can someone please enlighten me about affiliate cookies? 1. do all (or most of them) affiliate sites/network use cookies to track affiliate sales? Like ebay, amazon, cj, azoogleads. Do they set cookies when you come through an aff url and how long does it usually last? 2. what if you got some cookie previously set for following some aff link and then you came to the site using another aff link, will it switch the cookie to include the new aff code? or will it leave it unchanged till the cookie expire? 3. can an aff cookie be set in the visitors browser without having to go to an aff link, but just by loading a page? Any example code? 4. what are 3rd party cookies and can they be used for aff? 5. can you make cookies from an aff url yourself, or only the aff site can do it. 6. can you show some sample scripts related to the above 7. can sites see/change cookies set by other sites? If not, what prevents them? thanks a lot!
Let me answer few of the above points 1) Most of the merchant use cookies to track the sales. Cookies duration varies from merchant to merchat it may be of 7 days to 365 days or may be lifetime cookie. Yes cookies are set when visitor come through aff url. 2) If you come to the site through another aff link, previous cookie will be replaced by new one, new affiliate will get the commission if sale occurs. 3) I think link have to be clicked in order to plant cookie, however it can be done automatically by using frame or popup. But generally it is againt the terms. 4) I think network cookies are called third party cookies 5) Only the merchant site or network can plant the cookie 6) .. 7) In my opinion only the site which plant cookie can read the cookie.
thanks! are you sure about 2, is it the same for all aff's? cause it doesn't make a sense tbh.. i mean if you are the first to refer the user you should probably get the comission.. 3. - what terms do you mean, terms of an aff program, or it can be considered some illegal physhing or hacking, just wondering
Not really, because if I'm the second person to refer them and they purchase something with my cookie, then I did the better job converting that web surfer into a buyer. The second (newest) aff link should get the sale.
Regarding point 2, most merchant pay commission to last affiliate. The logic given bySuch Great Heights is quite convincing I think. Regarding point 3, It is against affiliate program terms of most programs. However it can not be compared with phishing, hacking etc. As what ever you are doing, you are doing on your own site.
Regrading point 2 most programs pay for last cookie assuming the click that actually caused the sale should get the credit. Some programs credit the 1st referrer. But think about it. Would you join a long standing affiliate program if you knew that lots of surfers had already been cookied therefore you may not get credit for lots of visitors you refer? using iframes is considered cookie stuffing and against the TOS in many programs. However Amazon says it's OK. Of course Amazon only has a 24 hour cookie so it doesn't matter as much. Edited to add: Regardless of the network merchants for each program can set their cookies differently. In CJ in tells you how long the cookies are. You asked about Azoogle too. Azoogle is a CPA network. I don't know how each of their programs are set up but TYPICALLY (not always) CPA offers, free trial offers and lead based programs DON'T have cookies. The assumption is since there is no $ involved lead forms happen right away as opposed to lets say a computer purchase where people typically research and comparison shop before making a purchase decision. So with product sales long cookies are more important.
IF you are using CJ, they will give you a violation if you use iframes. Not sure why. It might be because publishers use hidden iframes to plant cookies without getting affirmative action from the visitor. CJ.com TOS
however it can be done automatically by using frame or popup. But generally it is againt the terms "affiliatesmarkdotcom"
This is a very old thread, but no cookie stuffing is NOT OK. Cookie stuffing steals commission from the honest affiliate that earned it, plus it's against the TOS of most reputable programs and networks.
It can be used somewhat legitimately though, reviewers are hit hard by visitors not clicking their affiliate links even though they were directly responsible for the sale.