I do not understand something about Amazon earnings

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   TIMETRAVELER2posted 10 years ago

   I have been using amazon capsules in my articles for some time but have made almost nothing from them.  When I checked my earnings settings to sign up for the new Amazon earnings via Hub Pages, it said my Amazon was inactive!  What am I missing here?  I have activated the new one, but I thought I was earning all along...was I or wasn't I?

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      Alison Grahamposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      was that the amazon program within the hubpages earnings program settings encompasing hubpages, ebay and amazon - I have that the amazon in this section is inactive but that my external tracker code is active and then underneath this, in external affiliate settings my amazon is active - so I am a bit confused too!

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         TIMETRAVELER2posted 10 years agoin reply to this

         I agree.  Too late to worry about it I guess, but I must say I really like the new setup.  Now I can see clicks, etc. without having to leave the site.  Much, much better.

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   jansharesposted 10 years ago

   It through me for a loop, too, when I saw the word "inactive." Just click on "get started" and proceed. I'm signed up now.

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      TIMETRAVELER2posted 10 years agoin reply to this

      janshares   That's what I did but I am now wondering if one of the reasons I have made so little here is that I wasn't properly connected to Amazon, even though I do see some small earnings there.

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         jansharesposted 10 years agoin reply to this

         I think we were properly connected TIMETRAVELER2. We just didn't know how to use it to our advantage. At least that's what I think for myself. My earnings don't even add up to $10 yet.

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            Nadine Mayposted 10 years agoin reply to this

            we have been amazon affiliates for years and NEVER earned a cent. Should I then remove our affiliate account number on hub and get a amazon ID with hubpages? Is that correct?

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               Marisa Wrightposted 10 years agoin reply to this

               If you've really never earned a cent, then changing to the HP Amazon program won't make a ha'porth of difference (unless your account wasn't connected properly).
               
               The only difference between using your own account and being on the HP program, is that you can earn a higher percentage commission with the HP program. Clearly, an extra 2% of nothing is still nothing. 
               
               Looking at your Hubs, I can't see many opportunities to use Amazon capsules at all, which may be why you're not earning.

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      Alison Grahamposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      I found the answer to my own question!
      
      In the get started section it states
      
      PLEASE NOTE: By signing up to earn from the HubPages Amazon Program, you are electing to stop earning from Amazon Associates directly via the external tracker hubp0a3a-20, which will be replaced when you submit your application below. We recommend that you proceed, because most Hubbers can earn more from the HubPages Amazon Program. You can go back to earning directly through your own, external Amazon tracker at any time.

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         jansharesposted 10 years agoin reply to this

         I believe "yes" to most of your questions. The good thing is that it is reversible. There is an HP blog post explaining.

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         lovebuglenaposted 10 years agoin reply to this

         If we select the amazon program directly from hubpages rather than using our own does that mean the products we chose for our hubs using our own amazon will be removed?

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            psycheskinnerposted 10 years agoin reply to this

            No.  They will be changed by Hubpages to point to your new ID.

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         TIMETRAVELER2posted 10 years agoin reply to this

         Allison  It would have been nice if the team had explained this in their announcement.  I'm not sure how much I'll lose, but even if it just one penny, it is too much.  They should have worked something out to transfer those old earnings to the new venue.  Otherwise, Amazon just saved a ton of money and HP writers have lost a ton!

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            psycheskinnerposted 10 years agoin reply to this

            If you want to opt out, you can, and no money is lost.  It is just like Hubads versus Adsense.
            
            From the Amazon side the money is spent and they will never get it back.  All that changes is when you draw it down.

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            Alison Grahamposted 10 years agoin reply to this

            I'm not sure if you will have lost anything other than the difference between the percentage earnings you get from Amazon and the percentage HubPages get but as the bottom tier is (I think) 4% and the percentage I have heard mentioned as HubPages tier (8% or 8.5%) that would effectively have doubled earnings for anyone on the bottom tier if I understand it correctly. - but as you say, it is very confusing!

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            SpaceShantyposted 10 years agoin reply to this

            I think the point is that you won't lose anything, the idea is that ANY Amazon sales will be in the highest tier and that if you don't make ANY sales in 90 days you won't be ejected from the Amazon program which is the current policy.

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            Marisa Wrightposted 10 years agoin reply to this

            To be fair, I think most people would realize that there's no way to transfer the balance.
            
            Under the old set-up, we all had our own individual Amazon accounts.  The only way the balance could be transferred would be if Amazon transferred all our individual balances to HubPages.   Since Amazon has no way of knowing who signs up to the new scheme and who doesn't, how can they do that?    For legal reasons, they couldn't take HubPages' word for it - the money doesn't belong to them.  So they'd have to liaise with each individual Hubber to get permission.
            
            Knowing Amazon, I doubt very much they would agree to take on all that extra admin work without charging handsomely for it.

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               TIMETRAVELER2posted 10 years agoin reply to this

               Marissa   It would seem to me that all Amazon would have to do is place a "transfer funds and close account'" notation on accounts or somesuch that would  allow individuals who already have earnings at Amazon to automatically transfer those funds.  Conversely, why could they not simply put the funds into people's paypal accounts and allow them to close their Amazon accounts if they so choose.  It would be a fairly simple change in computer programming on their part, it seems to me.

