If I paid out an affiliate fee for the amount of downloads an affiliate generates for me how would I track that, and how would I keep spammers out? I'm sure this is a common problem but it's very new to me.

simple, ad a hit counter to the download page.

Assuming you have 10 affiliate marketers, then that 1 hit counter wouldn't work.

Use PHP and an out page.

Instead of the download link pointing to the file tpo be downloaded, point it to out.php?id=[unique_id_of_download_here]

then on out.php, something like

<?PHP
	$connect = @mysql_connect('', '', '');
	if (!$connect) 
	{ 
		echo '<p>Unable to connect to the ' . 
		'database server at this time.</p>'; 
		exit();
	}
	if (!@mysql_select_db('d60242637'))
	{ 
		exit('<p>Unable to locate the ' . 
		'database at this time.</p>'); 
	}

	$dlSet = False;
	if (isset($_GET['id']))
	{
		$dlSet = True;
		$dlID = $_GET['id'];
		$downloads = 0;
		$sql = "SELECT downloads FROM scripts WHERE id = '$dlID'";
		$result = mysql_query($sql);
		while(list($dl)= mysql_fetch_row($result))
		{
			$downloads = $dl;		
		}
		
		$downloads++;
		$updateDL = "UPDATE scripts SET downloads = '$downloads' WHERE id = '$dlID'";
               	mysql_query($updateDL);
								
		header("Location: www.yourdomain/downloads/".$dlID.".ext");
	}
	else
	{
		header("Location: www.yourdownloadpage.com");
	}

?>

I would be interested in finding out more abt your download offer and what your payout would be. Perhaps we can represent you.

In any case, you would place a pixel on the landing page (download confirmation page) that would be able to identify the user's referrer (affiliate ID).

You'd set a cookie with the affiliate id on the users computer, and open a pop-up (just one time / until confirmed) from the program, then you can track each succesfull download.

Originally Posted by stefanjuhl

You'd set a cookie with the affiliate id on the users computer, and open a pop-up (just one time / until confirmed) from the program, then you can track each succesfull download.

Just curious stefanjuhl...if you were to clear the cookies with your affiliate id, does that mean your records will be erased and you will not be paid by the affiliate which you are representing (assuming they have a 3 years guarantee on commission payout,as long as there's a sale done during the 3 years?)

Originally Posted by jereal

Just curious stefanjuhl...if you were to clear the cookies with your affiliate id, does that mean your records will be erased and you will not be paid by the affiliate which you are representing (assuming they have a 3 years guarantee on commission payout,as long as there's a sale done during the 3 years?)

As I read the thread it was about Rex_b having affiliates. Not the other way around as it seems you're referring to. What you write is a bit confusing to me. Note that the one receiving money in commission is the affiliate.

But to answer the question I think you're asking. Then yes, if the cookies was deleted you wouldn't be able to track it. If I were to make money from downloads I'd make sure that I could get a version of the file, which contains my affiliate ID and thereby is cookie independent...

Hi stefanjuhl

My apologies..assuming Im the affliate and normally have the habit of clearing the cookies and cache each time I do some transaction online with a bank...does that mean that all my affiliate ID and data will be gone? And the person who is giving out the commissions can now safely claim that any referals from me does not fall in the "3 years gurantee on commission payout",since there's no records of data stored? Does that mean that I must never clear my cookies if I'm ever on an affiliate program?

Hope my question makes sense this time?

Thanks in advance!

jereal, the cookies is written on the computer where from the user downloads / clicks. So if you have affiliate links on your website, then it's about if your visitors clears their cookies. You shouldn't be concerned about clearing your own cookies, since the worst thing that could happen is that if you've clicked an affiliate link, then that affiliate wouldn't have you tracked and earn commission from your purchases etc.