eBay V Amazon

[WestHamFan]

Probably the two biggest affiliate names around but, for me anyway, there's a huge difference in performance between the two.

I regularly make £xxx-£xxxx per month as an eBay affiliate yet, using similar ideas and techniques, rarely make £xx each month with Amazon. I tried to give my Amazon efforts a real boost on the lead up to Xmas but I've precious little to show for the effort put in.

Am I alone in this experience? Are there any big Amazon associates here to offer some hints specifically about Amazon marketing?

 

[WaftyCrank]

I'd like to know how you got to be an eBay affiliate as I'm finding it impossible to get accepted at the moment.

 

[WestHamFan]

I gather eBay want to see a good site that's likely to generate their idea of "quality" traffic as the backbone of a good quality application thesedays. I know they are a lot more picky now compared to the old CJ days.

I'd suggest building a well presented proposal arround a content driven site that matches up to an obvious eBay niche but I've no recent experience of my own to guide you.

An alternative way may be Pepperjam. I think they pay their eBay sub-affiliates roughly what regular affiliates get at eBay anyway.

 

[mat]

Ebay Partner Network is great!

 

[WestHamFan]

Ebay Partner Network is great!

I agree but I was hoping for some thoughts about Amazon.

eBay is paying me handsomely and I shove a bucket load of traffic their way each month. Yet I can't get a site to work even half as well for Amazon.

 

[aaclapham]

Amazon only has a 1 day cookie, so you need people to buy straight away to make a sale. They also don't allow you to get commission on your own sales.

I have to be very desperate to use Amazon.

 

[mat]

I tried Amazon years ago but never got on with it, so havnt ever used it since.

Would also be interested to see peoples opinions on what it is like these days...

 

[johnnyboy]

It will depend on what type of product/s you are promoting. If it's expensive products like TVs, computers, camcorders, etc., then Amazon may not be the best retailer to promote as consumers require time to think about their purchasing decisions by reading reviews, comparing products and the likes. Amazon is probably better for spontaneous purchases, such as music, accessories and other cheap items.

 

[wonder_lander]

My main issue with ebay is how to present the listings in a good way. Does anyone have any examples on how they are using EPN in a website?

I tend to use Amazon as it's a nice trusted site and it's amazing what people add to their baskets. I run two accounts so have one account on the old classic plan (4% no limit) for high value goods and then the performance plan for the lower stuff.

 

[fish]

My main issue with ebay is how to present the listings in a good way. Does anyone have any examples on how they are using EPN in a website?

Take a look at my sig if anyone wants similar sites built for them or want to buy these or similar ready set up sites then PM me

 

[DeanS]

From what I gather, Amazon.com is much better to promote, I think .co.uk is bad because UK shoppers are less impulsive with their buys, so rarely check out within the 24 hour cookie period.

 

[WestHamFan]

Interesting point about the cookie life and I'm reassured it's not just me that finds it hard to make Amazon perform.

Maybe I will stick with eBay ;-)

 

[expertc]

Interesting point about the cookie life and I'm reassured it's not just me that finds it hard to make Amazon perform.

Maybe I will stick with eBay ;-)

I have eBay aff account somewhere, haven't used it for a while though. Amazon is OK for me, only for items under £1oo. I use AOM which works good. Some of the sites in my sig are AOM sites.

 

[WestHamFan]

I tend to build my own websites from scratch and use RSS or the eBay API to populate the affiiate content.

Some sites I make deliberately "old fashioned", a bit cluttered, and use larger font sizes for niches that tend to attract a lot of silver surfers. Others I try to make a little more up to date (e.g. search tools and wizard type scripts). For others I've also adapted an old open source script (name escapes me) to comply with the latest ePN rules on forcing 301 redirects, content scraping and such like.

I've found it pays me to mix it up and not look too reliant on businesslike templates but, as ever, the real hard work comes with content building. Several of my sites are quite thin at the moment.

My real concern is that I'm now perhaps over-dependent on eBay for income so I really want to spread my wings with other products/services but my experiences so far are pretty awful compared to eBay.

Any pointers toward other proven and worthwhile affiliate avenues will be much appreciated!

 

[monaghan]

I have eBay aff account somewhere, haven't used it for a while though. Amazon is OK for me, only for items under £1oo. I use AOM which works good. Some of the sites in my sig are AOM sites.

I'd check it still works, I left mine virtually dormant and now they won't let me back in even on a new site that complies fully with their published guidelines (Daft thing is I still have my developer program login, just nothing to test code on in a working environment and ebay don't seem to think this is an issue!)

 

[expertc]

I'd check it still works...

I've checked today, it works. I haven't used it since 2009 though (I guess...)

 

[FagEnd]

I don't like ebay or amazon. I use both, but don't really actively promote either. The Amazon 1 day cookie is a pisser, along with the fact that you need to sign up to each region seperately, eg UK and US are different regions. A click from one does not result in a sale from the other if geography does not match up.
At least with ebay, one account allows you to geotarget worldwide. The thing I don't like about ebay partner network is the indiscriminate closing of accounts. It has not happened to me, but I've read horror stories from successful ebay partners who get cut off for no reason, wiping out their entire online income. For that reason, I use ebay as I use adsense, supplementary and not primary income. I have a few decent free scripts and plugins for ebay if anyone is interested, but they should be used alongside decent content, or ebay will just shut you off, they hate thin affiliate sites.