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A non-technical overview of the Partner Integration Framework for Merchant Success teams.

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What is it?

The Partner Integration Framework lets third-party apps (like search tools, helpdesks, analytics platforms, etc.) connect directly with Appstle Memberships. Once connected, the partner app can access a merchant’s membership data — membership contracts, plans, member access levels, and billing schedules — through our API. Think of it like how apps on your phone ask for permission to access your contacts or photos. A merchant clicks “Connect,” and the two apps start talking to each other automatically. No copying API keys, no manual setup.

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Why does it matter?

Before this framework:
  • Merchants had to be on a paid API plan to let other apps read their membership data
  • They had to manually create an API key, copy it, and paste it into the partner’s settings
  • If something broke, there was no easy way to see what was connected or disconnect it
Now:
  • Simple connect flow — merchants click “Connect” and approve in a few clicks
  • Merchant approval required — when a partner app initiates a connection, the merchant must approve it from their Appstle dashboard before any data is shared
  • No API plan required — partner integrations are free for the merchant
  • Easy to manage — merchants see all connected partners AND pending requests in one place, and can approve, reject, or disconnect with one click
  • Automatic cleanup — if a merchant uninstalls Appstle, all partner connections are revoked automatically

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How does a merchant connect a partner?

There are two ways.

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From the partner’s app

1

Merchant is in the partner app

For example, SearchPie.
2

They click 'Connect Appstle Memberships'

The two systems do a behind-the-scenes handshake.
3

A pending request appears in Appstle

The merchant sees a pending approval request in their Appstle dashboard under Settings → Partner Connections.
4

The merchant approves

They review and click Approve — the partner gets API access.

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From Appstle’s dashboard

1

Open Partner Connections

Merchant goes to Settings → Partner Connections in Appstle.
2

Pick a partner

They see a list of available partners and click Connect next to the one they want.
3

Done

The connection is instant because the merchant initiated it themselves.
Either way, the merchant doesn’t need to copy any keys or enter any codes. The key difference: when a partner initiates the connection, the merchant must explicitly approve it first. This ensures merchants always know who has access to their membership data.

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How does a merchant disconnect a partner?

1

Open Partner Connections

Go to Settings → Partner Connections in the Appstle dashboard.
2

Find the partner

Locate the partner in the list.
3

Click Disconnect

Access is revoked instantly.
The partner app will stop being able to access that merchant’s data immediately. If the merchant wants to reconnect later, they just click “Connect” again.

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What can a partner app do once connected?

Depends on the permission level set during partner onboarding:
PermissionWhat the partner can do
Read OnlyView membership contracts, plans, billing history, member status
Read & WriteEverything above, plus: create/cancel memberships, update billing, manage member access, apply discounts
Most partners are set to Read Only unless they need to modify data (like a CRM that manages membership upgrades/downgrades on behalf of merchants).

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What partners are currently set up?

You can see the full list in the Support Portal → Partner Integrations page. Each partner shows:
  • Their name and ID
  • What mode they use (Nonce Handshake or Token Exchange — internal detail, merchants don’t see this)
  • Their permission level
  • Whether they’re active or deactivated

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Common questions from merchants

No. Partner integrations bypass the paid API plan. The merchant pays nothing extra.
Not the specific API calls, but they can see which partners are connected and when they connected. The partner’s access is limited to the permission level we set (usually Read Only).
All partner connections are automatically disconnected. The partner loses access immediately.
That means a partner app has requested access to your membership data. You need to review it and click Approve or Reject. The partner won’t have any access until you approve. Pending requests expire after 30 days.
Check these things:
  1. Does the merchant have Appstle Memberships installed and active?
  2. Is the partner still listed as “Active” in our Support Portal → Partner Integrations?
  3. Did the merchant approve the connection? (Partner-initiated connections require merchant approval from the Appstle dashboard)
  4. Ask the partner’s support team if their integration is configured correctly on their end
If it’s still not working, escalate to engineering with the merchant’s shop domain and the partner name.
The partner needs to be onboarded first. This is done through the Support Portal → Partner Integrations → “Onboard New Partner.” Typically the partner’s technical team reaches out to us at support@appstle.com, and engineering handles the setup.

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Key things to remember

  • Partner connections are per merchant — each merchant connects independently
  • Merchants can connect multiple partners at the same time
  • Disconnecting one partner doesn’t affect other partners
  • Partner access is automatically revoked on uninstall
  • No cost to the merchant for partner integrations
  • Merchants cannot onboard new partners themselves — that’s an Appstle admin action
  • Partner-initiated connections require merchant approval — no surprise access
  • Partners cannot access data from shops that haven’t explicitly connected and approved