How can my own site be an INITIAL referrer?

Trying to figure out a self initial referrer

[tblasko]

I use Unica NetInsight.

One of the more perplexing questions in our analysis has been how it's possible for our own site to be an INITIAL referrer?

An initial referrer is a referrer who sends a first time visitor to our site, so how can our own site send a first time visitor?

Any help is very much appreciated.
-Perplexed

p.s. we do have a redirect on our www subdomain that sends people to another subdomain. We thought this might be it, but the visits to www do not match the number of visits "initially referred" by our own site.

[janharders]

do you have access to the raw log files? do they show initial requests with a refeerer from your site?
The client can send whatever he pleases, so it might either be a faulty browser / robot or a bug in the analytics software. if you can, check the log files to determine which it is.

[cgrantski]

review the definition of "initial referrer" in whatever analytics program you're using. If a visitor's first visit has no referrer at all, does the "initial referrer" slot remain unfilled (in your analytics program) until a visit when they do have a referrer? If so, the answer to the classic "how can my own site be in the referrer list" will probably explain your issue.

[tblasko]

hmmm very interesting. Thanks both for the replies. I am pulling some log data now, and I will investigate how NetInsight fills in the initial referrer. I'll post back when I find out.