Amazon Affiliate Tips

John Scott · 07-17-2007, 12:11 AM

Anybody have good tips for making moolah with the Amazon affiliate program? I just joined yesterday. The thing that really strikes me as weird is:

Quote:

Referral Rate
4.00%

It is crap, no?

John Scott · 07-18-2007, 08:05 AM

So far I am not impressed with Amazon. Had a friend use my affiliate link to buy me some books - $70 WORTH - and it didn't track. Nada. Zero. Zilch. Sure, I'm only missing out off 4%, which isn't really worth getting upset about, but it's the principle of the matter.

JamieJelly · 07-18-2007, 08:19 AM

I have never heard of anyone doing well with Amazon (okay apart from Nintendo about 4 yrs ago). Commissions suck

John Scott · 07-18-2007, 08:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JamieJelly

I have never heard of anyone doing well with Amazon (okay apart from Nintendo about 4 yrs ago). Commissions suck

I'm pretty new to affiliate stuff. What are the best programs?

Jesse Vlasveld · 07-18-2007, 09:02 AM

DP is full of affiliate scam artist ebooks.

I don't know of any good affiliate programs though, I don't really use them.

sim64 · 07-18-2007, 09:49 AM

Try joining the Affiliate marketing forum at
<snip>
It's predominantly UK based, but should still be helpful.

John Scott · 07-18-2007, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sim64

Try joining the Affiliate marketing forum at
<snip>
It's predominantly UK based, but should still be helpful.

Would kind of defeat the purpose of having an affiliate forum on v7n, no?

sim64 · 07-18-2007, 01:00 PM

Are you saying you don't visit other forums?
You said earlier "I'm pretty new to affiliate stuff"
If you want to pick it up quick you've got to do the research, I would say
best place to start is in an affiliate forum.
You will learn more about affiliate marketing from some of the guys in those
forums than you can possibly learn anywhere else.

AnaB · 07-18-2007, 05:23 PM

Waiiiit.....John new to affiliate stuff? When did that happen?

Anyhow for people using amazon, I dont bother with amazon either (although I buy from them a lot!). I think I made a total of $15 last Christmas when I promoted amazon..oh yeah...

Go with private niche specific affiliate programs (like mine

) for best commissions and the thing is if you email them or call them and talk to them, they might give you a higher commission too.

Timinator · 07-21-2007, 11:11 AM

I am using Linkshare www.linkshare.com

I don't make a whole lot off of affliates though. I was going to try Amazon.

Are there some other ones out there that are good?

peterko · 07-24-2007, 05:16 PM

I'm still using Commission Junction affiliate system among the others, and there I pick up companies which are relevant to my content as "coupons and promotions for clothing". I would say, if you promote your site well, then Commission Junction helps to earn some money, but only if you reach good targeted traffic on your site. Wondering if anyone else might say something about Commission Junction.

As far Amazon affiliate concern, I tried it but I quit because I didn't get so much profit there and it was hard to promote and bit the other competitors.

Have a great day,
Peter

AndrewRae · 07-27-2007, 01:58 AM

For Amazon you must have a ton of traffic. I did well with it considering that i was new, but this was 2 years ago when I averaged $900/mo. from them.

Basically i had a site that did well in the search engines and then installed one of those amazon stores (php script). The traffic was converting well for the amazon products and since the more you sell the more you get... I was getting it pretty well

I don't use Amazon anymore BUT i'm considering using it to promote expensive items, this way I might get a nice commission.

Anyway, not a priority right now.

John Scott · 07-27-2007, 02:31 AM

Thanks, good tips.

Fruit & Veg · 07-27-2007, 04:28 AM

First, you should contact Amazon and tell them your issue. There maybe an explanation like delayed reporting.

I use Amazon and it hasn't been great. The commission ain't great either, but more people will have an amazon account than any other so conversions are probably higher. On the flipside, because of this reason, many people go directly to Amazon anyway and don't click on links. It also depends where you're putting these links and how you're promoting them.

A more relevant affiliate program would be something web related that you could place on this forum/network. You have targetted traffic, a lot of traffic, so you just need to choose some programs that your visitors would like/be interested in and then promote them here. After having a quick look, you offer hosting but you don't seem to offer domain name registering, you could join a domain name aff program and then use their links to offer a new service and also get some commission...just an idea.

Don't write it off just yet

Here are some networks; www.linkshare.com, www.cj.com, www.shareasale.com, www.kolimbo.com, www.affiliatefuture.com - check them out, choose some programs with products/services that you like and you think your visitors would like, and test them out.

Affiliate marketing takes time and work.

John Scott · 07-27-2007, 04:36 AM

I think the problem it two-fold. I have gotten 4 or so sales so far. The total is $1.18.

The problem as I see it is:

1. The rate is too low. (Referral Rate 4.00%)
2. The items being sold are too cheap.

If the items were big ticket ($500+), maybe the 4% referral rate wouldn't be so insulting. But as it stands, I think even AdSense pays more than that.

Fruit & Veg · 07-27-2007, 04:50 AM

That's a kinda false economy. You could sell loads of cheaper items at the same rate and make more money than selling one expensive item. It's easier selling cheaper items and 4% of nothing is still nothing. I agree, Amazon are stingy and I think that's why you need to not rely on them.

The key though, is promoting stuff that your visitors are interested in. Selling CD's with 4% or 10% isn't going to change your life either way if you ain't selling many of them.

I would forget about sale price and commission rate at this early stage. Focus on demand.

Mihai · 08-01-2007, 02:07 AM

John, I am not that experienced in affiliate marketing either but I am pointing my eyes towards the pharmacy affiliate niche. I found very tempting resources that might pay well in the long run, with an adequate promotion ofcourse.

Any experience in the pharmacy niche ? Anybody can give me some insight?

Thank you.

kks_krishna · 01-26-2008, 10:11 PM

I am using amazon affiliate. Few conversion I am seeing. Hope 2008 will be good year.

jigolo · 01-30-2008, 04:34 AM

John, thank you for the very nice tips..

BradP · 01-30-2008, 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mihai

John, I am not that experienced in affiliate marketing either but I am pointing my eyes towards the pharmacy affiliate niche. I found very tempting resources that might pay well in the long run, with an adequate promotion ofcourse.

Any experience in the pharmacy niche ? Anybody can give me some insight?

Thank you.

when it comes to pharmacy niche, I have some reservations. Are those products trustworthy or not?

Even if the commissions are good, sometimes we do not know what we are peddling and end up causing someone to suffer, the guilt cannot be compensated by money.