Cookie Settings control how long Buzzbassador tracks a customer after they click an ambassador's affiliate link. This setting can have a big impact on ambassador earnings, attribution accuracy, and how fairly your program rewards the people driving sales.
[SCREENSHOT 1: The Cookie Settings section showing the Cookie Duration field set to 30 days]
What is a tracking cookie?
A tracking cookie is a small piece of data that gets stored on a customer's browser when they click an affiliate link. It remembers which ambassador sent them, so if they come back later and buy something, that ambassador still gets credit for the sale.
Here is the basic flow:
A customer clicks ambassador Sarah's affiliate link.
Their browser stores a cookie saying "this visitor came from Sarah."
The customer browses your site but does not buy anything that day.
Three weeks later, they come back directly to your site and place an order.
Because the cookie is still there, the sale is attributed to Sarah and she earns commission.
Without cookie tracking, only customers who buy in the same session as their click would be attributed. Most people do not buy on their first visit, so a good cookie window is critical to fair ambassador compensation.
The Cookie Duration field
This field sets how many days the tracking cookie stays active in the customer's browser.
Enter the number of days you want the cookie to last.
The default is 30 days.
The cookie expires automatically after the duration ends.
If a customer clicks an ambassador's link on day 1 and buys on day 29 with a 30-day cookie, the ambassador gets credit. If they buy on day 31, the cookie has expired and the sale will not be attributed.
How long should you set it?
There is no single right answer, but here are the most common windows and when to use each:
Duration | Best for | Trade-off |
7 days | Impulse-buy products with short consideration cycles (snacks, low-cost accessories) | Misses customers with longer decision windows |
30 days (default) | Most ecommerce brands. Balanced between fairness and exposure | Works well for the majority of programs |
60 days | Higher-priced products where customers research before buying (premium fashion, electronics, supplements) | Higher commission exposure for sales that happen later |
90+ days | Big-ticket items, B2B, or products with long consideration cycles | Greater chance of attributing sales the ambassador may not have directly influenced |
Industry context: Major affiliate networks like ShareASale and Impact typically use 30 to 60 day windows. Amazon's affiliate program uses just 24 hours, which is unusually short. For most Shopify brands, 30 days is the sweet spot.
How cookies work with each affiliate link mode
The cookie behaves slightly differently depending on which Affiliate Link mode you have selected:
BuzzLinks mode
The cookie is set the moment the customer clicks the BuzzLink. It tracks them for the full duration you set, even if they close the popup without redeeming a code. If they come back later within the window and buy anything (with or without a code), the sale is attributed to the ambassador.
UTM Affiliate Links mode
The cookie is set when the customer lands on your store with the UTM parameters in the URL. Since there is no discount code involved in this mode, the cookie is the only way to attribute the sale. Cookie duration is especially important here.
Referral Code Links mode
The cookie supports the discount code. If the customer clicks the link and uses the code, both methods attribute the sale. If the code gets removed at checkout (some browser extensions do this), the cookie acts as a backup so the ambassador still gets credit.
Edge cases worth knowing
The customer clears their cookies
If a customer manually clears their browser cookies between clicking and buying, the attribution is lost. This is rare but worth being aware of.
The customer uses incognito or private browsing
Cookies set in incognito mode are deleted as soon as the customer closes the window. If they click in incognito and come back later, the attribution is gone.
The customer switches devices
Cookies are tied to a specific browser on a specific device. If the customer clicks on their phone but buys on their laptop, the cookie does not follow them. They would need to either click the link again on the laptop or use the discount code at checkout.
The customer clicks multiple ambassadors' links
If a customer clicks one ambassador's link, then later clicks a different ambassador's link, the most recent click typically takes priority. This is called last-click attribution and is the standard in most affiliate platforms.
Saving your changes
After updating the Cookie Duration, scroll to the bottom of the program edit page and click Save Program. The new duration applies to all future clicks. Cookies that were already set on customer browsers will keep their original duration until they expire.
Frequently asked questions
Can I have different cookie durations for different programs?
Yes. Cookie Duration is set at the program level, so each program can have its own window. This is useful if you run separate programs for different product types.
Does increasing the cookie duration cost me more in commissions?
Indirectly, yes. A longer window means more sales will be attributed to ambassadors. Most brands find this is offset by the increased motivation and earnings for ambassadors, which leads to more promotion.
Will customers know they have a tracking cookie?
Tracking cookies are standard across ecommerce. If your store has a cookie consent banner (required in many regions), the tracking cookie falls under your existing disclosure.
What happens to the cookie if I switch affiliate link modes?
Existing cookies on customer browsers will continue to work for their original duration. New clicks will use whatever mode is active at the time of the click.
Is there a maximum cookie duration?
Most browsers cap cookies at around 400 days. We recommend keeping your window between 7 and 90 days for the most reliable behavior.
Need help?
If you are not sure what cookie duration is right for your program, reach out to [email protected] or message us through the chat in your dashboard. We can help you pick a window that fits your business model.