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                  psycheskinnerposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                  Hubpages could hardly suggest such a thing when they do not do it themselves.

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                     TIMETRAVELER2posted 10 years agoin reply to this

                     psycheskinner  This is not the same thing.  People would still be using Amazon but since they had not reached payout when they switched, and if Amazon does not want to transfer the funds, this would only be fair.  With more than 72,000 writers here this could amount to a huge amount of lost dollars to writers if they do not do so.  Yes, writers can "opt out" but then they lose the benefit of long term enhanced earnings.  It catches us right in the middle.

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                  Marisa Wrightposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                  But the ability to "transfer funds and close account" is not an option that exists on Amazon right now.  As you say, they'd have to programme it specially.   It's not as simple as you think - particularly as they would NOT want to allow all Amazon associates to do it.   I can't think how they could programme it so that only Hubbers could take that option - especially as Amazon has no idea who's a Hubber and who isn't. 
                  
                  If you're suggesting Amazon should allow anyone who wants to close their account to collect their balance - dream on.

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                     TIMETRAVELER2posted 10 years agoin reply to this

                     Yes, but they DO have a way already set up to pay people via paypal, do they not?  Why not lower the threshold for a limited amount of time to allow people to take their earnings that way and then revert back for those who want to keep things as they were?  I really don't think it would take as much as you think it would to do this.

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                        Marisa Wrightposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                        No, Amazon do not pay via Paypal.  And again, are you suggesting they allow all their members the option of claiming their remaining balance?   It would be a nice idea - I'm sure there are thousands of Amazon affiliates who've never managed to reach threshold and who'd love to collect the few dollars sitting in their account.  But if Amazon hasn't decided to be generous in all the years they've run the scheme, I don't see why they would have a change of heart just because a very small number of affiliates (Hubbers) need that facility. 
                        
                        Amazon can't restrict it to just HubPages members.   They don't know who we are, so they can't possibly set up something automatic.   It would have to be done on a person by person basis.  Each Hubber would have to apply, then HubPages would have to verify that the person has signed up for the new scheme.  It's all extra admin work.
                        
                        This is why HP is making this optional:  if you haven't reached the threshold on your own account and you're not willing to lose your balance, you don't have to switch.  You can still switch back at any time.

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                           TIMETRAVELER2posted 10 years agoin reply to this

                           Well, I just checked my balance and it is so small I don't have to worry about it, but i see what you are saying.  I have never made much with them, unfortunately, so I guess either way it's a bummer!

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                              Marisa Wrightposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                              If you've never done well with Amazon, I wouldn't expect the new scheme to make much difference.  You'll get another few percent per sale but it still comes down to whether your capsules are correctly chosen and placed, which is down to you.
                              
                              Of course, if your old Amazon account wasn't properly connected, it might make a huge difference, you never know!

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               TIMETRAVELER2posted 10 years agoin reply to this

               Marissa   How can you check your settings to see if you can get a gift card if you have already switched over to the new plan?

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                  Marisa Wrightposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                  You've enrolled in HubPages plan.  That doesn't affect your own Amazon account in any way, shape or form.   
                  
                  Joining the HP plan means you're not using your personal account on HP any more, that's all.  Your direct relationship with Amazon isn't affected.

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3. 31

   Writer Foxposted 10 years ago

   The minimum for payment from Amazon by check is $100.  Many people outside of the US have raised the threshold for receiving a check to save money on check cashing fees and foreign exchange rates.  If you want to lower the threshold to the $100 minimum, you need to do this by March 1st to be effective for January earnings paid in March. In other words, you might want to wait to make the switch to the Amazon HP program until February 28th and redo your Amazon payment threshold at the same time.

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4. 92

   Jodahposted 10 years ago

   Same thing happened to me Timetraveler2, I have been putting Amazon capsules in my hubs for months only to see a week or so back that it was shown as inactive. I was sure I activated it when I first joined, but have never made anything from it either, though I have made money from the eBay capsules.

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   Sue Adamsposted 10 years ago

   I already have an Amazon Associate ID which is different from my HubPages Amazon Program ID. When I try to add my HP Amazon ID to Amazon Associates Central to check for earnings it says the ID is already taken (presumably by me), but it doesn't appear in my list of ID's. I read somewhere that you can have up to 100 Amazon ID's.
   
   Question 1.) Can we see our HP Amazon earnings on Amazon Central, or can we only get earnings reports from the HP Amazon Program on HubPages?
   
   Next Question 2.) Do we lose Amazon earnings from old ID (if payment threshold is reached) if we join the HP Amazon Program?

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      Marisa Wrightposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      It's probably misleading to talk about "switching" your Amazon ID.  You're not switching anything - you're simply choosing to hitch a ride on HubPages' Amazon account instead of using your own.  Your own Amazon account is completely separate and isn't affected. Amazon isn't notified of any 'switch' because there isn't one.
      
      That means no, you can't use your HubPages Amazon ID on the Amazon site - the only reporting you can get  is on HubPages.  It also means your existing balance on your Amazon account isn't affected.  However it also means that if you're not using your Amazon account anywhere else, and you haven't reached payout yet, you won't be able to cash out that money.  So it's best not to activate the HP Amazon ID until you've reached the threshold on your own account.

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