This has been going on for between 10 and 20 years, and I think closer to the latter. Didn’t know Jeff was this hard up for cash.
I didn’t record the dialogue last time, giving them the benefit of the doubt, but since I can’t trust the buggers, I will this time. Fed in to the Amazon Associates’ contact form:
Hello there:
I was probably one of Amazon’s first associates, going back to the 1990s. Some years ago, my account became inaccessible and I was never paid what I was owed.I attempted to contact Amazon a few years back and I exchanged messages with one of the team there. As far as I can recall, this was never resolved. The dialogue left me with a sour taste.
If you’ll look through my file, you should see it. I believe your team member concluded that because I allowed a colleague to set up an AWS account—under an entirely different address, I should note—that led to my Associates account being shut. I believe the implication was that my colleague was to blame, and that I should never have allowed him to do this.
This always felt like Amazon either covering up some error with its systems (not uncommon in the tech industry) by blaming the user, or the representative being tired of the dialogue and gaslighting the user. Whatever the case, my further messages were unanswered, your representative seemingly happy with his “resolution”.
I cannot understand why getting a colleague to set up an AWS account under a new address (**********@******.com) would have any impact on my Associates account under my personal address (*******@******.com). I never violated your terms and conditions, and I never provided that colleague any access to my personal account.
If this is a problem, then it points to a fault on Amazon’s end, not mine.
Please can we resolve this more satisfactorily? I have waited several years to see if I could reconcile what had happened with the facts, and the entire episode remains a mystery.
Even if I was paid what was owed, that would be a good start—or if I didn’t meet the threshold, to at least have that in my balance and my account reinstated.
Note: there was no violation of your T&Cs. My access simply stopped. The same Associates programmes with Amazon UK and Amazon Germany remain active.
Yours truly,
Jack Yan
One alternative is that whatever money I have in there, they give to MacKenzie Scott, and she can donate it to whatever cause she wants. But it’s not Jeff’s to keep.
I’m really struggling to think of a Big Tech outfit that hasn’t cheated or lied to me. Even some of the smaller US tech companies lie and cheat.
Also about web history, this great interview with Cory Doctorow by Tim Ventura is worth a watch. Sorry it’s on YouTube.
PS., February 20: Here is Amazon’s first reply. A lot of text to dodge the issues. I expected no less than Amazon completely missing the point. Big Tech at its most useless.
Hello Jack,This is Cris from the Amazon Associates Department. Thank you for contacting us today. I hope you are doing well!Even though I can not reinstate your account, you are more than welcome to re-apply to our program. We will evaluate your request again and give you an application status when necessary.Below you can find the steps to re-apply.To join again with the same e-mail address, sign out of your current closed account, and then click the “Join now for free” button to submit a new application.Keep in mind your original Associates ID is no longer active.If you have links on your website, you’ll want to update them to use your new Associates ID when you submit your application.You can re-apply at https://affiliate-program.amazon.com. We appreciate your understanding, and thank you for your continued interest in the Amazon Associates Program.Thank you for your continued interest in our Amazon Associates Program.We hope to see you soon. Have a wonderful day!
My reply:
Dear Cris:
Thank you for your reply but you did not answer my questions.1. Why was my account shut? I violated no terms or conditions.
2. At the time of closure, I had earned commissions. Where are they?
3. The inward links from my sites to you have remained. I’m sure Amazon has earned a lot of money off me in this time. Where is it?
Kind regards,
Jack
P.PS., February 23: Waiting.
Dear Amazon staff:
I am waiting for your reply. These are very simple questions. This matter has dragged on for over a decade.
A similar message has been sent to their form. Let’s hope I get someone other than Cris.
Regarding case A3J3HO5NOS52W6, as I have not heard anything in three days.
I repeat again:
1. Why was my account shut? I violated no terms or conditions.
2. At the time of closure, I had earned commissions. Where are they?
The inward links from my sites to you have remained. I’m sure Amazon has earned a lot of money off me in this time. Where is it?
This has dragged on for over a decade and I really need to see a resolution. You have all the details from my earlier communications and no doubt you will have a record of the dialogue that took place in the 2010s.
Sincerely,
Jack Yan
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