Tracking Affiliate Credit with Cookies

Most affiliate programs use a tracking device known as a cookie, to identify a visitor to the merchant's web site as your potential customer.

What does this mean?

It means that information about where this prospect, or potential customer, came from is stored in your web browser (Firefox, Internet Explorer, etc.). That information would include things like your affiliate id number, your web site name, the visitor's IP address, the date and time of the visit to the merchant's web site, and so on.

Why is this relevant?

Well, here's why. While the merchant probably already knows that the visitor (let's call him Steve) came from your web site on the first go-round (Steve would have clicked on an affiliate link on your site unique to that site. -ex- www.disney8551.your-web-site.com.

And if Steve purchased some Disney cruise tickets on that visit, Disney would know to give you the commission. No problem.

But what if Steve browsed the Disney cruise site, bookmarked some pages, and then came back to Disney's site 3 months later, to buy his cruise tickets?

What is Steve didn't go through your web site right before the purchase?

How would you get credit?!?!

This is where cookies come in. They live in Steve's web browser. So even if he doesn't go through your web site when he makes the final purchase, his web browser will REMEMBER that you were the one to initially clue Steve in!

There are a few caveats:

• Only the best affiliate merchants actually program their cookies to last FOREVER. Many force their cookies to expire after 30, 60, or 90 days. Some even go to 365 days. But the best make them lifetime cookies.
  
  

• If Steve uses another web browser, even on the same computer, when making the final purchase, the merchant's web site will not find the cookie indicating that you clued Steve in. Bummer.
  
  
• One more caveat - even if Steve uses the same browser as the one he used when coming from your web site... and a cookie saying you clued Steve in, is saved in that browser... if Steve visits another affiliate's web site, and clicks on a link pointing to Disney cruises... that affiliate will get the commission. The most recent affiliate gets the commission. Those are the breaks.
  
  

It is exactly because affiliates are known to lose commissions they would have got had the cookie lasted longer that merchants who offer 60 return days trumpet their "generosity" as though they are doing affiliates a big favour. They are not. The true position is that the short cookie setters are ripping affiliates off. Avoid them if you can and sign-up with their competitors instead.

Examples of good programs include Yanik Silver's Surefire Marketing which employs a 10 year cookie and also tracks fax and mail orders. And Ken Evoy's 5 Pillar Program has an advanced system with cookies to track your customers for life.