Payouts

Commission clawback

A commission clawback reverses a previously credited commission when the underlying conversion is refunded, cancelled, or charged back, so an affiliate is only ever paid on sales that stick.

Published Jun 30, 2026 · Last reviewed Aug 30, 2026

Written by Attribloom Engineering · Reviewed by Attribloom Product · Last reviewed Aug 30, 2026

When a customer refunds a purchase or a subscription is charged back, the commission it generated must be undone. Attribloom claws it back automatically from the affiliate's balance.

Where the clawback lands depends on timing: if the commission is still pending it reverses cleanly; if it has matured but not paid it comes out of the available balance; if it was already paid out it is recorded as a recoverable balance and, if needed, a loss.

Because the whole flow runs on a double-entry ledger, every clawback is a balanced, auditable reversal rather than an ad hoc adjustment.

Frequently asked

What happens if a sale is refunded after the affiliate was paid?

The commission is clawed back. If it was already paid out, the amount is recorded against the affiliate's future balance, and written down as a loss if it cannot be recovered.