The commission attribution rule in an affiliate program defines how you want to assign commissions to Affiliate “A” or “B” when more than one affiliate refers the same customer.
Hotmart’s tracking technology allows creators to set different commission attribution rules for their affiliates. Each rule has its own characteristics and business implications.
Hotmart considers the “Last Click” rule (explained below) to be the most consistent model, which is why it's set as the platform’s default. However, creators can choose the rule that best fits their sales strategy.
What commission attribution rules are available for creators?
Read on to learn how each commission attribution option works and how creators can configure them for their affiliates:
❯ LAST CLICK (LCC)
Also known as “Last Cookie Counts” or “Last Click Counts,” this is the most common attribution model in affiliate programs and the default rule at Hotmart. It assigns the commission to the affiliate who most recently referred the customer — in other words, the last affiliate the customer clicked on.
How it works: This rule gives affiliates the opportunity to offer exclusive bonuses to customers, who in turn get to decide who they want to buy from. It’s considered fair to buyers since they remain in control of their purchasing decision. At the same time, it motivates affiliates to compete by promoting offers in more appealing ways.
❯ FIRST CLICK (FCC)
Also known as “First Cookie Counts” or “First Click Counts,” this rule is less common and rewards the affiliate who first brought the customer to the creator’s site. If the customer returns later using another affiliate’s link, the second affiliate will not receive any commission.
How it works: This model benefits affiliates focused on lead generation. However, it removes the buyer’s freedom to choose which affiliate to purchase from. In many cases, this leads to more support tickets for the seller.
During major product launches, for example, affiliates often offer bonuses to encourage purchases through their links. But under this rule, since the commission always goes to the first affiliate, the buyer can’t switch links to claim a bonus, which may cause frustration and increase support demand for the creator.
❯ MULTIPLE CLICKS (MCC)
The Multiple Clicks model allows the commission for a single sale to be split between more than one affiliate. This applies in cases where a customer clicks on links from multiple affiliates.
How it works: This model favors newer or less competitive affiliates by distributing commissions more widely. While it allows more affiliates to earn from a single sale, each receives a smaller amount.
In practice, these situations are rare, but they can occur more frequently in certain niches or during product launches. One downside is that professional affiliates—those who invest in bonuses or advanced conversion tactics—may feel disadvantaged, since others may receive a portion of the commission simply by having generated a click, even without contributing directly to the conversion.
Where to configure the attribution rule?
To change the commission attribution rule, go to the Affiliate Program settings of your product.
Each rule has its strengths and is more or less suitable depending on your affiliates’ profiles and your sales strategy. That said, we recommend starting with the LCC (Last Click Counts) model, as it is the most recognized by affiliates and tends to minimize friction between creators, buyers, and affiliates.
Additional prioritization criteria
After the attribution rule is selected by the creator, additional commission prioritization criteria come into play to determine how commissions are actually assigned between affiliates.
To understand this next layer in the process, check out the article:
What are the prioritization criteria for assigning affiliate commissions at Hotmart?
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