Amazon - My Two Cents? BOYCOTT! 11/20/2023
Hello,
After reading more posts and other's comments, this whole thing is really ...well.. let's just say I'm not happy, and yes, that is the "G-rated" version. In fact, this is a really horrendous thing to do to Affiliates - on extremely short notice - and right at Christmas and Hanukkah time.... Our biggest selling event of the year!
After contacting Amazon support, waiting, and reading their glib responses, it is QUITE clear that this will NOT be cleared up any time soon. My current PAAPI links are NOT working. I kept an old one, but generated a "new" one, and it's also not working. I have a mix of very old Native Ads on very old posts, and newer Site Stripe Text & Image Ads on various sites. Thinking back, after Amazon Affiliates were encouraged to use their "easy" tools, such as Native Ads, then, SiteStripe, we made the transition, sent Amazon a WHOLE LOT OF TRAFFIC, and made Amazon A WHOLE LOT OF MONEY.
So, yes, not only did they know they were going to pull this stunt, but this whole issue and immense problem was, imho, not only done on purpose, but the timing of it was also done on purpose. Think about it. Amazon had plenty of time to notify us of any potential changes. Online companies like this plan and get ready for changes months in advance especially plans that involve traffic and how they get it. They "could" have given us the heads up many many months ago in order to give us a better chance of updating our links and making sure our API credentials were working. But, to do this in mid-November, leave us without the use of images while purposely taking the traffic but not paying us... is just the lowest. Really. There are many many affiliates with multiple sites up and running, and they've worked hard at building these sites.... So, yes, it just really pis..s... me off... (oops... X-rated version)! Sorry, not sorry!
So, what's my point? Well, sure, "they" are saying the current links will still work until Dec 31st, but my API is not, and any computer programmer who's worth his or her salt knows that you don't abandon one without running a parrallel or a background program and making sure it all works. Further, their correspondence did not mention that the "qualifying" 3 sales were supposed to come from the API and not any of your other ads. THAT part is not too clear... So, I'm sitting here thinking there's no way I can get through ALL my sites and ALL my pages... and ALL my posts to fix them prior to Christmas using an API plug-in that may not even work. I have many many other things to do, and I'm being realistic.... I simply cannot work 24/7 to fix it all in time. So, why should I send traffic to Amazon for Christmas? ...I have decided I'd rather not.
If this is NOT resolved in the next week with some sort of Major Announcement, I'm breaking the remaining Amazon links that have not been converted to text only links, which, btw, makes my sites extremely booooorrring.... I can break them much quicker than fixing them, and besides, I'd much rather send Amazon a Christmas message: If I don't have a back-up API in place and actually verified as working, and I'm not getting paid, then Bozo is NOT getting my Christmas traffic. ..And that's my two cents.
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Just a status update: While changing as many as I can find into Text Links, and unlinking the rest that I simply can't get to, I have more info for those of you who are sticking with Amazon.
Using the broken link plug-in, I have found that three of my sites have broken links WITH the Text and Image Site Stripe links - the very links that are "supposed" to work until Dec 31st. In addition, I have found some of my replacement links, the Text Only links from Site Stripe, are also coming up as broken. ....So, there you have it. Amazon is NOT to be trusted up until Dec 31st. I don't trust their earnings chart or my stats anymore either. Check your links before you send them your Christmas traffic! ...but then, there's no way of really knowing who bought what... because they are doing some really shady stuff.
Just found yet another site with not only broken text and image links, but more "text only" links to Amazon. Amazon is breaking their links NOW, not Dec 31st. Now I understand...what was really going on with my sites...
So, using this Lasso plug-in, paid or unpaid version, your links are still sent to Amazon for sales, but Lasso's API takes over and that's how you still get paid. That's how I understand it anyway. So, Amazon can't say there was no sale if there was a sale... ...interesting...
Thank you for the update. I’m just using the free version. But Amazon wants to keep all profits to themselves. Its crazy
Good morning Toni,
I hear you, big time! I must admit I'm one of the fortunate members who doesn't really use Amazon! However, I have been following some of Phil's posts and Diane's on the subject. I just think it's totally wrong.
