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How does Amazon detect and track affiliate clicks?
Amazon tracks affiliate clicks using a combination of unique tracking links and cookies. Here’s how it works:
- Affiliate Tracking Links:
- Amazon provides affiliate partners with unique URLs (tracking links) for each product or page they want to promote.
- These links contain a unique identifier (called the “Associate Tag” or “Tracking ID”) that associates the referral with the affiliate’s account.
- Cookies:
- When a user clicks on an Amazon affiliate link, Amazon places a cookie on the user’s browser.
- This cookie records the affiliate’s Associate Tag and the time of the click.
- The cookie has a lifespan (usually 24 hours), meaning if the user makes a purchase within that time frame, the affiliate gets credit for the sale, even if they don’t make the purchase immediately.
- Referral Data:
- If the user purchases something on Amazon after clicking the affiliate link (even if it’s not the specific product the affiliate linked to), the affiliate will still earn a commission based on the purchase, as long as the cookie is still valid.
- Tracking Information:
- Amazon also tracks where the click originated from, allowing it to attribute sales to the correct affiliate, even if the user navigates through multiple pages or comes back to Amazon later.
- Reporting and Analytics:
- Affiliates can log into the Amazon Associates dashboard to view detailed reports on clicks, conversions, and earnings.
- These reports provide insights into how well specific links, products, or campaigns are performing.
Through this combination of unique links, cookies, and detailed analytics, Amazon is able to track and credit affiliate sales accurately.
