# Auto send referral link

### What's new?

Previously, referrers had to manually copy their referral link and share it through chat, social media, or other channels. This meant extra steps and lower conversion.

Now, referrers can **enter a friend's email directly** in the referral popup — and the system sends a branded invitation email automatically. Your friend receives the referral link and discount details right in their inbox, ready to shop.

{% hint style="info" %}
This feature is available for **All** plans.
{% endhint %}

### Why use email invites?

* **Higher conversion** — Email lands directly in your friend's inbox instead of getting lost in a chat
* **Professional branded email** — The invitation looks trustworthy with your store's branding
* **Automatic tracking** — No need to manually copy or paste links. The system handles everything
* **Multiple delivery channels** — Works with Joy's built-in email, Klaviyo, and Shopify Flow

***

### How it works

{% embed url="<https://youtu.be/ysX7YbxsnHk>" %}

{% stepper %}
{% step %}
**Referrer opens the referral section**

The referrer opens the loyalty widget, loyalty page, or account page and navigates to the referral section.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}
**Enter friend's email and click Send**

The referrer already has their referral link displayed. To invite a friend, they simply enter the friend's email address and click **Send**.

The system sends a branded invitation email to the friend automatically — containing the referral link and reward details.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}
**Friend receives the invitation email**

The friend gets an email containing:

* The **referrer's name** — so they know who sent it
* The **discount or reward** they'll receive
* A **referral link** to start shopping

When they click the link, they land on your store with the referral tracked automatically.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}
**Friend makes a purchase**

Once the friend places an order, both sides get rewarded:

* **Friend (referee)** receives their referral discount or points
* **Referrer** receives their reward (points, store credit, or discount)

Both parties receive email notifications confirming their rewards.
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}

***

### Customer experience

{% embed url="<https://youtu.be/DmDIA35Z-p4>" %}

Here's what each side sees throughout the referral email invite flow:

**Referrer (the one sending the invite):**

1. Opens the referral section in the loyalty widget, loyalty page, or account page
2. Their referral link is generated (entering their own email first if prompted)
3. Enters a friend's email and clicks **Send** — a success message confirms the invite went out
4. A **Send to another friend** button appears, so they can keep inviting in one sitting
5. Can also share the link directly via **Copy link**, **Facebook**, **Twitter**, **WhatsApp**, or **Email**

**Referee (the friend receiving the invite):**

1. Receives a branded email from your store with the referrer's name, the reward details, and a **Shop now** link
2. Clicks the link and lands on your store — the referral is tracked automatically via a 7-day cookie
3. After placing an order, they receive their referral reward (discount, points, or store credit)
4. Gets a confirmation email with the reward details

{% hint style="warning" %}
The referee must place an order using the **same email** that received the invitation. If they use a different email, the referral won't be tracked.
{% endhint %}

***

### Set up email notifications for referral invites

The invitation email is controlled through your notification settings. You have three options:

{% tabs %}
{% tab title="Joy built-in email" %}
Go to **Settings > Notifications** and enable the **Link Invite** notification.

You can customize:

* **Subject line** — Personalize the email subject
* **Email body** — Edit content, add your logo, change colors
* **Variables** — Use dynamic content:

| Variable               | Description                          |
| ---------------------- | ------------------------------------ |
| `{{shop_name}}`        | Your store name                      |
| `{{referrer_name}}`    | Name of the person who referred them |
| `{{referee_discount}}` | The discount offered to the friend   |
| `{{referral_link}}`    | The invitation link                  |

Click **Send Test** to preview the email before activating.
{% endtab %}

{% tab title="Klaviyo" %}
If you use Klaviyo, the referral invite event is available as a trigger. Set up a Klaviyo flow to send the invitation email with your own design and automation rules.

<figure><img src="/files/4T8s4AQ2He7oYAfODGyz" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

<figure><img src="/files/5zaXiUKktdD00pF6TKtk" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

See [Joy and Klaviyo](/integrations/email-marketing-and-sms/joy-and-klaviyo.md) for integration setup.
{% endtab %}

{% tab title="Shopify Flow" %}
For Shopify flow, You can also use the trigger below to send email:

<figure><img src="/files/b79ByKEpuze7x0VkBhpB" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

See [Integrate with Shopify Flow](/integrations/integrate-with-shopify-flow.md) for setup instructions.
{% endtab %}
{% endtabs %}

***

### FAQs

**Does the friend need an existing account?**\
No. If the friend doesn't have an account yet, the system creates one automatically using the email provided. They can start shopping right away.

**Can the referrer still share the link manually?**\
Yes. After entering the email, the referral link is also displayed in the popup. The referrer can copy it or share via social channels as before.

**What if I use Klaviyo or Shopify Flow for emails?**\
You can choose your preferred delivery channel. Joy's built-in email works out of the box, but you can also trigger Klaviyo flows or Shopify Flow automations for more control over email design and timing.

**Can the referrer send to multiple friends?**\
Yes. The referrer can repeat the process for each friend. The referral limit settings in your program still apply.

**Where do I see referral invite activity?**\
Go to **Activities** in your Joy dashboard. You'll see pending referral entries for each invite sent, which update to complete when the friend makes a purchase.


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