How to generate auto-expiring links with GetResponse

Maybe I'm misunderstanding your goal but here is one method you could use that would work.

Include a token or ID in the link that has an entry in a table that tracks what time that cookie was generated so you can then present the offer you want them to see.

Thanks for the replies.

The problem I have is that I don't know how I can get that token into the link for each user. I've checked GetResponse and "time/date subscribed" isn't one of the fields you can insert via their personalisation feature.

If it was, that would be great. I could have a PHP file that compares that variable and redirects the user to the correct page.

Jaimegm: That would work fine for times discounts for all users, but I really need this on an "evergreen" launch. If the user has been subscribed for 14 days without buying anything, I'd like to give them the 48 hour sale.

I've emailed GetResponse to see what they suggest. Would be cool if they just added the timestamp personalisation option. I'm guessing they log that data.

Cheers!

Hi Mike,

I checked with our integration people and right now we don't have any solution for this particular request. Our linked clicked triggered autoresponder would do part of what you are asking, but not all. I'm going to send your request to our feedback loop which is seen by everyone from the CEO on down and see if we can add this to the roadmap. Feel free to PM me for any more info.

Regards,
jim

Well after a bit more searching, it seems like there is a more advanced language that GetReponse has e.g.:
https://github.com/GetResponse/DevZo...scription-date

http://mysite.com/special-offer.php?time=01022013

(Which would indicate they subscribed on 1st Feb 2013)

Then special-offer.php on my webserver would have to take the date from ?time variable and subtract it from the server's current date. If it is 2 days or less then the discount offer is shown. If it is more than 2 days, then the "offer expired" page is shown.

Does that makes sense?

Maybe I should put "hours" in there too so its more accurate.

Hope this helps people - seems like a useful feature for people that do evergreen funnels.

Now to see if I can program it or find someone who can!

Cheers

Sorry Jim, I spent ages composing my message and didn't see your reply.

You actually already have it, but only in the "Dev" section so its not that user friendly. I would still be really good to have Unix Time Stamp info available in personalisation.

Using in info in my last linked post, I've got GetResponse generating links like this:

http://mysite.com/special-offer.php?user=20130527212930

The "user" variable is YEARMONTHDAYHOURMINUTESECOND

So now I'm trying to figure out how to convert that string into something PHP can use. If anyone can help me with that then great... its been years since I touched PHP so this is slow work!

It would be easy to output a easier to user string - but I think it makes sense to keep the code a bit obscure so that subscribers don't just see how to change it.

Once I've got it into PHP I'll have to figure out how to subtract it from the current date and see if its 48 hours or less difference.

Thanks

If you end up using a date or time stamp in the url, keep in mind that anyone including the receiver can simply modify the url date or time stamp and get the reduced price.

You really need to have some way of checking the users join date to the autresponder by API call and not rely on it being sent in an open url.

Maybe check getresponses API and see if you can query an email address for the join date via php in the background.

Re's
Rob Whisonant

Yes, that would be ideal. I've managed to get a sort of if/else redirect working based on the date string, but I'm thinking of obfuscating it further. I could set an usual order from GetResponse e.g. Second,Hour,Year,Minute,Month,Day - so it would look a lot more like a random string.

But agreed, its not secure. But I'm operating in a non-technical market, so most users won't be aware of how it even could work, nevermind spotting the values in the string. Really I just want to establish to my list that when I give them a good time sensitive offer - it really is time sensitive.

I want to launch very soon, so I'll probably stick with this method. But a more secure method would be great.

I guess one could use a hidden field to record the unix timestamp in a custom field with every form signup... but that is extra hassle for every web form.

I'm going to share the link with the devs and update them on this conversation.

Regards,
jim

You can use amazon s3 and set permissions to expire on a certain date. Are you manually sending these links out, or is it part of an autoresponder series? If it's part of an autoresponder, you'll have to get more sophisticated and use the examples above. If you're manually sending them, just set the permissions to expire at a certain time and date.