HubPages Amazon Program Update

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   Christy Kirwanposted 6 years ago

   Heads up! We’re changing the way we calculate Amazon earnings for participants in the HubPages Amazon Program (external Amazon affiliate users will not be affected).
   
   The changes we are making are necessary for the HubPages Amazon Program to work properly on AMP pages. Plus, authors will have more insight into products purchased from Amazon than before.
   
   Currently we display the author’s affiliate code 60% of the time and HubPages’ affiliate code 40% of the time. With this update, we will show the author’s affiliate code 100% of the time and split all earnings 60% to the author and 40% to HubPages. The result is that authors will still be making the same amount but all purchases will be listed on the Amazon Sales Report page, including the ones that would previously have been excluded because they were purchased during HubPages’ share of impressions. We will continue to honor the 10% share of earnings to authors who have recruited other authors with their referral link. We hope the extra product data will help authors to optimize Amazon sales in articles.
   
   We realize that readers usually have a longer period of time to make a purchase after clicking a tracked Amazon link and that switching may result in the loss of some of those later purchases. To make up for it, we are giving authors 100% of Amazon earnings today (Monday July 9th) through Thursday (July 12th). Since the vast majority of Amazon purchases happen within the first few days, the temporary 100% share should more than offset any losses.

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      liesl5858posted 6 years agoin reply to this

      Thank you Christy for this information. It is good news for all of us if we are able to sell things from Amazon. But I don't really understand the affiliate program much.

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      Susana Sposted 6 years agoin reply to this

      It will be interesting to see more detailed information about amazon sales. I'm also intrigued to find out if this change makes much difference to earnings.

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      TIMETRAVELER2posted 6 years agoin reply to this

      This is great...I just wish you had started the 100% thing one day earlier as I just got the biggest sale I've had in quite some time!  Timing is everything!

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      CatherineGiordanoposted 6 years agoin reply to this

      So happy to see this. I have been advocating for this for the past 2 years at least. It would be very helpful to know what all the sales are. I applaud this change.
      
      I realize that it won't make much difference financially, but the extra information is helpful.

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   Glenn Stokposted 6 years ago

   I like this change, it evens out the playing field. I was always aware that sometimes someone orders a huge big-ticket item, and I figured it might also happen on HubPages’ 40% impressions. In that case I would get nothing for it. Of course this could happen the other way around too, so it probably always evened out in the long term. Nevertheless, with this new method, if a big-ticket item it randomly ordered, we both always get the 60/40 benefit. Nice.
   
   One thing that would be great if it could be programmed into the code, is to indicate which hub is responsible for each order. Any chance of that happening? It might be easier to do that now with the new tracking method.

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      wildernessposted 6 years agoin reply to this

      I like it, too, and for the same reason.  Particularly for those only selling a few items, it was a craps shoot and this fixes that.  It's one thing to do it with ad impressions, but when a single sale can produce $100 or more (maybe a years Amazon sales) it can make a difference.
      
      Of course, the smaller seller could lose from it, too, just not as much. 
      
      Like you, I'd sure like to see what hubs are producing the sales.  I can figure out some of them, but where did those sex toys come from???
      
      Now if I can just sell a half dozen big screen TV's in the next couple of days...

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         CatherineGiordanoposted 6 years agoin reply to this

         I agree. Sometimes a haven't a clue why I got a particular sale. If I knew what hub produced it. I could maybe figure out the connection. More information is always helpful.

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            DzyMsLizzyposted 6 years agoin reply to this

            I agree; knowing from which article the sale came would indeed be useful information!

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               Natalie Frankposted 6 years agoin reply to this

               I'm not sure it really would be all that helpful actually.  Given that each amazon item has to be directly and closely linked to the title when you see what item was sold you can tell which article it was linked to.  The other possibility is that someone clicked the amazon link on one of your articles, didn't buy the product that link went to but while they were at the Amazon site bought something else.  In that case, you'd still get the commission but the item wouldn't actually be related to anything you wrote the link was just how they got to Amazon.

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      paolaenergyaposted 6 years agoin reply to this

      That's a great idea to have added analytics.

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   Rupert Taylorposted 6 years ago

   Everybody seems pleased by this. I wish I had the faintest clue what it means.

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      Natalie Frankposted 6 years agoin reply to this

      Ditto. But then I never get Amazon earnings.

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      greenmindposted 6 years agoin reply to this

      Rupert -- it only matters if you offer items for sale on your articles using the Amazon capsule or an in-text link. For example, I just read your excellent article on Marmite. It's possible that people might want to try it, and order some on Amazon through a link you put in your article.
      
      HP has been taking the $ from 40% of the items sold. Now they're taking 40% of the total dollar amount. It's a subtle but interesting change.
      
      It's not for everyone -- Amazon links, not Marmite -- but it's not complicated. Some people here make meaningful money that way.
      
      Cheers!

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         DzyMsLizzyposted 6 years agoin reply to this

         ROFL!  Marmite isn't for everyone, either!  I had the displeasure of trying some once; it was the single most vile thing I have ever tasted! 

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   EricDockettposted 6 years ago

   I almost had a heart attack when I saw the title of this forum post. But I think this is a good change. I too will be interested in seeing the difference, if any, in earnings, as well as the full accounting of items sold.

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   Cre8torposted 6 years ago

   I like the move and appreciate the effort to balance out some sales. Thanks HP team!

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   Butterfly67posted 6 years ago

   This sounds like a really good move. I'm just about to switch to HP Amazon instead of my own so it will be interesting to see the difference.

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   lobobrandonposted 6 years ago

   Love this change for the same reason as Glenn. Thanks for the update Christy.

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   cleoaddamsposted 6 years ago

   Thanks for the update and notice!

