Affiliate rules
Last updated: October 21, 2024
Affiliate rules allow you to apply time restrictions, capacity quotas, and permanent restrictions to define when an affiliate can make bookings, how many bookings they can make, or to block them from making bookings entirely. This helps control affiliate bookings during busy seasons and is particularly valuable for online travel agencies (OTAs) such as GetYourGuide, Viator, and others.
In addition to these restriction settings, you can regulate the lead time by choosing how many days before the availability start time you would like to end the rule and open the capacity to affiliates. This provides more customizable control over the booking process.
Curious about how other operators are using affiliate rules? Learn how this kayaking company increased online bookings with affiliate rules.
Adding an affiliate rule
To add affiliate rules:
- Navigate to Settings > Network > Affiliate Rules.
- Click Create rule.
- Enter the name for the rule. Best practice is to use a name that directly reflects its purpose, for example: Labor Day weekend.
- Pick the start and end dates. Make sure to specify which day(s) of the week by checking only the boxes under the appropriate day abbreviations OR enable Restrict specific times of the day.
- Enter the number of seats affiliates can book per availability in the Available capacity field.
Enter the number of days before the availability start date that the rule should be turned off by defining a value in the End rule and open capacity to affiliates field. For example, if you have 100 seats available for July 4th, you can prevent affiliates from selling seats until July 1st by entering ‘3’ in the End rule and open capacity to affiliate field. After this affiliate rule expires on July 1st, the affiliate can resume selling seats. The value you enter here represents 24 hours prior to the beginning of the item, and not calendar days.
Note: Only whole numbers are acceptable in this field. If you put 0 in this field, the affected availabilities will be never accessible by the affiliates.
Click Select items then check the box for each item the rule will apply to.
- Click Save
[x]items. - Click Select affiliates to add an affiliate or affiliates to this rule, then check the box for each affiliate the rule will apply to.
- Click Save
[x]items. - [Optional] Enter a note for the rule. You can use this field to enter anything you wish. What you enter here will also be shown in the Affiliate Rules table. For example: Due to expected high turnout for our Labor Day activities, affiliates can only make bookings up until 1 day prior to the start of the holiday weekend.
- Click Create.
Viewing, editing, duplicating, and deleting affiliate rules
Rules you have created can be viewed in the Affiliate Rules table.
To view existing affiliate rules:
- Navigate to Settings > Affiliate Rules.
The Affiliate Rules table is shown with the following columns:
- Rule Name
- Applied to
- Restricted date range
- Restricted days
- Available capacity
- End rule and open capacity to affiliates
- Notes
- Links for editing or duplicating the rule
Click Edit to view the rule details, or Duplicate to create a copy of the rule.
If the Restricted date range rule is applied for a specific time range, the clock icon will be visible in your Affiliate Rules table, as seen in the example below:
To edit an existing affiliate rule:
- Navigate to Settings > Network > Affiliate Rules.
- Click Edit to the right of the rule you want to edit.
- Click Edit items to add or remove items from this rule, or Edit affiliates to remove affiliates.
- Deselect the box for each item or affiliate you want to remove, and select the checkbox for any item(s) or affiliate(s) you want to add to this rule.
- Click Save
[x]items or Save[x]affiliates. Click Save to save the rule.
Note: You must select at least one item and one affiliate in order to be able to save the rule.
To duplicate an existing affiliate rule:
- Navigate to Settings > Network > Affiliate Rules.
- Click Duplicate to the right of the rule you want to duplicate.
- Edit the name for the new rule.
- Follow steps 3-7 from the section above.
To delete an affiliate rule:
- Navigate to Settings > Network Affiliate Rules.
- Click the Edit button for the affiliate rule you want to remove.
- Click Delete in the lower-right corner.
Adding capacity-based affiliate restrictions
In addition to defining time periods when affiliates can access availabilities and make bookings, you can also restrict the number of seats affiliates can book per availability. A capacity restriction can be added to an affiliate rule by defining a value in the Available capacity field in your affiliate rule settings. If the available capacity is set to zero, the targeted affiliate will not be able to make a booking during the defined date range.