I have been trying to use Amazon less and less as I think they have been very unreasonable to their affiliates. This first started when we had the Spamdemic and they cut their affiliate's commission just as many people were going to shop online for the first time! That was so wrong and so unfair!
I have spoken to people with Amazon stores, apparently, they don't look after their suppliers very well, it's all about the customer! I have to say that Amazon does give an excellent service to its customers. However, I am trying not to use Amazon due to the way they treat their suppliers; there are plenty of alternatives!
Even for our grocery shopping, I use a slightly upmarket supermarket to deliver our food as I know they look after their suppliers better than the others. It's important to see the full picture.
I do hope that you can find alternative affiliate programs. It may be a blessing in the long run, as many affiliate programs pay more than Amazon.
All the best.
Roy
Amazon has not been fair to affiliates for a long time. They change the rules whenever they feel like it, some of their rules are not even clear, and I think they do it on purpose because they don't want to pay the affiliates.
Thank you, Mel, I haven't been in WA for a while. But I am trying to get back, also my content creation hasn't been great, just published an article on my website today, after a very long time.
I felt like a stranger on my own website lol lots to do now to get things rolling again.
You are most welcome Rose. I've gone more into Youtube channels but still work on websites as well. Welcome Back!
Mel
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Soooo, if Lasso is only cloaking at $39 per month per site, and you're still going through Amazon using Lasso's PA-API, then perhaps, all I need to do is make sure my API is actually reinstated and working. Sooooooo, if anyone is shopping at Amazon, for anything, a paperclip I think will do, ....would anyone like a cookie??? Let me know if you're going to order from Amazon and don't really care who's cookie you use, and I'll direct you to one of my sites. Thank you for considering the idea!
As far as I know, you cannot cloak Amazon links; that would be against their terms and conditions. And are you self-promoting?
I've been reading about Lasso at the suggestion from many here who have responded to my posts. From what I understand, Lasso has been working with Amazon to abide by their terms, but it is, in fact, a cloaking type of service. You can take any of your affiliate links, put them in your Lasso account to create another link, and paste that into your site. So, by my understanding and definition, it is a cloaking company using their own PA-API, and for whatever reason, Amazon is allowing it.
As for asking whether anyone would like a cookie, I do not think that is self-promotion. We are encouraged to help each other out with comments and critique, etc. so, no, I see no difference. Any one of us who goes to an affiliate site to comment or critique can easily pick up a cookie, on purpose or by accident, and I'm more than sure it has happened multiple times by now over the years. Everyone knows that Amazon does not allow friends and family to purchase off your own links, They will disallow the sale. So, again, IF anyone is shopping anyway and doesn't care who may "get" the credit, then yes, I'm asking if they'd like a cookie to get my API working again. They can check out my profile where WA DOES ALLOW you to list your sites. I will be updating my list with one of my sites that has PA-API links over on my profile if anyone is shopping anyway and is interested in helping out. If not, no biggie. I, myself, may be ordering from Amazon, and again, Amazon does not allow you credit for your own purchases or those from family, etc. In fact, now that you've made this inference, I will head over to the post to ask for comments and critiques on my site. I'd like some input, sure, why not? So, thanks for asking as many may not have known how to find my sites....
But, to answer your question, no, imho, I wasn't asking anyone to go ahead and purchase XYZ product from my sites. I suggested that if they were shopping at Amazon anyway and didn't care who got credit, then yes, I asked whether they would like a cookie. There is a difference, especially if they don't care whose cookie they use and, especially, if they're in the market for a paperclip.
But, hey, I'll play! I'll submit one of my sites to comments and critiques... and I'll be extremely grateful if anyone does click on the Amazon "Add to Cart" button and makes a purchase they were going to make anyway. ...And, you have yourself a really really nice day!
Happy Thanksgiving to All! :)
~MMH (aka, Toni)