Introduction
I’m sure this comes as a surprise to NO ONE. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not proud of this at all. But let’s be honest here – until the Jetblue Amazon link dies, not many people would use my affiliate link anyway.
Amazon’s email
Hello from the Associates Program,
We are writing to tell you that effective as of today’s date, Amazon is terminating your Associates account. Under the terms of the Operating Agreement, we may terminate your account at any time, with or without cause. This decision is final and not subject to appeal.
It is important that you immediately remove all Amazon Content from your Site(s). Please be aware that any other accounts you have, or may open in the future, may be closed without payment of any fees. Amazon reserves all other rights and claims.
Because you are not in compliance with the Operating Agreement, Amazon will not pay you any outstanding advertising fees related to your account. Amazon exercises its right under the Operating Agreement to withhold fees based on violations, which include the following:
-You are incentivizing others to visit the Amazon Site via your Special Links by offering rebates, discounts, points, donations to charity, or other incentive.
-Purchases resulting from Special Links on your site have been for personal use, resale, or commercial use.
Thank you for your participation in the Amazon Associates Program.
Warmest Regards,
Amazon.com
So what happened?
Don’t you love the “warmest regards” at the very end? Anyway, what happened was that 1 reader was using the link a bit too aggressively. Amazon, as smart as they are, figured there’s no way 1 person can generate that much volume w/o something suspicious going on, so they just assumed that I’m using it myself (which I wasn’t) or I was giving that person some kickback (which I wasn’t either). I don’t plan on appealing and will just chalk this one up to another lesson learned.
I lost my Associates account years ago for violating the ToS. Nevertheless, not only do I have an account again now, but a personal affiliate rep that takes care of me. So it’s not 100% final.
Interesting. I’m guessing you opened up a new account? If you re-opened same account, how did you go about re-opening it? And you must have a rather successful site to have a personal affiliate rep right?
Do you know the reason the reader was using your link versus Jetblue or some other link?
Jetblue wasn’t posting yet.
Feel sorry that this happened to you. Are you not fighting it because you feel its not worth the time ??
From stories I’ve heard, it’s final.
Any time I have ever been told no by AZ it was impossible to reverse the decision. Everything seems final with them.
That lesson being…..?
Don’t have 1 person making disproportionate orders from ur link.
how can you tell when 1 person is absuing your link? And can I do this to ruin other bloggers?
You can’t tell. The reader had emailed me beforehand and that’s my best guess as to what happened. You prob could ruin other bloggers but also know you could be wasting your time and money. Like you wouldn’t be able to mess up DDF but some small time blogger, probably. Not that I’m condoning this behavior though.
i was kinda joking on the ruining part. Interesting to see the behind the curtain working though.
What’s the lesson learned?
Don’t have 1 person making disproportionate orders from ur link.
Seems to me the most likely is that they figured whoever was buying from you was re-selling the items or was a commercial user themselves. Tough break for you not doing anything wrong and to me, unfair that Amazon is so stonewall about not even hearing an appeal or explanation.
So would it have been possible for you to monitor who was buying and stop them? Is it even reasonable to ask an associate to do so since you do not know what reason another person is buying for?
Seems unfair all around.
Are they at least going to pay out what was owed? Sounds like the reader did you a solid and you should at least get paid for that! I am guessing they will be cheap and withhold payment though.
No they are keeping the unpaid portion.
How much if you don’t mind?
prob around $100
Could be $5 or $50,000. AZ don’t care.