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See the supply path before you bid

Path Check reads the public record behind every placement (ads.txt, app-ads.txt and sellers.json) and compares it with the SupplyChain object in the bid request before a bid is placed.

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What is Path Check?

Path Check is the supply-path and quality layer of Vectravia. Before a bid goes out, it looks up who the publisher says is allowed to sell its inventory, who each seller says it is, and which companies touched the request on the way to the exchange.

When those records agree, the bid can proceed. When a seller is not authorized, a chain is incomplete or the owner domain does not match, the impression is flagged or skipped, and the reason is shown next to the placement in your reports.

Monitor in a dark room showing a network map where many thin teal lines fade out and one orange path continues to a single endpoint

What does Path Check look at?

  • Reads the public record

    ads.txt, app-ads.txt and sellers.json are read for every seller in the path.

  • Compares the SupplyChain object

    Each node in source.schain is matched against the seller IDs in those files.

  • Flags gaps and mismatches

    Unauthorized sellers, incomplete chains and mismatched OWNERDOMAIN values are flagged.

  • Prefers shorter paths

    When the same impression arrives by several routes, shorter authorized paths are preferred.

  • MFA and pirate-domain lists

    Made-for-advertising and pirate-domain exclusion lists can be applied before bidding.

  • DIRECT or RESELLER shown

    Every placement shows the relationship declared in the publisher ads.txt record.

How does a Path Check work on one bid request?

  1. Read the request

    The SupplyChain object lists every advertising system (asi) and seller ID (sid) that handled the request.

  2. Look up the publisher

    The publisher ads.txt or app-ads.txt file says which systems may sell its inventory, and whether each is DIRECT or RESELLER.

  3. Look up each seller

    sellers.json from each advertising system says which entity sits behind each seller ID.

  4. Decide and record

    If the records line up, the bid proceeds. If not, the request is skipped or flagged, and the reason is kept for reporting.

Why check the path at all?

Two ANA studies, three years apart, show how much of the open web budget can go to low-quality inventory.

Which standards does Path Check read?

Standards Path Check relies on
Standard What it does here
ads.txt 1.1 IAB Tech Lab Declares authorized sellers on a publisher root domain, marked DIRECT or RESELLER, with OWNERDOMAIN and MANAGERDOMAIN.
app-ads.txt IAB Tech Lab The same declaration for apps distributed through mobile and CTV app stores.
sellers.json IAB Tech Lab Lets buyers see which entities are direct sellers of, or intermediaries in, the sale of an impression.
SupplyChain object IAB Tech Lab Lists every party that sold or resold a bid request, in source.schain for OpenRTB 2.6.
Made for Advertising definition ANA, 4As, WFA and ISBA Industry definition used to build made-for-advertising exclusion lists.

Which channels does Path Check cover?

Path Check works on these channels today. Each channel page explains the formats and standards involved.

  • Connected TV

    Ad pods and SSAI-aware bidding

    OpenRTB 2.6 ad pods, VAST

  • Online video

    In-stream and out-stream video

    VAST, MRC 2-second video

  • Display

    Banner inventory with quality controls

    OpenRTB Banner, MRC 50% for 1s

  • Native

    Ads that match the page they sit on

    OpenRTB Native object

  • Digital out-of-home

    Screens in the real world

    OpenRTB DOOH, Qty multiplier

  • In-app

    Mobile apps with app-ads.txt checks

    app-ads.txt, GPP, App object

  • Omni Buy

    One budget, pacing and frequency view across seven channels.

  • Context Engine

    Contextual targeting and brand suitability, no user ID needed.

  • Signal Reports

    Measured and modeled numbers, labeled apart.

What do teams ask about Path Check?

What happens when a seller is not in ads.txt?

The seller is treated as unauthorized for that publisher. Path Check skips the request by default and records the reason, so you can see how often it happened and on which domains.

Does Path Check slow down bidding?

The public files are fetched and cached ahead of time, so the check at bid time is a lookup against stored records rather than a live web request.

What does DIRECT or RESELLER mean in my reports?

It is the relationship the publisher declares in its ads.txt record for the selling system. DIRECT means the publisher controls the seller account; RESELLER means another company is authorized to resell it.

Can I bring my own exclusion lists?

Yes. You can upload domain and app lists and combine them with made-for-advertising and pirate-domain exclusion lists before a campaign launches.

See Path Check on your own campaigns

Book a walkthrough of the console with your channels, your supply and your reporting needs.

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