If a capacity restriction is defined for an affiliate, the affiliate may make bookings until their allotted quota has been reached or until the total capacity has been booked, whichever occurs first. A capacity restriction can be applied to multiple affiliates, either within a single rule or across multiple rules. If a single rule defines a capacity for multiple affiliates, the targeted affiliates are cumulatively allotted the defined available capacity. This means that the value defined in the Available capacity field is shared among these affiliates.
Additionally, more than one affiliate rule may apply to a single affiliate. If multiple rules restrict the number of seats a single affiliate can book per availability, the more restrictive rule will be applied.
Note: Affiliate capacity restrictions apply only to the targeted affiliate. Allotting an available capacity for an affiliate will not restrict the number of seats you are able to book.
Permanent affiliate rules
As an alternative to restricting affiliate booking by date range, you can apply permanent restrictions to completely block an affiliate from booking items. To make your affiliate rule permanent, select the Permanently restrict these affiliates and items option in your affiliate rule settings.
Time of day restrictions
If you want to define affiliate rules for a specific time of day, enable the Restrict specific times of the day option. For example, you may set a rule for morning sessions, such as 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM. Once saved, this rule will apply to availabilities that start any time between 8:00 AM and 10:00 AM, but it won’t apply to any availability that starts at 10:01 AM or later.
Once enabled, multiple time ranges can be defined per affiliate rule by clicking +Add time range.
Affiliate rule visibility
In addition to viewing affiliate rules in the Affiliate Rules table, you can also add an affiliate rules indicator to your calendar view. To see the affiliate rules indicator on the calendar view, select the Show affiliate rules indicator option from the display settings. This indicator will only appear if the availability has at least one affiliate rule associated with it.
Affiliate Dashboard calendars
If there is an affiliate rule enabled for an item, the affiliate will not see the item in their booking calendar for the dates indicated in the rule (example below restricts the affiliate from booking Fridays and Saturdays):
When the rule ends, the affiliate can book the availabilities, provided there is remaining bookable capacity.
Affiliate rules and affiliate blocks
If you have created an affiliate block for an availability, and then create an affiliate rule for the item, the affiliate rule overrides the block. For example, if you have specified an affiliate block of 10 seats for the availability shown here:
when an affiliate looks at their booking calendar, the availability will not be shown:
When you manually turn off the rule or the cutoff time has been reached, the availability will be visible to and bookable by the affiliate.
Note: While you can add a rule to an affiliate block, and you can add an affiliate block to an item that has an affiliate rule, the affiliate rule will take precedence.
Frequently asked questions
I have created a rule for an item, but the item is showing on the affiliate Dashboard. Why?
If an item has a rule associated with it, but is (or is not) showing in the affiliate booking calendar, check the following:
- Make sure the correct affiliate(s) has (have) been selected when creating the rule.
- Make sure the dates specified match the dates you are viewing in the calendar.
- Make sure you have selected the affiliate who the rule applies to in the top-left corner of your Dashboard.
- Make sure the Call to book setting is disabled for this item.
If none of the above apply, you can try to delete the existing rule and re-create it.
What happens if a customer tries to use an affiliate booking link to make a booking for an item that has an affiliate rule applied?
On affiliate booking links where affiliate rules are applied, the dates will appear unavailable for booking. In the following example, affiliate rules are applied for Saturdays from June to September:
What happens if a customer tries to use an affiliate promo code to make a regular booking for an item that has an affiliate rule applied?
Affiliate promo codes cannot be used when making bookings for items that have a matching affiliate rule applied. For example – if ABC concierge has an affiliate rule applied, someone making a booking with a promo code for ABC concierge will not be able to complete the booking. Instead, the customer will see the following message: “Some options you selected are no longer available. Please update your booking and try again.” at which time they will have to choose another availability.
How does an affiliate rule appear on an OTA connected via the API?
The available capacity defined in the affiliate rule will appear as the full capacity for the affiliate. If the available capacity is defined as zero in the affiliate rule, availabilities will be visible, but shown as fully booked, therefore the affiliate will not be able to make any new bookings.
What if I want to apply a rule only for one availability during the day? Is this possible?
