Amazon skimming?

pj777777 · Oct 22, 2017

HI Guys,

Anyone noticed a significant drop in Amazon high ticket sales?

I have and have checked my metrics and everything is as it should be.

Conversions are down by around 1 percentage point, but sales value has collapsed by 56%!

High ticket sales are almost non existent, but the ancillary sales like warranties, accessories are still there.

This situation kicked off around June and then really accelerated in September and now in October...sheesh. It's like I am back in my first months with Amazon!!!

Not crying about things as time moves on as do opportunities, but would really like to give Amazon a kick in the balls if they are stealing commissions as I leave.

Wal-Mart would love to get a slice of the Amazon associate army I think ;-)

1337Teh · Oct 24, 2017

I am having the exact same problem, along with hundreds of other affiliates. Take a look at the official amazon affiliate forum, a lot of people complaining about that.

Some people say it's the quiet before the storm, since black friday and other holidays are approaching.

pj777777 · Oct 24, 2017

Hi,

Yeah, I am aware of that thread.

Do you think it is a slow down before the storm? I have been doing the Amazon gig for 2 years and that wasn't the case then.

Think they have either fecked up the one link thing or just winding down support resources for the affiliate program as they aren't making any noises as to fixing any issues.

My high ticket items that do ship also end up being in a 4.5% category rather than the 8% category thst they should be in....strange that.....

ThopHayt · Oct 24, 2017

IMHO they are choking down to maximize (their own) profits. Also Google is at war with Amazon over the hosting market (Google is tackling AWS, Amazon's main money-maker) and this may have had an effect on Amazon's bottom line. In which case they would need to pad those losses from elsewhere... IE from what you're talking about. I foresee Amazon having a tough time now that Google has their sites set against them. Won't be long until you start seeing less of Amazon in the SERPS as well if Google really wants to crush them.

-ThopHayt

pj777777 · Oct 24, 2017

Agree totally,

I think Amazon are in for a rough ride and are minimizing their cost base.

If Google choses (as it does) to keep someine out if their serps then they will.

ThopHayt said:
IMHO they are choking down to maximize (their own) profits. Also Google is at war with Amazon over the hosting market (Google is tackling AWS, Amazon's main money-maker) and this may have had an effect on Amazon's bottom line. In which case they would need to pad those losses from elsewhere... IE from what you're talking about. I foresee Amazon having a tough time now that Google has their sites set against them. Won't be long until you start seeing less of Amazon in the SERPS as well if Google really wants to crush them.

-ThopHayt

ThopHayt · Oct 24, 2017

Agreed, Amazon is slowly (or not so slowly now) phasing out affiliates in order to gobble up the profits themselves. They've been headed this way a while, but pressure from Google seems to have sped things up. I'll laugh when Google finally stops giving Amazon so many unwarranted page one results and Amazon gets crushed.

-ThopHayt

1337Teh · Oct 27, 2017

ThopHayt said:
Agreed, Amazon is slowly (or not so slowly now) phasing out affiliates in order to gobble up the profits themselves. They've been headed this way a while, but pressure from Google seems to have sped things up. I'll laugh when Google finally stops giving Amazon so many unwarranted page one results and Amazon gets crushed.

-ThopHayt

Yeah but when this happens, the affiliates will already have left amazon and moved onto other things. Let's see where amazon get's their sales from after that. No Google, No affiliate traffic. GG

mezzofanti · Nov 1, 2017

My October was rather good until 26.10.2017 (Thursday). After that, Amazon sales went down - from 7-8% down to 1-2%, except on Sunday 29.10.2017. when they were normal (almost).

It looks like a glitch similar to one that they had at the end of March this year (which started on 27.03.2017. or 28.03.2017.). But, they never admitted that they had any issues

I wonder will they say anything right now - somehow I am very skeptical about Amazon admitting anything

However, their One Link now support more countries - great. I think. I wonder is that the reason why reporting is having issues. Or because they phased out certain store on 27.10.2017. (can't remember exact the name of what they phased out on that date - I never used it anyway) is still reflecting on the reporting ...

anyone?

pj777777 · Nov 1, 2017

Amazon seem to never admit an issue or a fix.

Onelink messes up reporting so you can't see tracking id.

High ticket sales are virtually non existent from my targeted tracking ids now.

Moved on and swapping out links on a daily basis.

Good luck if you stay

mezzofanti · Nov 1, 2017

i have checked my stats from the end of March and beginning of the April - Amazon glitches were gone after 01.04.2017. Good thing. Bad thing is that they never admitted their glitches and never refunded 'missing' sales (I don't have a proof of any missing sale, of course, because I am using 'their' reporting ...).

