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What are Amazon’s policies for international links?
Amazon has specific policies regarding international affiliate links, particularly for those who are part of the Amazon Associates program and wish to promote products across different regions or countries. Here’s a breakdown of what you need to know about Amazon’s policies for international links:
1. Amazon Associates Global Program:
- Separate Affiliate Programs: Amazon operates separate affiliate programs for each country or region. For example, the U.S. has its own program (Amazon.com), and other countries like the UK, Canada, Germany, and Japan each have their own distinct programs (Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.ca, Amazon.de, Amazon.co.jp, etc.).
- No Universal Link: Amazon does not provide a single universal link for all countries. This means that if you’re promoting a product on Amazon.com (U.S.), the same product might be listed differently or even unavailable in other countries.
2. Generating International Links:
- Local Affiliate Accounts: To earn commissions from international traffic, you must be a member of each local affiliate program. For example, if you want to promote products in the UK and Canada, you need to sign up for those specific programs (Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.ca).
- Link Localization:
- You can manually create links for specific Amazon stores by logging into each country’s affiliate program and generating the affiliate link from there.
- Alternatively, some tools and plugins (like Amazon OneLink) help automatically redirect users to the correct Amazon storefront based on their location.
- Amazon OneLink: OneLink is a tool that helps affiliates who are part of multiple Amazon programs (e.g., Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, etc.) by automatically redirecting visitors to the correct Amazon store based on their geographic location. It’s important to note that OneLink only works for countries where Amazon has an affiliate program.
3. Linking from a Different Region:
- Cross-Border Link Sharing: If you’re in one country and want to share a link to another country’s Amazon store, you can do so, but keep in mind:
- Commission Rules: You will only earn commission from purchases made on the storefront where you are registered (for example, if you’re an Amazon.com affiliate, you earn from Amazon.com purchases).
- Users will be redirected to their local Amazon store if the product is available there.
4. Currency and Price Differences:
- Currency: Each Amazon storefront uses its own local currency. For example, the U.S. Amazon store uses USD, the UK store uses GBP, etc. This means you may see price differences for the same product depending on where the customer is shopping from.
- Shipping: Keep in mind that international shipping policies and costs may affect your commissions. Not all products available on Amazon in one country can be shipped to other countries.
5. Amazon Global Selling Program:
- Product Availability: Not all products are available in every country. If a product is not sold in a specific region, the affiliate link will either not work or will direct users to a product page indicating it is unavailable.
- Linking to Global Pages: If the product is available in multiple countries, you can create links that lead to those international pages. You may have to adjust your affiliate links manually for each region to ensure your audience is directed to the correct storefront.
6. Compliance with Local Laws:
- Affiliates are responsible for complying with the local laws of the country in which they are promoting Amazon products. This includes adhering to rules around affiliate marketing and advertising, as well as proper disclosure of affiliate links in line with local regulations (e.g., FTC guidelines in the U.S. or GDPR in the European Union).
7. Multilingual Issues:
- If you’re promoting products in a non-English-speaking country (e.g., Germany or Japan), be mindful of language barriers. You may want to include translations or consider creating localized content for your audience.
- Amazon provides links to localized pages, but as an affiliate, it’s your responsibility to make sure the product description and affiliate information are clear to the audience in that region.
Summary of Key Points for International Links:
- Separate Programs: Each country or region has its own affiliate program. You need to join the program for each region you want to promote in.
- OneLink: You can use OneLink to simplify linking across multiple regions and ensure users are redirected to the right Amazon store.
- Local Storefronts: Affiliate links are specific to the country where you are registered. You can manually create international links or use tools like OneLink.
- Disclosure & Compliance: Always disclose affiliate relationships and follow local regulations when promoting products internationally.
- Currency & Shipping: Price differences and international shipping may affect how the links perform in different regions.
By following these policies, you can effectively promote Amazon products internationally while complying with the program’s rules.
