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Cross-Device Tracking: The Facts

Awin’s Cross Device Tracking solution enables advertisers to reward publishers for generating sales across multiple devices.

A recent report issued by Criteo illustrated that over one third of all retail transactions in 2016 included two or more devices and according to Google research, 67% of e-commerce journeys involved more than one device. What’s more, TNS have announced that, on average, Britons use three devices preceding basket checkout. These statistics confirm the increasing importance of mobile for online retailers, with nearly two in five cross-device transactions initiating with a smartphone and 55% of mobile transactions taking place via mobile apps.

Awin have developed a deterministic Cross Device Tracking solution, utilising first party data provided by the user to create links between devices, a method also deployed by the likes of Google and Facebook. Cross device tracking works by creating profiles associated to devices. The profile indicates when a user has interacted with an advertiser’s site via one of our links, and then purchased via another device within a pre-determined timeframe. If a publisher generates a sale during this timeframe, the transaction is recorded. On average, conversion rates are 1.4 times higher for cross device transactions versus single device purchases. These sales still require the necessary validation that all current transactions have to ensure they were properly completed.

Multi-device purchasing has paved the way for marketers to forgo the ‘device-centric approach’ for a ‘user-centric approach’. Cross device tracking has allowed advertisers to understand the power and influence of performance marketing within the customer journey and to develop new insights into consumer behaviour and intent. Advertisers and publishers are able to analyse the impact of promotional activity versus transactions or trial new methods to improve customer engagement across multiple touchpoints within the consumer-purchasing path. 

For further information, visit the Awin wiki to see how you can transform your traffic into increased sales.