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Well that ended badly. This morning I got fired from the Amazon Associate Program. The bad news came in a email which was signed with a cheerful “Warmest Regards”. There was no warning, no appeal and no hope of being reinstated.
The Email
———- Forwarded message ———
From: Amazon Associates <[email protected]>
Date: Mon, Nov 4, 2019 at 2:25 AM
Subject: Your Amazon.com Associates Account – poltra-20Hello,
Effective today, Amazon is terminating your Associates account as well as the Operating Agreement that governs it (link below).
Why?
We reviewed your account as part of our ongoing monitoring of the Amazon Associates Program. During our review, we determined that you are not in compliance with the Operating Agreement, found here: <https://affiliate-program.
amazon.com/help/operating/agreement>. The violations include the following:
-Purchases resulting from Special Links on your Site have been for personal use, resale, or commercial use, or have been made by your friends, relatives, employees, contractors, or business relations.
What’s next?
You must stop using the Content and Amazon Marks and promptly remove all links to the Amazon site.
Because you are not in compliance with the Operating Agreement, Amazon will not pay you any outstanding advertising fees. Please be aware that any other related accounts may be closed without payment of any fees. Amazon reserves all other rights and claims.
In limited cases this closure may be appealable. See Appeals help for more information, found here: <https://affiliate-program.
amazon.com/help/node/topic/GACDBRFKVDTXSPTH>.
Amazon.com
Warmest Regards,
Amazon.com
http://www.amazon.com/
associates
Amazon Associate Program
The Amazon Associate Program seemed like the ideal way to pay for the hosting charges for my blog. Amazon was paying me an advertising fee for products purchased from links and banners displayed on my postings. I was receiving about $20 a month which covered my publishing expenses. Naturally I encourage my friends and family to use the links. I even created some promotional videos for the holidays.
I suppose I should have read the Terms of Service Agreement in greater detail before becoming so creative with my promotional efforts. I thanked people for using the links but was careful to mention that I was being paid for advertising. However Thanking people for their purchases which helped support the site was a violation. Using my own links and suggesting my friends and family use them was another mistake. I tried to appeal my suspension but the appeal process is closed for me. Blackballed by Amazon.
I’m in the process of removing links and banners from my blog postings. It is a daunting task. I take some comfort knowing that I am not the only in this situation.
The Appeal (An Update)
Late in December I contacted Amazon via the chat window to appeal my dismissal. I threw myself on the mercy of this corporate behemoth with hopes of getting back on the gravy train. On New Years Eve, I got my answer along with another Warmest Regards. It was not what I hoped for.
Dear Sir or Madam,
We received your appeal regarding the termination of your Associates account. A specialist has reviewed your account and the decision to terminate your account was found to be correct. As stated previously, under the terms of the Operating Agreement (https://affiliate-program.amazon.com/help/operating/agreement), we may terminate your account at any time, with or without cause. This termination is final and not subject to appeal.
Because you are not in compliance with the Operating Agreement, Amazon will not pay you any outstanding fees related to your account. Amazon exercises its right under the terms of the Operating Agreement to withhold fees based on violations, which include the following:
-Purchases resulting from Special Links on your Site have been for personal use, resale, or commercial use, or have been made by your friends, relatives, employees, contractors, or business relations.
-You are incentivizing others to visit the Amazon Site via your Special Links by offering rebates, cashback, discounts, points, donations to charity, or other incentives, or by stating that customers can support you by shopping through your Special Links.
It is important that you immediately stop using the Content and Amazon Marks and promptly remove from your Site(s) and delete or otherwise destroy all links to the Amazon site, all Amazon Marks and all other and any other materials provided or made available by or on behalf of us to you under this Operating Agreement or otherwise in connection with the Program.
Please be aware that any other accounts you have, or may open in the future, may be closed without payment of any fees pursuant to our rights under the Operating Agreement. Amazon reserves all other rights and claims.
Warmest Regards,
Amazon.com
http://www.amazon.com/associates
We I guess that is settled. I’m persona non grata in the associate club. I guess I just beg for money instead.
Just like when you were in the Navy. Catching shit in civilian life now!