Skip to main content
AffiliateBase
Features Pricing Compare Help
Log in Start for free

Verify Affiliate Tracking and Stripe Attribution

Test an affiliate link, confirm the generated referral ID reaches Stripe Checkout, and verify the resulting referral, sale, and commission.

Table of Contents

This page is for merchants and developers who have installed the tracking script and want to confirm that referrals, sales, and commissions are attributed correctly. A script load or setup-test click proves only part of the path. A completed Stripe checkout verifies sale and commission attribution.

Setup step 5 (Verify tracking) asks for one test purchase: open the test affiliate link in a private browser window (use Copy or Open next to Test affiliate link), complete a checkout from that visit, then come back. The page updates on its own while it is open and resumes when you return. Its status panel shows each piece of proof as it arrives: Test click received (or Waiting for the test click…), then Stripe received the referral ID (or Waiting for the test payment in Stripe…). If something else is missing, the panel names it and gives one fix.

Use the checkout that matches your Stripe connection mode. In test mode, use a Stripe test card such as 4242 4242 4242 4242. In live mode, don’t create a charge only to finish setup; a free trial counts.

Promo-code-only programs use a different step 5 (Set up promo codes); see Use Stripe Promo Codes with Affiliates.

You can keep going before verification arrives:

  • Do this later, after the test click arrives, saves your setup and moves you to step 6 (Add your first affiliate). Stripe has not returned attribution proof yet, so step 5 stays open, the panel notes that you chose to verify later, and AffiliateBase keeps watching for an attributed checkout.
  • Tracking is verified appears once AffiliateBase has received the test click and Stripe has returned the generated AffiliateBase referral ID on a completed Checkout Session.

If the status reports a missing referral ID, Review Stripe handoff opens the matching install instructions. If your test link has no destination, use Add campaign website URL before testing. Setup and the dashboard point you to Add your first affiliate, then to sharing their live link. With a live-mode connection, the first appropriate live checkout confirms the handoff.

1. Validate referral capture

  1. In Setup step 5, choose Open next to Test affiliate link, or open your site with ?via=TEST_TOKEN using a real affiliate token.
  2. Confirm a call to /api/track succeeds.
  3. Confirm window.AffiliateBase.referral is populated.

2. Validate checkout attribution

Start a Stripe checkout and confirm client_reference_id is set to the generated AffiliateBase referral ID.

  • Payment Link: after a referred visit, inspect the link and confirm client_reference_id was appended.
  • Buy Button or Pricing Table: inspect the Stripe element and confirm client-reference-id is set from the referral value.
  • Backend-created Checkout Session: confirm your server receives referral_id, sets client_reference_id, and copies the same value into affiliatebase_referral_id metadata.

If Stripe shows a client_reference_id that begins with ref_ or setup_, your checkout is sending the public affiliate link token instead of the generated referral ID.

3. Validate conversion creation

First, check the mode shown beside your Stripe connection.

  • Connected — Test mode: complete a Stripe test purchase.
  • Connected — Live mode: do not create a live charge only to finish onboarding. Continue with verification pending, then verify the referral handoff and webhook delivery during an appropriate live payment.

For a same-mode payment, confirm the results in the merchant dashboard:

  • Referrals: the referral’s state changes to a conversion
  • Referrals -> select the referral: the sale appears on the referral details page
  • Commissions: a commission exists for that sale

4. Validate affiliate visibility

Sign in to the affiliate portal as a test affiliate you invited, and confirm the referral and commission appear there.

Troubleshooting

If a check fails, use these guides:

Next steps

Esc