Amazon associate is the first love of many affiliate marketers. The friendly affiliate program has been generating billions of affiliate revenue for thousands of affiliate marketers. As the program continued to evolve, the Amazon officials had to set rules and regulations for participating in their affiliate program.
But time and time again, their affiliate program regulations were questioned. It sounds crazy, but Amazon can suspend your Amazon associate account for violating any of their regulations, even if it’s as silly as not allowing affiliates to display real images!
If you genuinely think you can get away after violating Amazon’s affiliate regulations, we must warn you that Amazon is extremely strict about their affiliation policies!
So how can you show real Amazon data?
Perhaps Amazon felt that it’s hard to convince people without showing real Amazon data. So they developed the advertising API through which users were allowed to display real-time data from Amazon. To make things easier, Amazon has also provided users with a toolbar named SiteStripe.
Although Amazon invested their time and money in developing SiteStripe, some powerful ad blockers used to turn off SiteStripe ads. That’s when plugins came to light.
Although these plugins helped affiliate marketers in many ways, not every plugin aligns with Amazons associate’s affiliate policy. So if you’re using an Amazon affiliate plugin and want to learn if your plugin violates any Amazon Associates affiliate rules, keep reading this article. Hopefully, we’ll be able to provide you with a proper solution.
In this article, we’ll cover the following topics:
- What are Amazon Affiliate Plugins?
- How do plugins violate Amazon’s affiliate rules?
- Plugins that are violating Amazon affiliate conditions
- How to remain compliant with Amazon Affiliate rules while using affiliate plugins?
- Plugins compliant with Amazon associates policies
Before we move into the article, I want to assure you that there’s no reason to panic if your plugin is among the ones that are violating Amazon affiliate policy. There’s always a solution to every problem, and this article will surely solve yours.
What are Amazon affiliate plugins?
Affiliate marketing competitions increased over time, and marketers soon realized that they need to stand out from others. Managing Amazon affiliate links used to consume a lot of time from affiliate marketer’s schedules.
Since most of the Amazon affiliate websites were made with WordPress, many WordPress professionals developed specialized affiliate plugins. These help add affiliate links quickly and display them professionally with real Amazon data. EasyAzon is the most famous among the first few Amazon affiliate plugins.
However, some excellent plugins such as AzonPress, AAWP(Amazon Affiliate Pro Plugin), and AmaLinks Pro have been widely regarded as the most exceptional Amazon affiliate plugins. They can import images, star ratings, and many other small but meaningful Amazon data.
So they can offer various features while saving hours for any affiliate marketer! Since most of them contain a friendly interface that allows users to import and display products within the WordPress dashboard, users do not have to find and add products manually. All in all, plugins can be a real game-changer for Amazon affiliate marketers!
How do plugins violate Amazon’s affiliate rules?
By now, you have probably understood that plugins work with product links and various other product details. As you know, Amazon has strict terms and advertising guidelines. Marketers who fail to comply with the instruction will face the consequence.
Since Amazon affiliate plugins work with Amazon data, most of them try to ensure that the guidelines are followed with every action you make with the plugins. However, Amazon’s affiliate guidelines can be confusing at times, and reasons for suspending may also vary.
For example, you can’t use the word “Amazon” within any affiliate link. While it was supposed to be in the TOS, it’s available in the trademark section. Although it sounds weird, violating the rule can get your account suspended!
Still, some plugins offer TOS violating features despite the risk involved. If your website isn’t making much, using these plugins wouldn’t be a big issue. But if your affiliate website is getting a large number of sales, you must try to remain compliant with Amazon’s terms.
Plugins that are violating Amazon affiliate conditions
Plugins save your time and allow you to manage your Amazon affiliate in many ways. But there’s no point in risking your associate’s account only to use a plugin or some of its features. It looks like the below plugins are violating Amazon affiliate rules:
AAWP(Amazon Affiliate WordPress Plugin)
AAWP is probably the most famous premium plugin out there. So this inclusion might come as a shock to many affiliate marketers who use the plugin. Besides, AAWP works with API, which means that it extracts data through the Amazon API, which clearly aligns with Amazon’s terms.
