Amazon Affiliate Program – Is it still profitable? 2024 Guide

It’s been quite a while since April 21st, 2020 when, with only a week’s notice, many affiliate marketers took a serious hit. The Amazon Associates Program (also known as the Amazon affiliate program) slashed commission rates for affiliates by nearly 2/3rds across the board. Rates that were already pretty low, got eeeeven lower. Rough. And since then rates haven’t exactly come all the way back up and for some categories remain pretty low. Again rough.

Yet here we are, still talking about the Amazon program. Of course, there are worse things in life, than this, but, those who wanted to base their entire website, marketing scheme, and paid campaigns on offers from Amazon – are facing some serious doubts.  

The question we’re here to investigate today: is Amazon still worth it? 

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In case you were wondering, the answer isn’t unfortunately an easy yes-or-no. However, if you take a look at the pros & cons, consider your level of expertise, and what you need/want to do, then you’ll find the answer within 💜

This article’s a long one, with parts that might not be news for you. Feel free to skip ahead.

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April 21, 2020 – Amazon affiliate doomsday

If you don’t know or forgot about what happened on the Amazon-affiliate-marketing doomsday of 2020, here’s a breakdown.

Amazon affiliates got this letter from the company:

The irony of this introductory sentence doesn’t need to be spelled out. 

Overall, commissions were slashed by about 2/3rds. You may have already seen these now-infamous commission rate/product category tables side by side. But to reiterate for those out of the loop: 

Below, pre-pandemic, pre-April 2020 commission rates:

And here, post April 2020 rates:

And here are the current rates for 2023:

As you can tell Amazon has a history of slashing commission rates and rewriting product categories into more vague terms. And just to point out, in 2017 Amazon pulled a similar move, regrouping products into categories and cutting commission rates. Amazon Games are obviously the most profitable now but others like furniture maintain a low percentage after 2020 cuts…so the question is how long will it last? And when the next cut comes how painful will it be?

To be frank, it’s an understandable business move; Amazon is an internet behemoth and doesn’t necessarily need the help of affiliate marketers and definitely doesn’t want to be paying out fees to them when their services may not be needed. Sure, lots of affiliate marketers are upset because indeed, it is difficult to make big bucks on Amazon but there are still people in favor of this program. That’s why the Internet is full of contradictory opinions. 

But, in this big, bad capitalist world we live in – that’s the way things go. 

And though things may seem grim at Amazon, I have to admit that the program still holds a lot of value.

So how does the Amazon Associate program size up for us affiliate marketers almost a year later, in August 2023?

Amazon affiliate program: Pros & Cons

We’ve established that Amazon Associates may not be the most fruitful affiliate marketing endeavor, however, it still comes with a heap of advantages. Read through these to get an idea of what Amazon can do for you.

✅ Pros ✅ 

⛔ Cons ⛔

Low commissions

If you’ve compared Amazon Associates to most other affiliate programs – or you’ve been reading this article attentively from the beginning 😉 – you’ll know that their commissions are low. Like reallyyyy low. Of course, you’ll get Amazon fans who say that “oh but you get a cut from everything!” – sure, but your cut from everything is very low. In reality, the only way you’re going to make money off of Amazon is by selling in very large volumes or selling very expensive items. 

*An important consideration: Amazon commissions are definitely low when compared to other Affiliate Networks… However! When compared to other big, trusted retailers like Walmart or Target, Amazon’s commission rates are about the same.

Short cookie duration

Compared to other affiliate programs, this “24-hour” cookie policy is not very generous at all. Most other affiliate networks have cookie policies for around 30 days or more – ie, if a shopper has clicked your link but goes back to the website two weeks later, you’ll still get a commission on that product. And once again, Amazon fans will defend it with “but you get a cut from everything they buy!” but as we know, that’s only for 24 hours.

Strict terms and conditions

It’s pretty easy to end up banned from Amazon. And when you get banned, you could be losing your commissions from the past weeks or months with little to no explanation. Though it’s not a foolproof solution, and their policy frequently changes, I’m providing you with some pointers on how not to get banned in a later section.

Tough road ahead

Lastly, and I have to warn… this is NOT a concrete, proven disadvantage… however, it really seems that Amazon simply does not prioritize their affiliate marketers. Every change they introduce to the Amazon Associates program is always a cut and almost always hurts affiliates. I mean, they had no qualms about slashing rates during the height of the pandemic, I don’t see them coming around any time soon. Just check out this detailed article on the History of Amazon Affiliate Program Rates that shows how categories have been consistently dropping since the program’s establishment by 20-80% even. Most likely, they will further limit the program.

2023 and beyond for Amazon affiliates

So we’ve considered the advantages and disadvantages, now what?

