A fixed dollar amount set aside to reward top-performing affiliate publishers during a defined period (typically Q4 or a specific seasonal window). Structure: announce pool size in advance (e.g., "$10,000 Q4 bonus pool for top 10 publishers by GMV"); distribute proportionally or by rank after the window closes; paid in addition to standard commissions. Motivational mechanism: publishers who know a bonus pool exists compete for share of it, increasing publisher effort during the bonus window. Pool sizing benchmark: 0.5-2% of expected seasonal affiliate GMV. Distribution timing: within 30 days after the window closes (fast payment rewards performance and reinforces the incentive for future windows). Effectiveness: most impactful for publishers who are close to a threshold or ranking position — they'll push harder to improve rank; less impactful for publishers who are clearly in first or clearly outside the top tier.
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