Affiliate Marketing AND Amazon
Amazon doesn’t pay enough to be an Affiliate Marketer for them.
I hear this so often.
And, it is so not the right thinking!
Yes, the earnings start at 4% per sale and skyrocket to as much as 8% which does seem low compared to other opportunities that are available.
However, I’d like to present a case for why being and Amazon Affiliate is perhaps the best thing since sliced bread as it relates to the offerings they serve to their affiliates (ie associates).
CUSTOMER FOCUS
We start with customer experience, which is where everything should start in the first place. Without it you really don’t have anything other than a nice virtual paperweight which lacks the ability to hold paper.
#10: Straightforward service
If you are going to appeal to a wide range of people, then you need to make it easy for everyone to use. Some people are not that talented when it comes to working with computers. Make their experience unpleasant and you lose their sale. With Amazon, it is easy to search and navigate so that you find exactly what you are looking for.
#9: Dependable shopping
People shop Amazon because they can depend on it. There are plenty of sites out there waiting to scam people from their money. Amazon is simply not one of them. From customer service to purchase resolutions and beyond, people depend on receiving positive results from Amazon.
#8: Trusted
Because it is easy to use Amazon and if there is trouble people know the solution will work in their favor, Amazon is trusted. That trust is like gold. Amazon is not trusted by just a few but rather by the masses. Take 2 products. One is for sale on XYZ site and the other (costing more) on Amazon. If, the numbers aren’t too different, where are people going to purchase from more? If your answer is Amazon, which it should be, you have just experienced the power of trust.
#7: Gigantic Inventory
Take the 3 customer satisfaction details above and marry it together with one of the largest product inventories available on the Web and you have Amazon. Having a variety of options available makes Amazon a one-stop shop for a multiplicity of reasons which can vary extensively from customer to customer.
#6: Multiple purchases
A multiplicity of options available within a wide variety of products easily translates into more than just one purchase. This will become a huge factor in why to purchase items from Amazon when we look at the other side of the coin.
CONCLUDING: CUSTOMER FOCUS
If you knew, loved and trusted a specific vendor; wouldn’t that lead to more sales that you talk to other people about? Amazon understands this and offers a highly superior customer service experience compared to other companies on the Web. These factors should be considered when deciding if you will work with a company as their Affiliate Marketer. However, to just look at the customer angle would be a mistake.
What makes a great customer service experience in your opinion? Please use the comments below to answer that question.
MARKETER FOCUS
Source: http://www.slideshare.net/affsum/amazon-friend-or-foe-amazons-role-in-affiliate-marketing
Yes, it’s time to look at the advantages that are available for you directly and why I believe marketers should take part in the Amazon Associates affiliate program. If the bottom line doesn’t make sense to you financially, then it really doesn’t matter how good the customer service is. Fortunately, Amazon understands this.
#5: Simple conversion
That’s why Amazon starts by making it easy for customers to buy from their site. Without that ease of use for them, your ability to make sales drastically decreases. By search, navigation, and suggestion technologies alone Amazon makes it easy to find the exact product that a person is after. Once that item is found, they streamline the process of purchasing.
#4: Site-wide cookies
While I’m sure Amazon does sell cookies, that’s not what we are talking about here. This type of cookie tracks the user actions on Amazon after they have arrived from your site. You get credit for any sale made and not just the one you suggested on your Website. Your visitor arrives because of a camera they saw and ends up buying a $5000 tractor of which you receive at least 4%. That would be a huge win for you as an Affiliate Marketer and the concept happens regularly if not daily.
#3: Increasing percentages
Given the example above, let’s say that you reach the 8% bracket instead of just 4%. You’ve just doubled your earnings while securing almost $500 from this sale alone. So the more you work with Amazon the more they will reward you for doing exactly that.
#2: Easy Integration
Another huge factor that I love about Amazon is how easy it is to integrate their technology into my blog. I especially like their aStore and native display ad technologies. Both concepts, as well as others, streamline the ability to get Amazon setup on my site in a very short time. Since I understand that time is money, this is a clear advantage for me.
#1: Brandability
This has got to be my most favorite reason for using Amazon and one that is largely overlooked. If people know, love and trust Amazon then what will happen when they see their name on your site? If you don’t think that name recognition will increase your own sales, even on non-Amazon related products then you’re missing the boat big time. Connecting with a name brand that people respect will lead them to put greater merit and value into what you are saying.
CONCLUDING: MARKETER FOCUS
From a marketing point of view, at least in my opinion, it doesn’t make sense to avoid Amazon. After all, it brings so many extremely valuable points to live for your advantage over and above the point of just making your sale.
What are the things you look for when considering who to do affiliate marketing for? Share your ideas in the comments below.
AMAZON AND AFFILIATE MARKETING: SUMMING IT ALL UP
No matter if you are considering the customer or marketing value both are a point of advantage for you as it comes to working with Amazon. If you want the best of both worlds, then work with Amazon but also offer products outside of their marketplace.
With that said, do you consider Amazon part of your own marketing strategy?
Why or why not.
Please share your thoughts in the comments below.
Guy Siverson is a Guest Blogger who has spent over 20 years helping people succeed on the Web. His latest work empowers Affiliate Marketer’s to prosper financially. One of his latest articles tells the story Of Freezer’s, Brides and Your Affiliate Marketers Dream. He is available for private consultations as well as live or virtual speaking engagements by calling 702-439-4766 during normal business hours.