I’ll be honest: it doesn’t look too great for Amazon. New or experienced affiliates don’t stand much to gain monetarily by joining. The commissions are low and will probably only get lower. 😢

However! The upside is, that you don’t stand much to lose either. In fact, there is still some value, after all, it’s the biggest online marketplace that ever existed. Amazon has an enormous range of products, a global reputation for reliability, and is incredibly easy to join and use.

In terms of an estimated monthly income you could expect, it’s a tough call. Amazon Associates program operates on commission basis so only get a percentage from each sale. Amazon affiliate sites can make anywhere from $0 to five figures. However, the only way you’re going to be reaching these profitable numbers is with either very high ticket, expensive items (remember, even a $3000 couch is only going to make you $100 in commission), or very large traffic (and purchase) volumes per month. We’ll show you how to get lots of traffic later.

The program could be a good option for you if you:

• Are looking to try out affiliate marketing with an easy-to-use platform
• Want to add more variety to your promoted products from a trusted source
• Have very specific, niche, quirky items in mind
• Want to diversify your affiliate streams of income
• Are simply interested in how their platform works!

How to set up an Amazon Associates account (with screenshots!)

Part I: Become an affiliate with Amazon

First things first: How do you qualify for the Amazon Associates program? Good news is, that’s relatively easy too. First, you’ll need a regular Amazon account. Second, a website, blog, Youtube channel, or an app. (Granted, this is the most crucial and important part of being an affiliate marketer, but we will cover this in more depth later on).

**It’s best to have a website that is already active and sees some traffic for two reasons: (1) In your Amazon Associates application you’ll need to describe specific aspects of your website (2) Without any traffic to start, you have a much higher chance of getting banned!

1. Log in to your Amazon account. At the bottom of the page, you’ll find the “Become an Affiliate” menu point, marked below with the red arrow.

2. The screen below will appear. Fill in all the basic information and hit next.

*Make sure to confirm that none of your websites or apps are NOT directed at children under 13. This will disqualify you from the program.

4. Time to fill out a bunch of information about your website! Choose your Associates ID and provide a general idea of what your website/app is about. Then go on to answer questions on how you drive traffic to your platform and how you already/plan to monetize your site. This information is mainly to help Amazon customize content for you or offer suggestions – it can be changed later in your Amazon Account settings.

5. That was it – you are now an Amazon affiliate! Granted, one important step is missing, how to get paid 😉 Click on “Now” to finish this last component of your profile.

6. There are 3 ways to get paid: direct deposit (depends on your country/bank), with an Amazon gift card, by check. Choose your payment method, but make sure to confirm it will work with your address, bank account etc.

7. Tax information depends on where you live, but the US Version is depicted below. 

8. Now, you are not only officially part of the Amazon program, but also all set up to get paid 😉 Below is your default Amazon Associates dashboard where you can search for product links, see your earnings overview, and a monthly summary. Check out a quick guide to where to find each.

Part II: Creating an affiliate link

You’ve enrolled in the Amazon affiliate program – what’s left to do? Choosing products to promote and getting your links. These are the links that you will be displaying in your website, blog, Youtube channel, or app. 

1. Hover over the Product Linking menu and select the Product Links button. 

2. Either search for a product, or type in the product’s specific ASIN number. The 10 figure ASIN is located in the Product Information of section, as shown below.

3. Based on the search results, select the product you want to promote and click on “Get Link”.

4. You are now at the “Customize & Get HTML” final step. Here, you can choose whether you want your link in the form of text, image, or text and image. Below I have both “Text and Image” selected.

5. Not exactly a fifth step, but rather another route to getting a product link is the “Amazon SiteStripe” function.

Simply click which format you want your ad in (Text, Image or Text + Image), a window will appear (as shown below), and copy and paste to your website. 

Ways to get traffic to your Amazon offers

Like you’ll find out in our next section, there’s a minimum number of sales you must reach through your affiliate link – otherwise, your Amazon Associates account gets banned! The minimum number of sales set by Amazon is low, but you’ve got to reach it, or else you’re out of the game… not to mention nowhere near a profit 😥

You’ll probably need to drive traffic to your offers. 

As we’ve outlined previously, making money from Amazon offers comes with volume. And what better way to get traffic to your offers than with the help of an affiliate tracking software like Voluum? 🙂 But in all seriousness, in our next few campaign strategies outlined, an ad tracker is essential to optimizing and controlling your advertising strategies. What’s more, integrating your Amazon ads with Voluum couldn’t be easier, just read through our guide.

Also, remember! It’s better to link promoted ads to your website’s lander; here users can click on the official Amazon offer link and make their purchase! 

