Beware! Amazon Associates changes rules. Read to not get BANNED.

[Checkered hat]

Updates to the Associates Operating Agreement Effective July 1, 2012

I can't post actual url but just google this : "Updates to the Associates Operating Agreement Effective July 1, 2012"

Amazon is tighting screws again. Read it carefully. Your account can get banned simply for using redirects now, not just cloaking. Lots of other changes too. Some fees got higher than some got lower.

Just read it, you will thank yourself later.

Take care, guys and gals.

P.S. Here are my "fave" snippets from new OA:

"30. You will not cloak, hide, spoof, or otherwise obscure the URL of your site containing Special Links (including by use of a redirecting page) such that we cannot reasonably determine the site from which a customer clicks through such Special Link to the Amazon Site."

"You will provide us with any information that we request to verify your compliance with this Operating Agreement or any Operational Documentation. In addition to any other rights or remedies available to us, we may terminate this Operating Agreement, withhold (and you agree you are not eligible for) any advertising fees payable to you under this Operating Agreement, or both, if we determine that you or other persons that we determine are affiliated with you or acting in concert with you (whether in respect to any existing or previously terminated Associates account)

"(f) include any trademark of Amazon or its affiliates, or a variant or misspelling of a trademark of Amazon or its affiliates in any domain name, subdomain name, or URL or in any username, group name, or other identifier on any social networking site

Just a heads up for BHW friends. Tell me what you think about these changes.

 

[marusia]

I was reading it last night. Here's the link.

https://affiliate-program.amazon.com/gp/associates/help/operating/compare

 

[sikandar]

Does it mean that Amazon wants to put naked URLs to Amazon on our affiliate sites so that Google screws us further in rankings?

 

[Checkered hat]

Yes. Because they can.

/time to think about other aff programs, world doesn't revolve around Big G and Big A. And we should shove it to their faces.

 

[KevinK]

I don't see too much of a problem here...

You just have to do things just a little different, that's all.
Create a page that is in compliance with Amazon, et. al.
Drive traffic to this page, or don't (your choice), but be
sure to fake the refer(r)er so that it looks like the lead
came from this site. It's also easy to do if you are tech.
challenged by using a button... if this website does not
redirect you (whatever you want to say) in 10 seconds
then click this button --> the button on a unindexed page
of your site.

So maybe I've overlooked something?? But I don't think so.

 

[nam6641]

The way I read it is that you cannot blank your referrer or have a blank referrer anymore. They probably want to cut down on people stuffing their oreos.

 

[weedface18]

they're shooting themselves in the foot, the affiliates will just move on to a better website

 

[HFlame7]

The way I read it is that you cannot blank your referrer or have a blank referrer anymore. They probably want to cut down on people stuffing their oreos.

This is my take on it as well.

From this sentence, "such that we cannot reasonably determine the site from which a customer clicks through," they just want the true website/referrer the customer clicked on. No blanking or changing the referrers. Cloaking of affiliate links is fine as long as the referrer is not messed with in any way.

The problem is that many people do have tracking systems that may not allow Amazon to see the real referrer. But before you think about using this as a way to continue spoofing the referrer, Amazon also states, "You will provide us with any information that we request to verify your compliance with this Operating Agreement or any Operational Documentation." So if you do not have a real tracking system, it may be best to stop spoofing the referrers.

 

[ChaseThatBitcoin]

Wait, does this mean I can use bit.ly's amzn.to link shortener still or no?

 

[senior]

They cut most of the commissions in half too! At least that was the email I got.

 

[Th3T3chGuy]

Wait, does this mean I can use bit.ly's amzn.to link shortener still or no?

I would like to know this as well.

 

[Typlo]

Being discussed in Gaz Cooper's thread here: http://www.warriorforum.com/main-internet-marketing-discussion-forum/622051-amazon-com-reduce-commissions-almost-50-july-1st-some-categorys.html

 

[Checkered hat]

Wait, does this mean I can use bit.ly's amzn.to link shortener still or no?

