The current payment flow
- An approved partner shares a tracked checkout link for an eligible listing.
- The buyer pays through Stripe Checkout on the founder’s connected account.
- Stripe holds the customer funds in the founder’s account and handles its bank payouts. Comstein does not collect or split these customer funds.
- Comstein uses attributed Stripe activity to record conversions and commission amounts. Check those records against the actual paid transactions before settlement.
- The founder checks the records and settles the partner’s commission separately, using an agreed payment method.
Buys through a partner's link
Payment goes to the founder's account
Receives customer funds; Stripe handles bank payouts
Comstein records the commission
The record is not a money transfer. The founder pays the partner separately.
Before you invite partners
Agree on the commission rate, eligible sales, commission duration, review or pending period, settlement timing, and how the partner will receive payment. Keep evidence of any settlement. Comstein does not currently initiate a partner transfer, hold an escrow balance, or guarantee a settlement date.
Payments, refunds, and disputes
A checkout started or a success-page visit is not proof of payment. Verify the payment and matching attribution in Stripe before treating a commission as earned. Refunds and disputes can change the amount owed; do not assume a commission record proves every adjustment has been reconciled. A failed payment should not earn commission. If an event or attribution cannot be verified, contact support rather than treating it as a paid sale.
Two different uses of “payout”
Stripe payout: money from your Stripe balance to your bank. Partner settlement: you paying the commission owed to your partner. Enabling Stripe payouts does not automate partner settlement.
Next steps
Verify Stripe setup, choose your application state, or read the public payment overview. The underlying Stripe model is direct charges.