🔍 Why can the price differ?
The price shown for a publisher website can change as marketplace data is updated. However, a published article should use the payout amount associated with its approved order or assignment—not a later live price.
For example, a site may currently display $147 or $2 even though your articles were approved at $200 or $400. These values may represent the current publisher listing price, while your order uses a previously approved payout snapshot.
🔒 How payout pricing is protected
- At checkout: the cart is repriced using the latest available cost. If a line falls below cost, it may require review before purchase.
- At assignment: managed or link-order publisher costs are locked when the placement is assigned.
- After publication: the locked cost should remain the basis for the publisher payout and should not be replaced by a later live price.
📄 What to check in your order
- Open the relevant order or published article in Search Atlas.
- Compare the approved or assigned cost with the current publisher listing price.
- Check whether the article was purchased through the Publisher Exchange or assigned through a managed or link-order workflow.
- Review the order status and payout details, including any available cost snapshot or payment record.
A difference between the current listing price and the locked order cost does not automatically mean the payout is incorrect. The approved order amount is the key value to verify.
⚠️ When to request a correction
Request a review if the published article's payout record does not match the approved checkout amount or the cost locked at assignment. Include the publisher domain, article URL, order or placement ID, agreed amount, displayed amount, and screenshots showing the discrepancy.
Do not rely only on the publisher's current marketplace price. Prices can change after publication, while the approved payout may remain locked to the original transaction.
💬 How to get help
If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.