Troubleshoot affiliate attribution disputes
Attribution disputes happen when a partner believes a sale should be credited to them but the sale appears under another source in Sales. These disputes are usually about link type, timing, or campaign setup—not about commission percentage alone.
Investigate with evidence before changing commission outcomes or partner policy.
Common dispute patterns
| Partner claim | What to verify first |
|---|---|
| My sale is missing | Whether the buyer used an affiliate link |
| Another partner got credit | Link timing and last-touch path |
| Owner traffic stole the sale | Whether an owner campaign link was used |
| Support invalidated my commission | Whether a support link was involved |
| Custom rate was ignored | Whether custom commission was configured before the sale |
Evidence to collect
- Affiliate link shared with the buyer
- Buyer email and purchase date
- Sale origin and affiliate filter results in Sales
- UTMs on the checkout link used
- Whether an owner, support, or upgrade link was involved
- Campaign timing relative to the purchase
- Partner approval status and product scope
Investigation workflow
- Confirm the correct business workspace.
[Screenshot: App header — correct business workspace selected.]
- Open the sale in Sales.
[Screenshot: Sales search — disputed sale located by email or date.]
- Confirm product, offer, and purchase date.
[Screenshot: Sale detail — product, offer, and timestamp visible.]
- Check affiliate attribution on the sale record.
[Screenshot: Sale origin — affiliate field shows credited partner or empty.]
- Compare with the partner's shared link and campaign timing.
[Screenshot: Partner link vs sale — URL and promotion date compared.]
- Review whether another link type won attribution.
[Screenshot: Link type analysis — owner, support, or upgrade link identified.]
- Inspect Campaigns only after confirming the actual buyer path.
[Screenshot: Campaigns report — UTM path matches confirmed buyer journey.]
- Check whether the partner was approved at purchase time.
[Screenshot: Affiliate approval history — partner approved before purchase date.]
- Document the decision and evidence.
[Screenshot: Dispute resolution log — decision and evidence filed.]
- Update partner guidance if the wrong link type was used.
[Screenshot: Updated partner guidelines — correct link type emphasized.]
Link-type mistakes behind disputes
| Mistake | Result |
|---|---|
| Partner promoted with owner campaign link | Sale may not credit the affiliate |
| Support sent a campaign link during recovery | Attribution can shift away from partner |
| Buyer used bookmarked old link | Path may not match current promotion |
| Wrong product or offer in partner materials | Sale may exist but not for the promoted offer |
| Custom commission changed after the sale | Dispute becomes about rate and attribution |
What to verify before changing attribution outcomes
| Check | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Actual checkout link used by buyer | Attribution starts at the link path |
| Sale already has documented origin | Avoid changing outcomes without evidence |
| Partner program rules | Dispute policy should be known in advance |
| Custom commission documentation | See custom commission |
| Whether finance already paid or reported the sale | Escalate carefully |
Best practices
- Require partners to use affiliate tracking links, not owner links.
- Manage support links so they do not overwrite partner attribution by accident.
- Document custom commission rules before disputes arise.
- Train partners during approval on link usage.
- Compare affiliate disputes with broader campaign attribution gaps when many sources look wrong.
Common mistakes
- Deciding disputes from partner screenshots alone.
- Changing commission without confirming link evidence.
- Blaming affiliates when checkout used an owner link from ads.
- Ignoring upgrade or support link types in the investigation.
- Investigating webhooks before confirming sale origin.
FAQ
Can support links affect affiliate credit?
Yes. See short links and support tools and confirm which link the buyer actually used.
Where do owner campaign attribution issues fit?
Should I change custom commission to settle a dispute?
Fix attribution evidence first. Commission rate is separate from whether the sale should be credited to the partner.
How do I prevent disputes at approval time?
Use approve or reject affiliate requests with clear link and attribution rules.