15 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}
15 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}

Amazon deactivating affiliate accounts

by BradVert2013
11 replies
This is more of an FYI than a question or anything.

After Amazon reinstated their associate program in Illinois a few months back, I immediately reapplied and was approved. No problems.

I got an email today from Amazon stating that there has been no activity on my account for the last 90 days and they are deactivating it. Once I get my websites finished and ready, they'll approve me again. My fault for not being prepared.

So if you apply to the Associate program, make sure your site is ready to go and you can make a sale or two in the first 90 days. And if you don't, expect to be deactivated. Not the end of the world but still a little jarring to see that email.

Good luck!
#accounts #affiliate #amazon #deactivating
  • Profile picture of the author DWaters
    Thanks for the heads-up. My Amazon affiliate account is not used much as I am using a different business model with them but I do want to keep it active just in case. I will remember to keep an eye on my account.
    Signature
    How I really Make Money With Amazon

    Want to get rich with top rated FREE Super Affiliate Training?
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[8913283].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Ron Killian
    Does it really cost them anything to have inactive accounts? Guess I don't understand why they or any program would deactivate accounts after 90 days inactivity.

    Or maybe it's a tactic to drum up business, remind affiliates, give them a reason to promote again.

    Thanks for the post.
    Signature
    PLR Affiliate Program Has Launched! Easily Promote Over 5,000 PLR and MRR Products.

    Largest Selection of PLR Articles on the Planet! PLR Ebooks, PLR Video, PLR Websites and more with Private Label Rights
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[8913730].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Roey Pimentel
    Ron, Maybe they deactivate inactive accounts for security/safety reasons... just a thought. Also, it could be a way for them to increase sales. I am sure a percentage of people who receive that notice decide to take action and get active again. (Kind of like a gentle nudge...) Every little bit counts, even if you are Amazon...
    Signature

    Need help? FreeMarketingGuides.com
    Graphic Design Impact: Design Secrets That Sell!

    Peace, Roey.

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[8914016].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author RetroFit
    I heard a rumor today based on a recent court decision involving sales taxes that they may be removing New York affiliates? They are not referencing it on their site, and the decision seems to have taken place long enough ago that it should be referenced by now. If anyone knows anything about this, please chime in.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[8914218].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author Ron Killian
      Originally Posted by RetroFit View Post

      I heard a rumor today based on a recent court decision involving sales taxes that they may be removing New York affiliates? They are not referencing it on their site, and the decision seems to have taken place long enough ago that it should be referenced by now. If anyone knows anything about this, please chime in.
      I have not heard that. That will probably be many affiliates getting cut if that one is real.

      Will be interesting how long Amazon can go without collecting sales tax. Seems pretty soon no affiliate will be "allowed" to promote them.

      It's been a number of years since I did retail, but I remember losing sales to amazon on electronics. With the better prices and more importantly no sales tax, they were hard to beat. Can't blame local businesses raising a stink with Amazon having an unfair advantage.

      Or affiliates will be going through middle men, something offshore.
      Signature
      PLR Affiliate Program Has Launched! Easily Promote Over 5,000 PLR and MRR Products.

      Largest Selection of PLR Articles on the Planet! PLR Ebooks, PLR Video, PLR Websites and more with Private Label Rights
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[8915346].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author MarinerdMike
        I opened an Amazon affiliate account a few months ago, but have rarely used it and have yet to record a sale through it. To be frank, I jumped straight into IM thinking it would be easy and I could make money immediately, but like most people starting out I realised I need to step back and do some proper planning first.

