THE GREAT AMAZON ASSOCIATES SWINDLE

  

Today I received an email telling me that various parts of my agreement between Amazon and myself have changed.

I have a few links on websites to books that I have read and think others might like. Just makes for a slightly better, more interactive experience etc

For this I would receive a small (and it really is small) % of the selling price of the book. This works well. I've probably made about £50-£100 in total since 1998 when I first used this system. It's not a business empire!

But today's slight amendments to their operating agreement include this little gem hidden away in the legal speak and small type..

"If you have not earned any advertising fees in the 3 years prior to any given calendar month, then on the first day of that calendar month we may charge you an account maintenance fee that will be deducted from your unpaid accrued advertising fees. That account maintenance fee will be (i) £10 if your advertising fees were earned from Qualifying Purchases occurring on the Amazon UK Site or €10 if your advertising fees were earned from Qualifying Purchases occurring on each of the Amazon DE Site, Amazon FR Site or Amazon IT Site; and (ii) the amount of unpaid accrued advertising fees in your account. We may also in this case close your account and terminate this agreement."

What?!

So, if your account isn't used for a while and you decide to go back in and help Amazon make more sales you'd better make sure you have earned something from the referral system in the past 3 years.

If not, the way I read it, your referral income better be more than £25 in total (they hold fees until they reach this limit to pay direct your bank). If it falls under £25 and you have not earned any fees on your account for 3 years then they will charge you £10 off your fees earned (the text in green) PLUS take all your fees earned to date (the sky blue text).  Then they say they 'may' - presumably if they are feeling particularly miserly that day -close your account and terminate the agreement.

Nice one Amazon.

I've been sat here thinking I'm doing you a favour all the time and now you're about to kick me in the face and chuck me off the programme.

Not before I've terminated 'my' agreement with you you're not.

Suffice to say, my websites won't feature book recommendations with links to Amazon on them any longer. Amazon should remember one thing. There are other booksellers on the web. And some of the household web names of today didn't exist only a few years ago.

Good business strategy Amazon.