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brand names and Amazon associates

by everetro
8 replies
Do Amazon associates allow brand names in urls? For instance if I set up a review site for a single product and obtained a domain with the brand name within it could I promote that product via Amazon?
#amazon #associates #brand #names
  • Profile picture of the author Sheryl Polomka
    I don't think it's Amazon you need to worry about but rather the brand company. You can't use a name in the domain if it is trademarked.

    You would be better off using a general name in the domain with the brand name in the page url.

    e.g. http://www.coffeemakersreviewed.com/...amecoffeemaker
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  • Profile picture of the author MikeLiving
    Brand name domains tend to be a no-no, as a quick cease and desist letter to your host could shut you down pretty quick. However, Amazon does not have a policy (to my knowledge) against having the brand name in the URL.
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    • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
      Originally Posted by MikeLiving View Post

      Brand name domains tend to be a no-no, as a quick cease and desist letter to your host could shut you down pretty quick. However, Amazon does not have a policy (to my knowledge) against having the brand name in the URL.
      As far as I can tell from reading, the only names Amazon has a problem with are Amazon and its properties.

      Another option, especially if you plan to offer multiple product categories, is to use a really generic (even nonsense) domain name that is memorable. Create a sub-blog for each product category (coffee-makers, blenders, etc.). Then use the brand name as the category within the blog.

      So you might end up with:

      coffeemakers.examplereviews.com/mrcoffee
      coffeemakers.examplereviews.com/keurig

      You could also switch it up as:

      lg.examplereviews.com/dishwashers
      lg.examplereviews.com/refrigerators

      The actual posts would become

      lg.examplereviews.com/dishwashers/model
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      • Profile picture of the author Kris79
        Originally Posted by JohnMcCabe View Post

        As far as I can tell from reading, the only names Amazon has a problem with are Amazon and its properties.

        Another option, especially if you plan to offer multiple product categories, is to use a really generic (even nonsense) domain name that is memorable. Create a sub-blog for each product category (coffee-makers, blenders, etc.). Then use the brand name as the category within the blog.

        So you might end up with:

        coffeemakers.examplereviews.com/mrcoffee
        coffeemakers.examplereviews.com/keurig

        You could also switch it up as:

        lg.examplereviews.com/dishwashers
        lg.examplereviews.com/refrigerators

        The actual posts would become

        lg.examplereviews.com/dishwashers/model
        Awould agree:
        - brand name in domain name - NO, NO - forbidden
        - brand name in URL - yes, no problem.

        However I have a problem with this kind of structure:
        lg.examplereviews.com/dishwashers
        lg.examplereviews.com/refrigerators

        It might be good from legal and organizational point of view, but it's very BAD from SEO point of view.

        subdomains do not pass the same value to domain as catalog.
        If you are building backlinks to

        lg.examplereviews.com/dishwashers
        and
        samsung.examplereviews.com/dishwashers

        you will be building "power" to lg.examplereviews.com and samsung.examplereviews.com separately. And 2 subdomains (lg and samsung) will gain power sepapately.

        if you will have structure like this:
        www.examplereviews.com/lg/dishwashers
        www.examplereviews.com/samsung/dishwashers

        you are building seo power to your main domain examplereviews.com. Because catalogs are "feeding" domains much efficiently than subdomains.

        At least this is my view
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  • Profile picture of the author Ntech25
    I think brandname.com would be a no no but if you have a store lets say selling drills and you had a link mysore.com/brand/dewalt i don't think that would be a problem. Never had that way.
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  • Profile picture of the author vstar00
    yeah dont use it in the domain, use it in the post name
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    • Profile picture of the author tpw
      Originally Posted by vstar00 View Post

      yeah dont use it in the domain, use it in the post name

      Exactly. The trademark holder will likely be upset if their name is in your domain name.

      But if inside of the URL, I honestly don't believe it will cause you an issue, especially if you as a consumer are reviewing their products, or better yet, selling their products.

      As a consumer, I have the legal right to say, "I love Saturn cars and the dumbass at GM who made the call to kill that brand should lose his job." And I have the legal right to say, "After purchasing and trying a Hyundai automobile, hell will freeze over before I buy another one."
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      Publish Coloring Books for Profit (WSOTD 7-30-2015)
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  • Profile picture of the author Steven Richards
    A company legally has the right to shut your site down if you have a trademark in your registered domain name.

    I've had a company contact me about a domain - so I decided to shut down the site.
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