Core Concepts
Creator
An individual who collaborates with brands to promote and sell products. Also referred to as:- Influencer
- Ambassador
- Affiliate
- Practitioner
- Partner
creator.
Related API Fields:
_id- Creator’s unique identifierfirstName,lastName- Creator’s nameemail- Creator’s email addresshandle- Unique URL-friendly identifier (e.g.,kenyonbrown23333)profilePicture- Creator’s profile imageisOnboarded- Whether the creator has completed onboardingshop- Creator’s shop configurationsocials- Social media profilestags- Classification tags
Channel
The technical name for a Shopify Store in the CreatorCommerce system. A channel is a brand or merchant that collaborates with creators. Each channel represents a Shopify store that creators promote, and serves as the primary organizational unit for managing collaborations, campaigns, and collab tiers. Related API Fields:myshopifyDomain- Shopify store domain (e.g.,tradespoke.myshopify.com)channel- Channel ID reference
Collab (Collaboration)
An association between a creator and a channel. Each collab represents the core relationship structure that connects a creator to a specific brand/channel, including their assigned tier, discount codes, affiliate links, and associated drops. Related API Fields:_id- Collab’s unique identifiercreator- Reference to the creatorchannel- Reference to the channelcollabTier- Tier ID for the collaborationaffiliateCode- Unique discount/affiliate codeaffiliateUrl- Affiliate link URLdiscount- Discount configurationdrops- Array of drop IDs associated with this collabisPartial- Whether the collab is fully configuredrelationshipManager- Source system (e.g.,shopify-collabs,creatorcommerce)isActive- Whether the collab is currently activecollabStartedAt- Timestamp when collaboration beganmetadata- Additional metadata including Shopify IDscustom- Custom fields specific to the collab
Tier (Collab Tier)
An assigned tier level to a collab that defines the discount rates, relationship type, and classification level (e.g., “Ambassadors”, “Influencers”, “Partners”). Tiers determine the benefits and permissions for creators within a collaboration and may be associated with campaigns (also known as Destinations). Key Distinction:- Tiers define the relationship level and discount structure for creators
- Destinations (Campaigns) are marketing initiatives that group multiple tiers together and define where traffic is routed
collabTier- Tier ID referencetierTitle- Human-readable tier nameshopifyCollabsTierName- Name from Shopify CollabstierKey- Unique tier identifierdiscount- Discount configuration for this tiercampaign- Associated campaign/destination reference
Campaign (Destination)
A marketing initiative that groups multiple collab tiers together. Also referred to as a Destination. Campaigns can have brand pages, product pages, and redirect URL templates. They serve as the routing mechanism that determines where traffic from different tiers is directed. Tiers vs Destinations:- Tiers = The relationship level and discount structure (e.g., “Ambassador Tier”, “Influencer Tier”)
- Destinations/Campaigns = The marketing initiative that routes traffic and groups tiers (e.g., “Holiday Campaign”, “Product Launch Campaign”)
_id- Campaign’s unique identifiertitle- Campaign namecollabTiers- Array of tier IDs in this campaignbrandPage- Brand page template URLproductPage- Product page template URLbrandPageRedirectUrlTemplate- Template for brand page redirectsproductPageRedirectUrlTemplate- Template for product page redirectsqueryParams- Query parameters to appendisActive- Whether campaign is activestartedAt- Campaign start timestamp
Drop
A curated collection of products dedicated to collabs within channels. Drops are recommended product sets created by creators that can include product enhancements (notes, media) and custom fields. Each drop maps to a Shopify collection and belongs to a specific collab within a channel. Related API Fields:_id- Drop’s unique identifiertitle- Drop namedescription- Drop descriptioncreator- Reference to the creatorchannels- Array of channel IDsproducts- Array of product referencesenhancements- Array of product enhancement IDsmedia- Array of media associated with the dropchannelHandles- Array of channel handle identifierscustom- Custom fields specific to the dropformId- Associated form template IDcreatedAt,updatedAt- Timestamps
Drop Product
A product included in a drop with optional enhancements and custom fields. Related API Fields:id- Shopify product ID (required)variantId- Optional Shopify variant IDenhancement- Product enhancement objectcustom- Custom fields specific to this product in the drop
note- Creator’s note about the productmedia- Array of media (images/videos) for the productcustom- Additional custom fields
Enhancement (Product Enhancement)
