What is Amazon Associates? A Mega Guide on How to Maximize Your Commissions in 2025

We’ve worked with affiliates long enough to know one truth: at first glance, Amazon Associates looks simple, but most people barely scratch its potential. 

At first glance, it seems easy: share a product, add your tag, earn a few dollars in commission. But here’s the catch: between Amazon’s 24-hour cookie, category-based commissions, and separate international programs, the majority of affiliates are leaking a percentage of their potential earnings.

This guide is here to help you unlock the full potential of Amazon! We know its vastness can be a little overwhelming, but with our data-backed benchmarks and proven strategies, we’ll show you how to maximize your earnings and thrive on the platform.

What Is the Amazon Associates Program?

Amazon Associates (also known as Amazon PartnerNet in some countries) allows content creators, publishers, and influencers to earn commissions by linking to Amazon products. Not only is it Amazon’s affiliate marketing program, but it’s also considered one of the most popular affiliate marketing programs globally. When someone clicks your special tracking link, you can earn on qualifying purchases.

Where a lot of affiliates stumble is if you rely on Amazon’s SiteStripe toolbar (which appears when you’re logged into your Amazon Account), it will build you a properly formatted affiliate link, but this approach could mean you’re leaving serious money on the table because that generated link targets one country.

For many content creators, joining Amazon’s affiliate marketing program is often the first step in their affiliate marketing journey, which involves engaging their audience, establishing trust, and gradually increasing affiliate income.

Program Overview

Amazon Associates remains the world’s largest affiliate program, with millions of active participants. The appeal is obvious: Amazon commands roughly 38% of U.S. e-commerce, meaning your audience likely already shops there. You’re not convincing people to try a new retailer – you’re monetizing existing behavior. To join the program, applicants must have a qualifying website, social media channel, mobile app, or even Alexa Skill, as only those with such properties are eligible to participate and earn commissions.

The program operates on a last-click attribution model with a notoriously tight 24-hour or first purchase cookie window. If someone clicks your link but then browses for two days, you won’t earn anything. However, if the customer adds items to their cart within 24 hours, the cookie extends to 90 days for those specific products. Successful affiliates focus on strategies to build and engage their audiences, driving more traffic to Amazon and maximizing their earnings.

History and Market Share

Launched in 1996, Amazon Associates pioneered the affiliate marketing model that countless programs now copy. Today, there are tens of thousands of affiliate programs available to website owners and bloggers. Its longevity speaks to its effectiveness – both for Amazon and affiliates. The program’s extensive catalog means you can monetize virtually any niche, from kitchen gadgets to enterprise software.

Why New Affiliates Start Here

Three factors make Amazon Associates the default starting point: trust, selection, and simplicity. Your audience already has Amazon accounts, often with saved payment methods and Prime memberships. The product catalog spans millions of items across every conceivable category. 

You can sign up using your existing Amazon account or create a new account specifically for affiliate marketing to keep your activities organized. Many affiliates grab their tracking ID, slap some links on their site or social media, then call it done. Those affiliates are leaving 30-50% of potential commissions on the table due to poor implementation.

Why Amazon’s Program Still Dominates in 2025

Amazon’s affiliate program remains the top choice for affiliate marketers due to its broad appeal and high conversion rates. The higher potential for customer conversion is the draw.

Amazon’s 38% U.S. E-Commerce Share

Amazon controls approximately 37–40% of the U.S. e-commerce market, making its market share nearly six times larger than its closest competitor, Walmart.  That market dominance translates directly to affiliate opportunity. 

Amazon has established 20+ local marketplaces, ranging from major English-language sites (like the UK, Canada, and Australia) to language-specific stores across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Affiliates who optimize their links can effectively direct visitors to the correct regional storefront, ensuring that clicks from international audiences, who would otherwise generate zero commission, are monetized by connecting them with a product in their local currency and native language.

Built-In Consumer Trust and Prime

Amazon’s infrastructure, used by 200 million Prime members, alleviates purchase anxiety through reliable shipping and returns. The most challenging aspect of e-commerce is building platform trust, which is already complete. Your role is therefore simplified: leverage your authority to recommend the right product, and let Amazon’s unparalleled checkout experience handle the final, trusted transaction.

Prime membership also drives higher average order values. Members spend roughly $1,400 annually versus $600 for non-members.

Product Breadth and Cross-Category Upsells

If you link to a coffee maker, for example, you could potentially earn commissions on the filters, mugs, and specialty beans they add to cart. Amazon’s recommendation engine and “frequently bought together” suggestions work in your favor. The platform’s breadth means virtually every purchase triggers additional product discovery. Understanding product categories and strategically promoting products in high-commission categories can significantly boost affiliate earnings, as different product categories offer varying commission rates and earnings potential.

