Are redirects traceable?

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It all depends on the browser. Generally header redirects will pass on the referer. Rarely, but sometimes a javascript or meta refresh will give a referer, but not the referer of the originating click, just the referer of the redirect page. So if you have somebody click on your link from originalsite.com to yoursite.com which has a javascript and/or meta redirect to afflink.com, it will usally not have any referer at all, but will sometimes have a referer of yoursite.com depending on the browser. A header redirect though, will generally pass a referer of originalsite.com to afflink.com.


This is a great answer. Thanks.
 
Not sure about this , but couldn't a service like anonym.to cut it?
Sure, but the free services like that are usually abused and sometimes unreliable. They're also generally header redirects, so they won't serve the purpose of masking the originating traffic source.
 
I don't get it, if you don't pass referer's info how merchant will now that it is you who sent lead/sale.
 
kyleirwin's answer is correct. When I tested, safari and firefox passed a referer with meta/javascript redirect (but of the intermediary page instead of originating page) while IE null'd the referer. I made a post on my blag about it, here's the code samples I made:

Code:
<?php

// Filename jump.php
// syntax http://www.example.com/jump.php?url=http://myaffiliateurl.com?id=myid

$url = htmlspecialchars($_GET['url']); // clean the url
?>

<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"
"http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/loose.dtd">
<html>
<head>
        <meta http-equiv="refresh" content="3;url=<?php echo $url; ?>"/>
</head>
<body>
        <div style="height:300px;line-height:300px;text-align:center">
                <a href="<?php echo $url; ?>">Click here to continue</a>
        </div>
        <script type="text/javascript">
        <!--
        window.location = "<?php echo $url; ?>"
        //-->
        </script>
</body>
</html>

You an add your tracking code where needed. I've merged this with oooff's tracking script, if anyone wants those let me know.

* NOTE: always test your redirect code in multiple browsers to see how it'll behave and/or if it'll pass referer. Safest way is to redirect from HTTPS -> HTTP like kyleirwin said, but even then in some instances I've had it pass the referer as well (in some 302 tests I ran).
 
Is it possible to have a redirect somehow take out the affiliate ID and still make the visitor count toward your program or does something like that have to be done in-house from the affiliate network?

I.e. person clicks on mysite.com and mysite.com redirects to moneysite.com/afid=sdfLKJ9280973 but you want them just to see moneysite.com and get paid for whatever they do there.

I'm guessing no, but I don't know shit.. so.. school me!
 
Is it possible to have a redirect somehow take out the affiliate ID and still make the visitor count toward your program or does something like that have to be done in-house from the affiliate network?

You'd have to do it with a "cookie stuffing" or "hidden iframe" trick. Where you're having the page load where the visitor can't see it and then you put a button (banner) that clicks the the link without your affiliate id.

Also most good companies will eliminate the id for you and after they receive your click they redirect to their home page.


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Also if you want a conclusive answer to the original question just look at how JON does it with WickedFire. He does a simple meta refresh which no one can see. (see my sig or any link in this thread as an example)
Code:
<html><head><meta http-equiv="refresh" content="0;url=http://www.speedppcplus.net"></head><body></body></html>
 
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Meta Refresh of JavaScript redirects will sometimes pass the domain on.

I'd never heard about doing https to http though.. Thanks
 
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