        I won't bore you with my story, but I have not even really logged into my Amazon account for probably a month and today received an email politely stating that all accounts will be terminated after 90 days of inactivity. In fact, here's the text of the email:

        Thanks again for joining the Amazon Associates program. We’re reaching out to you because we have not seen sales activity on your account.
        At the time your application was submitted, you were given access to Associates Central (https://affiliate-program.amazon.com) and the link building tools located there. However, we haven’t recorded a referral from your account yet.
        Associate accounts that have not referred a sale to Amazon.com within 90 days of sign-up will be automatically rejected. However, if your account is automatically rejected, you will be welcome to re-apply to the program in the future.
        There are many ways to increase referrals and advertising fees you earn through the Associates Program:
        - Make your existing links more prominent.
        - Include links to additional products or product variants
        - Include hot promotional links you can find in our Promotions Hub: https://affiliate-program.amazon.com...-hub/promo.htm
        - Link to Amazon from your home page.
        - Increase traffic to your website via Search Engine Optimization, or invest in advertising.
        Please take this opportunity to visit Associates Central, and add Associates links to your website. If you have any questions about building links on Associates Central, please feel free to contact us.
        http://affiliate-program.amazon.com/...iates/contact/
        If you would rather close this account now, you can contact us at the link above to request the account closure.
        We hope that you’re able to take advantage of this opportunity, and we look forward to seeing you again soon.


        Doesn't sound like the end of the world, although the ironic thing is that I'm about to start putting my website and related pages into a position to benefit from their program. I might just close it now and re-apply in a couple weeks.
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[8915386].message }}
        • Profile picture of the author RetroFit
          To the responder above, I too have made very little money from Amazon. Of course the commissions are very very small, and there is no customer retention, so unless you know some incredible seo or traffic methods, it's going to be a tough gig, and in my seven years of trying now, (an enormous amount of time and effort put into internet marketing) I barely squeeze by with maybe 100 extra bucks a month off my current efforts.

          Internet marketing is a very difficult gig, and the people who really know what they're doing are not sharing the secrets. What keeps me going is the fact that strangely I have more time now to devote to it, but I've also had new problems such as being hacked in such a way that even tech support and hacking professionals can't resolve. I'm to the point of needing to start my sites from scratch because of it...so using Amazon was going to become my sole focus because of how bad this hack was/is. A horrible headache.

          But do I put a lot of effort into this, only to be denied an affiliate account as a New Yorker in the very near future due to politics?

          I hate the govt with a passion (non-partisan here) and I don't see them making my life any easier, because their job seems to be the opposite for the past decade.

          (Sigh)
          {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[8916026].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author BradVert2013
      Originally Posted by RetroFit View Post

      I heard a rumor today based on a recent court decision involving sales taxes that they may be removing New York affiliates? They are not referencing it on their site, and the decision seems to have taken place long enough ago that it should be referenced by now. If anyone knows anything about this, please chime in.
      You might not know until you actually get the dreaded email. Maybe keep an eye on the Amazon Associate forums, they're generally a good source of information. Amazon is pretty quick to do it and, in my experience, they'll give you a month or two warning before your account is deactivated because of one of these laws. When it happened to me, my account was deactivate on April 15 (tax day!).

      Good luck! I hope it doesn't happen to you.
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[8916764].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author Devilfish168
        I just chat with the CSO ...

        gee ..FYI , if your sites didn't earn...for 3 years..

        they will close your account...


        I curious who using blog spot?

        as you will know...if you going to use back existing sites reapply..and get approve again..
        you have to use a new ID

        troublesome is...since you have already promote numerous products with old ID now..with new ID you have to one by one input and is dam troublesome.....

        unless you build another new sites???

        but problem is the old sites already establish itself ..on traffic..., already link in my sites..etc

        I curious...for those using blog to promote amazon ....how you go about it? if this problem occur on you?
        Signature
        https://linksta.cc/@freedombyaffiliate
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[8916785].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author julianaS
    Thanks for the heads-up.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[8916740].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author BradVert2013
    Originally Posted by duplication View Post

    I am glad you passed this along. How long ago did they start doing this?
    Not sure. I just got the email a day or two ago. I've also been out of the loop on the affiliate program for the few years Amazon kicked off all Illinois affiliates for the new Internet tax law. We were reinstated last year after the Illinois Supreme Court ruled the law unconstitutional.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[8916756].message }}

Trending Topics