Amazon Cuts Affiliate Commission Drastically

With the affiliate program from Amazon, you will undoubtedly not get rich, but for many websites, it is a nice and often necessary extra income, However, the mail-order giant will partially reduce these commissions significantly.

Affiliate links are a common way to earn a few dollars on a page. Because here links to Amazon and other shops are provided with a special code. If the user clicks on a corresponding product and buys it later, the agent gets a small share – without the product becoming more expensive for the customer.

First, in the USA, will Europe follow?

However, as mentioned, nobody gets rich because Amazon works with a cap. This means that even expensive products only yield a few cents or euros, even though the participation on paper promises several percent. In the future, however, the payouts are likely to be even lower than before. Because, according to a report by CNBC, the Seattle-based company plans to cut commissions for numerous categories by 50 percent and more.

For example, the home improvement, garden and pet products as well as furniture from eight to three percent. For headphones, cosmetics and musical instruments, the rate is halved from six to three percent. Many other categories such as food, sports, baby products and tools fall to one to three percent.

For the time being, the step only affects the US market, where the first Amazon partners have probably already been informed, the mail order company has also confirmed this to CNBC. The reduction will apply from April 21, i.e. next Tuesday. It is currently not known whether Amazon is planning similar adjustments in Europe, but it would not be surprising if we also follow suit.

Amazon gave the reason that it regularly re-evaluated its program and pointed out that the standard practice in the industry. Amazon did not want to confirm a connection with the coronavirus pandemic.