| Affiliate (Publisher, Associate, Partner, Reseller) |
An independent party, or website, that promotes the products or services of a merchant in exchange for a commission. |
| Affiliate Marketing Program | A type of revenue sharing program where an affiliate receives a commission for generating a lead or sale for a merchant online. |
| Click-through | The action a visitor makes when they are referred from one website through to another, via an advertisement or link. |
| Commission | The amount of income paid to an affiliate for generating a sale or lead for a merchant via the affiliate’s website. |
| Cookie | A small file stored on a visitor’s computer that records information relevant to the merchant’s site. |
| Cost per Lead | The commission structure where the merchant pays the affiliate an agreed fee for each qualified lead (potential customer) referred to the merchant’s website. |
| Cost per Sale | The commission structure where the merchant pays an affiliate a percentage or flat fee for a sale of a product or service to a customer referred to the merchant’s site. |
| CPA | (Cost Per Acquisition) – An agreed payment rate for a specific action taken by a visitor to a merchant’s site, such as an application or purchase. |
| Lead | When a visitor registers, signs up for something, fills out a form, or downloads something at a merchant’s site. |
| Link | A form of advertising on a website, email or online newsletter, which, when clicked on, refers the visitor to a merchant’s website. |
| Merchant (Advertiser, Retailer, E-retailer, or Online Retailer) | A website that sells a product or service, accepts payments, and fulfills orders. Merchants place ads and links to their products and services on other websites (affiliates) through a network and pay those affiliates a commission for the resulting leads or sales. |
| Sale | When a visitor makes a purchase from a merchant’s website. |
Affiliate Marketing Glossary