If you use an affiliate link to a specific product and the customer winds up ordering a different product, do you still get credit for the referral or do you only get credit if they buy that specific product?
Depends on the program On most programs you will get the comission for the whole order the user makes, no matter what he orders, as long as he used your affiliate link to get to the page.
It would usually depend on the affiliate that you're using. Some may pay for both the refferral AND the purchase. While others may only pay for the purchase. Check with your affiliate or program...I'm sure they will be able to help.