Produced as a co-production: Our new feature, "Conversion Request"
Even though our own to-do list for further developing our platform is more than long enough, we still try to accommodate our customers’ requests. And that’s how “Conversion Requests” came about.
This feature allows partners to submit a request to create or modify conversions. Not only can the status, amount, or commission be adjusted, but also the category and target (e.g., changing from an existing customer to a new customer).
This new tool was developed in close collaboration with select clients and, above all, with our partner agency ARTEFACT. In the process, we gathered feedback in advance on the challenges encountered in day-to-day work and on desired features. Even during development, we maintained contact with customers—and especially with ARTEFACT—through regular feedback sessions. During these sessions, we presented the current status and gathered feedback. Once the feature went live, we worked with ARTEFACT during the first few weeks to process and fulfill the initial requests. This generated further insights and feedback, which we promptly implemented.
Who needs this tool?
Why is the new Conversion Request feature helpful? Cashback providers receive daily requests for retroactive discounts on the price paid, in cases where this wasn’t done automatically. Two systems are used to track purchases: the partner’s cashback system and the advertiser’s tracking system. For example, due to inadequate tracking, there may be conversions that are not recorded on the advertiser’s side or conversions that cannot be attributed on the partner’s side.
In addition, complaints may arise if a conversion is unjustifiably rejected (according to the partner) or if the commission paid out is too low. Therefore, partners must be able to request changes or additions to conversions after the fact.
Conversion Request Explorer
The Explorer allows you to create and manage conversion requests directly within the UI. In addition, requests can also be created via import. More information on this is provided later in the article.
A list of all conversion requests is provided for reference, including details about each request (e.g., the creation date or the current status of the request) as well as information about the conversion (e.g., the partners and advertisers involved or the commission model used).
This data can be filtered based on specific criteria and then exported.
Clicking on an individual request displays additional details in the information panel on the right-hand side. Two different types of information are provided here. First, comments allow for communication between partners and advertisers to take place and be documented. Second, the view provides the advertiser with a clear overview of the request. In the case of a conversion update, the relevant parameters are highlighted in color.
Special benefits for partners
One feature worth highlighting is the automatic assignment of the commission rate in effect at the time of conversion, including the model name. This ensures that users do not have to manually look up this information when entering a conversion retroactively.
In addition, the new format includes a robust set of validations and pre-checks that prevent invalid data from being imported: the partner receives immediate feedback in real time—that is, at the moment of upload or submission. Furthermore, any incorrect entries in the cell are clearly flagged.
Special benefits for the admin
In addition, before approving or rejecting a requested change to specific fields (e.g., Category Target, Sub IDs, Order Value, Status, Device) in an existing conversion, the admin will see a preview of the impact (i.e., the revised commission) if the request is accepted. This ensures a high degree of transparency and traceability for both the advertiser and the partners. In the future, changes to a conversion will also be traceable in the history.
Each conversion request has a status that indicates the current stage of the process. Once the request has been confirmed by the admin and processed by the system, the conversion is created or updated, and the funds can be disbursed.
Import Conversion Requests
Especially with larger partners (e.g., well-known cashback providers like Shoop or DeutschlandCard), it is easier and faster to import a file rather than manually entering thousands of requests. A sample file is provided for this purpose, which contains all the fields required for a conversion. The order of the columns is not specified. All required fields are marked in bold and underlined. All optional fields can be removed.
