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Cookie question WRT to merchant and affiliate

by raistlin
7 replies
Hi all,

Searched for this specific question everywhere, but cant find an answer...

I understand the last click/first click thing but...

If somebody has visited the merchant website FIRST, then comes to my website a few days later and uses my affiliate link - do I get the commission (assuming last click cookie rule) or does the merchant 'void' the commission because the person visited their site before mine?

Thanks for any answers :-)
#affiliate #cookie #merchant #question #wrt
  • Profile picture of the author KirkMcD
    Ask the merchant or read their TOS. Some only pay for new customers.
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    • Profile picture of the author raistlin
      Thanks for the response KirkMcD.

      Only problem is that I'm not registered with any right now, and I'm going to be affiliating with hundreds of them...

      I kind of wondered if there was a general rule of thumb (e.g. like most do last cookie as a rule of thumb)
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      • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
        Banned
        Originally Posted by raistlin View Post

        I'm not registered with any right now, and I'm going to be affiliating with hundreds of them...
        Good heavens ... why?!

        You really do need to read the terms of service and explanations of each. They vary greatly.

        As a matter of principle, it's essential always to read carefully the terms of service of all businesses/parties with whom you do business online.

        Originally Posted by raistlin View Post

        I kind of wondered if there was a general rule of thumb (e.g. like most do last cookie as a rule of thumb)
        I've seen more using the "most recent cookie is accredited the affiliate commission" system than other systems, from memory, (and that's ClickBank's system), but it's certainly not universal.

        .
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        • Profile picture of the author raistlin
          Thanks Alexa

          Not registered yet because the site isn't built yet :-)...

          Basically the question just popped into my head as I was actually building the site and I realised I didn't actually know the answer - so I wondered (with the vast experience on this forum) if anybody knew what the general approach was. e.g. if (in your/their experience 75% of merchants will pay out even if the sale is made to an existing customer of theirs)..

          Also, would existing customers be those who have bought before, or those who have simply visited the merchant site before?

          The more I thought about it, the more I wondered why big name brands would be worth promoting at all if they only paid on new customers (e.g. expedia - everybody has been to their site at one point or another haven't they? would seem kind of pointless to promote them if their TOS stated that only new customers counted?)

          Ultimately, I'll be reading the TOC's very closely for all merchants I affiliate with - just wondered what the experience of others was :-)
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          • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
            Banned
            Originally Posted by raistlin View Post

            Not registered yet because the site isn't built yet
            Sorry; I didn't intend to ask "Why not yet?", but "Why hundreds?" It will make life terribly complicated?

            You appreciate that affiliate marketing income stems from relationships built with subscribers, not from "websites" in themselves? It's only one specific example, but the three fundamental principles of affiliate marketing explained in this post apply to a lot more than just ClickBank, too.

            This post, explaining "how the monetization really works", might also help you?

            Originally Posted by raistlin View Post

            would existing customers be those who have bought before, or those who have simply visited the merchant site before?
            In successful affiliate marketing, most of the long-term income comes from making repeated sales of different products/services to subscribers who trust you and are willing to rely on the strength of your recommendations because they've always served your subscribers well.

            Originally Posted by raistlin View Post

            (e.g. expedia - everybody has been to their site at one point or another haven't they? would seem kind of pointless to promote them if their TOS stated that only new customers counted?)
            In general, in that kind of industry, you'll be paid commissions only on people whose deposit payment for whatever they buy, whenever they buy it, is made through your affiliate-link.

            (For myself, I dropped out of promoting most of the travel niches in which I was ever involved, years ago, because of all the difficulties relating to payment reliability. The specific problem, I think, is that many people are reluctant to book online and want the security of speaking to a real person before paying, so they call and pay a credit-card deposit by phone: when that happens, you don't usually get paid.)


            .
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            • Profile picture of the author raistlin
              Thanks for the advice Alexa :-)

              Originally Posted by Alexa Smith View Post

              Sorry; I didn't intend to ask "Why not yet?", but "Why hundreds?" It will make life terribly complicated?

              .
              It would if I was going about it the traditional way - I'm going to approach it in a way (that I think anyway) would make life a bit easier... hopefully one day soon I'll post 'my method' back here for people to see..

              Originally Posted by Alexa Smith View Post

              In successful affiliate marketing, most of the long-term income comes from making repeated sales of different products/services to subscribers who trust you and are willing to rely on the strength of your recommendations because they've always served your subscribers well.
              .
              Good point - I need to focus on the reputation aspect more I think..

              .
              (For myself, I dropped out of promoting most of the travel niches in which I was ever involved, years ago, because of all the difficulties relating to payment reliability. The specific problem, I think, is that many people are reluctant to book online and want the security of speaking to a real person before paying, so they call and pay a credit-card deposit by phone: when that happens, you don't usually get paid.)
              .
              another good point I need to think about...
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  • Profile picture of the author sanj1110
    some has last one wins rules..
    they may bend the rules..
    those affiliate softwares are powerful
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