Installation
Matic Affiliates is delivered as a .zip file after purchase via Freemius.
No Amazon API keys are required to activate the plugin. You can start using Manual Mode immediately.
License Activation
On first activation, you'll see a Freemius-branded screen asking for your license key. Enter it and activate.
Freemius handles everything: license validation, renewals, grace periods, and expiry handling.
All premium functionality is hard-gated. Blocks disappear. Settings become inaccessible. Freemius handles renewal prompts. The plugin never partially breaks — it either works fully, or it's cleanly gated.
Plugin Overview
Matic Affiliates gives you two Gutenberg blocks:
| Block | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Matic Amazon Auto | Fast, compliant product boxes for Amazon Associates. Requires API setup. |
| Matic Manual Box | Full control product boxes for any affiliate network. No API required. |
They are separate for a reason. Auto Mode is for speed and compliance. Manual Mode is for full control.
Amazon API Setup
This is only required for Auto Mode. Go to WordPress Dashboard → Settings → Matic Affiliates.
You'll see a single clean settings card with two sections.
Amazon Marketplace
Choose your marketplace from the dropdown. Supported regions:
Default is US.
PA-API 5.0 Credentials
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Access Key ID | Your Amazon PA-API access key |
| Secret Access Key | Your Amazon PA-API secret key |
| Tracking ID | Your Amazon Associate Tag (e.g. yoursite-20) |
No extra toggles. No hidden switches. Just credentials.
Status Indicator
At the top of the settings card, you'll see a dynamic status pill:
Green means all three fields are filled. Amber means one or more fields are empty. Simple visual confirmation.
Using Amazon Auto Mode
Add a new block and search for Matic Amazon Auto. This block has two sidebar panels.
Amazon Settings (Open by Default)
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Amazon ASIN | The product identifier. Enter and data fetches automatically. |
| Custom Title | Optional override for the product title. |
| Badge Text | Optional badge, e.g. "50% OFF" |
Enter an ASIN and the plugin fetches product data using Amazon's API. If you leave ASIN empty, the editor shows a dashed placeholder and the frontend renders nothing.
Design Settings (Collapsed)
| Setting | Range |
|---|---|
| Title Size | 14–40px slider |
| Button Size | 12–24px slider |
Button text is fixed to "See On Amazon". Product image always shows. No price is displayed. Amazon Associates disclaimer always displays with no toggle to disable it. This is intentional — Auto Mode is designed for speed, compliance, clean layout, and conversion.
Using Manual Mode
Add the block: Matic Manual Box. This works without Amazon API setup — you can use it immediately after activation.
Content Settings (Open by Default)
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Product Title | Name of the product |
| Badge Text | Optional badge label |
| Price | Optional price display |
| Product Image | Via WordPress Media Library |
| Button Text | Fully customizable CTA text |
| Button URL | Destination link for the button |
Design Settings (Collapsed)
Same sliders as Auto Mode: Title Size (14–40px) and Button Size (12–24px).
Use this when you're not using Amazon, when you want full control over every field, or when you don't want any API dependency. Works for any affiliate network.
Manual Mode Notes
- No automatic disclaimer — you control what displays
- No API dependency — works immediately after activation
- Fully customizable button text — say whatever you want
- Works for any affiliate network — SaaS, courses, ebooks, physical products
Error Handling & Fallback Behavior
Your site should never look broken. Here's how Matic Affiliates handles errors.
Inside the Editor
If the Amazon API fails, you'll see a styled red error box inside the block preview with the specific error message. This could be missing credentials, invalid ASIN, API request failure, or marketplace mismatch.
⚠ Matic Affiliates: Invalid ASIN — product not found in the selected marketplace.
On the Frontend
Visitors never see errors. Instead, the plugin renders a fallback card with a placeholder image, a custom title (or "View Product on Amazon"), and a direct link to amazon.com/dp/{ASIN} with your associate tag.
Your site stays clean. Always. Errors are for you in the editor, not for your readers.
Licensing & Renewals
Matic Affiliates uses Freemius for licensing.
| Status | Behavior |
|---|---|
| License Active | Everything works fully. |
| License Expired | Premium code is gated. Blocks disappear. Settings disappear. Freemius shows renewal prompts. |
Grace periods are configured inside your Freemius dashboard, not inside the plugin.
Troubleshooting
API Not Connecting
- All three credential fields are filled
- Marketplace matches your Associate account region
- Keys are PA-API 5.0 credentials (not older versions)
If the status pill is green, credentials are detected.
Invalid ASIN
- No extra spaces in the ASIN field
- Correct marketplace selected for the product
- Product exists in the selected region
Nothing Rendering on Frontend
If the ASIN field is empty, nothing renders. This is expected behavior. Enter a valid ASIN to generate output.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Manual Mode works fully without API setup. API keys are only required for Amazon Auto Mode.
No. Price is intentionally not displayed in Auto Mode.
No. That text is fixed in Auto Mode for consistency and compliance. Manual Mode gives you full control over button text.
No. Auto Mode always shows the disclaimer. This is intentional — your Amazon Associates account matters more than any visual preference.
Premium features are gated immediately. Blocks disappear and settings become inaccessible. Freemius handles renewals and grace periods.
Final Notes
I built Matic Affiliates to remove friction.
No feature overload. No configuration maze. No bloated dashboards.
Just clean, high-converting product boxes that work inside Gutenberg.
If something feels unclear, reach out. I still build this. And I still care about how it runs on your site.