New Big Update in Amazon's Affiliate Program (01/03/2019)

[TheSphinx]

Hey, guys & gals!

Here's a new update from Amazon's Affiliate Program in EU only (yet).

Basically, they are introducing an 'indirect qualifying purchase' which is lower than the default commission of that given category, what this means is if you referred someone to a coffee machine which sat under the home and kitchen category but then that user bought a kayak, that sale would be classified as an indirect qualifying purchase because it has come from outside the category you referred the visitor to. So, in this case, you would get 1.5% of the sale and not the ordinary 6% that the sports category receives.

Obviously, this isn't an issue if everyone you refer purchases from the category you refer them to, but we all know we have those odd visitors who decide to do their yearly shop all at once and to be honest that is part of the charm of Amazon Associates. That excitement that you might possibly get a really big commission for an irrelevant sale, well not any more.

I think that this update will be applied in the US as well sooner or later.

And the last advice, even if you're doing great in building this type of sites (Amazon Affiliate sites) don't put all your eggs in one basket -specially with Amazon-.

Here's the source: https://affiliate-program.amazon.co.uk/help/node/topic/GJ4X6Z5AE9KJVEMA

 

[yaaash]

This is really a d*ck move from Amazon. They already have decreased the commission a lot couple of years back and now this. It really sucks

 

[topakins]

I think Amazon are trying to get rid of a high number of affiliates. I noticed that their API is not working on my website anymore. When I checked, I discovered that the API will automatically stop working if you don't have any earning within 30 days. I wrote about that here: https://www.blackhatworld.com/seo/who-else-is-having-issues-with-amazon-api.1096540/ But it seems it's only few people having that issue. This will affect all tools and plugins like EasyAzon that are using Amazon API to fetch content from Amazon

 

[hippo123]

Yeah we can't do much sadly.

Test out other affiliates and see if they perform better. Is walmart a viable alternative?

 

[tophi]

Well its funny, because I decided to start another affiliate website , but this is a good hint for me to go dropping instead affiliate ...

 

[TheSphinx]

This is really a d*ck move from Amazon. They already have decreased the commission a lot couple of years back and now this. It really sucks

Also this will save them a LOT in Christmas (Q4 in general) where people are buying different stuff from different categories in Amazon.
Which means that Q4 won't be that great anymore for Amazon affiliates, unfortunately.

 

[TheSphinx]

Well its funny, because I decided to start another affiliate website , but this is a good hint for me to go dropping instead affiliate ...

Even before that, getting an Amazon affiliate site to hit $100/day is a really pain in the ass by comparing to other private affiliate programs at least for me.
There is a lot of stuff one can do instead of creating an Amazon affiliate site.

 

[VinceC]

Well they do not like affiliate for a very long time. They prefer sellers to spend money on advertising in their own amazon platform instead.

 

[TonyToan]

Even before that, getting an Amazon affiliate site to hit $100/day is a really pain in the ass by comparing to other private affiliate programs at least for me.
There is a lot of stuff one can do instead of creating an Amazon affiliate site.

Can you suggest some affiliate programs that are similar to Amazon? I knew Clickbank before

 

[Holzr]

The trend in Amazon cutting commission has been going on for a while now which is why it's super important to look elsewhere.

Edit: @TonyToan

Empire Flippers have a good article on Amazon affiliate alternatives.

I've found that Amazon under represents many niches and that you're much better going for niche specific e-commerce sites and joing their affiliate program. Often the cookie lengths and commission is way better than Amazon.

What I found to be a good strategy is just typing in on Google "niche shop" etc. So I might do camping shop etc. Find the big players and check out the affiliate program.

The niche I'm in pays 4.5% on Amazon yet on other stores (niche specific and sell way more products) commission is up to 12% with much longer cookie lengths.

 

[GoGuerilla]

Lmao I still don't understand why people promote Amazon products when other affiliates offer AT LEAST 10% and up to 40%

The niches I'm in Amazon will give me 5%. If I go to sellers they
A: convert better
B: offer at least 20%

Even better, contact sellers directly and negotiate your rate if you know that you can bring them sales.

You guys need to shop around, Amazon isn't your friend and they will fuck you any chance they get.

 

[MisterF]

The trend in Amazon cutting commission has been going on for a while now which is why it's super important to look elsewhere.


The niche I'm in pays 4.5% on Amazon yet on other stores (niche specific and sell way more products) commission is up to 12% with much longer cookie lengths.

Totally agree, there are plenty other places paying much bigger commissions etc.

The upside with Amazon is you get paid on sales from other products outside your niche.
So if your niche is baby and a person buys a diamond ring and their weekly groceries, you get paid for all those. Plus it's such a huge marketplace, it's often peoples first port of call to check a price, so if your cookies are saved then you get that too.

 

[Deleted member 657006]

That takes the real piss out of the hard work put into products to get amazon the sales .

There giving 1.6% commission if a buyer go to a non categorised product.

There really Taking the piss now.

How the hell will that pay for my 2k presents a year .

I use to moan at the 6% if lucky if that .

The majority of buys was from different categorised items from my advertised product.

£100 = £6 commission (6%) . but if {off category} £1.06p per buy at (1.6%).

£600 = {1.6%} £6 commission. this is the difference of the % in real life........

there no way i can get Xmas buyers to spend x6 the amount of a sub category product.

We are all fucked xmas now...

thanks amazon ill be homeless outside your building with a cup on xmas day.

Amazon just made many affiliates poor in ONE crawl move.

 

[Deleted member 657006]

Totally agree, there are plenty other places paying much bigger commissions etc.

The upside with Amazon is you get paid on sales from other products outside your niche.
So if your niche is baby and a person buys a diamond ring and their weekly groceries, you get paid for all those. Plus it's such a huge marketplace, it's often peoples first port of call to check a price, so if your cookies are saved then you get that too.

It nice saying all that above, but if it a niche website you dedicated you business around heavily, it going to really hurt hard financially.

I have read people on here getting a office and all sorts over amazon business from commission, there go broke know.( there go the staff and heater lol) not funny

but like what you said and preach ((Dont put all eggs 1 basket)).

you can get better deals directly from wholesalers and others as said being honest ,but the fort of hitting a big one blown over greediness from a multi billion dollar company sad.

 

[crackarama]

Imagine the money they are going to save by pulling this shitty move on its affiliates

 

[VinceC]

It time to build multiple small landing pages instead of niche sites

 

[Holzr]

It time to build multiple small landing pages instead of niche sites

Niche sites are not dead, not by a long stretch. I still see micro niche sites ranking and banking majorly whilst I'm doing keyword research.

The sites I come across are getting 10,20,50,100k traffic per month also so will be making good money.

Niche sites will never die, the market just gets more competitive. But, there's an endless amount of products and niches to promote and always going to be room to exploit a market and make money. Nowadays it just requires some creativity in picking a niche that isn't touched by everyone and their mother.

 

[M4DM4X]

a picture to understand what's going on

 

[bartosimpsonio]

LOL

Pretty soon it'll become like airlines comissions. Zero.

 

[SPQR]

In my opinion, it's crazy that Amazon still has an affiliate program. It makes sense that they're starting to wane off from affiliates. Giving out commissions kills their margin.

If you've noticed, Amazon is introducing different forms of product recommendations on their platform. (The live home shopping Network esque program blew my mind)