Product content fields within a drop within a collab within a channel. Enhancements are additional content created by creators to personalize and annotate products in their drops. They include creator notes, media (photos/videos), variant-specific details, and custom fields. Related API Fields:_id- Enhancement’s unique identifierproduct- Product referencenote- Creator’s review or note about the productmedia- Array of media objects (images/videos)variant- Specific variant ID if enhancement is variant-specificcustom- Custom fields for product-level personalizationformId- Associated form template ID
- Channel → Collab → Drop → Enhancement → Product
Forms
Configurable form templates that define custom field structures for different entity types in the CreatorCommerce system. Forms allow channels to customize what information is collected and displayed for collabs, drops, and products. There are 4 types of forms: Form Types:- Onboarding Forms - Fields collected during creator onboarding to a collab
- Custom Forms - General-purpose custom field collections for collabs
- Product Forms - Custom fields specific to products within drops
- Drop Forms - Custom fields for drop-level information
formId- Form template identifier referenced in drops, enhancements, and custom fieldstype- Form type classificationfields- Array of field definitions
Discounts & Affiliate
Discount
Discount configuration for a collab. Can be percentage-based or fixed amount. Related API Fields:discountAmount- Discount value (number)discountType- Either"Percentage"or"FixedAmount"discountCode- The discount code stringshopifyCollabsDiscountCode- Code from Shopify Collabs integration
Affiliate Code
A unique code used for tracking and applying discounts. Synonymous with discount code for creator-specific promotions. Related API Fields:affiliateCode- The affiliate/discount codeaffiliateUrl- Full affiliate link URL
Safelinks
A discount link format that automatically applies a discount code when a customer clicks through, without requiring them to manually enter the code at checkout. Safelinks provide a seamless shopping experience by embedding the discount directly in the URL. How CreatorCommerce Supports Safelinks:-
Integrated Platform Support:
- For platforms that natively support safelinks (e.g., Shopify Collabs, certain affiliate networks), CreatorCommerce integrates directly with the platform’s safelink functionality
- The platform’s safelink URLs are preserved and used as-is, maintaining full compatibility with the platform’s tracking and attribution systems
-
Cross-Platform Safelink Creation:
- For platforms that don’t support safelinks, CreatorCommerce can create a 1:1 discount value equivalent
- When a discount code is created in an external platform (e.g., an affiliate network), CreatorCommerce can automatically create a matching Shopify discount code with the same value
- This ensures creators get the same discount experience regardless of which platform generated the original code
-
Attribution Preservation:
- Even when CreatorCommerce creates equivalent discount codes for platforms without safelink support, attribution is maintained back to the original platform
- CreatorCommerce preserves the original platform’s URL parameters in the affiliate link
- This allows the external platform to continue tracking conversions and attributing sales correctly, while customers benefit from automatic discount application
- Seamless customer experience (no manual code entry required)
- Consistent discount application across all platforms
- Maintained attribution tracking for external platforms
- Unified discount management regardless of source platform
Media
Media Object
Represents images, videos, or other media files stored in CreatorCommerce’s asset system. Related API Fields:_id- Media’s unique identifierurl- Full URL to the media filemediaContentType- Type:"IMAGE","VIDEO", etc.mimeType- MIME type (e.g.,"image/jpeg")originalFilename- Original file namefilename- Stored file nameextension- File extensionowner- Owner identifier (creator ID, channel ID, or"user_..."format)tags- Array of classification tagscreatedAt,updatedAt- Timestamps
Checkout & Cart
Cart URL
A pre-configured checkout URL with products added and creator attributes attached. Generated via the checkout API endpoint. Related API Fields:cartUrl- Full checkout URL with products and attributes
Cart Attributes
Key-value pairs attached to the cart to track creator context and attribution. Key Attributes:cc-creator-id- Creator’s unique IDcc-creator-handle- Creator’s handle (for metaobject lookup)cc-campaign-id- Campaign ID for attribution
Authentication & Access
Magic Link
A passwordless authentication link for creators to access the Creator Dashboard. Related API Fields:link- The magic link URLemail- Creator’s email addressnotify- Whether notification email was sent
- Invitation Link: First-time creator onboarding
- Sign-in Link: Returning creator authentication
Access Tokens
Authentication tokens for API access. Token Types:x-channel-access-token- Channel (brand) API accessx-partner-access-token- Partner/integration API accessBearer- JWT token for authenticated creator sessions
Shopify Integration
Metaobject
A Shopify metaobject of typecreator that stores creator data and syncs with CreatorCommerce backend.
