Amazon.co.uk Associates Blog

aStore Tracking Update

We recently changed the way clicks are being tagged and reported for aStore. This explains the recent drop in clicks Associates using aStores have observed in the Associates Central reports.

Until recently every visit to and click within an aStore was reported as a click in Associates Central. So, if a user visited the first page of your aStore, then visited a product detail page, placed the item into the cart, and proceeded to checkout on Amazon.co.uk your aStore reports would show four total clicks for one order.

All other Associates links are tracked as clicks and tagged only if a user comes via your referrals to the Amazon website. In order to maintain consistency across the different Associates tools we have updated the aStore tracking to follow the same approach.

So, an aStore "click" will now be reported whenever one of your site visitors is referred to Amazon through either adding something to the aStore cart and proceeding to checkout or by visiting Amazon.co.uk via one of the links embedded in the store (such as the "new and used" link, the search link, etc.).

Therefore you can expect a drop in the number of clicks showing up in your reports, but you should also see an increase in the conversion percentage.

We realize this creates a gap in tracking the traffic to and within your aStores, and our aStore team is actively exploring ways to enhance the reporting functionality. We'll keep you posted as things change.

DVD rentals on your website: An attractive offer for you and your customers!

Did you know that Amazon.co.uk has a DVD rental service? We do! And you and your customers can take advantage of Amazon’s DVD rental service for free.

Your customers will receive the following benefits:

·         Free two week trial

·         Selection of more than 40,000 movie titles

·         DVDs are dispatched immediately; free delivery and returns

·         No due dates or late fees

·         Starting at just £4.99 per month

·         10% discount on DVDs purchased from Amazon.co.uk

·         You can cancel at any time

How do you benefit?

·         Amazon.co.uk Associates receive a new customer bonus of £10.00 for each new DVD rental customer. Please note: The new customer must register for the Amazon.co.uk rental service during a session started via the “DVD rental link”. You can find the DVD rental banners here.

Read more in our General Terms and Conditions – Section “Links on Your Site” (§2) and “Referral Fee Schedule” (§5).

6% referral fees on Amazon.co.uk Gift Certificates Extended

Due to the significant response to Amazon’s Gift Certificate promotion, we will be extending the 6% referral fees on Amazon.co.uk Gift Certificates! This offer is available to all Amazon.co.uk Associates regardless of their current fee structure.

Have you not offered gift certificates on your website? Then click here to learn how to build links to the Amazon.co.uk Gift Certificate page. Customers doing their Easter shopping on your site will be delighted to find these convenient gifts!

To learn more read our previous Gift Certificate blog post.

Important Notice: Change in Point-of-Contact for the Amazon.co.uk Affiliate Programme

On March 1st, 2007, the “associates@amazon.co.uk” email address will be shut down. Therefore, we will not receive any emails sent to “associates@amazon.co.uk” as of March 1st.

But Amazon wants to hear from you! Therefore, please send your questions or feedback to the Amazon.co.uk Affiliate Programme Team through the following contact form:

http://associates.amazon.co.uk/contact/.

Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Amazon E-Commerce Services (ECS)

Have you ever heard of Amazon Web Services? Or are you already using these successfully for your online activities? If not, then read this blog post to discover what AWS and ECS have to offer. Since Amazon Web Services offers you such a wide variety of uses, in future blogs we will be presenting examples of applications that are already using Amazon Web Services worldwide.

Read answers to the most frequently asked questions from AWS newcomers here:

What are Amazon Web Services (AWS)?

AWS (Amazon Web Services) is an Amazon service that provides direct access to Amazon’s technology platforms. With AWS you can create websites, applications or tools based on the solid and reliable Amazon platform.

The Amazon.co.uk Associate area of Amazon Web Services is called Amazon E-Commerce Services (or ECS for short). With ECS Amazon.co.uk Associates can access Amazon.co.uk product information and the functions of the Amazon.co.uk website at no cost and in real time. 

Examples of Amazon.co.uk product information:

ECS enables Amazon.co.uk Associates to access the catalogue information for Amazon.co.uk (and all other Amazon websites) via an interface. This information includes:

-         Title, author, artist, actor, etc.

-         Cover (various sizes)

-         Latest price (Amazon and Marketplace prices)

-         Reviews and customer reviews

-         And much, much more...

Examples of functions of the Amazon.co.uk website:

ECS enables Amazon.co.uk Associates to access the functions of the Amazon website, such as:

-         Amazon shopping basket on your website (Remote Shopping Cart)

-         List of similar items to the item requested (Similarities)

-         List of accessories to the item requested

-         Amazon ordering process on your website with your personal touches (Co-Branded Order Pipeline)

-         And much, much more...

How can I benefit from AWS and ECS?

Amazon Associates and website owners – Expand your service

As a website owner you can integrate the functions and content of Amazon.co.uk (and all other Amazon websites) seamlessly into your own website. You can update your website with the latest information about Amazon products, sell Amazon products on your website and create customised links and dynamic advertisements.

Web developers – Expand your skills and earn money at the same time

Many of the more than 180,000 AWS developers use Amazon Web Services to develop efficient and productive applications for other Amazon customers, retailers, Associates and website owners.

How can I register for Amazon Web Services?

Sign up to Amazon Web Services free of charge here and receive:

-         Free access to Amazon E-Commerce Services

-         Free AWS newsletter

-         Access to an innovative developer community

-         Ideas and tools for new marketable applications

Where do I find out more about AWS and ECS?

To find out further information about Amazon Web Services (and to register free to use Amazon Web Services) click here:

http://www.amazon.com/webservices

Further articles and sample codes can be found here:

http://developer.amazonwebservices.com/connect/kbcategory.jspa?categoryID=5

For technical queries contact the AWS developer forum:

http://aws.amazon.com/forums

Subscribe to our RSS Feed! In our blog we will publish tutorials on E-Commerce Services and present applications created using ECS.

RSS chicklets for Amazon.co.uk Associates Blog

Have you customized your personalized page on other websites to receive your favorite blogs, news and RSS feeds? Then take the opportunity to remain up-to-date with the Amazon.co.uk Associates program by adding the Associates Blog to your favorite site. Simply click one of the following links and our blog posts will be automatically added to your customized page:

Pageflakes

netvibes

Yahoo

newsgator

Rojo

Google

AOL

Bloglines

Below is an example of the Amazon.co.uk Associates Blog on a personalized Pagesflakes site: