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Amazon Products

by Web Warrior
14 replies
As I have mentioned in one of my previous threads that I have a few websites and blogs and was running Adsense ads on them. As I can't get to make much with Adsense, now I am thinking about promoting some affiliate products on them. The sites are now getting some decent traffic from Google.

Finally, I have decided to promote Amazon products on them. I have read that Amazon has changed their cookie to a single-session cookie and read other Amazon horror stories like low conversion rates etc. On the other hand many people seem quite happy promoting Amazon products.

I need your advice regarding, should I try to sale Amazon products on my sites or should I look for some other affiliate program. If I should look for some other affiliate program, what should it be?:confused::confused::confused:
#amazon #products
  • Profile picture of the author ExRat
    Hi Web warrior,

    Yes you should try them rather than not trying them because of something you've read.

    Yes, I use Amazon's affiliate program myself. I'm still deciding whether to scale it up or not. The results are OK but not earth shattering.

    Always test it for yourself - this is a habit that might make you a lot of money in future.

    Reason - the best money lies in discovering what is undiscovered by the majority.

    Some might say that Amazon affiliate program has already been discovered so there is nothing to discover.

    If you understand why that thinking is faulty, you're 'good to go.' Hints - how many different niches are they in? Are all of their products low volume/low priced? How good are Amazon at cross-selling and does this impact their affiliates' performance?
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    Roger Davis
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    • Profile picture of the author Web Warrior
      Originally Posted by ExRat View Post

      Hi Web warrior,

      Yes you should try them rather than not trying them because of something you've read.

      Yes, I use Amazon's affiliate program myself. I'm still deciding whether to scale it up or not. The results are OK but not earth shattering.

      Always test it for yourself - this is a habit that might make you a lot of money in future.

      Reason - the best money lies in discovering what is undiscovered by the majority.

      Some might say that Amazon affiliate program has already been discovered so there is nothing to discover.

      If you understand why that thinking is faulty, you're 'good to go.' Hints - how many different niches are they in? Are all of their products low volume/low priced? How good are Amazon at cross-selling and does this impact their affiliates' performance?
      Thanx for this helpful reply ExRat

      I actually have spent almost 3 years trying to get successful with Adsense, so in fact getting a bit impatient to get successful. So wanted to choose the right affiliate program without much testing but you definitely are right about testing and discovering.

      My sites are in 5 different niches. 3 out of these 5 are almost related to each other and Let me tell you I can't promote many products for these 3 other than books so Amazon seems like the only good choice I've got.
      The other two are different and I can promote related products there which vary highly in price but not very high priced.
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    • Profile picture of the author VegasVince
      Originally Posted by ExRat View Post

      Hi Web warrior,

      Yes you should try them rather than not trying them because of something you've read.

      Yes, I use Amazon's affiliate program myself. I'm still deciding whether to scale it up or not. The results are OK but not earth shattering.

      Always test it for yourself - this is a habit that might make you a lot of money in future.

      Reason - the best money lies in discovering what is undiscovered by the majority.

      Some might say that Amazon affiliate program has already been discovered so there is nothing to discover.

      If you understand why that thinking is faulty, you're 'good to go.' Hints - how many different niches are they in? Are all of their products low volume/low priced? How good are Amazon at cross-selling and does this impact their affiliates' performance?

      Good God, Rat.....are you'se selling those Spanish cd's you hooked me up with back in the day?

      xxx Vegas Vince
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      Buy High. Sell Low. Bank $ Top Selling Product Ever re: Exploiting the Secret Billion Dollar Barter/Trade Industry!

      Save Lives. Make Money. Henry Ford would endorse this!
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      • Profile picture of the author ExRat
        Hi Vince,

        Good God, Rat.....are you'se selling those Spanish cd's you hooked me up with back in the day?
        Ha! No, but I'm actually listening to 'Con Poder' right now, because I reminded myself of it when I mentioned it to you in that other thread. Good to see you around Vince.

        I'm actually trying to learn German for business purposes currently, which has got in the way of the 'learn to serenade them in Spanish to loosen the elastic' project...
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        Roger Davis
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  • Profile picture of the author dtrainer
    I think you are right ExRat,

    Testing is very important but also recording changes over a period of time. If you are advertising make sure you are tracking properly your sales. Otherwise it will be very difficult for you to find out what works and what doesn't.
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  • Profile picture of the author tknoppe
    I use Amazon for a few things, and folks do seem to trust buying from Amazon. However, I do not run my entire affiliate program around them, I use multiple affiliate programs.

    Also, my advice is if you plan to switch to promoting affiliate products that you remove the Adsense ads; or else those ads will be competing with the affiliate products you're trying to promote.
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    Traci Knoppe, OBM, Launch & Project Manager
    Your Web Tech Team

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    • Profile picture of the author ExRat
      Hi Web Warrior,

      I can't promote many products for these 3 other than books so Amazon seems like the only good choice I've got
      Are you're sure you're not employing limiting thinking when you say that because you can only promote books, Amazon is the only good choice?

