How We Verify Each Sale (And What "Net New Revenue" Really Means)
Understanding our transparent verification process and why you only pay a performance fee on growth we actually drive
Our performance fee applies to verified incremental revenue above baseline — not total revenue, and not revenue that was already coming in before the engagement. But what exactly does that mean? And how do we measure it?
Let's break it down in plain English.
What Is "Net New Revenue"?
Net new revenue is the incremental revenue we bring to your store — sales above a contractually defined baseline that wouldn't have happened without our involvement.
Here's what counts as net new revenue:
- ✓New customers who found you through our campaigns
- ✓Incremental purchases from existing customers driven by our retargeting campaigns
- ✓Revenue attributed to our channels through verified tracking within the attribution window
What doesn't count (and you don't pay a performance fee on):
- ✗Traffic from channels we don't manage (direct visits, referrals, affiliate links, PR)
- ✗Naturally occurring repeat purchases without our campaign touchpoint
- ✗Sales outside our attribution window that can't be verified as driven by our efforts
- ✗Shipping fees and taxes (performance fee applies to net product revenue only)
- ✗Returns and refunds (only completed, net sales count toward the performance fee)
A Real-World Example
Let's say your store did $50,000 in October of last year. That becomes the contractually defined baseline for this October.
This October, verified revenue reaches $65,000. The incremental revenue above baseline is $15,000.
The performance fee — 5% — applies only to that $15,000 incremental amount.
Your existing $50,000 baseline? You keep 100% of that. Using the same calendar month from the prior year means seasonal revenue — holiday lifts, summer slowdowns — is never counted as growth we generated. Returns are excluded from the baseline calculation. The baseline resets at 12 months by mutual agreement.
How We Track & Verify Every Sale
Transparency isn't a buzzword — it's built into the process. Here's exactly how we verify each sale:
1. Multi-Touch Attribution Tracking
We install tracking pixels and conversion tracking across all platforms (Meta, Google, TikTok, etc.) to see exactly which campaigns, ads, and keywords drive purchases.
2. First-Party Data Integration
We integrate directly with your Shopify, WooCommerce, or ecommerce platform to match transactions with campaign data. This creates an audit trail for every sale.
3. Attribution Windows
We use industry-standard attribution windows (typically 7-day click, 1-day view) to ensure we only count sales where our campaigns played a meaningful role in the customer's journey.
4. Live Reporting Dashboard
You get full access to a real-time dashboard showing every attributed sale, the source campaign, order value, and performance fee breakdown. No hidden numbers — everything is transparent.
5. Mutual Verification
Before invoicing, we review the month's results together. If you see a sale that doesn't look right, we investigate. You only pay the performance fee on verified, attributed revenue above your baseline.
Why This Model Works Better
Most agencies charge a fixed retainer regardless of whether revenue moves. They are incentivized to report on activity, not outcomes.
Brandlark's base retainer covers strategy, execution, and governance. The performance fee — 5% — only activates when we grow your revenue above a contractually defined baseline. Our compensation is structurally tied to the same outcome you care about: verified incremental growth.
This alignment means we focus on what moves the number — not on what fills a report.