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   Daniel Mollatposted 6 years ago

   I guess this upgrade only benefits those hubbers who have thousands or many hundreds of visitors daily. Not so much for us young members who are in the very low hundred visits per day.
   
   I have just received an email from Amazon telling me that I have been removed from their list of associates or affiliates due to lack of amazon orders from my hubs.

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      wildernessposted 6 years agoin reply to this

      Actually it will probably benefit the smaller traffic hubbers more.  In such cases it only takes one large Amazon sale going to HP to materially affect their earnings, whereas those with more traffic tended to even out much better.

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      Natalie Frankposted 6 years agoin reply to this

      How long did you go without any sales before they removed you?  I haven't had sales in over a year and believe I'm still on their list.  At least I have that column in my report though I'm wondering if the reason I haven't seen any more sales is because they removed me and I'm not getting credited.  I truly don't have that many links left and the two that made all of my sales early on were removed.

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    lobobrandonposted 6 years ago

    I like the look of the new sales report table

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    Margie Lynnposted 6 years ago

    I have very few Amazon ads and every time I update a hub they take it off. It is always something I have personally used as the specified! So now I probably have none! Glad for the folks that are able to have an Amazon ad.

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       DrMark1961posted 6 years agoin reply to this

       If you put an Amazon ad for a pie tin under your chocolate cake hub, for example, it does not matter if you have used it or not. If the ad is useful to your readers then HP is not going to remove it.
       If you need help on understanding how to use the ads you can post a link to the forums and ask others to look at the article and see why the ad might be snipped.

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          Natalie Frankposted 6 years agoin reply to this

          That's not my experience.  Unless it specifically relates to the actual topic of the hub as stated in the title and you have used it and state so and you include original content about that shoes how it is related to the hub or is removed.  And even despite all that sometimes they are removed.  The only links I have left are those that were in articles ivwont exit because I know that when they go back through quality control they will be removed and I'll have none at all.  I have had a device that was  specifically needed to make a recipe that I had bought and used in terms of the specific brand which i detailed how to use as part of the recipe from a first person pov tellung how i used it AND I had a separate review of the item in first person in a swparate capsule all of which was left in but the link removed despite contacting staff about it twice.  Ive goven up on Amazon too.  It seems policies arwnt being applied consistently if the link I described above was removed even after explaining to staff twice but some people can write about a chocolate cake then mention a pan not necessarily needed for the and it gets left in because it's "useful."

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             Margie Lynnposted 6 years agoin reply to this

             Totally identify with you Natalie, I am a cook too! It is just not worth the hassle, I think all my Amazon ad are gone now, only had a few, but snip them when I updated, no more updating for me! I really needed the avenue to make some extra money!

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    Barbara Kayposted 6 years ago

    DrMark1961, I think sometimes the moderators don't understand the subject. Crochet is needlework that uses yarn or thread. I had an ad for the exact yarn needed for the project and stated why I used this brand myself. It was still removed. I've had a few others like this and I've given up using Amazon.

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       Margie Lynnposted 6 years agoin reply to this

       Thanks, DrMark, but my ads are about what I am writing about, I have just given up on even trying to add an Amazon ad.

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          EricFarmer8xposted 6 years agoin reply to this

          I feel the same way. I know it is a revenue stream I am missing out on but I rather try something on my own on a blog if I want to go down this route. Then I can do it my way.

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       Margie Lynnposted 6 years agoin reply to this

       Barbara Kay, I have found every editor has a different way of doing things. I can not even get a hub featured anymore! Boy things have really changed on here. I guess it is the merger with Maven???

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       DrMark1961posted 6 years agoin reply to this

       Did you try to email the editors? Marisa used to state that if it was removed, she would just put it back in. If they removed it again, she put it back in...

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          Margie Lynnposted 6 years agoin reply to this

          DrMark no I have not tried that. All my hubs are on niche sites and did not want them to get removed. Thanks for your comment.

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          Barbara Kayposted 6 years agoin reply to this

          It might be worth a try putting it back in.

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       theraggededgeposted 6 years agoin reply to this

       I make three figures each month with Amazon, but not from capsules. Text links are the way to go. The link has to be very natural and incorporated into the text.
       
       So you'd say something like..."For this project I've used this gorgeous Stylecraft Rainbow Clover: 70 percent acrylic/30 percent wool mix, double knitting yarn. I'm fond of this yarn because it works up easily and comes up great, wash after wash."
       
       You'd highlight the product name, clink on the link button, then select the Amazon tab, hopefully, the item will be right there. Select it and the link should be added automatically.
       
       HubPages likes them because they are not hidden by ad blockers. I've rarely had a text link removed, but when I do, I either change the text or go with the editor's decision and leave it out.

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          DrMark1961posted 6 years agoin reply to this

          I totally agree. I seriously doubt that HP would snip a link like you described.

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          Margie Lynnposted 6 years agoin reply to this

          Thanks, I might try that theraggededge. So many smart folks on here. Thanks for sharing with me!

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          Barbara Kayposted 6 years agoin reply to this

          theraggededge, Thanks for your great example.

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    Gordon Hamiltonposted 6 years ago

    I wonder if you could possibly clarify an important point for me re the 10% referral income please, Christy? I have fairly decent income of this type and am used to seeing it accumulate included in my daily earning stats. I have noticed that this has not happened since the new system has come in to place and am becoming a little concerned. Is it perhaps simply the case that I will no longer see this accumulate and will only get to know what income of this type I have earned at the point of payment? Thanks for any information you can give me re this query.

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    Butterfly67posted 6 years ago

    Could someone please tell me, if I switch to Amazon ads via HP, is it easy enough to switch back to my own account if it doesn't work for me and also will it affect my own account at all?

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