Help deciding whether to switch to HubPages Amazon Program...

1. 87

   Lily Roseposted 9 years ago

   I'm a bit behind the ball having been absent for a bit and my Amazon earnings have gone way down as a result, so I'm considering switching to the HP Amazon Program and am wondering if in fact most Hubbers are earning more from the HubPages Amazon Program, as it states.
   
   I believe when this came out a couple of years ago they said you couldn't go back, but I see it now says "You can go back to earning directly through your own, external Amazon tracker at any time" so I'm wondering - Should I switch? If I switch and then go back, will that hurt me in any way as far as earnings go?
   
   Thanks!

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   1. 80

      kenneth averyposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      This sounds tempting, but I am uncomfortable in switching right now.

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   2. 84

      Marisa Wrightposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      It didn't come out a couple of years ago, it's been only a few months.   They did announce plans to introduce it a couple of years ago, but it never happened!
      
      The bigger question is - how much do you have in your existing Amazon account?   If you haven't reached the payout threshold, and you're not using it elsewhere, then you'll never be able to collect that money.     The HubPages Amazon program is an internal system and is totally separate from your personal account, so the balance of your personal account can't be transferred over.

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      TIMETRAVELER2posted 9 years agoin reply to this

      +1   I have been doing pretty well with the HP account, but when I had a blog, I did not earn one cent!

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2. 91

   Rochelle Frankposted 9 years ago

   I have gone with the HP Amazon program and found the rewards to be much higher. I don't know what happens if you go back. It is working fine for me (though the earnings reports sometimes seem slow) so I will stick with it.

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   1. 87

      Lily Roseposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks for the input! I am definitely leaning towards switching.

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   2. 88

      JayeWisdomposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      I switched to the HP Amazon program, and my Amazon sales report on my earnings page shows many sales. My question (since I can't find the answer for it after searching all over HP) is when do I get paid, and will I be paid by HP or Amazon? Amazon has no record of the sales showing on my HP earnings page. Is there a $ threshold?
      
      This is one of my greatest irritants about HP--the lack of help from the site administration. It requires searching for hours and jumping through numerous hoops to find out anything, and if you have a problem....good luck!

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      1. 87

         Lily Roseposted 9 years agoin reply to this

         I do recall reading that HP pays us but I was wondering if it's two months behind as the Regular Amazon affiliate program is. I didn't see that info. If you can't find an answer I wold suggest emailing the HP team. It's been a while for me but in the past they have always been good at responding to emails.

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      2. 84

         Marisa Wrightposted 9 years agoin reply to this

         Jaye, the HP Amazon program is an internal program run by HP.  It has no connection with your personal Amazon account so you won't see any sales there.
         
         As for delays - you should know from your personal Amazon account that there's a two month delay before your earnings get credited.  It's the same with the HP program.

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         1. 88

            JayeWisdomposted 9 years agoin reply to this

            I've got Amazon sales credited in my Amazon sales report going back to February, but I didn't get paid for them with my May 28th HP payment. That's three months.

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            1. 84

               Marisa Wrightposted 9 years agoin reply to this

               I wonder if, like a lot of people, you've misunderstood the meaning of "switching".   Your old account is NOT switched off, it's still there.  All you've done is join a NEW program for use on HubPages.
               
               Your personal account and HubPages' Amazon program are two completely separate things.   Your personal account wasn't closed and your balance can't be transferred over.

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      3. 76

         Marina Lazarevicposted 9 years agoin reply to this

         Hi JayeWisdom! Sorry that you couldn't find the answer to your question. If you participate in the HubPages Amazon Program, you will be paid by HubPages.
         
         Since the Amazon Program is part of HEP, the payment threshold is $50. Earnings across all active HEP programs are aggregated to help you reach payout faster. The main payment difference between Amazon and the other two programs is the crediting schedule. Earnings from the Ad and eBay Programs are credited to your HEP balance after 30 days, and earnings from the Amazon Program are credited after 60 days.
         
