Hi All,

I have spent a lot of time reading and got lots of useful tips from the site but could not find the answer to a question.
I am building a price comparison website and I am struggling with how to monitor the traffic I create for a site and more so how to identify that traffic which turns into a purchase. A friend mentioned creating a java browser (I think) which the traffic links to rather than just the end site. I wondered if anyone had any advice or ideas on how I can track the purchases.

Any advice appreciated.
Thanks

java browser??

Use a redirect to feed the click through a tracking page like -> http://www.candsdesign.co.uk/article...filiate-links/

or you can use a javascript onclick event to fire an AJAX call to the database. ( I've not written that one up yet )

Hi Chrishirst,
Would the method discribed in the link you provided (which I have read - thanks) simply track traffic to an affilate site or would it also allow me to track purchases once the user has been directed to a site. What I require is to differentiate between traffic and buyers (Pay Per Click and Pay Per Purchase).

I think your second suggestion was what my friend suggested, I know he does work a lot with AJAX, so would "a javascript onclick event to fire an AJAX call to the database." allow me to track buyers rather than simply traffic?

Sorry if it is obvious....I do not know AJAX really.
Thanks again.

You can only track a user to the extents of your site no matter what method is used.
If they click a link on your site you can track which link was clicked, what page it was on, even which mouse button was used with javascript, but once they have left your site you have no idea what they do (or did) next.

You can set the links on your site with a tracking ID so you know what each of the links are designated as, (PPP or PPC). But you won't actually know whether the visitor actually carried through a purchase or not.

Thanks again,

You have clarified things for me somewhat, so as I understand it now I somehow need to have a link on my site which opens up a browser window of the store im linking to...which I still have control of (can monitor clicks) and then when they click buy in this screen they then are passed to the store and we record that as a purchase...even though like you say they may not eventually go through with the purchase.

At the moment all I have is the store name and price with a link next to it which directs the user to the store. Would it be possible to display the stores product page in a window I still have control over and then record what they click as you say and then pass them through at that point?

You have been of great help so far!

Of course.

BUT what you do is NOT display the target product page, as an affiliate this would be the worst thing you could do for SE results. What you do is create a page ON YOUR SITE that has all the details of the product and some text about the product that YOU have written rather than use the same text as there is on the vendor site, this dramatically reduces the chances of being dropped by SEs a just another affiliate duplicate.
Then you can direct visitors to the vendor page with a "Buy this [insert title] from [insert vendor]", that way you should have pre-qualified the visitor as a genuine buyer.

Thanks for the information Chrishirst, you have helped clear and distinguish the process of handling the traffic for my site.

Much appreciated.

Chris has the most precise mind you're ever likely to encounter! Lucky thing he's one of the good guys.