Attribution windows explained
The attribution window is how long after a click a sale still counts. You set it per program, and it is separate from the refund window.
What the attribution window does
The attribution window is how long after a click a sale still counts. You set it per program as attribution_window_days. A click today with a 30-day window credits the athlete for any matching purchase up to 30 days from now. After that, the click expires and the sale is treated as organic.
This one number decides every credit-timing call on the program. Set it to match how long your buyers take to decide.
30 daystypical attribution windowHow a sale resolves to a click
Attribution is first-party and server-side, through your Shopify store. When someone clicks an athlete's tracking link and buys, the order is credited automatically. There is no discount code for the customer to enter and nothing for them to remember.
Here is the path a sale takes:
- Click. The customer clicks an athlete's tracking link. We write a
?ref=value into your Shopify cart note attribute. - Purchase. The customer checks out. Shopify sends us the
orders/createwebhook with that cart note attached. - Match. We match the order to the click on your server, not the customer's browser.
- Window check. If the purchase falls inside the attribution window from the click, it counts and commission accrues. If it falls outside, it does not.
Because the match happens server-side, credit holds even if the customer switches devices, uses an ad blocker, or comes back a few days later. For the full mechanic, see attribution without discount codes.
One athlete per sale
A sale credits a single athlete: the last attributed click inside the window. Credit is never split across athletes, and a sale outside the window credits no one.
Attribution window vs. refund window
Two windows, two jobs. One decides whether a sale earns commission; the other decides whether a refund reverses it.
| Attribution window | Refund window | |
|---|---|---|
| Question it answers | How long after a click does a sale still count? | How long after a sale can a refund reverse the commission? |
| Field | attribution_window_days | refund_window_days |
| Triggers on | A click, then a purchase | A Shopify refund |
| Effect | Decides whether commission accrues | Reverses accrued commission, pro-rated to the refunded amount |
A short example. You set a 30-day attribution window and a 14-day refund window. A customer clicks on day 1, buys on day 5 (inside the attribution window, so it counts), then refunds half the order on day 10 (inside the refund window, so we reverse half the commission). See how refunds and clawbacks work for the four refund timing cases.
Setting the window per program
You set the attribution window when you publish a program, and you can change it later.
- Shorter windows (7 to 14 days) fit impulse purchases and single-product stores. They credit only fast conversions.
- Default window (30 days) fits most stores and most buyer behavior.
- Longer windows (45 to 90 days) fit high-consideration products people research for weeks before buying.
The window is yours to set per program. There is no platform-wide default forced on you, and changing it only affects clicks that happen after the change. For the term itself, see the attribution window glossary entry.
Start at 30, then adjust
If you are not sure, set 30 days and watch your dashboard. If most attributed sales land in the first week, you can safely shorten it. If sales trail in near the window's edge, lengthen it.
FAQ
What window should I set?
Match it to how long your buyers take to decide. A 30-day window fits most stores. Shorten it for impulse buys; lengthen it for high-consideration products people research for weeks. You set the window per program and can change it as you learn.
What happens to a sale outside the window?
It is not attributed and earns no commission. If a customer clicks a tracking link, waits longer than your attribution window, then buys, the sale counts as organic. You pay nothing and the 20% platform fee never applies, because the fee is charged only on a real attributed sale.
Last-click or first-click?
Last attributed click within the window. If a buyer clicks two athletes' links before purchasing, the most recent click inside the window gets the credit. Credit goes to one athlete per sale, never split.