This is not currently possible. Any rule you create for an item applies to all availabilities for those items on the day(s) selected in the rule settings.
How can I see the items and affiliates I have applied to this rule?
To view the items and affiliates you have applied to this rule:
- Navigate to Settings > Network > Affiliate Rules.
- Click Edit to the right of the name of the rule you want to view.
- Click Edit items or Edit affiliates, according to which of the two you want to view.
Can I create a rule for any affiliate?
Yes, rules can be applied for any affiliate.
Is it possible to run reports on affiliate rules?
It is not currently possible to run reports on your affiliate rules.
Can I use affiliate rules for FareHarbor Connect or FareHarbor Distribution Network (FHDN)?
Yes, affiliate rules apply to these programs.
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Value Proposition
Affiliate rules empower clients to manage affiliate access to bookings with ease. Using this advanced tool, clients can establish rules to limit affiliate bookings on specific days and automate the release of openings before the availability start date. By setting strategic affiliate rules, clients can ensure ample availability for online and direct sales, effectively maximizing their revenue potential.
Selling Points
Affiliate rules enable our clients to take complete control over their booking inventory.
Using Affiliate rules, clients can limit affiliate bookings on specific days and time periods where they know they can sell out their tours without help from an affiliate. For example, a snowshoe tour company knows they can always sell out their Saturday and Sunday tours during the peak holiday season, so they set up affiliate rules that restrict affiliates from booking that item on Saturday and Sunday availabilities.
Clients can automate the release of openings to affiliates before the availability start date, streamlining the process and optimizing for maximum revenue potential.
Talking points regarding OTA contractual obligations
Below are talking points for the Account Management team when approached by clients with concerns about using affiliate rules due to their contract with GYG, Viator, and other OTAs. While the language is provided below, please note that we cannot provide clients legal advice and should always tell them to review their specific contract.
Get Your Guide
- Based on the GYG standard terms, GYG requires that availability offered through GYG will be equal to or better than the availability on the online direct channel AND other affiliates/OTA’s.
- It is unclear if GYG will actually invoke or enforce this clause. One way to mitigate this risk to some extent is to apply affiliate rules equally amongst OTAs.
- If you want to test affiliate rules despite this availability parity requirement in the GYG terms, we suggest starting small. Try out the feature on one product (or even 1-2 availabilities) for a specific timeframe and do not make any drastic limitations over a large period of time. This way, you can observe any changes to your product on the OTA site.
Viator
To our knowledge, the Viator standard terms do not prohibit activity providers from reserving certain availability for themselves. Please independently check the applicable terms yourself. If no such restriction exists, it is within your contractual boundaries to use affiliate rules.
Other OTAs
Please check your contract with the relevant OTA to see if it includes a requirement to provide equal or better availability on the OTA’s platform compared to the online direct channel. If such a requirement exists, see talking points for Get Your Guide.
External API Connection
When the external API partners are connected to a Dashboard that contains items with affiliate rules, they have visibility into the items, but they do not have visibility into the availabilities associated with those items.
ASN Links
If the affiliate is completely unable to book the availability, then such availability will not appear on the ASN link. On the other hand, when only limited availability exists, the end customer will see only the portion of capacity that the affiliate is able to book.
Best Practices
- Affiliate rules are best for clients who want to limit multiple affiliates from booking one or more items during a certain day or days. Because affiliate rules clearly erase the time blocks from view in the calendar, this is a cleaner setup than setting up price schedules for visibility. For affiliates who should never book an entire item for any days it’s available, you should continue to use price sheet visibility.
- If you are going to be setting up affiliate rules for long-term limitations to affiliates, it’s best to set dates far into the future (10 + Years). For example, if an affiliate should never be able to book the walking tour on Saturdays, set the restricted dates to 2035.
- Charters making bookings on behalf of affiliates do not currently see any override warnings when making a booking for an affiliate on a day the affiliate rule is applied.
Troubleshooting
If a client asks: “Why can’t my affiliate see this availability?”, in addition to troubleshooting the price sheet visibility and customer types, you will also now need to troubleshoot any affiliate rules that may be in place.
