What is Cookie Duration in Affiliate Marketing?

TL;DR: Cookie duration is how long affiliates get credit for referrals after someone clicks their link. A 30-day cookie means if someone clicks your link today and buys within 30 days, you earn the commission. Longer cookies = more potential earnings for affiliates.

Quick Answer

Cookie duration (also called "cookie life" or "attribution window") is the period during which a tracking cookie stays active in a visitor's browser. If a potential customer clicks an affiliate link and makes a purchase within the cookie duration, the affiliate receives commission credit—even if the purchase happens days or weeks later.

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How Cookie Duration Works

The Technical Process

1. Click: Visitor clicks affiliate link
2. Cookie Set: Tracking cookie stored in browser
3. Timer Starts: Cookie duration countdown begins
4. Browse/Leave: Visitor may leave without purchasing
5. Return: Visitor returns within cookie window
6. Purchase: Sale attributed to original affiliate
7. Commission: Affiliate earns their commission

Example Timeline (30-Day Cookie)

Day	Action	Cookie Status
Day 1	Click affiliate link	✅ Cookie set
Day 5	Browse products	✅ Cookie active
Day 15	Leave site	✅ Cookie active
Day 25	Return and purchase	✅ Commission earned
Day 35	Return and purchase	❌ Cookie expired

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Common Cookie Durations by Industry

Industry	Typical Duration	Why
SaaS Products	30-90 days	Longer sales cycles
E-commerce	24 hours - 30 days	Quick purchase decisions
High-ticket Items	60-120 days	Significant consideration time
Amazon Associates	24 hours	High volume, quick decisions
Financial Products	30-45 days	Research-heavy purchases

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Why Cookie Duration Matters

For Affiliates

• Longer = Better: More time for conversions
• Impacts earnings: Short cookies miss late converters
• Program selection: Key factor when choosing programs
• Realistic expectations: Understand attribution limits

For Merchants

• Competitive advantage: Longer cookies attract better affiliates
• Cost considerations: Longer windows = more attributed sales
• Fair attribution: Balance between accuracy and affiliate incentive
• Industry standards: Stay competitive with peers

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Types of Cookie Attribution

First-Click Attribution

• Credit goes to the first affiliate link clicked
• Benefits affiliates who create awareness
• Common in longer sales cycles

Last-Click Attribution

• Credit goes to the last affiliate link clicked
• Benefits affiliates who close the sale
• Most common model in affiliate marketing

Multi-Touch Attribution

• Credit split between multiple affiliates
• More complex to implement
• Fairer for long customer journeys

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Cookie Duration Best Practices

For Merchants Setting Cookie Duration

Factors to Consider:

• Average time to purchase for your product
• Industry standards and competitor offerings
• Customer decision-making process
• Affiliate recruitment competitiveness

Recommended Durations:

Product Type	Recommended Duration
Impulse purchases (<$50)	7-14 days
Considered purchases ($50-$500)	30 days
High-value purchases (>$500)	60-90 days
Enterprise SaaS	90-120 days

For Affiliates Choosing Programs

✅ Prioritize programs with:

• 30+ day cookies for most products
• 60+ day cookies for expensive items
• Clear cookie policies in terms
• First-click or hybrid attribution

❌ Be cautious of:

• 24-hour cookies (except Amazon)
• Unclear attribution policies
• Cookie overwriting by other affiliates

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Cookie Duration Limitations

Technical Challenges

• Browser privacy settings: Users can block/delete cookies
• Cross-device tracking: Cookies don't follow users across devices
• Incognito browsing: No cookies stored
• iOS restrictions: Safari blocks third-party cookies

Modern Solutions

• Server-side tracking: More reliable than cookies
• First-party cookies: Less likely to be blocked
• Fingerprinting: Device identification (privacy concerns)
• Account-based tracking: Links to logged-in users

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FAQ

What happens if a customer clears their cookies?

If cookies are cleared before purchase, the affiliate loses attribution. This is why server-side tracking and first-party cookies are becoming more important.

Can cookie duration be extended?

Some programs extend cookies when users add items to cart or create accounts. This is called "session extension" and benefits both affiliates and merchants.

What's the difference between session cookies and persistent cookies?

Session cookies expire when the browser closes. Persistent cookies (used in affiliate marketing) remain until their set duration expires or they're manually deleted.

Is 30 days enough for SaaS products?

30 days is the minimum recommended for SaaS. Consider that SaaS purchases often involve:

• Multiple stakeholders
• Free trial periods (14-30 days)
• Budget approval processes

60-90 days is more affiliate-friendly for SaaS.

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LinkJolt Cookie Duration Features

LinkJolt gives merchants full control over cookie duration:

• ✅ Customizable windows: Set 1-365 day durations
• ✅ First-party tracking: More reliable than third-party
• ✅ Coupon backup: Attribution even without cookies
• ✅ Real-time reporting: See exactly when cookies convert
• ✅ Session extension: Extend on key user actions

Set Up Your Tracking →