User continue to see Target variant even after it is set to zero percent

[#1]

We have noticed that a variant in a Target activity is very "sticky". Once a user sees a variant they can not get out of it, even when that variant is changed to zero percent in Target. We have tried clearing cookies and then closing the browser, and even then we see that zero percent variant experience. The only way we have found to solve this is to clone the activity and disable the old one.

How is Adobe keeping track of the user after they clear cookies?

Is there any way to actually turn off a variant once it has been seen without cloning the activity and disabling the old one?

[#2]

@jerrods_att,

Great question! Visitors who have previously qualified into the experience will continue to increment the metrics for that experience until one of the following happens:

1. The visitor lifetime expiration (2 weeks) has passed and they become a new visitor (at which point they will be re-evaluated for the Experience distribution.

2. The end visitor intentionally clears their cookies. (Unfortunately you don't have any way to force this on the end visitor.)

If you are testing locally and have correctly cleared your cookies you should be re-evaluated into the activity. If at that point when you are re-evaluated the distribution is set to 0% for that experience you should no longer be able to get into that experience. If that is not the case please open a ticket with support and we will help you look into it further.

If this satisfies your query please like, mark as helpful and mark as answer. Otherwise lets keep the conversation going. Hope you have a wonderful day.

Mihnea Docea | Technical Support Consultant | Customer Experience | Adobe | (:: 1 (800) 497-0335

[#3]

Hi Jerrods, can you please confirm the type of activity being used here. Is it an XT activity?

Ideally, once a user has entered into an experience they would keep seeing it until they have cleared their cookies/cache. Clearing cookies should ideally make a visitor re-qualify for the activity experience. You could debug this further by running an mboxTrace(Troubleshoot content delivery)

Regards,

Karan

[#4]

It is good to know that I was not wrong about the "expected" behavior...and I did not know about the 2 week "lifetime" expiration.

The problem for us is that the QA people are clearing their cookies and closing then closing their browsers after seeing the variant. The variant gets set to 0% in Target. Then they go back to the page and they still see the variant. I am really not sure how it can be so "sticky" and remember them even after all of this.

It is a real problem if we can't totally turn off a variant once it has been live without turning off the whole activity.

We will research some more and then enter a ticket if we can't resolve it.

[#5]

Hi @jerrods_att, Since you mention QA mode, you  might want to check this link Activity QA bookmarklet .

Because QA mode is sticky, after you browse a website in QA mode, your Target session must expire or you need to have Target release you from QA mode before you can view your site like a typical visitor. Use the QA Target bookmarklet to force yourself out of QA mode.