the buyer to Event A earns 40% of the $10 upsell commission = $4. They earn on every ticket in the cart, not just Event A.
How It Works
Organizer B Opts In
Any organizer on Elevate or Amplify can toggle on the upsell network from their dashboard. They set a commission rate — 5% minimum — and their events immediately enter the network.
Scoring Determines Placement
When a buyer purchases tickets to Event A, the system scores all eligible network events by three factors — proximity (geographic distance), demand (sell-through rate and trending velocity), and commission rate (higher rate = higher visibility). All three carry equal weight.
Upsell Appears in Cart
Top-scoring events appear on the confirmation page, in the confirmation email, and in 3 reminder emails leading up to Event A. Five touchpoints, all automatic.
Buyer Purchases Event B
The buyer clicks through and buys tickets to Event B. The purchase is attributed to both Organizer A (who surfaced it) and the affiliate (who originally referred the buyer).
Commissions Pay After Event Date
Commissions are held until after Event B's date. This protects against refunds. Once the event has occurred, commissions are released to Stripe for payout to Organizer A and the affiliate.
Try It: Explore the Network
Walk through the upsell flow, commission split, and scoring algorithm.
What the buyer Sees
After purchasing tickets, buyers see curated upsell recommendations from other organizers.
Shown on confirmation page, in confirmation emails, and in 3 reminder emails.
How Scoring Works
Three signals determine which events appear in the upsell carousel. All three carry equal weight.
Proximity (33%)
Geographic distance between the buyer's location and the upsell event. Closer events score higher. A buyer in Denver sees Colorado events first, not ones in another state.
Demand (33%)
Sell-through rate and trending velocity of the event. High-demand events that are selling well score higher. This surfaces events buyers are most likely to want.
Commission Rate (33%)
Higher commission rate = higher visibility in the carousel. The 5% minimum ensures all organizers can participate, but setting a competitive rate directly improves your position.
Category Matching
Events must match by category to appear: yoga, kirtan, meditation, breathwork, sound healing, retreats, workshops. A kirtan attendee sees other devotional music events, not corporate conferences.
Example
A buyer in Boulder, CO purchases tickets to a kirtan night. They're shown a sound bath in Denver (12 miles away) and a meditation retreat in Estes Park (35 miles away) — not a yoga conference in Miami. The scoring algorithm weighs proximity, demand, and commission rate equally.
Payout Timing & Refund Protection
Upsell commissions use a hold-and-release model to protect all parties.
Commissions Held Until Event Date
When Event B sells through the upsell network, the commission is calculated immediately but held in escrow. Neither Organizer A nor the affiliate receives payment until after Event B occurs.
Released After Event Date
Once Event B has occurred, commissions are released to Stripe. Organizer A and the affiliate receive their splits according to their Stripe payout schedule.
Refund Handling
If the buyer requests a refund on Event B before it occurs, the entire commission is reversed. No one pays for a ticket that didn't happen. If a partial refund is processed, the commission adjusts proportionally.
5 Discovery Touchpoints
Your events are surfaced to other organizers' buyers at the moments they're most engaged.
Confirmation Page
Immediately after purchasing, buyers see curated upsell recommendations from other organizers.
Confirmation Email
The order confirmation email includes tasteful cross-event suggestions alongside ticket details.
Reminder 1 (7 Days)
First reminder email includes upsell recommendations — buyers are engaged and planning ahead.
Reminder 2 (2 Days)
Second reminder builds excitement. Upsell events feel like helpful suggestions, not ads.
Reminder 3 (Day-Of)
Day-of reminder catches last-minute interest. High conversion window for impulse upsell purchases.
Dashboard Analytics
Track impressions, click-throughs, conversions, and commission earnings across all 5 touchpoints in real time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Any organizer on Elevate or Amplify can opt in from their dashboard. Toggle on "Upsell Network" and set a commission rate (5% minimum). Your events immediately enter the network and begin appearing in other organizers' carts. You can opt out at any time — existing pending commissions still pay out after the event date.
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