But the truth is, AAWP may be violating Amazon’s policy by displaying reviews. According to Amazon associates program policies, marketers aren’t allowed to show customer reviews or star ratings unless it is derived from Amazon’s advertising API.
“(t) You will not display or otherwise use any of our customer reviews or star ratings, in part or in whole, on your Site unless you have obtained a link to that customer review or star rating through PA API and you comply with the requirements for PA API described in the License.”
Source: Amazon.com Associates Central
On the other hand, the updated Amazon’s PA API 5 won’t allow you to extract review data from Amazon, and AAWP admits that too!
Since they can’t get review data from the API, they have to scrape Amazon URLs for the review data manually. That is also the reason why the plugin fails to extract review data sometimes.
To conclude, the plugin is clearly violating Amazon affiliate rules for a specific feature. However, they also recommended disabling the functionality and clearing the plugin cache to remain compliant with Amazon’s terms.
AAPro
AAPro, aka Amazon affiliates pro plugin, can also be held liable for the violation of the same terms as AAWP. Unlike AAWP, AAPro is famous for its professional looking theme that maximizes the plugin’s potential.
However, the plugin can also import reviews from Amazon (you know how!). Aside from this particular feature that can get you banned, I like its other features, such as a storefront theme and detailed data display.
Amazon Auto Links
Amazon Auto Links is a free plugin with excellent offerings. The plugin offers comprehensive product box creation with Amazon API access. Unlike a lot of amazon affiliate plugins, it can work without the API access.
While importing category units, the plugin can pull images, ratings, and similar other details. As a result, it’s a popular plugin with over 6000+ WordPress installations. However, if you integrate your Amazon advertising API into the plugin, you risk your Amazon affiliate account of suspension.
It is mandatory to insert the Amazon advertising API disclaimer. But Amazon Auto Links has completely ignored the Amazon affiliate rule. So if you still want to remain with Amazon auto links, you are putting your Amazon associates account at stake.
Amazon JS
Amazon JS is another free plugin like the Amazon Auto Links. The plugin has limited features, and it’s easy to operate. It lets you create beautiful product boxes in your pages and posts.
Besides, the plugin comes with a layout template named Jquery. It enables you to customize various aspects of your product pages, which is very attractive for a free plugin.
However, like the earlier mentioned plugin, Amazon JS also didn’t insert an API disclaimer. As a result, using the plugin puts your amazon associates account in the danger of being banned.
ThirstyAffiliates
ThirstyAffiliates is more recognized as a complete affiliate plugin rather than the conventional Amazon affiliate plugins. The pro version of the plugin allows Amazon affiliate marketers to import and insert affiliate links into posts and pages easily.
As an affiliate plugin, ThirstyAffiliates also enables affiliate marketers to cloak links. No doubt, it’s an appealing feature for most affiliate marketers. But the problem is that Amazon does not allow link shortening, they want to track every affiliate link, and they want them to be visible on their system.
I know that most people know about this Amazon affiliate rule. But hopefully, it will help the beginners to avoid link cloaking with or without plugins such as ThirstyAffiliates.
How to remain compliant with Amazon Affiliate rules while using affiliate plugins?
You can apply two kinds of solutions if you have been using these plugins(or features that may violate Amazon affiliate terms). The first option would be suitable for you if you want to stay with the existing plugin while the second one is to switch your Amazon affiliate plugin.
Solution 1: Clear plugin cache and stop using dangerous features
AAWP has already instructed its users to disable the review display feature to stay out of danger. If someone is worried about the review display terms violation, they can disable the plugin’s feature. AAWP is still a powerful plugin without the review display feature.
For the safety of your account, you should disable plugins that won’t allow you to disable a feature that violates Amazon associate terms of service. In addition, it’s essential to avoid using programs that do not insert the mandatory API disclosure.
Note that even if you have disabled a feature of the plugin, Amazon can still retrieve some back-end data through its API. You should always clear the plugin cache after making modifications to the features you are using.
Solution 2: Switch to a different Amazon affiliate plugin
There were only a handful of plugins for Amazon affiliate in the past. So if your priority was to work efficiently, you did not have the option to switch even if your plugin was breaking Amazon’s affiliate rules.
