Question: How to get back to the amazon associate program after you've been banned?

8 replies
Finally after almost a year of lurking and learning, I decided to jump into deep water and start making money via affiliate marketing.
Since i had some experience and generated enough money with different opportunities (adfly, linkbucks other PPC and other time consuming bull). I had enough money to get hosting, domain and to create my very own website.
After I had enough original content, and I felt satisfied with my website I applied to the amazon associate program and got accepted.
A couple of mounts of nothing and then I came to a realization; a sort of "aha" moment on how I can get lots of people to go through my affiliate links to amazon.
Being a newb, and wanting to experiment, I posted my affiliate links on a third party website instead of my own... big mistake
This is the sum i made(or at least was about to make) last mount:


when I made about half of it It hit me that I was breaking the TOS and that i'm going to see the ban hammer any day now, and of course it came knocking on my door soon enough.


You can guess how devastated I was when they told me that i'm not going to see that cash
But It was mostly my fault for not complying 100% with their TOS.

I know that the title makes me sound sneaky. I made a mistake, I admit that; a stupid, easily avoidable mistake that I believe did not make Amazon look bad or in any way give it bad reputation in the eyes of their customers. But all of this explaining is of no interest to Amazon and to its "Account specialists". They simply don't care about me and my realizations and my promises. Heck if I ever get to a point of owning a company that size, with hundreds of thousands of affiliates, I guess that I would have to make harsh "lifetime bann" decisions as well.... All of that being said I really want to go back to the program because I believe that it can bee of value to bout parties.

My question to you guys is the following:
How do I get back to the amazon associate program?
After reading here and on other forums, I understand that I basically have to be a different person.
I need a new email, a new name and address, a new internet provider (or vpn) and a new bank account.
A new email - no problem
A new address - no problem (also I never meant to use the one I gave them because I prefer to riceve a transfer to my Payoneed bank account)
A new internet provider - no problem, I can do al my amazon business via my cellular internet, go to the library or worst case get a new provider
A new bank account- here i'm starting to have doubts. I gave them my Payoneer information, which had my full name; even if i open a new US bank account with some other internet banking service, I still have to give my full name and in some case a copy of an official document. Its true that amazon only ask for payee name and logically it's more than possible that two people have the same name, but I'm afraid that those "Account specialist" that do all the technical stuff at amazon will link me to the closed account via payee name.

What do you guys think? Anyone here has went through the same process (bann, loose money, make new account and get back on the money wagon)? Do you have any suggestions for the bank account part? I guess eventually I can change my name, but that is a bit extreme... I can theoretically open a Payoneer for a family member and then use it for myself, but I would rather non involve anyone and also this might cause complications in the future.
#amazon #associate #banned #program #question
  • Profile picture of the author dvarmin
    Are you sure this is the reason you got banned? Maybe you haven't signed the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act, this is why my account got closed, and I just reaplied with the same info, and was accepted.

    Regardless, I don't think you'll have any problems if you change your info.
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    • Profile picture of the author TheVaultBoy
      Originally Posted by dvarmin View Post

      Are you sure this is the reason you got banned? Maybe you haven't signed the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act, this is why my account got closed, and I just reaplied with the same info, and was accepted.
      .
      No unfortunately it had nothing to do with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act.
      Quote from the email they sent me:

      You are posting links on third party sites, that contain content linking to Amazon.com, in a way that is not beneficial or considered to be legitimate content.

      Additionally, some of the sites you're referring traffic from aren't listed on your Associates account. Section 2 (Enrollment) of the Operating Agreement states:

      "You will ensure that the information in your Program application and otherwise associated with your account, including your email address and other contact information and identification of your site, is at all times complete, accurate, and up-to-date..."

      Because of these violations, your Associates account has been closed and payment of all advertising fees withheld. Any other accounts you may have or may open in the future which are found in violation of the Operating Agreement terms may be closed and advertising fees withheld without notification...

      Originally Posted by dvarmin View Post

      Regardless, I don't think you'll have any problems if you change your info.
      My main question is how. Every bank account i will open, will have my name on it, and since i need to provide payee name to amazon, they can link it with my closed account,
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      • Profile picture of the author Kay King
        Your excuses are "I'm new" - "I didn't know" - but truth is you didn't bother to read and heed the TOS that YOU agreed to when you signed up with Amazon.

        The terms and conditions of sites are not "suggestions" - they are requirements for those using the site/program.

        IN my opinion, when you violate terms in order to manipulate more income for yourself...you cheat other affiliates as well as Amazon. The message to you was not "fix this if you want to stay in the program" - it was "you're out."

        If you try to cheat your way back into the program you will always be at risk of being shut down and losing earnings. Use your domain and site and do something else.
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        • Profile picture of the author AnniePot
          Originally Posted by Kay King View Post

          Your excuses are "I'm new" - "I didn't know" - but truth is you didn't bother to read and heed the TOS that YOU agreed to when you signed up with Amazon.

          The terms and conditions of sites are not "suggestions" - they are requirements for those using the site/program.

          IN my opinion, when you violate terms in order to manipulate more income for yourself...you cheat other affiliates as well as Amazon. The message to you was not "fix this if you want to stay in the program" - it was "you're out."

          If you try to cheat your way back into the program you will always be at risk of being shut down and losing earnings. Use your domain and site and do something else.
          ^ ^ ^ What Kay said.

          Use your website to promote similar products from different companies such as Walmart. Join Commission Junction and Linkshare. These memberships will give you a host of options. This time around, just made sure you read, understand and adhere to each company's TOS.
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          • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
            While I agree wholeheartedly with what Kay said, you may have a ray of hope.

            From the email you quoted:

            Because of these violations, your Associates account has been closed and payment of all advertising fees withheld. Any other accounts you may have or may open in the future which are found in violation of the Operating Agreement terms may be closed and advertising fees withheld without notification...
            The site you listed when you got banned is toast.

            You may want to ask them directly if the ban is terminal or whether, based on the language in their reply, you can reapply for the program.

            Might be a whole lot easier than going through a bunch of machinations to attempt to get around their policies - again.
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  • Profile picture of the author salegurus
    Once Amazon gives you the boot you are basically done...
    You can try creating "stealth accounts" but be aware that any ties to your original account and they will ban you again.... Also they usually ban your account before a payout occurs, so you could spend a lot of time on a site for no reward...


    Originally Posted by dvarmin View Post

    Regardless, I don't think you'll have any problems if you change your info.
    How sure are you about that ^^^, have you done it yourself?
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  • Profile picture of the author Randall Magwood
    Leave Amazon alone... for your own sake, and sanity.
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  • Profile picture of the author ChrisBa
    Honestly, if you can make that with amazon. You should be able to take what you've learned and what you know and apply that to a new earning network and make money.

    Maybe try looking at EPN, CJ.com, shareasale
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