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Amazon Affiliate Cloaking Questions

by GGpaul
5 replies
Okay,

I don't get it. Amazon states that they don't like their links cloaked / shortened etc.

Why is it that I find my competitors ALL cloaking and ALL using shorteners?

So does Amazon not give a damn?
#affiliate #amazon #cloaking #questions
  • Profile picture of the author Rob Whisonant
    Depends if the script or service you use passes the referring URL. Amazon want's to know what URL clicks come from. If they can't determine this, they have a problem.

    Also if you open their site in an iframe they get a little pissed.

    Re's
    Rob Whisonant
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  • Profile picture of the author agmccall
    Amazon does not monitor every single affiliate. Some will get away with it for a while, but when they get caught they will be banned, and when you are banned from amazon there is pretty much no chance of getting your account back, or creating a new one.

    al
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    "Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work." Thomas Edison

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    • Profile picture of the author darthbandon
      I agree, the sheer amount of users would allow it to happen.
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  • Profile picture of the author onSubie
    Originally Posted by GGpaul View Post


    I don't get it. Amazon states that they don't like their links cloaked / shortened etc.


    That's not true.

    Amazon does not have a problem with cloaking links as long as it conforms to their ToS, which you helpfully quoted but didn't understand:

    "30. You will not cloak, hide, spoof, or otherwise obscure the URL of your site containing Special Links (including by use of a redirecting page) or the user agent of the application in which Content is displayed or used such that we cannot reasonably determine the site or application from which a customer clicks through such Special Link to the Amazon Site."

    So plugins like "Pretty Links" and "Elf Links" are fine because Amazon can see where the traffic is coming from.

    Beware of plugins that use iFrames or that do not display the final destination URL in the browser bar.
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    • Profile picture of the author GGpaul
      Originally Posted by onSubie View Post

      That's not true.

      Amazon does not have a problem with cloaking links as long as it conforms to their ToS, which you helpfully quoted but didn't understand:

      "30. You will not cloak, hide, spoof, or otherwise obscure the URL of your site containing Special Links (including by use of a redirecting page) or the user agent of the application in which Content is displayed or used such that we cannot reasonably determine the site or application from which a customer clicks through such Special Link to the Amazon Site."

      So plugins like "Pretty Links" and "Elf Links" are fine because Amazon can see where the traffic is coming from.

      Beware of plugins that use iFrames or that do not display the final destination URL in the browser bar.
      Boom. Thanks bro. TIME TO CLOAK!!
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