However, with more excellent developers, the WordPress community can find multiple alternatives now! Instead of risking anything, you can make a quick switch to another plugin to remain compliant with Amazon’s rules and regulations.
Plugins compliant with Amazon associates policies
I have picked out some excellent Amazon affiliate plugins that can provide most features while remaining compliant with Amazon’s affiliate policy.
AzonPress
If you have been using AAWP, AzonPress can be the perfect affiliate plugin for you. It contains most features of AAWP, as well as some additional features. Besides, AzonPress is recognized as the most user-friendly plugin, and it offers incredible customization features.
Whether you understand CSS or not, the AzonPress plugin gives you the best customization facility to create or design your product tables or comparison tables.
Since the plugin entirely depends on the Amazon advertising API for importing data, you also don’t have to fear about remaining compliant with Amazon’s affiliate policy. Furthermore, AzonPress is more affordable compared to most premium amazon affiliate plugins.
If you’re not sure whether it would be a good option for you, you can check out this comparison, where we have compared AzonPress with some of the most popular Amazon affiliate plugins.
AmaLinks Pro
AmaLinks Pro is another Amazon affiliate plugin that puts Amazon affiliate rules over anything else. The plugin can give you the freedom to create product boxes and tables that look professional and save your time.
It was developed by Mathew Allen, a renowned affiliate marketer who knows the ins and outs of Amazon terms and conditions. Therefore, AmoLinks Pro prioritizes security over anything else.
It may sound biased, but AmaLinks Pro product boxes are an extremely high-converting element. With this plugin, you can write a beautifully presented description for each product on your website, which will persuade your audience to make a decision. However, the plugin is a bit expensive($67).
WooZone – WooCommerce Amazon Affiliates Plugin
Next up, you can use the WooZone – WooCommerce Amazon Affiliates Plugin. The plugin is functional, and it lets you turn your website into an affiliate website. If you are running WooCommerce on your website, WooZone should be the perfect plugin to promote some Amazon affiliate products as well.
WooZone is powered with features such as GEO-localization and content spinner to target any Amazon locale or save the time you plan to spend on writing unique content. The plugin can utilize the product descriptions of amazon to create a well-written product description on your website.
WooZone might not offer you some compelling features like comparison tables or product tables. It can still boost affiliate sales with specialized features that are entirely in compliance with Amazon’s affiliate terms. If you want to get WooZone, you might have to pay up to $49.
EasyAzon
EasyAzon is probably one of the most famous Amazon affiliate marketing plugins. The plugin is known for introducing people with various Amazon affiliates plugin features such as product searches within the WordPress dashboard, quick Image affiliate links, and product showcase boxes.
Besides, EasyAzon also enables you to display product popups and localize all of your Amazon affiliate links. As a plugin, it has always followed Amazon affiliate rules. You can get a free version of the plugin from the WordPress plugin store or a paid one from the creators.
TableLabs
Tablelabs is a simple comparison table builder plugin to compare between products. It’s beginner-friendly and provides users with a friendly interface to add Amazon products and create and modify product comparison tables. Like AzonPress, the plugin is entirely dependent on the Amazon product advertising API for data. So it undoubtedly aligns with Amazon’s compliance policy.
If you want to get TableLabs, the pricing starts from $27.
Concluding Remarks
Amazon affiliate marketing has been the primary income source for many affiliate marketers. But it takes only one simple mistake to ruin it all. Since the commission rates are being slashed more and more, automation is getting more ground.
But it’s not appropriate to risk a productive business just to save some time or to be able to promote more products. So you must try to follow Amazon affiliate rules and regulations and keep track of everything that happens on your website.
Whether you are using a plugin or linking manually, you should be careful about your Amazon affiliate website’s contents. To ensure you’re doing so, you should avoid using anything that does not align with Amazon’s rules and regulations.
In a world full of alternatives, it would not be wise to sit back and wait for the consequence of making avoidable mistakes. So if there is a better(and safer) alternative, you shouldn’t hesitate to make a switch.
