What are Creator Codes?
Creator Codes are single-use discount codes you generate for specific creators to use on their own orders in your Shopify store. Think of them as a gift card or a "grab anything you want" perk: 100% off one order, 50% off a restock, $25 toward a new product, and so on.
They are different from a creator's affiliate code. An affiliate code is shared with the creator's audience and earns commission. A Creator Code is for the creator only, works exactly once, and never counts as an affiliate sale.
Feature | Affiliate code | Creator Code |
Who uses it | The creator's followers | The creator |
How many times | Unlimited | Once |
Earns commission | Yes | No |
How to generate codes
Go to Stores > Shopify in the left sidebar.
Open the Creator Codes tab.
Click Generate codes.
Search for and select one or more creators. Any creator in your Creator Database can be selected; they do not need to be in a campaign.
Set the discount and click Generate.
Discount settings
Setting | What it does |
Type and amount | Percentage off (up to 100%) or a fixed amount off in your store currency. |
Applies to | Entire order, all products, specific collections, or specific products. "Entire order" is the simplest for a "pick anything" perk. |
Combines with | Whether the code can stack with shipping, order, or product discounts already running in your store. Shipping is on by default so free-shipping offers still apply. |
Expires in | Days until the code stops working (default 30). Set 0 for no expiry. Shopify enforces the end date at checkout. |
Codes per creator | Give each creator several single-use codes at once (up to 5), for example one per month. |
Code prefix | Codes look like PREFIX-XXXXXXXX. The prefix defaults to your brand name. |
Message | A short note included in the creator's email and shown next to the code in their dashboard. |
What happens after you generate
Growi creates each code in your Shopify store as its own discount, limited to one use and one customer, with the end date you chose. In Shopify Admin they appear under Discounts, titled "Growi creator code" followed by the creator's name.
As soon as a code is live, the creator receives an email with the code, the discount, the expiry date, and a link to your store.
The code also appears in the creator's Growi dashboard: on your brand's campaign page under Your discount codes, and on their home page.
When the creator checks out with the code, Growi marks it Redeemed and records the order number.
Note: An order placed with a Creator Code is never attributed as an affiliate sale and never pays commission, even if the creator's own affiliate link or cookie is present. |
Code statuses
Creating: Being set up in Shopify. Usually takes a few seconds.
Active: Live and unused.
Redeemed: Used on an order. The order number is shown in the table.
Expired: Past its end date without being used.
Revoked: You cancelled it. It no longer works at checkout.
Failed: Shopify rejected the code. Hover the badge to see why, fix the cause (usually a disconnected store), and click Retry.
Managing codes
Copy a code by clicking it, if you want to send it to the creator yourself.
Resend the email for an active code.
Revoke an active code. It is deactivated in Shopify within a few minutes and stops working immediately in the creator's dashboard.
Search by creator name, email, or code, and filter by status.
FAQs
Can a creator share their code?
Technically anyone with the code can use it, but it only works once, so it is self-limiting. Revoke it if you suspect misuse.
Does 100% off cover shipping?
No. A 100% code covers products. Turn on Combines with shipping discounts and have a free-shipping rate or discount in your store if you want the order to be fully free.
What if the creator has no email on file?
The code is still created and shows in their dashboard; they just will not get the email. You can copy the code and send it another way.