Amazon says: 29. You will not purchase any Product(s) through Special Links for use by you or for resale or commercial use of any kind. Similarly, you will not request or encourage any of your friends, relatives, or associates to purchase any Product(s) through Special Links for use by you or them or for resale or commercial use of any kind. Further, you will not offer any Products on your site for resale or commercial use of any kind. https://affiliate-program.amazon.co...enter-1&pf_rd_t=501&ref_=amb_link_353005802_9 My question is: How can they know it?
It doesn't matter how they can or will find out. It's against TOS and all you'll wind up with is a big fat ZERO when they ban you a day before payout.
Amazon will get suspicious if the same group of people buy products after clicking your affiliate link.
If it's only once or twice they'll never know but they are good about detecting suspicious patterns as @nihangshah has said. Beware of trying to scam Amazon as they catch on quickly.
Uh..no worries man, your friends can order multiple times. I don't understand some people here; same IP. Well perhaps the same person buys more than once online, and maybe even many times through the same website if they find it useful. I haven't encouraged anyone directly but have had people buying over 30 items over a few weeks, I know it was them because they told me later and my account is still running after 2 years. They just write it so less people would do it, but if you have a friend that shops on Amazon feel free to tell him to buy.
Why do you need to refer a friend by the way? Anyone can access Amazon freely and free to create account and enjoy of what's online shopping can offer to him/her.
Amazon has an affiliate program, for every sale through your link you get 4% or more. Referring friends is not nice, but will work because they can't know you know someone. It's just a rule they have to put.
Isn't that what an affiliate program is all about...referring people? I don't see it would be a problem unless they thought you were the friend trying to save yourself 4%.