Affiliate attribution for hosting referrals
Updated 2026-11-08 · First-party observations only, no earnings claims.
Scope. This page explains mechanics using one provider we have a real affiliate account with. It is not a survey of all programs, and it is not income advice. Our own balance on that program is USD 0.
Three concepts that are often confused
| Concept | What it controls | Dated example |
|---|---|---|
| Cookie window | How long after a click a later purchase can still be credited | Up to 90 days in the client area; public terms describe a 30-day minimum observed 2026-10-27 |
| Attribution model | Which of several clicks gets the credit | Last-click client area, 2026-10-27 |
| Holding / withdrawal threshold | When and whether a balance can be paid | Withdrawable 30 days after signup; USD 50 minimum official page + dashboard, 2026-10-27 |
Why the numbers disagree
Public marketing pages and the in-account dashboard are maintained separately. When they conflict, we record both and say which one we saw where and when. We do not pick the more attractive one. The full dated table is on the facts page.
What a publisher must not do
- No self-purchases or purchases by friends and family. Payment processors and affiliate terms treat self-dealing as fraud. Gumroad's own help centre states that buying your own product can lead to suspension or a permanent ban.
- No fabricated clicks or hidden attribution. No auto-redirects, no iframe embedding, no cookie stuffing.
- No undisclosed paid placement. If a ranking or recommendation is paid for, it must be labelled as sponsored. Our disclosure explains how our links work.
- No earnings projections without data. A commission rate is not income.
How this relates to agent-driven buying
An agent that discovers a product through a machine-readable catalog still needs an informed human click. Our agent card states this as policy: no automatic redirect, no hidden frames, and the affiliate relationship is disclosed before the click. An agent cannot manufacture an attribution event.
Citation format
“AgentShopping, Affiliate attribution for hosting referrals, updated 2026-11-08, row: <specific fact>.” Do not generalise one provider's terms to the whole industry.