1. Email – If you have an email list, definitely use it to direct users to your website. Make sure to target people who are interested in your offers so you’re not spamming them.
2. SEO – Search Engine Optimization is a source of unpaid traffic. It takes quite a long time and a lot of work to be effective. However, by making a niche site with niche products, you can target specific keywords with minimal competition to drive users to your sites.
3. Native – SiteStripe allows you to share Amazon offers in native advertising. However, if you want to be more creative, have more control, and optimize your own campaigns to a tee, you should consider running your own native campaigns. Outbrain and Taboola are two of the best native traffic sources but try a demand site platform like a DSP where lots of traffic sources are available in one hub. Read more about the importance and increasing value of native advertising here.
4. Social Media – Again, you can use SiteStripe to directly share Amazon offers to Twitter or Facebook. But what about the plethora of other trendy social media platforms? Try advertising on Instagram, Tiktok, or anywhere else with your own original campaigns. 
5. Paid ads (push, pop, search, etc) – Sometimes SEO just isn’t enough… and that’s where paid campaigns come into play. Try sources platforms like Google Ads, Zeropark, and PropellerAds, or just read through our ranking for best traffic sources here. However, make sure not to directly promote your Amazon link to any search engine results! Usually, you should promote your own website where you can expose customers to your offers.

There’s plenty of ways to get traffic to your site and Amazon affiliate program offers – but which ones will be successful? Check out our latest ratings of the best traffic sources out there. You’re going to have to test different platforms and sources to see what works best for your niche, and website.

To do all this well, you’re also going to have to stay on top of every impression, conversion and factor that goes into a successful campaign. How else could you do this than with Voluum Tracker?

Don’t get banned! Amazon Associates program Terms and Conditions

Like I mentioned, Amazon is indeed monitoring you and it’s not too hard to get shut down. This list of tips is not exhaustive, and the Amazon affiliate program policy frequently changes, so make sure to stay on top of things as best you can. Because if you do get shut down, you risk losing weeks or even months of revenue, usually with minimal explanation. So, aside from the (hopefully) straightforward, illegal things you shouldn’t be doing, here are some points to staying afloat with your Amazon affiliate program campaigns:

• The first hurdle to jump: make at least 3 sales in the first six months of opening your account. If you don’t, your account will be shut down – however you can open a new one afterwards. These sales can’t be from you, obviously. To avoid this issue, I advise you build up a website with some traffic and content before signing up to Amazon Associates. This way it won’t be as difficult to make these sales. Your friends/family shouldn’t use your link.
• Don’t cloak your Amazon links or modify them. In other words, no URL shorteners; offers hyperlinked to text or media must clearly show that users are going to Amazon. Also, identify yourself as an Amazon Associate and that you will earn commission off sales. This must be done with some kind of disclaimer placed near the offer.
• You cannot indicate any kind of reward or incentive for clicking on your affiliate link. This includes mentioning that buying through this link will benefit or support you, the affiliate. If you have followers who care that much about you, good for you – but sadly, you can’t use this to your advantage here.
• No misrepresentation of Amazon or your site. Definitely don’t try to make your website look like Amazon and don’t use their logo. (Of course, you can use the images provided via Sitestripe from Amazon.) You can’t insinuate any kind of partnership or endorsement from Amazon. 
• Can’t display ratings/reviews/descriptions etc. And don’t mention prices either. Amazon doesn’t want you to display product attributes on your pages because their site is always updating and your figures or descriptions could be outdated. (That also means no copying images from Amazon) Of course, there is one exception here: if you use their API tool to integrate the content on your end with real-time updates. Also, you can of course provide your own, independent reviews.
• No posting links to non-public website platforms. So no posting on private platforms or in your paid course. Also, no posting links on forums. Basically, you can’t post on websites that you don’t control.
• No Amazon links in emails. No Amazon affiliate links in offline materials. You can’t have links in ebooks, brochures, texts either. An alternative? Use links that direct users to your offer page where they will then find the Amazon link.
• No promoting on social media except via SiteStripe. Also, no promoting links in search engine results. Here again, try to use links that direct users to your site where they can then access your offer links.

5 Successful Amazon Affiliate websites to learn from

So now you know how to join, how to get traffic and how not to get banned – but what about how to make money?

I’ve listed, detailed, and described 5 great Amazon Affiliate websites below – along with some successful strategies to learn from. These sites (originally) either mainly or exclusively focus on promoting and providing Amazon affiliate program offers. 

