Looks like the sleeping giant is starting to stir. On March 19th, Amazon informed Hawaii of it’s intention of removing all Hawaiian advertisers from its Amazon Associates program if the Hawaiian legistlature persisted in passing HB 1405. Almost as if they were trying to flaunt their power and call Amazon’s bluff, the bill passed the first hurdle to becoming a new law.
Don’t think that Amazon didn’t notice.
This morning, Amazon made a dramatic change to their Associates Program. As of May 1, 2009, Associates located in the US and Canada who use PPC as their way to drive traffic and sales to Amazon WILL NO LONGER BE PAID FOR THEIR EFFORTS. This new change applies to Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, and Endless.com That’s right. Amazon just cut the legs out from under all their paid search affiliates.
In addition to forbidding paid search, Amazon is removing data feed access to advertisers who do not notify Amazon prior to May 1 that they will only use the feed content as specified in their Web Services Customer Agreement.
Amazon has provided a no nonsense FAQ on this change. They are very specific on the use of interstitials especially, so don’t think that that is an easy end run around the situation…they’ve already got their eyes on it.
All the merchants are watching Amazon. They are setting the standard for how the rest of the industry reacts. As much as it pains me to say it, expects other merchants who have previously allowed PPC affiliates to follow suit in short order.
I would also venture to say that Amazon will be making other modifications to its program as these controversial nexus laws that unfairly and specifically target their company spread.
