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Amazon.com is the largest online retailer in the world, perhaps the best known as well. Nearly everyone has purchased something through Amazon, and their offerings cover almost every possible retail area including books, music, housewares, movies, toys and many more.

Target Audience of the Amazon.Com Affiliate Program

• As the largest operating affiliate program, Amazon Associates attracts members from across the globe with its huge variety of product offerings.
• This program is great for people who wish to advertise on their blogs, because there is a WordPress plug-in which allows bloggers to add a link from Amazon.com to any word in their blog.
• Links to Amazon.com products can be placed in product reviews, blogs, customized storefronts and recommended book reading lists. So, no matter what type of content a website offers there is an option for participating in the Associates program.

Affiliate Program Type

• In House Program

Amazon.com Affiliate Program Commission Structure

• There is a variable commission structure, ranging from 4% for the purchase of books not directly linked from a website to 8.5% for products directly linked from a website. There is a maximum commission of $10 for items other than books.
• There is no minimum commission for Amazon Associates, a feature which sets this program apart from other affiliate programs.
• Two options for Associates; Performance Fee Structure and Classic Fee Structure. New Associates are enrolled in the Performance Fee Structure, which allows Associates to earn higher commission with large numbers of sales. The Classic Fee Structure allows members to earn 4% across the board on sales from Amazon, or third party merchants who sell through Amazon.com when the product purchased is directly linked from the Associate's website.
• Two-Tier Absent
• No recurring income from the client: if the customer you have referred, buys directly on the amazon site and not via your affiliate links, you are not credited for this.

 

Payment Information

• Members are paid quarterly, and may choose between three options for payments: paper check, direct deposit into a checking account or Amazon.com gift certificates. Payments are made in U.S. dollars.
• There is a minimum payout amount of $20.
• Payments are mailed approximately thirty days from the end of each calendar quarter. Non-profit groups participating as Amazon Associates may direct their payments to a charity of their choice in lieu of receiving the commission payments themselves.

Affiliate Program Sales Leaks

• Reliable and refined shopping cart and purchase systems.
• Amazon.com does not allow outside advertising on their site. There is little risk that a visitor will click on an Amazon.com site and leave the Amazon site.
• With the Performance fee structure, an Associate earns commission regardless of whether an referral purchases the specific products advertised on the member's website. However, this is not true for the Classic Fee Structure, where Associates are credited only for direct-linked products.

Amazon.Com Affiliate Program Tracking Details

• Cookie present
• Cookie length: 10 days

Available Creatives/Ads

• Large variety of ways in which Associates can incorporate links with their website.
• Direct product linking allows Associates to promote specific products, either individually or in virtual store fronts or reading lists.
• Live Store-Windows which update automatically in order to feature best-selling products from a selected category.
• Search boxes that can be incorporated onto a website in order to offer visitors access to all Amazon.com products.
• A large variety of Banners & Logo's present (different formats).
• Plain text link possible as well, useful in reviews or blogs. There are plug-ins for popular blogging tools such as WordPress which will do text linking automatically.

Statistics available to Affiliates

• Multitude of comprehensive reports available.
• Ability to measure web site performance, see which items generate revenue, analyze what kind of linking methods are most effective and obviously to monitor affiliate earnings and payments.
• Amazon's affiliate statistics reporting does not notify Associates when a customer cancels or returns an item purchased. The only indication of these events is a lower of the current earnings.

Assistance to Affiliates

• E-mail support provided through This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
• Separate Affiliate FAQ

Eligibility Criteria to Join

• Open to affiliates all over the world
• No offensive sites or sites with illegal content are accepted

Actualaffiliate Rating of the Amazon.com affiliate program

• Because Amazon.com had the first affiliate program, they have the advantage of knowing what gets and keeps affiliate members. And, since they are also the largest online retailer the options for product listings are virtually limitless for Associates.
• There has been a recent adjustment in the commission structure, however it is too soon to tell the outcome of that change. Overall, this is a very solid affiliate program which can work for just about anyone hoping to earn a little extra income with a very minimal time investment.
• For items other than books the commission limitation is a true killer and we would recommend to search for other affiliate programs which offer these items and compare commissions and check out process.
  
  
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