Use cases for capacity-based affiliate restrictions
Single rule for 1 affiliate
For each affiliate, we apply a specific affiliate rule. For example, let’s assume the maximum number of customers that can be booked on the availability is 100. If the available capacity for an affiliate is 70:
- Before any bookings are made: The affiliate can book up to 70 customers, while the charter itself has no restrictions, up to the total capacity of 100 customers.
- After the affiliate books 40 and the charter books 20 customers: This results in a total of 60 bookings. There are 40 slots still available. The affiliate can now book a maximum of 30 additional customers (due to their original limit of 70, minus the 40 they’ve already booked). The charter can fill the remaining 40 slots.
- If the affiliate reaches their limit of 70 bookings and the charter has made 10 bookings: In total, 80 bookings have been made, leaving 20 slots available. The affiliate cannot make any more bookings since they’ve reached their maximum allowance. Only the charter can book the remaining 20 slots.
- If the charter has made 80 bookings, and the affiliate has not made any bookings till now, both the charter and affiliate would see 20 slots available.
Having 2 different rules for 2 affiliates separately
For each affiliate, we apply a specific affiliate rule. For example, let’s assume the maximum number of customers that can be booked on the availability is 100. If the available capacity for affiliate A is 70 and available capacity for affiliate B is 70 separately.
- Before any bookings are made: The affiliate A can book up to 70 customers. The affiliate B can book up to 70 customers. While the charter itself has no restrictions, up to the total capacity of 100 customers.
- After affiliate A books 40 customers and Affiliate B books 10 customers: This results in a total of 50 customers. There are 50 slots available. The charter can fill the remaining 50 slots.
- The affiliate A can now book a maximum of 30 additional customers (due to their original limit of 70, minus the 40 they’ve already booked).
- The affiliate B can now book a maximum of 60 additional customers (due to their original limit of 70, minus the 10 they’ve already booked).
- After affiliate A books 70 customers and Affiliate B books 10 customers: This results in a total of 80 customers. There are 20 slots available. The charter can fill the remaining 20 slots.
- Affiliate A has reached their maximum booking allowance of 70 and cannot make any further bookings.
- Affiliate B still has the potential to book up to 20 additional customers. This is because their initial booking limit is 70, they’ve only booked 10 so far, and there are only 20 slots remaining available. Hence, their maximum additional booking capacity aligns with the remaining availability, which is 20.
Having 1 rule for 2 affiliates
We apply one rule that includes 2 affiliates at the same time. For example, let’s assume the maximum number of customers that can be booked for an availability is 100. If affiliate A and affiliate B are allocated a booking allowance of 70 cumulatively. This means that the total number of customers both affiliates can book for this availability cannot exceed 70.
- Before any bookings are made: The affiliates can book up to 70 customers, while the charter itself has no restrictions, up to the total capacity of 100 customers.
- After the affiliate A books 10, affiliate B books 30 and the charter books 20 customers: This results in a total of 60 bookings. There are 40 slots still available.
- The charter can fill the remaining 40 slots.
- The affiliate A and B can now book a maximum of 30 additional customers (due to their original limit of 70, minus the 40 they’ve already booked).
Overriding for particular day
Charters might prefer to set different available capacity for various days. The general principle is that if two booking rules are in place for an affiliate, the more restrictive rule will be applied.
For example:
- The total capacity of availability is 100
- Affiliate A has an available capacity of 60 for the summer.
- Affiliate B has an available capacity of 50 for the summer.
- Cumulatively, Affiliate A and Affiliate B can book max 70.
Affiliate B has an available capacity of 30 for 4th of July.
For the 4th of July availabilities:
Before any bookings made: Affiliate B can book max 30 due to their the most restricted rule. Affiliate A can book 60. Charter can always book the remaining capacity, and in this case 100.
- After Affiliate B books 20, Affiliate A books 20:
- The remaining capacity is 60. The charter can book 60 slots.
- Affiliate B can only book up to 10 (due to their original limit of 30, minus the 20 they’ve already booked)
- Affiliate A can now book up to 30 slots (60-20, 70-40, 100-40)