Support for Indie Authors discussion

I applied to the Amazon Associates Program, put the ad links they recommended on my website, and a sale went through, qualifying the site for a review for associate approval. They didn't approve it. This is the email I received:

"We have completed our review of your application to the Amazon Associates Program, which included a visit to the website where you planned to create links to our store.
"We found you listed the URL for your web site as: http://kendoggett.weebly.com/. Your web site includes the unapproved use of Amazon.com trademarked words, images, or reviews.
"We do not allow the use of URLs, trademarks, logos, etc. that include words that are trademarked by Amazon.com LLC. This includes variations or misspellings of any trademarked words. We are therefore unable to approve your application. Accordingly, we have closed the account under which you had been temporarily approved and that approval has now ended.
"If your website has been further developed and now contains appropriate content, you are welcome to submit another application by using the following URL: https://affiliate-program.amazon.com/... "

The only thing they listed that was actually on the website were the links they recommended. Maybe it's me, maybe it's them, but after I removed all the Amazon ad links, I see nothing that meets their criteria for a violation. However, the links are necessary in order to get a sale that qualifies the website for a review. I'm wondering if they're referring to the buttons on the where-to-buy-page that I use to link my books to the various vendors, including Amazon.

Any ideas?

I received a reply to my inquiry. Apparently it is the Amazon links to my books. I'm not sure why they would want me to delete these, and leave only those direct links to their competitors, but I'll try it. I replied and said that I was instructed to use the links to my author pages by Amazon Author Central, and though I couldn't imagine the benefit to Amazon for doing it, I would delete them.

"Hello Ken,

I have looked over your sight and noticed you are using Amazon (Amazon US, Amazon UK etc.) on the page listed below.

http://kendoggett.weebly.com/where-to... "

Followup:
The Amazon rep says he looked at my site, and can now see no trademark violations. You can link to products on Amazon, but they require you to use certain trademark icons when doing so.

In case anyone is interested, this is how the message worded it:

"You are more than welcome to link to your books, or your Author's Central page, however we do recommend that you use the following buttons if you're not using the images provided when creating links to Amazon.com pages:

https://affiliate-program.amazon.com/...

https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/custom... "

Thanks for posting this information, Ken. It's very helpful. I've been thinking about signing up for the Amazon associate program.

My website is still evolving after the changes I made to comply with Amazon policies. I'm hoping to use the correct company logos (where available) for all of my links, and I've downloaded quite a few images to prepare for it.

So the problem was you created your own amazon logo instead of using theirs? Sorry, I'm unable to visualize it. I also use a cute little banner that links to amazon store, except Amazon is only mentioned in small letters.

I'm kinda worried, because I'm seeing pretty good progress on my amazon affiliate commissions.

I was using uniform push-button links for all the markets where I sell my books. No logos, just names on the buttons. If a visitor to my website wanted a book, he could click on the button for whichever market he had an account with, and it would take him to my books on that website. The Amazon button was in violation of their policy, even though the clickable Amazon ads I posted did comply. I've since replaced all the buttons with company logos, so that should satisfy everybody. Here's the link to that page, if you're curious as to how it looks: http://kendoggett.weebly.com/where-to...

I've also learned that you're not allowed to use the links on your own website to buy products for yourself from Amazon, and that goes for friends and family. I'm not sure why Amazon would want to discourage those sales, but they specifically prohibit them in their guidelines, and say you won't get credit for them.

So, everything is set up, and now I'm just waiting for someone to see the links on my website, click on one, and buy something from Amazon. Then they'll re-evaluate my status. I've reapplied to Google AdSense also, after making a few alterations.

To clarify. This is a copy of the page showing the setup I was using previously. Using Amazon's name was a violation of their policy.

Oh, did you lose all the income you get from previous customer purchase through your buttons or do they transfer it to your new application?

I'm also using google adsense. It seems like at my viewcount, google adsense makes a more sustainable income than any other system.

After I set it up the first time, I went in and bought something I needed on Amazon to start the process. That's when they informed me about the violations with the buttons, and invalidated the purchase. They didn't mention the purchase; I just found it on my own after reading the guidelines (which I should have done to begin with). It re-started the sales process when I reapplied. Now I know not to start it myself with my own purchases.

I find your information interesting. I put inks to Amazon and B/N on my website, but am not using their logos. I am wondering if I am doing it wrong. How to I get the logos? I have no intention to buying for myself there, but want to make it easy for people coming to my website to purchase. Thanks for any help.

I find your information interesting. I put inks to Amazon and B/N on my website, but am not using their logos. I am wondering if I am doing it wrong. How to I get the logos? I have no intention to buying for myself there, but want to make it easy for people coming to my website to purchase. Thanks for any help.

If you're not interested in becoming an Amazon associate, it doesn't matter how you link it up, but if you are, you need to use their approved logos. Scroll back to message 3 of this thread, and you'll see the links to their approved logos. They give you the instructions.