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Is it legal to use Amazon's product descriptions and pictures in my Website?

Discussion in 'Amazon' started by mrmax, Jul 4, 2017.

  1. #1
    Hello,
    I want to buy a wp theme which is supported Amazon Affiliate system, it works manually without any api,
    my questions are:
    1- I want to select some products from Amazon manually, for example laptops!
    And then I want to use Their descriptions and pictures in my website to promote them via my aff links!
    Is this job legal or not!

    2- Since I am doing it manually what should I do if Amazon prices changed in future? Should I change my site prices too? How is it possible?!
     
    mrmax, Jul 4, 2017 IP
  2. JoeSpirit

    JoeSpirit Well-Known Member

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    #2
    As long as you are marketing Amazon products as an associate it is ok. Why pay for a plugin though when you can use Amazon Associate Link Builder? Amazon provides that for associates at no charge.
     
    JoeSpirit, Jul 4, 2017 IP
  3. mrmax

    mrmax Well-Known Member

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    #3
    My problem is about products descriptions and pictures, Can I use them in my website? Is it legal?
     
    mrmax, Jul 4, 2017 IP
  4. JoeSpirit

    JoeSpirit Well-Known Member

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    #4
    As long as you are using those descriptions and pictures for the purpose of marketing those products as an associate of Amazon you are good to go. If you intend to use them for products that you are not selling as an associate of Amazon then no. Amazon will smite you for that.
     
    JoeSpirit, Jul 4, 2017 IP
  5. JoeSpirit

    JoeSpirit Well-Known Member

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    #5
    The products MUST BE sold through the Amazon platform.
     
    JoeSpirit, Jul 4, 2017 IP
  6. mrmax

    mrmax Well-Known Member

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    #6
    I want to use for Amazon affiliate program, Do you have any link from Amazon that clearly says it is legal?
     
    mrmax, Jul 4, 2017 IP
  7. JoeSpirit

    JoeSpirit Well-Known Member

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    #7
    I suggest you read Amazon's Associates Program Policies and Associates Operating Agreement.
     
    JoeSpirit, Jul 4, 2017 IP
  8. mrmax

    mrmax Well-Known Member

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    #8
    I could not find any thing about using contents of Amazon products in our website! Maybe I did not see it!
     
    mrmax, Jul 4, 2017 IP
  9. mrmax

    mrmax Well-Known Member

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    #9
    I have contacted with amazon and they mentioned that I should use Amazon product advertising API if I want to use Amazon contents in my website,
    But I want to make my website by Wordpress and post products manually to it!
    In this case How Can I use Amazon API?
     
    mrmax, Jul 4, 2017 IP
  10. mrmax

    mrmax Well-Known Member

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    #10
    Nobody have any idea?
     
    mrmax, Jul 5, 2017 IP
  11. Blank ™

    Blank ™ Well-Known Member

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    #11
    Isn't Amazon's answer enough? Follow the rules - as simple as that.

    Even if you are going to post entries manually, you can still make use of the API. Why would you save and upload the image manually if API can do that for you?
     
    Blank ™, Jul 5, 2017 IP
  12. JoeSpirit

    JoeSpirit Well-Known Member

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    #12
    mrmax. I seem to remember reading about the legality in the policies or agreement but can't now tell you the specific clause as it's been a few years back.

    As far as the API usage though I can give you one method for use. Earlier I mentioned the Amazon Associate Link Builder plugin. It is furnished at no charge by Amazon and uses Amazon API in the setup. I use it myself on more than one website.

    If you'd like to see how I use it, send me a pm request and I'll send you one of my URLs so you can take a look to see if my method suits your needs.
     
    JoeSpirit, Jul 5, 2017 IP
  13. dscurlock

    dscurlock Prominent Member

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    #13
    search for easyazon, it is WP plugin, it makes it real easy for you to add links/images in content, and it
    pulls the data using amazons API, so you would be compliant with their terms. The plugin also has
    a number of decent features that will help you move along faster; I think the pro version is like $50,
    and you will need the pro version if you want to use it to import images into your WP posts....

    and I highly suggest coming up with your own creative content, using
    content that was not produced by yourself is only going to cause
    problems, and google will most likely ignore your site....

