Which affiliate gets credit for sale?

[andheresjohnny]

I should know this, but I don't so here it goes...

A customer follows my affiliate link to the seller's site. The customer doesn't purchase, but a 90-day cookie is deposited on their PC. If the customer comes back to the seller's site and makes a purchase within 90-days I get credit for the sale and a commission.

With the above setup, what happens in each of the following cases? (assume that each of the following occurs within the next 90-days):

1. The customer returns to seller's site via another affiliate's link and makes a purchase. Does the other affiliate get credit for the sale or do I?

2. The customer returns to seller's site via another affiliate's link and DOES NOT make a purchase. Is another cookie identifying the latest affiliate deposited on the customer's PC, over-writing mine? That would mean that I now had no shot of getting any future sale from that customer, right?


I'd appreciate any answers/thoughts/comments on these questions.

Thank you.

[webhostingrebates]

This would depend on how the affiliate program is set up. If you read the TOS and affiliate agreement of the program it may tell you how these situations are treated.

I have seen both types of affiliate programs: programs that give commision to the last affiliate visited (cookie is overwritten), and those that pay the first affiliate visited (cookie is not overwritten till it expires.)

You will have to read through the affiliate agreements or ask the company how they handle their affiliate cookies.

[andheresjohnny]

I assumed there would be some "accepted practice" that evrybody would follow.

Sounds like I was wrong.

Thank you very much for the info.

[cldnails]

I believe acceptable practice is that in both scenarios, the last person to send the referral would get credit. That's the way it is on all the affiliate programs I use.

[CoralRain]

I don't understand why the last affiliate gets the commission anyways. I think the first affiliate should be the one to get credit for the sale. It would stop people from stealing commissions. Imagine going to a store with the motto last come, first serve.

[GSellars]

I agree the first person should get it, but in many cases if they come back to the site through someone else's affiliate link that person will get the credit for the sale.

[AnaB]

It depends, I have joined various programs where the first person gets the credit and then there are some where the 2nd does. Most programs also put a cookie limit..I mean, if Affiliate A refers someone and the person doesn't buy but affiliate B refers the person and he buys, well, Affiliate B definitely deserves the money because he/she's probably better at marketing the product than Affiliate A.

Now, I do get annoyed when people email me and talk about clearing cookies so you can see the site properly..it was a widespread issue with some big launch a couple months back..that was annoying and completely senseless and disrespectful IMHO