Ensuring Affiliate Script Tracks

[John Jupp]

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Hi

I'm in the process of researching how best to ensure tracking by affiliates of their transactions for my travel site. The domain is listed when you click on my name. I've noticed that a number of travel sites have had major problems ensuring tracking (LastMinute being one of them) and I wish to resolve this problem.

My site is taken direct from the Integrated Affiliate Network and incorporates the entire Expedia hotels database plus Hotels.com plus TravelNow.

I have my own CID (Child ID) number which is basically an affiliate (or agent) ID. I have my own search facility and live booking facility. The entire process is interactive and my site (like all the others) links to the parent with one major exception. I have full access (only 10 sites currently have this in the UK, Expedia is one of them). This means that I have my own recognised search facility. Try it out and you'll see what I mean.

Now I do and do not host the search facility (yes the search box is on my web page but the query is submitted to an international server) as this is a live feed based on room availability at the exact time of customer query, so the price updates according to availability. I link to the international server which updates continually from all the hotels listed.

When it comes to the affiliate script I can insert the script on my website no problem. The trouble is (and this is where I believe some companies go wrong) that they cannot insert the script into the pages provided by the IAN as it is on IAN's server and not the website server. Now IAN has suggested I could insert a Temp ID into my CID script for each affiliate (not quite sure how that would work) if I was to operate an Indie program. Looking at the likes of a network should I join a network program I am not 100% convinced inserting a network affiliate script would do the business either unless it is inserted as a form of Temp ID into the CID to the international servers.

What I need is concrete proposals as to how to address the tracking issue. This issue affects the tracking of every "parent" reservations site like mine as you cannot guarantee affiliate tracking on sales when the transaction jumps servers.

My site is one of a handful with full access. Potentially it will earn me a lot of money long term. I want to introduce an affiliate scheme. Yes I can add the affiliate script to my web pages. However I wish to ensure definitively that all transactions are recorded and attributed to the qualifying affiliate.

Your professional advice is requested.

Many thanks

John

[John Jupp]

Just to elaborate further. The search form does not go to a website as such. It goes to a server through a web address which recognises my id and provides the information in a live format through the use of a framed page. Then if you order it goes to the card processing on their server. Any sales are then credited.

I cannot attach any additional script to a cart as the cart isn't on my site. What I can do is attach a temporary id to my id (which could include the network script if correctly formatted) and register this with the IAN. This I believe could track.

Any comments please? I really could do with some help on this. I anticipate I shall have sufficient funds set aside by the end of the year to really promote the site, including the very expensive tube adverts in train carriages.

For affiliate purposes I shall be setting up a duplicate site under a different CID number which will solely offer hotels. It is the hotels site (the database I host) which will be the affiliate linked program, offering 70,000+ hotels worldwide, updated weekly, at up to 70% off normal room rates. I will not be offering the flights or car hire on the affiliate site as different rates would have to apply. A tiered structure will be available.

Lots of people can join IAN but very very few get offered the full package. I'm lucky. I got it but not without a struggle as there are strict cash forecasts to attain. Now I want to make it a real success. It has the potential to be the next big UK and worldwide travel site.