6 replies to this topic

[cbillington]

I am wanting to add affiliate links to my website so people can purchase video games from online merchants, such as www.gamestop.com, and I will in turn get commission for reffering someone who made a purchase. I'm planning on giving anyone who has clicked on a link and actually made a purchase access to a locked part of my site. Is there a way for me to know if my member actually clicked through my link and made a purchase? I know I could just require them to email me their receipt, but I wouldn't know if they clicked my link to where I made a commission form their purchase, or if they went straight to the merchant's site and made their purchase, which means I made nothing. How do I know if they clicked my link and then made a purchase? Thanks!

[Reedbeta]

Surely your affiliate should be able to get you this information? They have to keep track of it already to determine how much commission you're owed. Or is it that you need to track a session ID through the purchase process to link the purchase to the user account? Either way, it seems to me like a question for the affiliates.

[geon]

I've worked a bit with affiliate networks.

Like Reedbeta said, this is done by the affiliate (or affiliate network if you use one). You can usually send along some ID to tag each kickback. You could use it to analyze statistics about your earnings, like what URL:s or users earn you the most money. Most of the time, this statistics is made available as a downloadable spreadsheet from some kind of user account on the affiliate (network) website.

[cbillington]

geon, on 21 January 2012 - 10:12 PM, said:

I've worked a bit with affiliate networks.

Like Reedbeta said, this is done by the affiliate (or affiliate network if you use one). You can usually send along some ID to tag each kickback. You could use it to analyze statistics about your earnings, like what URL:s or users earn you the most money. Most of the time, this statistics is made available as a downloadable spreadsheet from some kind of user account on the affiliate (network) website.

Thanks for your reply! What are the steps of sending along an ID with each kickback? Also, let's say one of my memebers named John clicks through to Gamestop.com, and makes a $30 purchase. By sending that ID with each kickback, would that allow me to specifically see that John clicked through my link and made a $30 dollar purchase? If not, is there a way for me to see who spent how much and when they spent it? Thanks for your help!

[cbillington]

Reedbeta, on 21 January 2012 - 06:07 PM, said:

Surely your affiliate should be able to get you this information? They have to keep track of it already to determine how much commission you're owed. Or is it that you need to track a session ID through the purchase process to link the purchase to the user account? Either way, it seems to me like a question for the affiliates.

Yes, I need to track the session ID through the purchase process to link the purchase to the user accounts. How would I do something like that?

[alphadog]

cbillington, on 22 January 2012 - 02:14 PM, said:

Yes, I need to track the session ID through the purchase process to link the purchase to the user accounts. How would I do something like that?

On your page, you have a link or widget that, among other parameters, include your account/affiliate ID. Quite frequently, the store provides various tools to generate textual and graphical links for items they list and sell. The link/widget you place in your system has the product ID, your account/affiliate ID, and extra data passed along such as the user ID from your system.

If the user makes a purchase, this is tracked by the store (like GameStop). GameStop provides a page for you to look up various reports. Transactions are handled by the store.

If you need to get the purchase tied to and stored for a user on your system, most online stores usually offers multiple ways to get that information, depending on your needs, your capabilities and the store's capabilities.

[geon]

For the specifics you will need to ask the affiliate (or network). In the general case, you just add an argument to some URL, like www.someurl.com/?a_lot_of_stuff_here=some_values&id=123 .