Short answer. Amazon Associates accounts close most often because three qualifying sales were not made within 180 days, or because of policy breaches such as missing disclosures, links in emails or ebooks, or showing prices that are not current. Closures for missing the sales window can usually be fixed by reapplying. Policy closures need a careful response and may forfeit unpaid commissions.
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No qualifying sales
New Associates must make qualifying sales within the first 180 days. If not, the application is closed. You can usually reapply when your site has real traffic.
Policy breaches
- No clear disclosure that you earn from qualifying purchases
- Associate links in emails, PDFs, ebooks or offline material
- Hard-coded or outdated prices and star ratings copied onto your site
- Link cloaking that hides the Amazon destination
- Incentivizing clicks or purchases
Responding to a closure
Read the closure email carefully. If it names a policy, fix every instance across your site, not just the one cited, then respond through Associates Central with what you changed.
Commissions
The Operating Agreement allows Amazon to withhold commissions for policy violations. Do not assume earned commissions will be paid after a policy closure.
FAQs
Can I open a new Associates account after closure?
Not after a policy closure; it is likely to be linked and closed. Reapplication after a sales-window closure is different.
Do I need a disclosure on every page?
The disclosure must be clear and near the links. A footer-only disclosure is often not enough.
Are social media links allowed?
Yes, on eligible accounts that you list in your Associates profile, with disclosure.
Official sources