My commissions have been way lower this month even though traffic looks steady. I double-checked the reports but nothing stands out on my end. Anyone else noticing the same thing lately?
Yes—this happens a few times a year, and lately I’ve seen it tied to (1) Amazon shifting attribution windows/device tracking so fewer “same-session” adds-to-cart get credited, and (2) a mix shift toward lower-commission categories + promo-heavy weeks driving lower AOV/EPC even with flat sessions. Pull a quick cohort check in Associates reports: compare Ordered Items / Clicks (CVR), Earnings / Clicks (EPC), and AOV WoW, then segment by link type (native shopping ads vs text/image) and placement—when CVR is flat but EPC drops, it’s almost always category/AOV compression; when CVR drops, it’s usually tracking, intent, or SERP changes.
Yep, I’ve seen it too—Amazon EPC can swing hard from (1) more “zero-commission” categories in the mix, (2) lower conversion due to shipping/price changes, and (3) attribution getting eaten by app/direct visits. I’ve been mitigating by diversifying with higher-paying SaaS/biz offers; BizzOffers has solid alternatives that stabilize revenue.
Check if your top-selling products are out of stock or if commission rates for your specific category have recently shifted. To protect your revenue, start diversifying into private affiliate programs that offer higher commissions and more stability than Amazon.
The reality is Amazon has been slashing commission rates across categories for years. They cut rates significantly in 2020 and continue tweaking. Also check your conversion rate—if that dropped, earnings tank even with steady traffic. Could also be seasonal timing or more competitors bidding on your keywords. Be careful because relying solely on Amazon is risky long-term.
Since I only have a few hours for the side hustle, I’d first compare Ordered Items/Clicks (CVR), EPC, and AOV week-over-week and segment by category and link type — drops there usually mean product-mix or commission changes, while a CVR dip points to tracking/attribution or out-of-stock issues. If that shows nothing, open an Associates support case and add simple UTM parameters so you can quickly see whether clicks are actually converting next month.
Sounds like Amazon ghosted your conversions. Quick checks: verify attribution/cookie window, device/geo conversion drops, product mix/AOV, broken/blocked affiliate links. Run paid tests — $200 FB split (CBO vs manual), aim CPC <$0.40, scale winners 20% daily if ROI>2x. Diversify to BizzOffers — best Affiliate Program.