Check whether the tools count the same event
A click counter may record a redirect request, while page analytics can require a page load and script execution. Filters, consent choices, repeat visits, time zones and location rules can produce different totals. Start by comparing the contracted definition with each tool's event definition.
A practical investigation order
- Check that campaign URL redirects resolve and the destination loads across devices.
- Match date ranges, time zones and campaign identifiers.
- Compare unique versus total clicks and the deduplication window.
- Review any provider and tracker invalid-traffic filtering.
- Look for unexpected geography or concentrated timestamps without declaring them proof of fraud.
- Share a concise, documented discrepancy with the seller and ask how their counting rules apply.
Keep a neutral evidence trail
Save the original contracted terms, screenshots or exports of reports, campaign URLs and dates. Avoid including identifiable subscriber information in a public dispute or support message. A missing analytics event can reflect a technical fault; a matched click count still does not prove that the visits were commercially useful.
Choose the right next step
If the problem is a broken redirect, fix it before another send. If qualifying clicks were not delivered under written terms, follow the seller's resolution policy. If delivery checks out but visitors do not sign up, review landing-page fit and audience relevance.
Build a reconciliation table before emailing the seller
| Source | Count to capture | Key question |
|---|---|---|
| Order confirmation | Promised eligible clicks | What was purchased? |
| Seller report | Eligible and total clicks | Which counting and exclusion rules were used? |
| Redirect or link tracker | Recorded requests | Was the destination reached? |
| Page analytics | Loaded visits or sessions | Did the page and script run? |
A sample diagnosis
Imagine the seller reports 300 qualifying link events while your analytics records 260 page visits. Start by checking whether you are using the same period and timezone, whether repeat clicks are deduplicated differently, and whether the tracking URL redirects correctly. Consent settings, content blockers, page-load failures and invalid-event filtering can all change what a system sees. The 40-event difference is a question to investigate, not an automatic refund amount.
Collect evidence without exposing subscribers
Save the agreed counted-click definition, final campaign URL, aggregate exports, timestamps and any page outage log. Share campaign identifiers and redacted totals rather than identifiable subscriber data. Ask the seller to explain its methodology and the relevant contract clause. If the seller's own report shows fewer eligible clicks than the order required, you have a different issue from an analytics-only discrepancy.
Close with a clear disposition
Document whether the difference was explained by measurement definitions, an identified technical failure, a contractual shortfall or an unresolved concern. Only then decide whether to seek a remedy or adjust the next test. Read the delivery guide for contract language and the anomaly guide before inferring that an unexplained pattern proves intentional misconduct.
Useful next steps
Guide reviewed September 19, 2026. Provider recommendations and purchase terms can change; confirm current details before ordering.