    Even though it seems easy, setting up, and running any type of
    site can consume resources, most affiliate sites fail, and those
    that do make it would have put alot of money, time, and work
    into the site in order to make it happen, not as easy as you think....

    prices: some big affiliate sites have coding resources to code this into
    their site which keeps prices updated. In order to make this simple,
    then I would avoid using prices in your content, instead, be some-
    what creative by saying "Click To View Price" or "Visit Amazon For Price"
    and if the visitor is really interested, then they will click on the
    link so they can see what the price is, and once they click, boom,
    your job is done, then wait for the next visitor to roll on in....

    Can you do everything yourself? If not then be prepared to outsource,
    and be prepared to have a rolling investment. It is not easy to get a
    site off the ground, and I have seen people invest $1000s into their sites.
     
    Last edited: Jul 6, 2017
    dscurlock, Jul 6, 2017 IP
  14. mrmax

    mrmax Well-Known Member

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    #14
    Amazon mentioned that when You use API then its ok to use pictures and contents in Your website.
    My main question is can i use these pictures as home page slider for example?!

    Can this plugin update prices?
     
    mrmax, Jul 7, 2017 IP
  15. dscurlock

    dscurlock Prominent Member

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    #15
    As long as the pictures you use come from amazon's API then that is ok.
    since the plugin taps into their API to pull images, then that is OK. Amazon wants
    to stay in control on the images you use, so it would not be ok to randoming
    track down a product imagine, so it would be best to pull images using their api
    or use a plugin that pulls images from their API so that you do not get into trouble....

    I do not think the plugin has anything to do with prices, however, I am not certain.
    I think it would be more complex to ensure prices stay up to date; I think it would
    be best if you contact them directly, and if they do not have that option, then
    maybe they would be willing to add that option to their plugin (if it is possible...)

    You can put prices on your site, however, if you can not keep them updated, then
    you have to provide a statement, something like....

    $49.95 (price current as of 7/7/17)
    Price is subject to change without notice....

    It would be easier to have updated prices, but it is also more complex...
    So I would not hold your breath as constant maintenance would be
    required in order to make sure your prices are current all the time....

    rather then taking a chance on a plugin that could fail, and your prices not be
    updated, it would be easier just to add a price at the bottom of the article,
    along with a statement saying that prices are subject to change....
     
    dscurlock, Jul 7, 2017 IP
  16. Agent000

    Agent000 Prominent Member

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    #16
    If you did read it, then you will know that this is really bad advice!:
    This is the correct advice:
    You can not use images that you save or copy from Amazon's site
    (that actually watermark many to monitor it)
     
    Agent000, Jul 7, 2017 IP
  17. mrmax

    mrmax Well-Known Member

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    #17
    I could not find answer of these questions:
    1- Can I Use Amazon products pictures in my home page slider for example with editing them? (I use api for loading pictures in my posts)
    2- Can I save Amazon Products pictures in my website? (Using API Also for loading them)
     
    mrmax, Jul 7, 2017 IP
  18. Agent000

    Agent000 Prominent Member

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    #18
    You have been given the correct information above by dsurlock and the wrong info by others
    You can only use images that are served up by Amazon. You can not get them and use them on your site in any other way.
    For the slider, I assume you have to save the images to your site --> you can not do that.

    (you could, of course, get the images from somewhere else and use them; just do not get them from amazon)

    If you want further clarification, ask in Amazon's own affiliate help forum (and while there read the sticky on this exact topic)
     
    Agent000, Jul 7, 2017 IP
  19. dscurlock

    dscurlock Prominent Member

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    #19
    If you are looking to insert amazon image via api as a featured image, then this may work...
    https://wordpress.org/plugins/featured-image-from-url/

    as you said, you can not download images then reupload them, and you would have
    to do this if you need to see a featured image, so this plugin may work as you
    can insert an external link directly to the amazons image, or whatever image link they provide.
    (and i could be totally wrong as I have never tried this...)
     
    dscurlock, Jul 7, 2017 IP
  20. mrmax

    mrmax Well-Known Member

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    #20
    mrmax, Jul 8, 2017 IP