         Have you checked out the Amazon Program FAQ? It has more information about how the program works.

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         1. 88

            JayeWisdomposted 9 years agoin reply to this

            Thanks for the explanation and link. Jaye

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      4. 61

         noenhulkposted 9 years agoin reply to this

         I guess, if you opt to switch to Amazon Program, Amazon company is the one to pay you your earning with them that's why I am uncomfortable too of switching from amazon ads to amazon affiliate program.

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3. 60

   paradigmsearchposted 9 years ago

   Based on the premise that your hubs are conducive to Amazon sales (mine aren't), then the HP program is your better bet. It's that higher percentage rate payment thing.

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4. 90

   Nell Roseposted 9 years ago

   I changed a while ago, and its so much better, I would definitely change to it.

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      ologsinquitoposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      I had posted some concerns earlier this week, because I had apparently hit a dry spell in terms of sales, and I was wondering if everything was working right. I did see that I sold something yesterday. It appears that with the higher commissions that it is worth it. It's my understanding that once we switch over we can change back, but I'm not sure how to do this, if we wanted to. I didn't make the switch to the in-house program right away either.

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5. 91

   robhamptonposted 9 years ago

   I get 30,000 views per month.  I use the Amazon program and have never made a single cent.  Just sayin

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   1. 87

      Lily Roseposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      That's great that you get 30,000 views for the amount of hubs you have! They're very informational and that's probably why you don't have Amazon commissions - even though you have links, people are searching for information on how to take care of, or fix, their pool and your hubs have that. They'd probably opt to go to the local pool store for the recommended chemicals, too. Just my 2 cents.
      
      Actually, on second look, you are using Ebay on all your hubs, not Amazon.

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      1. 91

         robhamptonposted 9 years agoin reply to this

         I still have many amazon ads,  but slowly weeding them out.

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         1. 84

            Marisa Wrightposted 9 years agoin reply to this

            If you're ditching your Amazon ads for eBay, you may be making a bad mistake.
            
            You get paid commission on Amazon if someone puts an item in their cart within 24 hours, and buys it within 90 days. 
            
            On eBay, you get paid if someone buys within 24 hours.   If it's an auction, you get paid if someone makes a bid within 24 hours AND then wins the auction.  If he just watches the item and bids later, you get nothing.
            
            So you can see you have much less chance of snaring an eBay sale than an Amazon sale.   You can improve your chances by selecting products which are likely to be "buy it now", but it's still only a 24 hour window compared to a 90 day window.
            
            Having said that, I wonder whether you should have eBay/Amazon ads in your Hubs at all.  If they're not likely to make sales, they're just giving your reader another way of leaving your Hub.  Far better to remove them, which makes it more likely they'll click on an Adsense ad.

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         noenhulkposted 9 years agoin reply to this

         Haha! That's right. I checked your hubs @robhampton and no amazon ads. Put amazon ads and you  can expect some penny earned as weeks and months pass by.

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         1. 91

            robhamptonposted 9 years agoin reply to this

            
            
            Haha!  I don't give a crap.  How much you are you earning?

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      TIMETRAVELER2posted 9 years agoin reply to this

      robhampton:  I agree with Lily Rose.  I have discovered that it is not so much the number of views you get that brings money, but the types of hubs you write that affiliate with Amazon products.  I do not have nearly so many views as you per month...not even close, but I am now earning fairly regularly from Amazon from them, which balances my lower view count.

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6. 87

   Lily Roseposted 9 years ago

   Okay, I took the plunge! Fingers crossed that my Amazon commission will go up from what it's been the last few months...of course, my timing as usual is impeccable - right at the summer slump!

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7. 88

   WryLiltposted 9 years ago

   I use Amazon on a range of sites, so although it would be easier to switch to HP (So I don't need to wait six weeks for a cheque to clear!), it also means I'd have to wait longer between cheques

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8. 76

   Act 3posted 9 years ago

   I switched and am glad I did. I don't have many Amazon sales, but I now get paid at a higher percentage through HP.

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