International, anonymous tracking system
To begin with, we want to clear up a common misunderstanding about the tracking system: this system is not owned by ShopDonation, but by the webshops. They all use the same system that is used internationally by all major parties, such as Amazon, eBay and AliExpress.The data ShopDonation receives from the webshops is anonymous: we do not receive a name, address or any other personal details.
Automatic delivery of transactions
From the commission ShopDonation receives, we give the donation to your chosen cause. We also link the purchase to your account on ShopDonation. We do this by adding a code to our links that only has meaning for the ShopDonation system, for example a code such as ‘12345xyz’. This code means nothing to a webshop, but in the ShopDonation database it stands for a specific user or cause.The ShopDonation database receives the transactions automatically every day from the webshops, and we cannot delete them manually. If a buyer chose the wrong cause by mistake, we can still change the cause that receives the donation.
- Click via ShopDonation to the webshop
- Make your purchase at the webshop
- The webshop pays ShopDonation a commission
- From that commission the donation goes to your cause
How can a purchase fail to be tracked?
If a click from ShopDonation does not reach the webshop properly, the purchase is not assigned to ShopDonation. In that case ShopDonation receives no commission, so we cannot pass on a donation either. Most purchases are tracked automatically; only rarely is one missed. The most common cause is an earlier click via another website.Earlier click via another website
- Did you previously click through to the webshop from, for example, a discount code website or comparison website? Then the commission goes to that (affiliate) website instead of to ShopDonation.
- At some webshops, a click on a Google ad also counts as a click via another channel.
- An earlier click is often stored on a device for up to 2 weeks. As a result, a click made some time ago can still determine who receives the commission. This also applies to a shared computer: a click by someone else to the same webshop, for example via a discount code website, can unintentionally take away the donation.
It also works the other way round: a cause sometimes receives an unexpected extra donation, because someone clicked from ShopDonation to the webshop earlier and someone else later makes a purchase at that same webshop.
Tip: was there an earlier click from another website? Then you can prevent a missed purchase by using a different device on a different internet connection (Wi-Fi or mobile data), on which that click was not made.
How to prevent a missed purchase
Before you click
- Always click through ShopDonation again for every purchase. Do not save the link of the store yourself: the click has to come from our website.
- Turn off browser extensions of cashback, rewards or discount code websites.
- Make sure your shopping basket is empty when you arrive at the webshop.
- Did a purchase lead to an automatic donation before on a certain device and browser? Then always use that device and browser when you shop via ShopDonation.
While ordering
- Accept the webshop's cookies: always click 'yes' or 'ok'.
- Do not open other tabs or websites after your click from ShopDonation, use one device and complete your purchase in one session.
- Order via the mobile browser, not via the webshop's app.
- Only use discount codes from ShopDonation, not from other websites.
- Do not order by phone or live chat.
- Continue to the 'thank you page' after your purchase. Only then can the webshop let us know that the purchase has been completed.
Settings on your device
- Do not use a VPN or proxy server while shopping via ShopDonation.
- Do not block cookies in your browser and do not set your cookie settings to 'very strict'. Office computers are often set this way. See here how to turn cookies back on.
- A virus or malware on your computer can disrupt the tracking. With Malwarebytes you can run a full scan for free.
Your data at ShopDonation
For an account, we ask for a username and your email address. We send email confirmations of your purchases and donations to your email address.ShopDonation never sells your data to others, so other companies will not send you spam or advertising because you registered with ShopDonation.
Missed a purchase?
Donation confirmation within 48 hours
After your purchase, it can take up to 48 hours before you see the donation in your account and receive a confirmation email.Still no confirmation? Then report the purchase via My purchases - Claims.
ShopDonation's role
At ShopDonation we naturally want to receive as many transactions from the webshops as possible, and we keep a close eye on it when a purchase does not come through properly.To receive this information about missed purchases, reports from buyers are essential, so that we can check the transactions the webshops pass on to us. If a transaction indeed cannot be found in our system, we contact the webshop to still receive the commission and pay out the donation.
Via ShopDonation, users receive an email confirmation of their donation after a purchase. In addition, all users and causes can view a live overview of all donations in their account. This way, missed purchases do not go unnoticed and the highest possible percentage is still converted into donations by ShopDonation.
Read more about how ShopDonation ensures full transparency for all donations and payouts
Do not contact the webshop yourself
The partnership between the webshop and ShopDonation is only known to the webshop's marketing department (the partnership is based on the 'affiliate marketing' principle; technically, we are part of their advertising). The customer service of a webshop will therefore most likely know nothing about the partnership with ShopDonation.So always report a missed purchase to us, and we will contact our contact person at the webshop.
Handling missed purchases
It can sometimes take a while before we get an answer from the webshop about a reported purchase. Unfortunately, this is beyond our control: the webshop has to check whether the purchase did indeed come from ShopDonation. We therefore appreciate your patience.Is a purchase still not assigned? Then one of the valid reasons above has to be the reason the commission was not assigned to ShopDonation. We always keep asking until we get a clear answer from the webshop, so that we can let you know why the commission wasn't assigned to us. With that, we also let you know how to prevent it from happening again.
Purchases with status ‘pending’ and ‘rejected’
A registered purchase first gets the status ‘pending’, because a purchase can often still be returned or cancelled. If a purchase is indeed returned or cancelled, the status ‘rejected’ is passed on to us and the amount is deducted from the total.You can always see these purchases and all statuses in your account on ShopDonation.
Please note: some webshops first assign a purchase to all channels from which you clicked to the webshop (with status ‘pending’). After review, the commission is assigned to one party, so the other channels get the status ‘rejected’.
In addition, every webshop has its own rules. One webshop assigns the commission to the first click, another to the last click. Some webshops divide the commission over all clicks and even impressions that led to the purchase, such as viewing a newsletter.Our advice is therefore: only go to the webshop via ShopDonation. Have you already clicked via another website? Then use a different device on a different internet connection (Wi-Fi or mobile data), so that the commission is assigned to ShopDonation and we can pay your chosen cause.
Read detailed information about how the different transaction statuses work.
