Cookie stuffing is a deceptive tactic used in affiliate marketing. In affiliate marketing, individuals (affiliates) are compensated for driving sales through specific URLs. These URLs set cookies on users' browsers to track which affiliate sent the user to the site. However, affiliates that engage in cookie stuffing use dubious techniques (like the use of pop-up ads) to set these cookies. As a result, the affiliates who use cookie stuffing falsely claim credit for sales that they didn't facilitate.
This practice is prohibited by many affiliate marketing programs and is considered fraudulent. Legitimate affiliates might lose potential customers as a result of this practice. Retail companies also lose revenue as a result of this practice. The practice also leads to an increase in price for the consumers. Cookie stuffing has also been considered wire fraud. A notable case was the conviction of Shawn Hogan, a prominent figure in eBay's affiliate program. He was convicted of fraud for engaging in cookie stuffing in 2014. Hogan received a five-month federal prison sentence and a $25,000 fine.[1] However, despite occasional high-profile cases, cookie stuffing remains relatively rare, and most users do not encounter it frequently.