Amazon Affiliate Oops
I am already an affiliate with Amazon.ca and Amazon.com and had thought to join Amazon.uk but when I applied they visited my website livingsnug.com and this was their response:
"We found that the URL http://livingsnug.com redirects viewers to Amazon.co.uk, which violates our Operating Agreement. Redirecting to our website infringes on our trademark and causes misunderstandings with our customers."
At this point I was completely confused as I thought that was the idea so I posed my question to the WA community.
"Denied Amazon Affiliate program now what do I do?"
I received several responses, one from Kyle explained that I would be ok without Amazon and he explained they are on the lower end of the commission scale and their cookies are only valid for 24 hours.
Kyle also provided a link to training on how to find relevant affiliate programs that I am definitely going to research.
https://my.wealthyaffiliate.com/training/how-to-fi...
Another member inquired if I was able to still access Amazon.ca and Amazon.com and I have since determined that I can, but on reading the Associates Program Operating Agreement from Amazon I find that if I do not make changes to my website to stop the redirecting to Amazon and I do make a sale it does not mean that they have to pay me.
One further researching the Operating Agreement I came upon this paragraph that explains what redirecting is:
“Redirecting Link” means a link that sends users indirectly to the Amazon Site via an intermediate site or webpage and without requiring the user to click on a link or take some other affirmative action on that intermediate site or webpage.
For the next little while I will be at my website making some changes and researching alternate affiliate programs.
I hope this blog prevents someone else from making the same mistake I did.
Another thing I should point out is I had gone ahead of my course lessons. After this fiasco I went back to doing the training by Kyle - Course 3, Lesson 2 "Understanding How Affiliate Marketing Works". Goes to show I should have completed my training because he clearly says not to do that and I would have saved myself a lot of hassle.
Recent Comments
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Yep, Amazon definitely wants their visitors to voluntarily come to their website by manually clicking a link on another website.
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So why not link directly to amazon? Can't you just change your links?
That is what I'm still a little confused about myself. You would think Amazon would like customers being directed to their store. I've decided to go back to Kyle's training about affiliate links Course 3 Lesson 2 which was where I was before I decided to try it on my own and find out the answer to that.
I'm sure it will be fine. If you get your affiliate links from amazon (from the Site Strip at the top of the page when you're logged in) all should be well. Same for their banners etc.
I hope so. Thanks for the vote of confidence.