Affiliate platforms: questions to ask before you migrate (SaaS)
A practical checklist for migrating affiliate platforms in SaaS: what to export, how to compare ledgers, how to handle refunds and clawbacks, and the safest cutover plan.
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Affiliate tracking: cookie vs coupon vs email domain matching
A simple way to choose an attribution method that you can explain during payouts
If you’re choosing affiliate tracking for a SaaS program, the hard part is not tracking a click. The hard part is choosing a rule you can defend when payouts happen.
This guide breaks down affiliate tracking cookie vs coupon (plus email domain matching): what each method is good for, what breaks first, and a simple default you can copy/paste.
Table of contents
Definition and when it matters
Attribution is the rule that decides who gets credit for a conversion. If the rule is unclear, you will see disputes during payouts.
Options and tradeoffs
Cookie (link) attribution
Best when you want clean tracking without discounts. Breaks when users switch devices or block cookies.
Coupon attribution
Best for creators who need a code. Breaks when coupons leak to deal sites and you pay for customers you would have gotten anyway.
Email domain matching
Useful in B2B when partners refer companies and you want a second signal. Breaks when people sign up with personal emails first.
Recommended default
- Use link attribution as the primary rule
- Allow coupons only for named partners
- If you add domain matching, treat it as a manual review signal
Copy/paste templates
Template: coupon fallback
Coupon fallback: If a coupon code is used, we attribute the conversion to the coupon owner unless a different affiliate link click happened within the last 24 hours.
FAQ
Should I use coupons from day one?
Only if your partners require them. Coupons are powerful, but leakage is real.
Related pages
- Stripe affiliate tracking
- Affiliate tracking last-click vs first-click
- Affiliate tracking debugging guide
- Affiliate payout rules template
- Affiliate clawback policy template
- Affiliate payout schedule generator
- Marginal revenue calculator
- Video link generator (UTM)
Final takeaway and next step
Next step today: write your rules in one page, then test with a small pilot before you scale.
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