Unknown traffic sources found in reporting
One important piece of information that can be collected during an online transaction is the referrer data, which is the URL of the webpage that directed the user to the transaction page.
Essentially, if the referrer info sent in the transaction data directly matches the traffic sources referrer info, the traffic source can be determined.
Reasons why referrer data may not be provided:
- User Privacy: Some browsers and privacy settings may prevent the referrer data from being passed to the transaction page. This is done to protect user privacy, as referrer data can contain sensitive information about the user's browsing history.
- HTTPS to HTTP: If a website has an HTTPS (secure) connection, and the transaction page is on an HTTP (non-secure) connection, the referrer data may not be passed. This is because secure connections do not pass referrer data to non-secure connections.
- Direct Access: In some cases, users may directly access the transaction page without going through a referral link. For example, they may have bookmarked the transaction page, typed in the URL manually, or accessed the page from an email or newsletter. In these cases, there is no referral data to provide.
- Third-Party Applications: If a user accesses the transaction page from a third-party application, such as a mobile app or social media platform, the referrer data may not be available. This is because the application may not pass the referrer data to the transaction page.
Conclusion
In summary, referrer data can be a useful piece of information for online transactions, but it may not always be available. There are several reasons why referrer data may not be provided, including user privacy, HTTPS to HTTP connections, direct access, and third-party applications. It's important to be aware of these factors when analysing online transaction data and to understand the limitations of the available data.