However, I would preface this with a warning: as we’ve seen, it may not be a very profitable and reliable move to optimize your platform for only Amazon offers. Take these strategies with a grain of salt. Granted, many of these strategies can be effectively adapted for offers from other networks, so feel free to think outside the (Amazon delivery) box. In fact, many of these sites that were originally so focused on Amazon links around a year ago have now apparently started diversifying their affiliate offers.

Read through my brief summaries and visit their websites for even more insight.

PC Part Picker

Niche	PC parts, Pc building guides
Affiliate links	Bulk of affiliate links seem to be from Amazon, but have offers from numerous smaller, specialized affiliate networks
Successful strategies	Not focused on being a content site. Sure they have a blog and plenty of helpful material, but the site’s main focus is to make the pc part shopping process easier for customers. Built an original tool. This of course takes some talent along with hard work, but they managed to create a pc-building tool that offers a unique resource to consumers. The tool, complemented by useful guides, brings value to customers. Created a shopping platform that helps users. Like many shopping platforms (and unlike most affiliate sites) they’ve focused on boosting the user’s shopping experience by including outside ratings and reviews as well as different pricing options.   Overall focus on the in-niche user experience. Shoppers come here to build a working pc within budget and they can do it easily with helpful comparisons and reviews alongside.

This is why I’m Broke

Niche	Novelty/pop culture items and gift guides
Affiliate links	Most from Amazon, many Etsy and Awin links too, and increasingly from manufacturers
Successful strategies	Utilizes the variety. This site truly capitalizes on the limitless variety offered by Amazon. You can tell they’ve done their research by delving into the depths of niche, odd-ball product manufacturing. Viral marketing. The inherent and complete silliness of some of these gifts and guides makes for viral content. Just by promoting and writing about quirky stuff, they can bring users to their site with eye-catching content. Diversified sources of links. Most likely motivated by this past year’s Amazon commission cuts, a website that used to primarily rely on Amazon affiliate links has incorporated many new ones from different sources – including straight from manufacturers.
Considerations	*Keep in mind that browsing this site, their content doesn’t seem to be totally in line with Amazon Associates terms and conditions. Most likely, this is because they have a unique agreement given the enormous source of traffic they provide. *They also get away with very little descriptions and text for each product. For a beginner affiliate with not much if any traffic, this strategy is not going to work; you’ll need to include detailed, long descriptions.

Headphones Addict

Niche	Headphones reviews and rankings
Affiliate links	Seemingly all from Amazon
Successful strategies	Ultra niched. This site focuses on one product and one product only: headphones and every kind of variant that exists. Detailed individual product reviews. Though their main, featured content focuses on top-10 lists, every pair of headphones is meticulously reviewed. Thorough ratings system. Not only is each product reviewed individually, but they all have convenient, numerical and comparable ratings systems for many features of headphones.

Garage Gym Power

Niche	Crossfit/home gym/running gear and guides
Affiliate links	Mainly from Amazon but also manufacturers
Successful strategies	Personalization quiz. This site provides an interactive quiz for users to take and discover individualized, curated products for them to buy. Not everything has to be monetized. Plenty of their articles focus on talking about a certain genre of product or practice overall and don’t include any or very few offers. This can serve to boost trust and reliability with users.

The Wirecutter

Niche	Electronics and consumer goods product reviews
Affiliate links	Mainly offers from Amazon and Bestbuy
Successful strategies	Authentic and honest. The Wirecutter is the top online source of consumer product reviews and not for nothing. They don’t prioritize based on commission rates, rather thorough testing and transparent decisions.  Quality over quantity.  This concept is nothing new, but this site makes a point of only publishing a few (between 5-10) reviews per month given their 100+ hours-long, in-depth research processes. Focused reviews. Many Amazon sites follow a “test and review” format to promote offers. However, this site is concentrated and straight to the point; the emphasis is not necessarily on lengthy descriptions or promoting any certain product. They always start their rankings with the top results to save you time.
Considerations	The Wirecutter reviews an enormous range of products and has a huge team of editors, writers and researchers to do so. As a beginner or standalone affiliate, this kind of quality work is simply not possible with such a wide range of products; you’re much better off focusing on one niche category.

But wait – so is the Amazon affiliate program profitable in 2023 or nah?

Like most things in life, the answer to this question isn’t black and white. Sorry about that. 

The truth is, this article lays out the facts. We clearly weren’t sponsored by Amazon and we don’t stand to gain for their losses either.

 If you’ve read the pros and cons, you’ll know for yourself whether Amazon Associates is a worthwhile business venture for you. 

Though Amazon may have really low commission rates for most categories they offer an indisputably valuable trove of information. Their setup is easy; all you need is a website with traffic. 

If you decide to go with Amazon, Voluum tracker will be there for you to help test, optimize and automate your campaigns.  

Go with Voluum Tracker today!