---
title: Affiliate Signup
description: Turning on the Affiliate Function For all new stores purchased after 10/23/2019, the Affiliate function is turned off by default.
---
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# Affiliate Signup
Affiliate Signup
Turning on the Affiliate Function
For all new stores purchased after 10/23/2019, the Affiliate function is turned off by default. This is a security precaution. However, turning the functionality on is as simple as a click of your mouse.
- From your store's Dashboard choose Settings \> Config Variables.
- Click the 'Search' button at the top of the page and enter "affiliate" in the Name field.
- Click the blue 'Search' button at the top right. You should now see a list of variables including "Enable Affiliate Marketing".
- Click the checkbox in the Value row and then click the blue 'Save' button at the top right. Your Affiliate Marketing is now enabled.
Your Affiliate Program
In order to start a successful [affiliate program](https://help.volusion.com/s/partnerupwithaffiliates?hsLang=en-us) , for your store, you'll need to give your customers a way to join your team. Here's how a customer can register as an affiliate:
1. Click the **Become an Affiliate** link in your storefront footer (if your theme doesn't have the footer link, see Adding the Affiliate Link below).
2. Click **Continue** on the **Affiliate Program** info page (*Affiliate\_info.asp*).
3. If the customer has an account and is already logged in, they'll see the **Affiliate Signup** page. Here, they'll need to enter their website address and a tax ID number (usually either a social security or EIN number) in order to verify the address payments can be made payable to.
4. If the customer has an account but isn't logged in, they'll be directed to the login page. After they log in, they'll see the **Affiliate Signup** page.
5. Customers who don't yet have an account will need to create one before continuing.
6. Once a customer has enters their information and clicks **Continue**, they'll receive a notice that you're currently reviewing their affiliate account submission.
Please be aware that this is the only way to create a customer as an affiliate. Simply changing the Access Key in Customers \> Accounts to Affiliate **DOES NOT** make that customer an affiliate. They must sign up through the link for the system to recognize their affiliate status.
Approving Affiliates
Although the message on the *affiliate\_thankyou.asp* page states that there's a 24-hour approval process, no further action is required on your part. This notice is built into affiliate messaging in order to give merchants additional time to deny (deactivate) a customer account's affiliate status, if desired. Affiliates can actually view their affiliate stats immediately by clicking on **My Account** and selecting **Visit My Affiliate Page**.
Keep in mind that you can't make a customer an affiliate by manually changing the **Access Key** in their customer account, or by importing a record of their account with an updated **Access Key**; doing so will generate errors when a customer attempts to view their stats, and the system won't be able to accurately track purchases made through the affiliate's link.
Adding the Affiliate Link
If your current theme doesn't contain an "Affiliate" link anywhere, you can add the following code in the footer area of your theme:
`Become an Affiliate`
1. Go to **Design \> File Editor**.
2. Click on the **template\_xxx.html** link in the **Shortcuts** column (where "xxx" is the number or name of your theme).
3. Find the footer section in the theme, and add the above code in an appropriate place.\* You can also edit the "Become an Affiliate" title text for the link.
4. Click **Save**.
\*Most themes have a footer section of some kind. Many use lists to organize footers under titles (**About Us**, **My Account**, **Helpful Info**, etc.). It's entirely up to you where you put the affiliate link, but you should make sure it has the same format as the links around it. For example:
```