This dynamic makes Amazon uniquely profitable compared to single-category affiliate programs. You’re not limited to one commission per visit.

How the Commission Model Works

Understanding Amazon’s commission structure separates amateur affiliates from professionals, which matters more than most realize. The Amazon affiliate program works by allowing you to potentially earn commissions when visitors click your affiliate links and make purchases. To maximize earnings, it’s important to strategize how to build trust and increase overall conversions. 

24-Hour Cookie and Add-to-Cart Exception

Amazon’s cookie window lasts 24 hours, meaning affiliates only earn commissions on sales generated within that timeframe after a user clicks their link. If a user clicks this morning but waits to buy until tomorrow afternoon, you’re out of luck. Here’s the crucial exception: if visitors add items to their cart within that window, your tracking cookie extends to 90 days for those specific products.

This quirk rewards content that drives immediate action. Product comparisons, deal alerts, and time-sensitive recommendations perform better than general resource pages.

Category-Based Commission Tiers

Commission rates vary dramatically by product category. One category could earn 10% while another earns 2.5%. For example, 

• Luxury Beauty, Amazon Coins: 10%
• Digital Music, Physical Music, Handmade, Digital Videos: 5%
• Physical Books, Kitchen, Automotive: 4.5%
• Electronics, Business & Industrial Supplies: 2.5%
• Video Games, Game Consoles: 1%

Smart affiliates optimize their content mix toward higher-commission categories when possible. A beauty site linking to skincare earns 10%, while a tech site promoting laptops earns 2.5% at much higher price points.

Impact of Mobile vs. Desktop Conversion Paths

Mobile traffic now exceeds 65% for most affiliate sites, but mobile conversion typically lags desktop by 30-50%. The culprit? Friction in the buying process. Mobile apps are an increasingly important platform for integrating affiliate links and reaching users on the go. When mobile users click your link from an app (Instagram, Pinterest, messaging apps), they often land on Amazon’s mobile website instead of the app where they’re already logged in.

This forces them to re-authenticate, re-enter payment details, or navigate clunky mobile web interfaces. Many abandon the purchase entirely. We’ll cover the solution, which is mobile deep linking, in detail below.

Calculating Real Earnings per 1,000 Clicks (RPM)

Gross commission rates tell only part of the story. Your real metric is RPM – revenue per thousand clicks. Calculate it by multiplying:

Click-through rate × Conversion rate × Average order value × Commission rate × 1,000

Improve conversions slightly, say from 3% to 4%, and RPM jumps to $80. That’s a 33% revenue lift without more traffic. Increase order values by recommending bundles or accessories, and the impact compounds further.

This framework guides optimization efforts. Boosting even one variable (conversion rate, order value, or commission category can really bump up your total income.

Why RPM Matters More Than Traffic

We once audited a site getting 50,000 clicks monthly but earning less than $2,000. Their RPM was under $40. Even sites with significant traffic may struggle to generate revenue if they do not optimize for RPM. With small optimizations, such as swapping in better-converting categories, adding cart-focused call-to-actions (CTAs), and addressing mobile drop-offs, their RPM nearly doubled. Traffic stayed the same, but revenue doubled.

That’s the lesson. RPM forces you to stop chasing vanity metrics like pageviews or impressions. It highlights what really matters: how much each click is worth.

The Global Commission Gap: Why 30% of Earnings Leak

It’s important to remember that Amazon operates completely separate affiliate programs for each country. Your U.S. tracking ID earns nothing from international shoppers.  To capture international commissions, Amazon requires affiliates to sign up for a separate Amazon Associates account for every country (e.g., US, UK, DE, AU). This means manually creating and managing dozens of separate affiliate links for a single product to ensure global visitors land on their local storefront for accurate tracking and commission.

Separate Programs in 15+ Marketplaces

Amazon runs distinct Associates programs across more than 15 countries. Each requires separate applications, approvals, tax forms, and payment thresholds. Affiliates must create an Amazon affiliate account and obtain a unique store ID for each regional program they join. Most affiliates join only their home country’s program, forfeiting international commissions entirely.

Even motivated affiliates who join multiple programs face a linking nightmare. Managing separate links for each geography quickly becomes unworkable at scale.

How Static Links Fail International Users

Send a UK visitor to Amazon.com and watch conversions crater. They see prices in USD, international shipping fees, extended delivery times, and no Prime benefits. The purchase experience feels foreign and expensive. Most abandon their carts.

