Barter deals let you compensate a creator with product instead of cash. You agree on a deliverable, Scoop generates a unique discount code for that creator, they redeem it on your store, and content gates open after they claim the product.
Before you start
You'll need a connected Shopify store. The store powers the discount code and order tracking that make barter work automatically inside Scoop.
If you don't use Shopify, you can still run barter deals with Manual Coupons, which lets you upload your own pre-generated discount codes. The creator experience is the same, you just lose the automatic order tracking.
Building a barter deal
When you're in the Deal Wizard, choose barter as the pricing type. From there you'll set a few barter-specific options:
Product scope. Pick whether the creator can claim from all products, a specific list of products, or a single Shopify collection.
Coupon type. Choose a 100% off coupon (the creator gets the product completely free, you cover full cost) or a 50% off coupon (you and the creator split the cost).
Product value. Enter the retail value of what the creator will receive. Scoop uses this for cost reporting and CPM calculations later.
Expiry. Set how long the coupon stays valid after the deal is signed. A typical window is 14 to 30 days.
Shipping. Indicate whether you need to physically ship product (for example, when the creator's address isn't part of the Shopify order flow) or whether redemption alone is enough.
Once the deal is agreed, Scoop generates a unique discount code for that creator and surfaces it in the Deal Thread.
What the creator sees
The creator gets the code through the Creator Portal. They redeem it on your Shopify store like any other discount, place an order, and the order flows back into the deal thread on your side so you can see exactly what was claimed.
If you chose a 50% off coupon, the creator pays their portion at checkout and you'll see the full order including the customer-paid amount.
When deliverables unlock
Content gates open after redemption (or after you mark the product as shipped, if shipping was required). This means the creator can't be asked to submit a draft until they've actually received what you promised, which protects both sides.
What if the coupon expires unused?
If the creator doesn't redeem the coupon before the expiry date, the deal will surface in your project as stalled. You can:
Extend the expiry on the existing coupon
Issue a new coupon with a fresh expiry
Cancel the deal if the creator is no longer responsive
Refunds and the 50/50 split
For 50/50 cash-and-coupon hybrid deals, refund logic kicks in if the creator doesn't fulfil their deliverables after they've already received product. You can flag the order for refund inside the deal, and Scoop will guide you through reversing the customer-paid portion.
For pure barter (100% off coupon), there is no refund to issue, but you can mark the deal as cancelled to keep your reporting clean.
Order tracking
Every order placed against a barter coupon flows back into the deal thread. You'll see order number, line items, fulfilment status, and shipping updates inline. No need to switch into Shopify to check whether something shipped.