Amazon Associates: SiteStripe Features “Image” and “Text+Image” are no longer available

Perhaps many Publisher were shocked by an email from Amazon Associates, where Amazon announced that they no longer Support the SiteStripe Features “Image” and “Text+Image”.

Links created on Publishers Websites using Image or Text+Image creates with Amazon SiteStripe will stop working form Dezember 31, 2023!

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Why Amazon Associates no longer Supports the SiteStripe Features “Image” and “Text+Image”

Amazon Associates has decided to retire the SiteStripe features “Image” and “Text+Image” after December 1st, 2023. These features were used by countless Amazon Associates to generate sales links.

I contacted amazon associates via Chat Support but as expected they did not tell me an exact reason why they no longer Support Images and “Text+Image” created by SiteStripe!

They also confirmed that Image links already created with SiteStripe will stop working from 31 December 2023 and need to be replaced to avoid broken links. As a replacement for these retired features, Amazon Associates are encouraged to use the Amazon Product Advertising API for integrating product images into their promotional content.

This approach provides a more robust and flexible way to retrieve Amazon product information, including images, prices, and more​​.

This change emphasizes the importance of using officially sanctioned methods for incorporating Amazon product images into affiliate marketing content and requires affiliates to invest time and resources into understanding and implementing the Product API.

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Why Amazon wats Puplishers to use Amazon Product Advertising API for “Image” and “Text+Image” links?

Amazon’s decision to encourage publishers to use the Amazon Product Advertising API for “Image” and “Text+Image” links instead of the SiteStripe features is likely driven by a few key reasons:

1. Control and Compliance: By using the Product Advertising API, Amazon has more control over how its product images and information are used by affiliates. This helps ensure legal compliance and consistent use of product imagery.
2. Accuracy and Up-to-Date Information: The API provides real-time access to product information, ensuring that the details, images, and prices displayed by affiliates are always current and accurate.
3. Customization and Flexibility: The API allows for more customization and flexibility in how product information is presented. Affiliates can tailor the display of products to better fit their website’s design and audience needs.
4. Quality Assurance: By standardizing the use of product images and information through the API, Amazon can maintain a high standard of quality and consistency across its affiliate network.

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How to connect to Amazon Associates Product Advertising API

To connect to the Amazon Associates Product Advertising API, follow these general steps:

1. Sign Up for Amazon Associates: If you haven’t already, you need to join the Amazon Associates program.
2. Create an AWS Account: Amazon Product Advertising API is accessed through Amazon Web Services (AWS). You’ll need an AWS account.
3. Get Access Keys: Once you have an AWS account, you can generate access keys from the AWS Management Console. These keys are necessary for API requests.
4. Request API Access: In your Amazon Associates account, request access to the Product Advertising API.
5. Read Documentation: Familiarize yourself with the API documentation to understand how to make requests and handle responses.
6. Implement API Calls: Use your preferred programming language to make calls to the API, using the access keys you obtained.

Remember to adhere to Amazon’s terms of use and guidelines for the Product Advertising API, as misuse can result in revoked access. Also, consider the rate limits and request quotas associated with the API to avoid service interruptions.

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How to implement API Calls on Associates Product Advertising API with Python?

To implement API calls to the Amazon Associates Product Advertising API using Python, you typically follow these steps:

1. Install Required Packages: You might need packages like requests for making HTTP requests. You can install them using pip, for example, pip install requests.
2. Import Libraries: Import the necessary Python libraries in your script, such as requests.
3. Set Up Your API Credentials: Use the access key, secret key, and (possibly) the associate tag you obtained from Amazon.
4. Create a Signed Request: Amazon’s API requires that requests be signed with your credentials. This usually involves creating a canonical string of your request parameters, then signing this string with your secret key.
5. Make the API Request: Use the requests library to make a GET or POST request to the API endpoint with your signed parameters.
6. Handle the Response: Process the response returned by the API. This will usually be in XML or JSON format.
7. Error Handling: Implement error handling to manage issues like network problems or API errors.

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Example: Import Request for API calls to the Amazon Associates Product Advertising API using Python

import requests

# Your API endpoint - this will vary based on the specific API call
api_endpoint = "https://your-api-endpoint.amazon.com"

# Your prepared and signed parameters
params = {
    "Parameter1": "value1",
    "Parameter2": "value2",
    # Add all the required and signed parameters here
}

# Make the GET request
response = requests.get(api_endpoint, params=params)

# Check if the request was successful
if response.status_code == 200:
    # Process the response if successful
    print(response.json())
else:
    # Handle errors (you may want to add more sophisticated error handling)
    print(f"Error: {response.status_code}")

For the actual implementation, including how to sign requests, it’s best to refer to the specific documentation provided by Amazon for the Product Advertising API, as the process can be quite detailed and may vary depending on the API version and the specific requirements of your application.

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Conclusion

Amazon Associates’ decision to discontinue the SiteStripe features “Image” and “Text+Image” has left many publishers feeling frustrated and dissatisfied.

This change signifies not just the end of a convenient tool but also ushers in a period of significant adjustment and additional work for publishers.

Replacing existing image links created with SiteStripe before the December 31, 2023, deadline necessitates a substantial investment of time and resources, as affiliates are now required to familiarize themselves with and implement the more complex Amazon Product Advertising API.

This transition, while perhaps beneficial in the long run for compliance and quality control, presents immediate challenges for publishers who must swiftly adapt to maintain the effectiveness of their affiliate marketing strategies.