Attention Amazon Affiliates!

437 followers

Updated 10 years ago

Hi everyone, it's not everyday that I blog. But this was something that I wanted to write about.

Sometimes I lurk in the Amazon Associates discussion forums to see what the other associates talk about and how much they earn.

So the other day I saw this thread about some one clarifying about the TOS. And how important it is to pay attention to them and understand whether we are breaking them unknowingly or not.

So I suggest that you please go through the TOS very carefully and in case of some doubt, contact the customer care through chat, email or feedback. They are always ready to answer our queries.

Because, there are quite a few things mentioned in the TOS which I clarified, and some of them when translated into plain English mean :

You need to have an Affiliate Disclosure in your site. The language to be used is mentioned (Point no.10)
They say you can only use images provided by Amazon in the link. (I am not too convinced about this and wonder whether the representative herself knows the full details)
The price of the product has to always remain updated on the site (You can use the live image option)
Not using the Amazon Logo and identifying yourself as a "partner" with Amazon
You cannot use Amazon customer reviews as they are on your site even for display purposes

...Among others..

The reason I blogged about this is because I did some probing and came to know that many Associates have had their accounts permanently banned due to violation of the TOS like not having an Affiliate disclosure, using the Amazon logo and mentioning partner etc.

Yes there are many more affiliate programs that pay a lot more, but none are as diverse and popular as Amazon. And you must be well aware about how easy it is to be accepted into the program and receive commission for any item purchased.

At the same time, it is not that Amazon will always have an extra eye on your site to see if you are breaking any rules and in most cases nothing really happens. Maybe if you are a super affiliate, only then. But then I personally believe, why give them a chance. When we don't have things in our hand it is better to stay safe.

Thanks,

Nalin