Amazon API no longer offers reviews !
- Thread starter 3xrs.com
- Start date
blackhit
Elite Member
- Jan 28, 2008
- 2,352
- 4,357
A couple of scripts won't post comments anymore (which in reality were the reviews).
For the sites that looked like user-active blogs this is bad.
For the sites that are setup like stores or product-overview sites it's not the end of the world.
Amazon said they will supply links in their API that lead to the reviews.
So a product page needs a link or button which reads "Click here to check out the reviews" (or something of that order).
To read the reviews your traffic lands on Amazon. That's where I wanted them anyway...
For the sites that looked like user-active blogs this is bad.
For the sites that are setup like stores or product-overview sites it's not the end of the world.
Amazon said they will supply links in their API that lead to the reviews.
So a product page needs a link or button which reads "Click here to check out the reviews" (or something of that order).
To read the reviews your traffic lands on Amazon. That's where I wanted them anyway...
qxxxp
Junior Member
- May 3, 2009
- 186
- 82
yes.. and I know why:
I and my buddys have been sued by some company for "stealing" their amazon reviews... I am still fighting with the attorneys.. this is madness (Germany).
They say that I have stolen their review and have to pay 1000 $.. I told them that the review is coming from amazon apis so it is legit... but they cant understand what an api is and want probably to shut my sites down if I dont pay.
... so, because of such problems, Amazon decided to remove the reviews from the APIs... and they dont give a ******** about their affiliates... if any of you needs help, forget amazon.. they wont help you to get out of this shit.
I and my buddys have been sued by some company for "stealing" their amazon reviews... I am still fighting with the attorneys.. this is madness (Germany).
They say that I have stolen their review and have to pay 1000 $.. I told them that the review is coming from amazon apis so it is legit... but they cant understand what an api is and want probably to shut my sites down if I dont pay.
... so, because of such problems, Amazon decided to remove the reviews from the APIs... and they dont give a ******** about their affiliates... if any of you needs help, forget amazon.. they wont help you to get out of this shit.
Last edited:
blackhit
Elite Member
- Jan 28, 2008
- 2,352
- 4,357
@qxxxp
Sorry to hear about your probs with some legal eagles.
Even if you're able to put get rid of them, it still stole some of your time and caused unnecessary stress.
Strange point they have. One would say that the rightful owner of a review is the reviewer and not Amazon. Unless there's something on their site that states otherwise.
It applies to more areas, comments on blogs, newspapers, etc.
If by using their media you lose all rights it would be crazy to participate there. They could use it for anything using your name.
Sorry to hear about your probs with some legal eagles.
Even if you're able to put get rid of them, it still stole some of your time and caused unnecessary stress.
Strange point they have. One would say that the rightful owner of a review is the reviewer and not Amazon. Unless there's something on their site that states otherwise.
It applies to more areas, comments on blogs, newspapers, etc.
If by using their media you lose all rights it would be crazy to participate there. They could use it for anything using your name.
Scripteen
Elite Member
- Sep 19, 2009
- 1,818
- 1,930
A couple of scripts won't post comments anymore (which in reality were the reviews).
For the sites that looked like user-active blogs this is bad.
For the sites that are setup like stores or product-overview sites it's not the end of the world.
Amazon said they will supply links in their API that lead to the reviews.
So a product page needs a link or button which reads "Click here to check out the reviews" (or something of that order).
To read the reviews your traffic lands on Amazon. That's where I wanted them anyway...
Just hope that the link to reviews will still generate the tracking cookie
blackhit
Elite Member
- Jan 28, 2008
- 2,352
- 4,357
Just hope that the link to reviews will still generate the tracking cookie
Yep...
Reviewazon already has a link in their script/template that leads you directly to the reviews. Has nothing to do with the API.
Wonder though if the scripts (like Reviewazon, WPZon, etc) break the moment the reviews are removed from the API.
Means in the worst scenario I have to update 100s of blogs...
I had other plans for my VA's in November.
Crixus
Regular Member
- Jul 10, 2010
- 409
- 123
All the scripts/plugins using the api will probably have to be updated by the developer and the webmaster if they're using reviews.
I think the link they're going to push will be an iframe to still display the reviews on your page, it just won't be in your html.
I think the link they're going to push will be an iframe to still display the reviews on your page, it just won't be in your html.
nufaman
Elite Member
- May 29, 2009
- 1,870
- 1,345
Yep...
Reviewazon already has a link in their script/template that leads you directly to the reviews. Has nothing to do with the API.
Wonder though if the scripts (like Reviewazon, WPZon, etc) break the moment the reviews are removed from the API.
Means in the worst scenario I have to update 100s of blogs...
I had other plans for my VA's in November.
Don't see why.... doesn't the script write the review as content and instert it into your database?
blackhit
Elite Member
- Jan 28, 2008
- 2,352
- 4,357
Yes, the comments added to the posts are in the database but there's also a linktag in the single post template that leads directly to the reviewspage on Amazon.
dionysus
Junior Member
- Dec 15, 2008
- 105
- 32
Thankfully, I decided some time ago to move my sites away from amazon to something more profitable. The more restrictive amazon gets, the less profitable it becomes. When they changed to the 24 hour cookie, I lost a tremendous amount of business, and have only used their affiliate program for certain sites since then.
Their business decisions have always been aimed at maximizing profit, which I can't blame them for. However, since my motivations are driven my profit also, this decision of theirs just firms my decision to stay with other merchants and CPAs, and stop promoting Amazon completely.
Of course, if I had a single site getting millions of buyers a day like amazon does, I would probably do the same thing they are doing.
Their business decisions have always been aimed at maximizing profit, which I can't blame them for. However, since my motivations are driven my profit also, this decision of theirs just firms my decision to stay with other merchants and CPAs, and stop promoting Amazon completely.
Of course, if I had a single site getting millions of buyers a day like amazon does, I would probably do the same thing they are doing.
D
Deleted member 133636
Guest
This sucks pretty damn hard, but it's still possible to get around this. They supply you with a url to an iframe that's valid for 24 hours.
All plugins (wprobot etc) must be updated, as of the 8th of November reviews will not be returned in the API response, only the iframe-url.
If you still want to save reviews as comments etc. you can still do this, it just requires some additional work. I'm already working on scraping the HTML for the returned iframe. I guess it won't be a lot of trouble getting the iframe -> scraping/parsing the review data from the HTML -> saving it to a database.
All plugins (wprobot etc) must be updated, as of the 8th of November reviews will not be returned in the API response, only the iframe-url.
If you still want to save reviews as comments etc. you can still do this, it just requires some additional work. I'm already working on scraping the HTML for the returned iframe. I guess it won't be a lot of trouble getting the iframe -> scraping/parsing the review data from the HTML -> saving it to a database.