Capture Rate Definition

Every time a consumer clicks a publisher's affiliate link, CJ creates a unique click event ID called a cjevent. For CJ to credit that click when the consumer later makes a purchase, the cjevent must be saved as a first-party cookie in the consumer's browser.

• Capture rate is the percentage of clicks where the cjevent was successfully saved.
• If the cjevent is not saved, CJ cannot match the click to a conversion and the publisher does not receive attribution.
• A rate below 100% does not necessarily mean something is broken — some loss is expected across all click-based affiliate platforms.
• The goal is to minimize the loss that is within your control.

How Click ID–Based Tracking Works

When a consumer clicks a publisher's affiliate link:

1. CJ creates a click ID. CJ's tracking servers generate a unique cjevent value.
2. The consumer is redirected. CJ sends the consumer to the advertiser's landing page with the cjevent appended to the URL (e.g., ?cjevent=abc123).
3. The click ID is saved. Two mechanisms write the cjevent as a cookie:
   • Server-initiated cje cookie — The advertiser's server reads the cjevent from the URL and sets a cookie via HTTP set-cookie header, prioritizing storage before client-side scripts run. In server-side integrations, the click ID may also be stored in a server session or database as a fallback — useful when the cje cookie is unavailable or deleted prematurely. Note: this additional storage improves resilience, not capture rate.
   • Client-side (Universal Tag) — CJ's JavaScript tag reads the cjevent from the URL after the page loads and writes two cookies: cjevent_dc and cjevent_sc. The cjevent_sc cookie requires a reverse proxy deployment.
4. CJ confirms the result. The Universal Tag checks for cookies beginning with cj and reports whether they were written. This is how capture rate is measured.

Why Both Mechanisms Matter

• The server-initiated cje cookie is prioritized at the server level, providing resilience even when JavaScript is slow to execute. Where consent opt-in is required, cookie setting follows consent flows — server initiation does not bypass consent requirements.
• The Universal Tag cookies are set after the page loads — they depend on JavaScript executing before the consumer navigates away.
• Having both in place provides the best coverage.

Industry-Wide Tracking Limitations

Some tracking gap will remain after all preventable causes are addressed. These factors affect every affiliate and performance marketing platform.

Browser Privacy Is Getting Stricter

• Safari ITP, Firefox ETP, and Chromium-based changes all reduce cookie-based tracking reliability over time.
• First-party cookies (CJ's approach) are more resilient than third-party cookies, but not immune — Safari limits JavaScript-set cookie lifespans and scrutinizes redirect-chain cookies.
• Browsers, VPNs, and similar tools can strip click parameters from URLs before they reach your landing page, meaning some tracking loss is unavoidable even with best practices in place.
• Enabling Universal Tag allows Publisher Tag and API usage, which reduces the risk of parameter stripping.
• These changes respond to consumer privacy expectations and are unlikely to reverse.

Consumer Behavior Creates a Baseline Level of Loss

• Clearing cookies, private browsing, device switching, and ad-blocking extensions all cause loss.
• None of these behaviors can be detected or prevented by the advertiser or CJ.
• This affects all browser-based measurement: affiliate, display, paid search, and social.

Privacy Regulations Are Expanding

• GDPR, ePrivacy, CCPA/CPRA, and similar regulations give consumers the right to decline the storage of CJ's click ID and the use of client-side storage mechanisms.
• Consent management adds a step between click and cookie.
• As more jurisdictions adopt privacy regulations, consent-gated traffic will continue to grow.
• Regulatory opt-out applies specifically to client-side cookie storage. Server-side storage and clickless conversion methods — such as coupon-based or clickless conversion tracking — remain valid in many contexts.

What This Means for Your Program

• Some tracking gap is normal — it reflects how the modern web works, not a broken integration.
• CJ continues to invest in server-side click ID storage and monitoring of browser and regulatory changes.
• Your CJ account team can review your capture rate data and help identify actionable areas for improvement.