Set Up Customer Referrals in WooCommerce

How it works

1. A customer opens your referral widget on your store.
2. WiserReview generates a unique referral link for them (e.g., https://yourstore.com/?wr_ref=WR_5SOIK3TJ).
3. They share the link with a friend.
4. The friend clicks the link and is taken to your store.
5. The WooCommerce plugin verifies the code with WiserReview, creates a discount coupon, and stores it in the friend’s browser.
6. The coupon is automatically applied when the friend checks out.
7. Once the order is paid, the referrer earns their reward.

No manual coupon entry. No manual setup per referral. Everything is automated by the WooCommerce plugin and the WiserReview backend.

Step 1: Enable the Referral Program in WiserReview

1. Sign in to app.wiserreview.com.
2. Go to Referrals.
3. Click Enable Referral Program.
4. Configure your rewards (e.g., friend gets 10% off, referrer gets $20 store credit after referred order ships).
5. Save changes.

This is where the offer logic lives; you don’t configure rewards inside the WooCommerce plugin.

Step 2: Show the Referral Widgets in WooCommerce

The WiserReview WooCommerce plugin gives you two referral widgets, each with its own toggle and shortcode.

Open: WordPress Admin → Wiser Review → Referral Widgets.

Click on this link to download the plugin and install it in WooCommerce.

Widget 1: On-site referral widget

Shows a floating referral CTA throughout your entire store so visitors can grab their referral link anytime.

Toggle ON

The plugin auto-injects the widget into the site footer using wp_footer. Appears at the center-left of every front-end page by default.

Customize button

Opens app.wiserreview.com/<your-store-id>/referrals, where you can change the position, colors, copy, and offer.

Shortcode [wiserrw_referral]

Use only if you want to show the widget on a specific page. Otherwise, turn on the toggle to display it across the website.

Recommended: Turn the toggle on. It’s the simplest path.

Widget 2: Post-purchase referral widget

Shows a referral offer to the customer immediately after they complete a checkout — the moment they’re most engaged.

Toggle ON

The plugin auto-injects the widget into the WooCommerce thank-you page using the woocommerce_thankyou hook. The buyer’s email is pre-filled automatically.

Customize button

Opens app.wiserreview.com/<your-store-id>/referrals to configure design and rewards.

Shortcode [wiserrw_referral_checkout]

Use only if you want to change the widget’s position on the thank-you page (e.g., via Elementor / Divi / custom thank-you template).

Recommended: Turn the toggle on to use the default placement. Use the shortcode if your theme or page builder gives you a custom thank-you layout.

Shortcodes reference

For users who want manual placement instead of the auto-injection toggles:

[wiserrw_referral]

Renders the on-site referral widget. Place it anywhere a shortcode is supported — a custom page, a sidebar widget, an Elementor Shortcode block, etc. No attributes needed; the widget is bound to your store via the API key.

[wiserrw_referral_checkout]

Renders the post-purchase variant. When used on the WooCommerce order received (thank-you) endpoint, the buyer’s email is automatically detected and pre-filled in the widget, so they don’t have to type it.

What happens when a friend clicks a referral link

This is fully automated — you don’t have to configure anything.

Friend opens ?wr_ref=CODE

The plugin reads the code from the URL.

Cookie check

If the code is already in the visitor’s cookie, the plugin skips re-verification (one-time API call per code per visitor for 30 days).

Verify with WiserReview

The plugin sends the code to WiserReview’s verify endpoint, along with the store ID and the visitor’s IP, for fraud checks.

Coupon created

If valid, the plugin creates the discount in WooCommerce using the exact parameters WiserReview returns (discount type, amount, usage limit, expiry, etc.).

Cookie set

The code is stored in a 30-day cookie so the discount survives across browser sessions.

Friend adds to cart

The plugin automatically applies the coupon when the cart loads.

A friend places an order

The referral code is saved to the order metadata (_wsr_ref_code).

Order completes

The plugin sends the order details (including the referral code) to WiserReview, which credits the referrer’s reward.

If the code is invalid, expired, or already used, the plugin silently skips the friend’s checkout without blocking the friend.

Friend Reward Page

The Friend Reward Page automatically becomes active when the Referral Program is enabled in WiserReview. When a friend clicks a referral link, WiserReview validates the code and the WooCommerce plugin creates the discount on your store — no separate landing page configuration is needed.

Customizing widget design

To change colors, fonts, position, offer copy, or reward amounts:

1. From WordPress Admin → Wiser Review → Referral Widgets, click Customize on either widget row.
2. You’re taken to app.wiserreview.com/<your-store-id>/referrals.
3. All design and offer changes happen there. Save changes — they take effect immediately on your store (no plugin update needed).