Server-Side Affiliate Attribution Across Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional e-commerce systems face limitations in tracking affiliate referrals and attributing sales across multiple client devices, especially when cookies are disabled or when customers use different devices for product research and purchase, leading to incorrect attribution and potential loss of affiliate compensation.
Innovation Solution
An online marketplace server stores customer activity information, including affiliate referrals and device associations, allowing accurate tracking and compensation of affiliates even when multiple devices are used, and enabling attribution post-sale by utilizing unique device identifiers and fingerprints.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If cookies are used to track affiliate referrals on client devices, then affiliate attribution can be determined, but tracking fails when cookies are disabled or when multiple client devices are used
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the tracking functionality by separating device identification from affiliate attribution. Instead of relying on a single cookie on one device, the system divides tracking across multiple devices associated with the same customer account, allowing affiliate information to be preserved even when switching devices or when cookies are disabled on individual devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The customer account serves as an intermediary between the client devices and the affiliate tracking system. The account database stores affiliate referral information centrally, acting as a mediator that links multiple devices to the same customer and preserves affiliate attribution data regardless of which device is used or whether cookies are enabled.
2Device complexity
If affiliate information is stored in cookies on client devices, then tracking is simple, but information is lost when cookies are disabled or devices are changed
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges the storage location of affiliate information from individual client devices to a centralized account database. By combining the tracking data across all devices associated with a customer account, the system prevents information loss while maintaining a unified view of affiliate referrals, effectively merging device-specific data into account-level data.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from storing affiliate information in a single dimension (cookies on individual devices) to a multi-dimensional approach where affiliate data is stored in the account database and accessible across multiple devices. This dimensional shift from device-local to account-level storage prevents information loss while adding robustness to the tracking system.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional cookie-based tracking is used, then implementation is straightforward, but affiliate compensation is incorrect when multiple devices are used for product research and purchase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by storing affiliate referral information in the account database at the time of the initial referral, before the customer may switch devices or complete the purchase. This advance storage ensures that affiliate attribution data is preserved and can be accurately retrieved later regardless of which device is used for the actual purchase transaction.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by continuously updating the account database with affiliate referral information from multiple devices and cross-referencing this data during purchase transactions. This feedback mechanism ensures that the most accurate affiliate attribution is identified by comparing device identifiers and account information, thereby improving measurement precision for affiliate compensation.
Data Source
AI summary
An e-commerce system is provided that tracks purchase transaction across multiple client devices. The e-commerce system stores hop information describing when a customer is exposed to a product of a vendor through an affiliate who advertises the vendor's products. The e-commerce system determines from the stored hop information which affiliate or affiliates to compensate for the sale of a product. This allows the e-commerce system to determine, after the sale, whether additional affiliates need to be compensated for the sale of the product based on the hop information.