Just received an update to the terms of service for advertising Amazon products on a website. From 1st May Amazon Associates members will now no longer be able to drive traffic direct to Amazon pages using PPC (such as Google Adwords). Amazon expect people to generate interest via search engine optimisation and newsletters to get people on to their own websites, and then drive traffic from there. This makes sense as Amazon will currently be competing directly with its own Associates to win traffic from via SEM (search engine marketing / PPC advertising) and ultimately either paying more to get the traffic, or paying an Associate member commission in exchange for stealing the traffic. Many companies do not allow its affiliates to bid on keyword terms to drive traffic to affiliated URLs. Some do not allow affiliates to bid on keywords to drive traffic to their own websites. This is a good move all round, as it should bring advertising revenues down for not only Amazon but all companies operating in North America.
Straight from the horse’s mouth:
We’re writing to let you know about a change to the Amazon Associates Program. After careful review of how we are investing our advertising resources, we have made the decision to no longer pay referral fees to Associates who send users to amazon.com, amazon.ca, or endless.com through keyword bidding and other paid search on Google, Yahoo, MSN, and other search engines, and their extended search networks. If you’re not sure if this change affects you, please visit this page for FAQs.
As of May 1, 2009, Associates will not be paid referral fees for paid search traffic. Also, in connection with this change, as of May 1, 2009, Amazon will no longer make data feeds available to Associates for the purpose of sending users to the Amazon websites in the US or Canada via paid search.
This change applies only to the Associates programs in North America. If you are conducting paid search activities in connection with one of Amazon’s Associates Programs outside of the US and Canada, please refer to the applicable country’s Associates Program Operating Agreement for relevant terms and conditions.
We appreciate your continued support and participation in this advertising Program. If you have questions or concerns, please write to us by using the Contact Us form available on Associates Central.
