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Testing the referral process
Adam avatar
Written by Adam
Updated over 2 weeks ago

For a step-by-step guide please check the video found below:

Important notes

  • Your campaign must be set to LIVE for you to be able to do a testing

  • For testing a referred purchase, you must use an email address that is not yet added to your ReferralCandy account's Contacts list

  • Shopify and BigCommerce: Unique coupon code is limited to new customers only based on your Shopify/BigCommerce store's existing customers list


How to test the referral process

To test the referral process with ReferralCandy, follow these steps:

Step 1: Disable your referral emails and widgets

To ensure that no new customers sign up for your referral program while you're testing:

  1. Go to your campaign's email settings page:

    • From the ReferralCandy dashboard, go to Campaigns > Select your campaign > Email Settings.

    • From your Shopify admin, go to Campaigns > Select your campaign. In the Promote campaign section, click Emails.

  2. Turn off both Invite email and Win-back email.

  3. Go to your campaign's Widgets page.

    • From the ReferralCandy dashboard, go to Campaigns > Select your campaign > Widgets.

    • From your Shopify admin, go to Campaigns > Select your campaign. In the Promote campaign section, click Widgets

  4. Turn off all your active widgets. If you have embedded ReferralCandy widgets on your store website, disable them from your admin panel.

  5. Save the changes.

Step 2: Make a test referral purchase

Sign up as an Advocate with a test account

  1. Go to your campaign's email settings page:

    • From the ReferralCandy dashboard, go to Campaigns > Select your campaign > Email Settings.

    • From your Shopify admin, go to Campaigns > Select your campaign. In the Get started section, click Campaign details.

  2. Find your join page link:

    • On the ReferralCandy dashboard, find the join page link next to Promote your referral program:

    • In Shopify admin, copy the Join page link and add your Campaign URL:

  3. On the join page, enter your test email address and name (optional) and click Get Invite Link.

  4. Once your unique referral link is provided, click Copy Link.

Make a test referral purchase as a referred friend

  1. Open the referral link you copied using a different device, a different browser, or an incognito window to simulate a referral purchase.

  2. The referral link redirects to the friend offer landing page. Click the coupon code to copy. Then click Shop Now to proceed to your store.

  3. Select an item and proceed to checkout. Make sure that the purchase amount meets the minimum purchase requirements you set on your Reward conditions page.

  4. Enter the necessary details for testing, such as the name, phone number, email address, billing/shipping address, and payment information.

    Important: Make sure that the email address you're using for testing doesn't exist yet in your ReferralCandy account's Contacts list.

  5. Complete the test purchase at checkout.

Note: Depending on your integration type and platform, the first referral purchase placed at your store may take up to 1 hour to be detected.

Step 3: Review the test purchase

To check if the test referral purchase was successful:

  1. Go to your Purchases & Referrals page:

  2. Find the test purchase you made. Detected purchases should be at the top of the list. You can also use the search bar and input the test email address you used.

  3. Click the reference ID to see the purchase information. Here you'll see information such as the purchase date, amount, customer name, email address, etc.

  4. Find the Referrer section. If the test purchase was successful, you'll see the information about the Advocate (referrer) you signed up for your referral program earlier.

Step 4: Delete the test purchase

Once you verify that referred purchase was detected and the purchase details are correct, it means that the referral process is successful complete. You can start running your referral program.

Finally, delete the test purchase in your account:

ReferralCandy dashboard

ReferralCandy app on Shopify

  1. From the ReferralCandy dashboard, go to My Store > Purchases & Referrals.

  2. Find the test purchase you made and click to view the Purchase Information.

  3. Click Delete Purchase.

  1. From your Shopify admin, go to Purchases & Referrals.

  2. Take note of the Shopify ID of the test purchase.

  3. Go to the Orders page and search using the Shopify ID.

  4. Archive and delete the test purchase.


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