      As I alluded to above, it's by thinking out of the box and by NOT following the typical thought processes of other affiliates that you find the hidden gems.

      Are you really sure that Amazon is the only good choice?

      I don't know your specific situation (apart from what is written here) but if adsense isn't doing it for you after a good period of time, I would caution you about switching to another mass market income source like Amazon, OR ebay (for example) - unless you're going to be happy with the same kind of results.

      There are reasons why these programs are so popular (obviously). And the companies behind them are absolutely massive - so when they make decisions about their affiliate programs, they can sometimes afford to lose a large amount of their lowest performing affiliates while squeezing those who remain.

      It may not be suitable for you, but I would definitely suggest at least thinking about chanelling more of your efforts into your own business, possibly with your own affiliates - after 3 years trying to make adsense work.

      I have worked with many of the most popular affiliate programs, but I am sensing currently that they are at the point where they don't really need affiliates any more, hence they are squeezing very hard, as they have nothing to lose except the respect of their affiliates, the people who helped them to get where they are now. In business, this means zilch to a self-sufficient, large, successful entity (IE - the reduced cookie life from Amazon, changes to EPN, changes to adsense policy).

      As I said, it may not be the right time for you to push forward with your own ventures more, but I'm suggesting that you at least consider it as I feel that even after changing yours sites to a new type of monetisation, if it follows suit (IE Amazon), you may find yourself in exactly the same boat.

      Above all, if you fancy Amazon - then just try it and test it out for yourself. Then whatever you do from there, you are making a solid decision based on your own findings - therefore you won't be inclined to look back and question/wonder about your decisions.
      Signature


      Roger Davis
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      • Profile picture of the author Web Warrior
        ExRat, haven't been into affiliate marketing before, as I was solely displaying Google Ads. I am not aware of many affiliates. Can you help me by telling me about some good affiliate programs to promote books(not ebooks). For other sites I have found good affiliate programs other than Amazon.
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    • Profile picture of the author Web Warrior
      Originally Posted by tknoppe View Post

      I use Amazon for a few things, and folks do seem to trust buying from Amazon. However, I do not run my entire affiliate program around them, I use multiple affiliate programs.

      Also, my advice is if you plan to switch to promoting affiliate products that you remove the Adsense ads; or else those ads will be competing with the affiliate products you're trying to promote.
      Thank you for the advice tknoppe. I am not displaying Adsense on two sites and will ultimately remove it from others.

      Think, I should test Amazon and other affiliates, like the advice given above.
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  • Profile picture of the author Andy1750
    Hello,

    I do Amazon affiliate marketing. The key is picking something very specific to market. If it's too broad and general, conversions will suck. If it's something highly specific that searchers will find when they are looking to buy the conversions will be astronomical (20% plus on some of my sites).

    I also find that products under $50 seem to sell like hot cakes. Conversions lower or non-existant for the big ticket items.

    Cheers,

    Andy
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    Not trying to sell you anything :-)

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    • Profile picture of the author Web Warrior
      Originally Posted by Andy1750 View Post

      Hello,

      I do Amazon affiliate marketing. The key is picking something very specific to market. If it's too broad and general, conversions will suck. If it's something highly specific that searchers will find when they are looking to buy the conversions will be astronomical (20% plus on some of my sites).

      I also find that products under $50 seem to sell like hot cakes. Conversions lower or non-existant for the big ticket items.

      Cheers,

      Andy
      You solely promote Amazon products, or other products too with them?
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      • Profile picture of the author ExRat
        Hi Web Warrior,

        Can you help me by telling me about some good affiliate programs to promote books(not ebooks)
        That's one of my main points in a nutshell.

        Here -

        it's by thinking out of the box and by NOT following the typical thought processes of other affiliates that you find the hidden gems
        Excuse the bluntness, but that ability is a requirement in this business, not an option, because it's related to the fundamental nature of the internet and the associated problems that our prospects have that we are trying to solve - and get paid for.

        You want to sell other peoples' books as an affiliate? Then you're an information marketer. Your skillset must lie in being able to access the information that others find it difficult to locate, and to be able to present that information in a manner that is more appealing than the competition.

        I would only be prolonging your agony by offering you just one temporary step on the ladder.

        But I can (in the most sincerest, helpful manner) point you to the greatest tool at your fingertips, that will give you that edge, if only you have the will to master it - here.

        Many people don't have the time nor the will to master it - and that's one of the only reasons online information marketers get paid. Information marketers who refuse to master it probably won't get paid.
        Signature


        Roger Davis
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        • Profile picture of the author Web Warrior
          Originally Posted by ExRat View Post

          Your skillset must lie in being able to access the information that others find it difficult to locate, and to be able to present that information in a manner that is more appealing than the competition.
          Thanx for this.
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  • Profile picture of the author monitorit
    i am still trialling amazon on ebay and im not having much luck! I am just direct linking so i may put a lander in between and see what happens there. I am also just about to try with ranking websites. I dont see this as a waste becuase i will just park any sites that dont work and make a few $$ there.
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