If you are setting up your Buzzbassador Preferences settings, you may be wondering: what exactly is the "Reward Processing Period", and why do I need to set it? That's what this article is here to explain!
What is the Reward Processing Period?
The Reward Processing Period is the amount of days between when a member generates a sale, and when their reward shows up as payable ("Due") in your Payout List.
Let's use an example:
The default Reward Processing Period that Buzzbassador sets for your account is 30 days. So, let's say you keep the default settings, and go with a Reward Processing Period of 30 days.
When your member's referral code is used to place an order on your shop, the order will show up in your Orders page. The app will then calculate the reward that the member earns from that sale based on the program settings you have set.
BUT, you will not be able to pay the member this reward in Buzzbassador until the 30 day processing period has passed.
After those 30 days have passed, that payout will show up in your "Due" list on the "Rewards" page, and you will be able to pay your member that reward.
Why is the Reward Processing Period important?
The main reason the Reward Processing Period comes in handy is the potential of returned/refunded orders. Since all in-app member payouts are processed via PayPal or Tremendous, once a member is paid out in cash, there is no way to get that payment back from PayPal or Tremendous.
So let's say your member's code is used to place an order on your shop, but the customer who placed the order wants to return their item(s) for a refund. Let's say your return/refund policy allows for a 30-day return/refund period. You would want to make sure your member's payout doesn't get sent out via PayPal or Tremendous until after that 30-day period, just in case the particular order that reward was linked to is refunded.
So, in summary: the main use case for the Reward Processing Period is to prevent your members from getting rewarded for refunded orders (which would cause you to lose money). So, we recommend setting your Reward Processing Period to the same amount of days as your return/refund policy allows for.
If you need any further help, please don't hesitate to send us a chat at the bottom right corner of your app screen, or email us at [email protected].