Anyway, I will change nothing except connect all foreign stores I can (One Link) and let it sit for a week (even Japanese

). If they continue to have issues, I will remove One Link code from some of my sites. If that helps, I will remove it from all of my sites, but if not, I will have to find some alternative for Amazon affiliate program and swap at least some links before Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

Any good Amazon affiliate alternative for home appliances and electronic gadgets? I was thinking about Rakuten and Walmart....

Any ideas?

(maybe it is too early to talk about Amazon affiliate alternatives, but it is also too early to talk that after 01.11.2017. Amazon will have no glitches in their system, like 7 months ago, especially since I already have 4 sales today, on average $150 per sale)

pj777777 · Nov 1, 2017

I am looking have chosen a shareasale vendor for some of my niches and their % payment is far more than Amazon. Longer cookie, but lower daily conversions (maybe trust or the fact that it is a high ticket niche).

mezzofanti · Nov 1, 2017

these days many people shop from Amazon like from local shop - even easier. With such 'fan base', they can do almost anything they want

Anyway, I really hope they will fix their bugs (if they haven't already) - I really don't like big changes in this part of the year -> shopping, shopping, shopping

pj777777 · Nov 1, 2017

Agreed. Seems like things are straightening out for you. Enjoy

waterworks · Nov 4, 2017

pj777777 said:
I am looking have chosen a shareasale vendor for some of my niches and their % payment is far more than Amazon. Longer cookie, but lower daily conversions (maybe trust or the fact that it is a high ticket niche).

I would say MOST affiliate programs have better rates than Amazon. Amz has become the 800lb gorilla in the room and they can afford whatever % commission they feel like implementing. And you better belive theyll tighten the noose even further when/if their sales ever drop because their accountants will find ways to cut costs and end up looking at affiliates.

Everyone else has to give higher payouts or nobody will promote their products. Trust is a big deal for consumers when it comes to buying from somewhere and those 1000’s of small unknown sites are shareAsale probably struggle big time to earn it.

mezzofanti · Nov 10, 2017

Is it me or Amazon's reporting didn't work (again) as it should yesterday (November 9, 2017)?

Yesterday I had only 2 sales on US Amazon (3 on Amazon CA, for example), with average ~15 sales per day this month. And 'the best' of all, these 2 sales were very expensive items (nowhere to be seen during previous week or two) ...

wayne1977 · Nov 11, 2017

This past 8 days I have only 2 small orders from Amazon which is pathetic. With one big ticket item returned. I think that this will be a terrible festive season and with black friday and cyber monday on it's way I don't expect any miracles. And Amazon is just keeping quite about the situation.

pj777777 · Nov 11, 2017

Yeo, I think this particular party is over ;-(

wayne1977 said:
This past 8 days I have only 2 small orders from Amazon which is pathetic. With one big ticket item returned. I think that this will be a terrible festive season and with black friday and cyber monday on it's way I don't expect any miracles. And Amazon is just keeping quite about the situation.

pj777777 · Nov 11, 2017

Reporting has been off for me since July.

Big ticket items are hardly appearing now and when they do lots don't ship according to Amazon.

Feck 'em. Plently more opportunities out there

mezzofanti said:
Is it me or Amazon's reporting didn't work (again) as it should yesterday (November 9, 2017)?

Yesterday I had only 2 sales on US Amazon (3 on Amazon CA, for example), with average ~15 sales per day this month. And 'the best' of all, these 2 sales were very expensive items (nowhere to be seen during previous week or two) ...

wayne1977 · Nov 11, 2017

pj777777 said:
Reporting has been off for me since July.

Big ticket items are hardly appearing now and when they do lots don't ship according to Amazon.

Feck 'em. Plently more opportunities out there

Decided to switch over to Skimlinks, will see how it go. If every affiliate stop promoting Amazon then they will come crawling back with excuses and gifts.

pj777777 · Nov 12, 2017

Yeah, I read a post yesterday were an associate swapped over their site to skimlinks and saw a x4 increase in earnings WTF!!!

Amazon skimming?

Power Member

Regular Member

Power Member

Elite Member

Power Member

Elite Member

Regular Member

Jr. VIP

Power Member

Jr. VIP

Power Member

Jr. VIP

Power Member

Senior Member

Jr. VIP

Senior Member

Power Member

Power Member

Senior Member

Power Member

Main Menu

Marketplace

Making Money

BlackHatWorld

Other