It could be Yes and it could be No. You will find out when wait for your check from them. Amazon is known as much as Google for banning accounts on the whim. If they will _want_ to ban you they will use this as an excuse. Imho.

they're shooting themselves in the foot, the affiliates will just move on to a better website

That's what I thought. They had enough of coverage, now just want to get all link juice from naked urls and ban affiliates.

They cut most of the commissions in half too! At least that was the email I got.

In short, they cut Industrial and increased Magazines. And I can see why. Industrial can get you lots of commission due high item cost and if amazon don't pay reoccurring commission for recurring magazine subscriptions then you get pen|n|ies.

 

[LBrown]

I've spent the last few days redoing the monetization on my websites and I'm not even halfway done. My plan is to convert everything as fast as possible then start shopping around for different affiliate networks where I can. No cloaking and no redirection includes gocodes and Brad's CPA redirector.

I'm looking at Walmart.com as an alternative for many of my sites. Their commissions are lower but I think they will have a similar effect of people buying multiple things and people assuming their prices are lowest so not shopping around before they check out. Their online inventory is comparable to Amazon's as well. I don't like an affiliate dictating how I build my sites and Amazon has gone too far with this one.

 

[Checkered hat]

Lbrown, I appreciate your thread about Amazon sites so much, you know it. It's a shame that amazon getting shittier and all about double standards. I think changing amazon links to different affiliates is good for diversifying, monetization and overall income safety. I wish you all the best.

 

[ajithrocksca]

The worst thing is the cut down of commission rates in grocery category. around 20% of my income comes through grocery category. Sad, but can't do much about it.. other things are fine in my opinion...

 

[conrulez]

Wow, I thought you were BIG in Amazon...I'm betting that's a LOT of changes...

I don't see this as a big problem really...At least not with the adsplugin you recommended in your other thread. I just tested it. The referrer is clearly there and it's the page the ad is on (simple header command in the php file). Doesn't look like much of an issue. If that isn't good enough for them then nothing is! Now I can see if you're cloaking a lot of stuff and been sending blank referrers...Well then you're gonna have a small problem, but it's easily fixed.

If you're using your own scripts/etc, just plug the page you have the ads on in as the referrer...Piece of cake. Or create dummy pages as someone mentioned above and plug that referrer in. I thought you had talked about how you have numerous sites with ads at the top, etc..I can't see them nuking you for using those pages as your referrer.

Changing some of the commission rates is a whole different ball game. It's certainly not half the products though.

I would think twice everyone, about running away from Amazon just yet...I don't think Walmart or any other online outlet will have anywhere near the pull and success of Amazon...Just my opinion...

Not seeing this as too big a deal. Easy to get around it IMO. I'd certainly open numerous accounts though to spread the risk.

Anyways...best of luck everyone,
Con

I've spent the last few days redoing the monetization on my websites and I'm not even halfway done. My plan is to convert everything as fast as possible then start shopping around for different affiliate networks where I can. No cloaking and no redirection includes gocodes and Brad's CPA redirector.

I'm looking at Walmart.com as an alternative for many of my sites. Their commissions are lower but I think they will have a similar effect of people buying multiple things and people assuming their prices are lowest so not shopping around before they check out. Their online inventory is comparable to Amazon's as well. I don't like an affiliate dictating how I build my sites and Amazon has gone too far with this one.

 

[LBrown]

Wow, I thought you were BIG in Amazon...I'm betting that's a LOT of changes...

It's a ton of changes. I contacted Amazon about the adsplugin and hopefully they'll give me the go-ahead to leave those sites as is. My sites with adsplugin are mostly autoblogs so I couldn't change it all if I tried. I'd just have to disable it until I come up with a better solution.

I'll be doing some testing with other affiliates. If none come close to Amazon profit-wise I'll stick with Amazon for the time being. This is just too reminiscent of how Adsense dictates terms to publishers.

 

[KingMonkey]

What alternatives are their to Amazon? I don't know any other sites that have such a wide variety of products in as many categories.

 

[nerfsmurf]

eBay, but im having a harder time trying to become an aff with them