Key Metaobject Fields:
- Top-level fields: Direct access (e.g.,
cc-creator-first-name) data.value- JSON structure containing all creator data including:cc-creator-drops- Drops as JSON with order and custom fields- All top-level fields duplicated for consistency
Shopify IDs
GIDs (Global IDs) used to reference Shopify objects. Common ID Types:shopifyCreatorMetaobjectId- Creator metaobject GIDshopifyCreatorCollectionId- Creator’s collection GIDshopifyCustomerId- Customer account GIDshopifyProductId- Product GIDshopifyVariantId- Product variant GID
gid://shopify/{Type}/{NumericId} (e.g., gid://shopify/Metaobject/77942685991)
Collection
Shopify collection representing a creator’s drops. Each drop maps to a Shopify collection containing the drop’s products. Relationship:- Drop → Shopify Collection (via
shopifyCreatorCollectionId) - Collection contains products from the drop
- Products can be accessed via Shopify’s collection API
Custom Fields
Custom Field Structure
Flexible key-value storage for collabs, drops, and products. Allows brands to add custom metadata beyond standard fields. Field Types:- Short form - Single-line text
- Long form - Multi-line text (rich text)
- Single media - One media file
- List media - Array of media files
- Nested structures - Objects and arrays
cc- (e.g., cc-hero-header, cc-product-short-form-2)
Access in Liquid:
Enrichment & Workflows
Enrichment Workflow
Automated processes that enhance data based on events or schedules. Used to sync data between CreatorCommerce and Shopify, update metaobjects, and trigger notifications. Common Enrichment Patterns:- Cart attributes → Metaobject updates
- New collab → Shopify collection creation
- Drop creation → Product collection updates
- Purchase events → Attribution tracking
Conversion Flow
Workflow triggered by purchase events to attribute sales to creators and update analytics. Typical Steps:- Cart checkout with
cc-creator-idattribute - Purchase event captured
- Attribution assigned to creator
- Analytics updated
- Creator notified (if configured)
Enrollment Flow
Workflow for onboarding new creators and setting up collaborations. Typical Steps:- Creator invitation (magic link)
- Creator signup/authentication
- Collab creation
- Metaobject initialization
- Shopify collection creation
- Creator dashboard access granted
Co-Branded Experiences
Co-Branded Storefront
A personalized storefront experience that incorporates creator branding, recommended products, and custom messaging. Built using Liquid templates that reference creator metaobjects. Key Components:- Creator profile information
- Drops/product recommendations
- Creator-specific messaging
- Discount code display
- Brand + creator co-branding
Creator Page
A dedicated page for a creator (metaobject page template) showcasing their profile, drops, and recommended products. URL Pattern:/pages/{creator-handle} or metaobject page URL
Dynamic Text Processing
Liquid snippets that process dynamic text with creator-specific placeholders and personalization. Common Patterns:- Replace placeholders with creator data
- Handle missing values gracefully
- Support multi-level fallbacks
Data Model Hierarchy
Common Field Patterns
Creator Fields
cc-creator-first-name/cc-creator-last-name- Namecc-creator-profile-picture- Profile imagecc-creator-shop-handle- Shop URL handlecc-creator-drops- Drops collection/listcc-creator-shop-theme-primary-color- Brand colorcc-creator-shop-description- Shop bio/description
Drop Fields
cc-drop-short-form-{n}- Short text fieldcc-drop-long-form-{n}- Long text fieldcc-drop-media-{n}- Single mediacc-drop-long-media-{n}- List media
Product Enhancement Fields
cc-product-short-form-{n}- Product note/variantcc-product-long-form-{n}- Detailed product descriptioncc-product-singlemedia-{n}- Product mediacc-product-long-media-{n}- Product media gallery
Best Practices
Data Resolution Order
- Creator metaobject (primary source)
- Section/block settings (configurable defaults)
- Neutral/fallback values
ID Type Conversion
Always convert IDs to strings when comparing:Graceful Fallbacks
Always handle missing data:API Endpoints Summary
Checkout
GET /creators/{creatorId}/drops/{dropId}/cart- Generate checkout URL for a drop
Magic Links
GET /channels/{myshopifyDomain}/creators/magic-link- Get magic link for creator
Collabs
GET /creators/collabs- List creator’s collabsPOST /creators/collabs- Create new collabPOST /creators/collabs/{collabId}- Update existing collab
Drops
POST /creators/collabs/{collabId}/drops- Create new dropPOST /creators/collabs/{collabId}/drops/{dropId}- Update existing drop
Related Documentation
- API Reference - Complete API documentation
- Co-Branded Storefronts - Building personalized experiences
- Getting Started - Platform overview and setup
- Data Model Reference - Detailed schema documentation