In my post, I show you why your Amazon affiliate account has clicks from visitors you sent to Amazon but no earnings.
Amazon affiliate accounts have clicks but no earnings when a customer cancels an order, Amazon can’t fulfil the order, or the sale is a non-commission item.
Let’s look at why your account has no earnings in detail.
Three Reasons Why Your Account Has Clicks But No Earnings
1. The Customer Cancelled Their Order
When a customer purchases on Amazon. They have the option to cancel.
When a visitor to Amazon cancels after making a purchase, you see the click on your account but no earnings.
Sometimes customers receive their items but decide they want to return them. It appears on your account as a returned item. You do not earn a commission on returned items.
2. Amazon Can’t Fulfil The Customers Order
Once Amazon receives an order, they start shipping the items to the customer. Occasionally, Amazon has no stock and can not fulfil the order.
The item is sent to the customer once it becomes available. After shipment, you earn a commission.
Amazon also allows customers to pre-order selected products. Such as computer games or movies. Once the customer receives the item after launch day, you earn a commission.
3. Non-Commission Item
Amazon prohibits affiliates from using affiliate links to sell to family and friends.
Amazon deems this as an unofficial discount. Should you ask friends or family to purchase an Amazon product using your affiliate link, Amazon won’t pay you.
I recommend you don’t encourage friends and family to purchase items from Amazon. Amazon could cancel your affiliate account.
Why You Have Earnings With No Clicks
Each time a visitor goes to Amazon using your affiliate link, Amazon tracks that visitor.
For visitors that put items into their shopping basket but don’t check out, Amazon assigns a 90-day cookie. If the visitor returns to pay for the goods within 90 days, you earn a commission.
You have earnings but no clicks because the visitor returned to Amazon to pay for their items within 90 days.
Check out my ‘How Do Amazon Links Work?‘ post to learn about affiliate links.
How Often Do Amazon Update Affiliate Accounts?
Amazon Affiliate accounts are updated once every 24 hours.
How To Check If Your Affiliate Link Is Working
Go to your Amazon affiliate account and hover your mouse over Tools.
From the menu, select Link Checker.
Next, paste your affiliate link into the box and select Check Link.
A message appears below your link to confirm your link is working.
When Do Amazon Affiliates Get Paid?
Amazon pays affiliates on the first of each month. Payments are one month behind. For example, January sales appear on your affiliate account on 1st February, then paid on 1st March.
To ensure you get paid on time. Select your preferred payment method and complete your tax information.
Check out my ‘Amazon Payment Methods‘ post to learn how affiliates get paid.
Conclusion
The Amazon Affiliate program is one of the leading affiliate programs. It is free to join. There are thousands of products to promote.
If you have clicks but have no earnings, here’s why.
- Number one – The visitor you sent to Amazon purchased an item and then cancelled. Or return the item later.
- Number two – The item is out of stock. For out of stock items, there is a delay in sending the product to the customer. Affiliates get paid after the customer receives the product they ordered. Amazon also allows customers to pre-order selected products. Again, affiliates have to wait for the item to reach the customer before getting paid.
- Number three – The item is a non-commission product. If Amazon thinks you let family and friends use your affiliate link, they won’t pay you a commission. I recommend you refrain from doing this. Amazon could cancel your account.
Should you have any questions about my post, please leave them below. I try to reply to everyone.
Are you interested in becoming an Amazon affiliate? Check out my ‘How To Sign Up For The Amazon Affiliate Program‘ post.
Someone bought a product with my link and i haven’t seen number of orders or sales yet
Hi Emmanuel. Thank you for your comment. Did you ask a friend or family member to use your link?
do they cancel ALL commissions if one family or friend opens a link? Also, how do they know who is friends/family? I give link to my clients if the product makes sense and also put them in lead magnets in my business.
Hello Lanae. Thank you for your comment. Amazon won’t pay a commission on sales from family or friends. I don’t know how they know, but they do. I don’t recommend sending affiliate links directly to your clients, this is against Amazon’s operating agreement (https://newblogr.com/not-get-banned-from-amazon-affiliate-program/#don-t-add-affiliate-links-to-emails-pdfs-or-ebooks). Try sending them a link to a blog post that has your link if possible.
Reading about Non-Commision Items in part 3 I started to wonder if all products on Amazon are commision items. Do you know if there are som products/categories that are not?
Hello Yvette. Thank you for your comment. Amazon uses non-commission items to describe sales made to people you associate with. They consider that an authorised discount. As for items on Amazon with zero commission, here is a list I saw on their website.
Gift Cards; Wireless Service Plans; Alcoholic Beverages; Digital Kindle Products purchased as a subscription; Food prepared and delivered from a restaurant; Amazon Appstore, Prime Now, or Amazon Pay Places 0.00%.
https://affiliate-program.amazon.com/help/node/topic/GRXPHT8U84RAYDXZ