CJ's Tracking Standards: What Clients Need to Know

A healthy affiliate program begins with strong tracking. Accurate tracking protects performance insights, ensures publishers are paid correctly, and empowers brands to make informed decisions based on accurate data.

When your tracking meets CJ's standards, you can:

Make smarter, data-driven decisions
Capture conversions that would otherwise go missing
Ensure publishers receive proper credit
Gain a competitive advantage with more complete performance data
Demonstrate the full business value you and your team deliver
Unlock CJ's full reporting capabilities for deeper insights

Core Components of CJ's Tracking Standards

Below are the key elements every brand should have in place to properly track affiliate conversions.

Component	Required
Universal Tag	Always
Concurrent Tracking	Always
Mobile App Tracking	If you have an app
Proper CMP Configuration	Always
Corrections	If applicable
Product Feed	If applicable

1. Universal Tag

CJ's Universal Tag (UT) is the foundation of compliant, modern affiliate tracking for web events. It gives brands real-time, comprehensive visibility into affiliate performance so they can optimize more quickly and efficiently. A primary tracking method is established for each action over a given period of time.

Why It Matters

Provides full-funnel tracking rather than only a conversion record
Offers built-in failsafes for greater accuracy and protection
Minimizes impact from browser restrictions compared to legacy integrations

Implementation Options

UT can be implemented directly on your site or through:

eCommerce platform apps — Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento, PrestaShop
Tag manager templates — Google Tag Manager, Tealium iQ
Server-side methods — Store cjevent server-side to preserve tracking accuracy even with Apple ITP

2. Concurrent Tracking

Even with UT in place, some conversions may still be missed due to ad blockers, browser limitations, or technical outages. Concurrent tracking acts as a backup to fill these gaps. An offline tracking method runs alongside your Universal Tag and helps safeguard your program.

Options

Advertiser Tracking API (GraphQL) Ideal for real-time, direct data sharing — especially if your team uses an API integration platform or CDP such as Tealium EventStream with CJ's built-in connector.

New Orders Data File Import Great for brands that already use data exports or prefer SFTP-based file sharing for order data.

Server-to-Server Postback (S2S) A reliable and widely used method for sending conversion data directly to CJ. If you use Google Tag Manager for web, CJ partners Stape and Addingwell offer server-side services that greatly simplify the S2S implementation.

3. Mobile App Tracking

If your customers convert inside a mobile app, those actions must also be tracked through CJ to ensure fair compensation for your partners. With more shoppers preferring apps for speed, stored payment info, and personalization, mobile tracking is critical to capturing all customer journey paths.

Without app tracking, affiliate-driven conversions in your app will not be credited.

Integration Options

Leverage your existing Mobile Measurement Platform (MMP)
Complete a direct integration with CJ using a server-side method
Use CJ's partner Button

4. Consent Management Platform (CMP) Compatibility

Advertisers may leverage Consent Management Platforms (CMPs) to gather site visitor consent and meet regulatory requirements for data privacy. This may result in a scenario where a consumer referred by a publisher opts out of tracking and CJ is prevented from attributing a commission.

Reviewing CJ's Services Privacy Policy and using proper classification of affiliate cookies ensures:

Tracking remains functional
User consent is honored
Regulatory requirements are met
Advertiser commitments to publishers are met

If your website uses a CMP, review your configuration to understand if it is blocking affiliate tracking through inaccurate classification or failed execution when consent is given.

Loyalty Exemption

CJ supports a loyalty exemption for certain affiliate activities under PECR (Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations).

Cookies necessary for loyalty or cashback programs do not require explicit user consent, because users knowingly participate to earn rewards.

Stakeholder	Benefit
Brands	Prevents 20–40% data loss and ensures accurate attribution
Users	Ensures rewards and cashback are received
Publishers	Protects revenue through correct attribution

5. Corrections

When customers change orders through cancellations or returns, advertisers may modify the order record within CJ to update eligible commissions to publishers. An automated and accurate integration of cancellations and restatements enables advertisers to:

Prevent unnecessary loss of channel budget for unrealized revenue
Increase accuracy of channel spend metrics
Avoid costly mistakes from manual processes

CJ offers solutions to cancel and modify orders through GraphQL APIs, data transfer, and in-platform methods.

6. Product Feeds

A product feed (product catalog) is a file made up of a list of products and their attributes — such as category, SKU, price, and more. Publishers use the feed to research and promote the types of products an advertiser offers. Presenting information in a standardized, consistent format makes it easier for publishers to find and promote those products.

Advertisers across retail, travel, and finance sectors can leverage API and data transfer methods to automatically update products. Brands that complete this integration can:

Leverage product-level commissioning at scale and in real time
Expand partnerships to publishers with feed-based models
Gain further insight into product-level performance in CJ's platform

Additional Technical Needs

If your program requires alternative or specialized tracking methods beyond CJ's standard solutions, our integration team can review your setup and explore additional options. These methods may support unique technical environments; however, they are not considered part of CJ's standard tracking framework.

Summary

To maintain high-integrity affiliate tracking with CJ, ensure you have:

Universal Tag — primary sitewide tracking
Concurrent Tracking — API, S2S, or batch file backups
Mobile App Tracking — if you have an app
Proper CMP Configuration — including leveraging loyalty exemption when applicable
Corrections — if applicable
Product Feed — if applicable

Strong tracking protects your investment, ensures publishers are rewarded, and fuels smarter business decisions.