How Amazon’s Commission Cuts Impact the Affiliate Marketing Landscape
Amazon Associates, the ecommerce giant’s massive affiliate marketing program, recently made changes to its commission rates that sent ripples throughout the industry. The company lowered commissions in certain popular categories such as furniture, appliances, and jewelry. While exact percentage drops varied, some rates decreased from 8-10% down to 3-5%.
This move signals Amazon flexing its muscle and trying to increase already high profit margins. With millions of sites participating in the Amazon Associates program, commission rate drops at this scale impact a huge number of publishers and amount to potential revenue losses in the millions.
It also illustrates the influence and market power that Amazon wields. As the dominant player in both ecommerce and affiliate marketing, Amazon can set the rules across huge parts of the industry. Publishers of all sizes are dependent on the commissions earned from Amazon’s gigantic product selection and buying audience.
While unsatisfying, most Amazon affiliates will have no choice but to accept the lower rates and continue promoting the retail giant. Dropping Amazon links is simply not an option for publishers looking to monetize product recommendations related to categories like home goods, electronics, and more.
However, the commission cuts do signal that affiliates should diversity and not depend solely on Amazon income. Publishers need to explore promotions with other affiliate programs, networks, and individual brands. Niche sites should focus on developing content and recommendations tailored to their audience, rather than chasing Amazon commissions.
The recent changes also highlight issues around transparency. Amazon provided little notice about the coming rate drops. Being kept in the dark does not help affiliates adapt business plans and models accordingly. More transparency would lead to better relationships on both sides.
While lower commissions are a blow in the short term, the enormous size and variety of Amazon’s affiliate program will continue to make it a vital income channel for publishers. But expect savvy affiliates to expand partnerships and explore promotions beyond Amazon in light of the recent commission adjustments.
