What is the Conversion Protection Initiative (CPI)?
Awin’s Conversion Protection Initiative (CPI) makes sure you’re still paid for affiliate-driven sales when an advertiser’s tracking falls short. CPI uses standard tracking first, and probabilistic data is used as a backup when an advertiser’s tracking setup is incomplete.
CPI requires advertisers to have two types of tracking in place:
- Server-to-server (S2S) tracking
- In-app tracking, for apps where customers make transactions
Why did Awin introduce CPI?
CPI helps protect conversion data. It stops tighter browser restrictions, stricter cookie consent requirements and other tracking limits from reducing your commissions.
The key benefits of CPI are:
- Fair payment for sales that might otherwise not be tracked correctly
- Stronger relationships with advertisers through more reliable and accurate reporting
How does CPI work if advertisers don't meet Awin's tracking standards?
Awin charges these advertisers an extra fee. The fee is based on the estimated value of sales their outdated tracking may miss.
Advertisers are invoiced as follows:
- No server-to-server (S2S) tracking:
- A +12.6% adjustment is added to the advertiser’s invoices to cover estimated missed sales.
- Larger brands that provide deterministic data have their own adjustment percentages.
- No in-app tracking (for app sales):
- The adjustment is based on the advertiser’s actual app sales data, if they provide it.
- If they don’t provide data, a default 20% adjustment applies, based on industry benchmarks.
What does CPI mean for publishers?
Since 24 April 2025, eligible publishers have received extra commission from advertisers affected by CPI.
For instance, if you earned £1,000 from an advertiser without S2S tracking in March, you’d receive an extra £126 (12.6%) as a probabilistic transaction.
Note: You don’t need to do anything to receive these payments. CPI compensation is applied automatically.
How and when will I receive CPI payments?
CPI payments follow your regular payment schedule.
For more on how payments work, see Understanding Transaction Status and Payment Process.
How do I identify CPI (probabilistic) transactions in reports?
Log in to the Awin platform and follow these steps:
- Go to Reports and select a report, for example Transactions or Performance Over Time.
- Filter by Transaction Type > Probabilistic.
To learn more about the reports in the Awin platform, see Where do I find reports?
How are the probabilistic percentages (12.6%/20%) calculated?
- 12.6% for missing S2S tracking: Awin’s internal data shows that sales rise by 12.6% on average once S2S tracking is in place.
- 20% for missing app tracking: This figure comes from industry benchmarks. It isn’t used if the advertiser provides its own app sales data.
Note: These percentages may change in future as new data becomes available.
What is the difference between probabilistic and deterministic tracking?
- Deterministic tracking: Uses direct data signals to track transactions with high accuracy.
- Probabilistic tracking: Estimates missing transactions from historical trends when the tracking setup is incomplete.
Can advertisers avoid probabilistic adjustments?
Yes. When advertisers add S2S tracking and in-app tracking, they provide the deterministic data needed to pay you correctly. Probabilistic data is then no longer needed.
How can I view a program’s tracking setup?
You can see how an advertiser track sales in two ways.
1. On the Awin platform
From your dashboard:
- Go to Advertisers > My Programs.
- On the left sidebar, check the High reliance on third-party cookies under Filter By to find programs with limited tracking setups.
2. Using the Publisher API
Tracking Transparency (trackingTransparency) is a field in the Publisher API’s Get Program Details endpoint that shows which tracking methods each program uses. The data is updated in near real time and covers a rolling 30-day period.
The supported tracking signals are:
- Client-Side Tag
- Server-to-Server
- App Tracking
- Voucher Code Attribution
- Deferred Click Measurement
This helps you judge how reliable a program is and make better optimization decisions. To find out more about each method, see What tracking methods are available?
How does the CPI affect cookie tracking and consent issues?
CPI doesn’t currently cover sales lost when a user refuses tracking consent. For cashback and loyalty publishers, Awin offers an Incentive Cookie Tool that bypasses consent for “strictly necessary” activity. For more on cookie consent, see Cookie Consent – Publisher FAQs.
For an overview of other available tracking methods, see What tracking methods are available?
Are there regions where CPI calculations differ due to local tracking laws?
No, CPI calculations are standardized across all regions and are not adjusted for local tracking laws.
Do I need to know which advertisers participate in the CPI?
No. CPI protects you from losing commission because of poor advertiser tracking. You’re paid fairly whether or not tracking works perfectly, so you don’t need to keep track of which advertisers are affected.
Awin does not publish a list of advertisers affected by CPI. Whether CPI applies to an advertiser depends on their contract and tracking setup, and both can change often. If you’d like to understand a program’s tracking setup, use the platform filter or Tracking Transparency described above.
For more information on the CPI initiative, visit the CPI Hub landing page.
