Why Higher Cookie Window is Better for Affiliate Marketing

The cookie day window is one of an affiliate program's most important elements. The cookie day window controls how long a customer who clicks on your affiliate's link has to make a purchase before it is no longer considered a sale for that affiliate, despite the fact that affiliate programs have many distinct components.

Having stated that, is a higher one preferable? Or is having one that is lower preferable? This is all the information you require to configure the cookie window for the affiliate program associated with your brand.

What Is a Cookie Window?

To begin with, let me clarify what a cookie window is. This is a measure that you can set up in your affiliate network for your company that shows how long a customer needs to buy something before they aren't considered a commission sale.

When a consumer hits an affiliate link, for instance, they have up to 30 days to complete a transaction before the purchase counts against the affiliate's commissions. For instance, if your affiliate cookie window is 30 days.

General Trends for Cookie Windows Overall

The most common trend is to see around a 30-day cookie window. Some brands may have much shorter windows, while some may have windows as long as a full year, but anywhere from 30-90 days is most common.

When to Create a Longer Cookie Window

Traditionally, affiliates have always wanted a longer cookie window, while brands have always wanted a shorter window. In fact, many affiliates will be wary of signing up for an affiliate program that has shorter than a 30-day cookie window, as they may feel like the company is trying to poach their commissions. On the other hand, brands are typically wary of a cookie window set any longer than 30 days, as they might worry that they’re paying unnecessary commissions to affiliates that they don’t need to pay.

However, it turns out that this might be something your brand is worried about unnecessarily. According to AMNavigator, around 85% of all affiliate sales are made same-day, immediately after clicking a link or just a few hours later. Only 1% of all affiliate sales take place after 15 days, with many of those sales taking place before day 45.

What does this mean for your brand? It means that you can set your cookie window essentially as long as you’d like. Sure, it can feel like you’re giving up more affiliate commissions, but the data shows that almost all of your affiliates’ commission purchases will come before the first week is up, with the vast majority happening in just a single day.

A longer cookie window will also make your affiliates feel like you care about them making a commission, which can improve your affiliate motivation and ensure your affiliates put in as much work as possible to create affiliate sales. Because a longer cookie window will likely have a negligible impact on how much commission you actually pay to your affiliates, it’s typically best to opt for the longer window.

Refersion’s Built-In Cookie Window

The default cookie window for newly-created offers at Refersion is 90 days. This is longer than most affiliate programs, which tend to offer 30 days, and that can create higher value for your affiliates, especially when it comes to affiliates that are actively looking for new marketing partners. Additionally, almost 65% of affiliates generate their traffic by blogging, and bloggers may need a slightly longer cookie tail to get their sales in.

A 90-day cookie window is a great way to bring in new affiliates, show your existing affiliates that you really care, and ensure that your affiliates don’t feel like you’re trying to steal commissions that they feel like “rightfully belong to them.” Reducing the number of unqualified sales showing up for your affiliates allows you to build motivation and create a better framework between you and your affiliates.

How to Change Cookie Windows for Your Business’s Affiliate Program

If you decide that you want a cookie window that’s different from what you’ve previously been doing, there are a few steps to take.

Initially, conducting some internal brand research might be a smart idea. Make sure your current affiliates are enthusiastic about the move of the affiliate program; if you wish to extend your cookie window beyond its current location, this should be quite simple.

Then, make the necessary changes in your affiliate management system. Usually, it is located in the "Advanced Options" area.

After that, be careful to notify your affiliate program via email that you have modified the cookie window. Emphasize the benefits this will have for you and your affiliates.

All parties may benefit from changing these cookie windows, but it's crucial that you inform your affiliates of the change.

Higher cookie windows generally shouldn't worry or frighten you. A longer cookie window will just give your affiliates more protection, as the great bulk of their purchases will occur within the first seven days.

In an industry where communication and trust may be the most crucial factors, extending the affiliate cookie window gives you the opportunity to provide greater security to your affiliates without actually altering your business operations.