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In my application I am listing some songs and users can tap on download and Itunes open and user can download the music. This far its working perfect.

Now I need to know if user have successfully purchased the music. I have some logic to be implemented based on whether the purchase is successful or not.

Is there anyway we can find a successful iTunes purchase? At-least when we use our affiliate ID?

Cœur
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Deepukjayan
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1 Answers1

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Take a look at how Ebates does this. They link to the iTunes store through Apple's program in the LinkShare network (so you'll need to find analogous instructions for whichever network you use with iTunes: PHG, TradeDoubler, LinkShare, etc).

Notice that your outbound click to the iTunes store from Ebates contains a URL parameter u1 with a unique ID that looks like ebs1234567890sbe. That's what's called a "Signature" or "ShopperID" or "SID value". That ID gets attached to the user so that when they complete a purchase and you get your commission, your reporting will have this ID attached to the transaction. That's how cashback affiliates know to give the right cashback to the right user and you can use that same feature for your needs.

So, some steps for you:

  1. Find the documentation for sending SID values for the affiiliate network you're using to send traffic to iTunes. Here's the documentation for LinkShare (pdf).
  2. Pass a user id with clicks to iTunes
  3. Integrate with your affiliate network's commissions API so that your servers know when a sale has been completed and which user id completed the sale

EDIT: iTunes affiliates working through the PHG network will find these resources useful:

  1. This PDF is PHG's quick start guide. Follow the instructions for "Sub-ID tracking parameters."
  2. PHG's API Docs discuss reporting methods.
  3. Thanks to @Deepukjayan, here is the precise API query syntax for getting your pubref value back from PHG's iTunes API: https://login:pass@itunes-api.performancehorizon.com/reporting/report_publisher/publisher/YOUR_ID/conversion.json?publisher_reference=YOUR_PUBREF_STRING
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jonaz
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  • Thanks for your support, is it possible for PHG? Have you tried? because I can't find anything of that sort. – Deepukjayan Sep 23 '13 at 08:23
  • From PHG's documentation ([pdf](http://appledownloads.performancehorizon.com/Quick_Start_Guide.pdf)): _Adding additional sub-id tracking parameters (optional feature). To add additional tracking parameters simply insert `/pubref`: after the URL and add/merge the information you want to track. This detail will appear in your reports under publisher reference._ – jonaz Sep 23 '13 at 15:07
  • Let me give it a try,... If that's the answer I will definitely come back to approve this. – Deepukjayan Sep 24 '13 at 04:37
  • Thanks for you help. I added camref and pubref and now I could see the click counts increasing in the overview panel and I can see the click counts in the API (download report JSON format) also. But both in overview, reporting and reporting API I couldn't see any trace of the pubref I added. Is there any other API to get pubref-catrgorized results? Any help appreciated. Thanks. – Deepukjayan Sep 24 '13 at 07:33
  • PHG's API docs show examples in XML and there's a node in commission reports for ``. I'd imagine JSON would be the same! Check this doc page: http://apidocs.performancehorizon.com/index.php?title=Reporting_Methods_(Publisher)#Conversions – jonaz Sep 24 '13 at 16:46
  • I believe at last I found that : https://login:pass@itunes-api.performancehorizon.com/reporting/report_publisher/publisher/YOUR_ID/conversion.json?publisher_reference=YOUR_PUBREF_STRING – Deepukjayan Sep 25 '13 at 04:48
  • I still can't get conversions correct. But in case of clicks, I get it correct in real time. Here is my request to itunes:http://aos.prf.hn/click/camref:MY_CAMREF/destination:https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/johnny-cash/id70936?uo=4 and I bought one song from that album. Its been three days now, but still I can't see any conversion. You have any idea why @jonaz ?? – Deepukjayan Oct 03 '13 at 04:29
  • I'm sorry, I'm at a loss. Looks to me like you're doing everything perfectly. Hate to throw up my hands, but have you tried contacting PHG support about this? You should REALLY be getting your conversion data! – jonaz Oct 09 '13 at 20:07
  • Yes i did contact PHG I got some promising response from them. Will post the response here. – Deepukjayan Oct 11 '13 at 09:56
  • @Deepukjayan Did you get it working? I want to add my own tracking parameter to my iTunes Store links, but I dont know how. My links have the following format https://itunes.apple.com/de/album/riders-on-the-storm/id640047463?i=640047752&uo=2&at=. How do I add my own tracking parameter here so that this parameter will show up iin the PHG reports under "publisher reference" – Lean-Juc Dicarp Jun 04 '15 at 20:45
  • @Deepukjayan Have a problem here. The [doc](http://docs.performancehorizon.apiary.io/#introduction/access-and-authentication) requires to use "application_key" as username. But I cannot find out what "application_key" stands for. I've tried some possibilities such as username, affiliate token, user id, none of them works. – JasonW Sep 08 '16 at 03:13