Which actions count as a conversion?
For webshops the conversion is almost always a paid order. For service providers and B2B it can also be a quote request, trial period or account registration.
Exactly what counts as a conversion is defined in the programme terms, including exceptions such as cancelled orders.
From click to conversion
A visitor clicks an affiliate link and the tracking stores a cookie or server-side reference. If that visitor completes a purchase within the cookie window, the conversion is attributed to the publisher.
The conversion is first recorded as 'pending' and only definitively approved after checks. That process is called validation.
When is a conversion rejected?
Returns, cancellations, failed payments and fraud are the main reasons to reject a transaction. You only pay commission on revenue you actually keep.
Test orders and orders using non-permitted voucher codes typically fall outside the commission as well.
Why conversion tracking matters so much
The entire model rests on reliable measurement. If your tracking is wrong, you overpay or underpay commission and lose the trust of publishers.
Test your tracking before launch with real test orders in every currency and every country you operate in.