Link Cloaking

  • Resolved AUM329

    (@aum329)


    12 years, 7 months ago

    Hi,

    I recently saw Amazon Associates Program Participation Requirements state the following:

    “You will not cloak, hide, spoof, or otherwise obscure the URL of your site containing Special Links (including by use of a redirecting page) or the user agent of the application in which Content is displayed or used such that we cannot reasonably determine the site or application from which a customer clicks through such Special Link to the Amazon Site.”

    Just wanted to check with you if Cloaking an Amazon affiliate link will create issues later on? What should be the best practice in this regard?

    Thanks.

    http://ww.wp.xz.cn/plugins/thirstyaffiliates/

Viewing 4 replies - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)
  • Josh Kohlbach

    (@jkohlbach)

    12 years, 7 months ago

    Hey AUM329,

    As far as I understand this snippet is referring to the masking or cloaking the http referrer header not the redirection of URLs via a 301 redirect on your own website.

    Basically they are just protecting themselves to say that they must be able to determine where the visitor is coming from. This is why I don’t recommend masking affiliate links with 3rd party services such as bit.ly.

    Personally I’ve never had any problems with Amazon in this regard (and I have several affiliate niche sites that use the associates program), likewise I haven’t had any reports from users so I think you’re all good.

    Cheers,
    Josh

    Thread Starter AUM329

    (@aum329)

    12 years, 7 months ago

    Thanks Josh for your response.

    So, if someone is cloaking an Amazon affiliate link by a link shortening service viz. bit.ly, it may be an issue but using ThirstyAffiliates plugin to cloak an Amazon link would not breach their T&C.

    Pls let me know if this is the correct understanding.

    Thanks.

    Josh Kohlbach

    (@jkohlbach)

    12 years, 7 months ago

    That’s what I get from it with my layman’s understanding 🙂 I wish they would make it more clear (from a technical perspective).

    The way it’s worded, it may not actually be a breach by using bit.ly, but since the http referrer will be bit.ly and not your site they might see it as a potential problem.

    Hope that helps!

    Thread Starter AUM329

    (@aum329)

    12 years, 7 months ago

    Sure. I also agree with you that Amazon should make this simple & clear to avoid any ambiguity.

    Thanks so much.

Viewing 4 replies - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)

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