But the damage runs deeper. Even if they manually navigate to Amazon.co.uk to complete the purchase, your affiliate tag doesn’t transfer. You generated the sale but earned zero commission. This happens thousands of times daily across affiliate sites. Using unique affiliate links and ensuring you provide the correct Amazon affiliate link for each region is essential to earning commissions from international sales.

Conversion Impact: Currency, Shipping, Prime

Localization affects every conversion factor:

• Currency confusion: Seeing unfamiliar currencies triggers price uncertainty
• Shipping sticker shock: International rates can exceed product costs
• Lost Prime benefits: Members expect free two-day delivery, not two-week waits
• Payment friction: Local payment methods are often unavailable in foreign stores

UK shoppers sent to the correct Amazon.co.uk storefront convert at 3-5x higher rates than those landing on Amazon.com. The math is stark: proper localization doesn’t just recover lost commissions. It multiplies them.

Revenue Loss Calculations and Real-World Audit Example

Running actual numbers reveals the scale of losses. One niche publisher discovered their Amazon links generated 2,400 international clicks monthly with zero commissions. Assuming just 2% conversion at $40 average order value with 4% commission rates, they were losing $76.80 monthly – over $900 annually from one oversight.

Scale that across a portfolio or higher-traffic sites, and losses reach five figures annually. This revenue requires zero additional traffic or content. It’s just missing proper link handling. Amazon pays affiliates based on the sales generated through their unique links, so missed commissions directly reflect lost sales that would have otherwise earned payouts.

Geniuslink: The All-in-One Fix

Since 2013, Geniuslink has solved the international commission gap through intelligent link management. Their system automatically routes every click to the correct Amazon storefront while preserving your affiliate tracking. The Associates program and the Associates Central dashboard are essential tools for managing and tracking affiliate links across multiple regions, allowing you to monitor performance, create links, and optimize your affiliate marketing efforts.

Auto-Localization Across 20+ Amazon Stores

Geniuslink covers every Amazon storefront where Associates programs exist – 24 countries in total. One shortened geni.us link intelligently redirects based on the visitor’s location. UK traffic goes to Amazon.co.uk with your UK affiliate tag. Canadian traffic hits Amazon.ca with your Canadian affiliate ID. Every click lands perfectly.

Getting started is a simple two-step process: 

1. Enroll in the Amazon Associates program for your desired international storefronts to obtain your country-specific Tracking IDs.
2. Input those IDs into your Geniuslink dashboard. Our service then handles the rest, maximizing your earnings opportunity on every click.

Patented Product Matching Algorithms

The magic happens in product matching. Geniuslink’s patented algorithms don’t just redirect to the right storefront – they find the exact product in that local catalog. This precision matters because Amazon’s product IDs (ASINs) don’t always match across countries.

When exact matches aren’t possible, the system falls back intelligently to avoid dead ends.

8.7× Average ROI Data

Geniuslink reports that their average customer sees 8.7× return on investment from their service. The math checks out: recover 30% of international commissions, improve conversions 3-5x through proper localization, and capture mobile app sales through deep linking. Those gains compound quickly.

Real publishers confirm these results. One small niche site owner reports earning “an average of $500 monthly from international Amazon Associates programs” after implementing Geniuslink – pure incremental revenue from existing traffic.

Mobile Deep Linking for iOS and Android

Remember that mobile friction kills conversions? Geniuslink eliminates it through automatic mobile deep linking. Every geni.us link detects whether visitors have the Amazon app installed and routes them directly into it.

No more login screens. No more mobile web hassles. Visitors land on the exact product page within their Amazon app where they’re already authenticated with saved payment methods. The purchase path shortens from minutes to seconds.

4.8× Earnings Lift in A/B Tests

Geniuslink’s own split tests quantify the mobile impact: deep linking generated 4.5× more items shipped, 7.9× higher conversion rates, and 4.8× the affiliate earnings versus standard web links. Third-party data from AppsFlyer shows similar results, with web-to-app campaigns seeing 77% conversion lifts.

With mobile traffic dominating most affiliate sites, fixing this one issue can transform your earnings.

Centralized Link Management and Analytics

Beyond localization and deep linking, Geniuslink provides the link management infrastructure that serious affiliates need. Every click is routed and tracked through this single platform, giving you unprecedented control and visibility.

Building a sustainable affiliate business or affiliate marketing business requires robust link management and analytics to ensure long-term growth and consistent income.

Groups, Overrides, and Campaign Tags

Organize links into groups for bulk management. Override affiliate IDs at the group or individual link level – useful for managing multiple sites or testing different accounts. Tag links with campaigns, channels, or any custom taxonomy for granular reporting.

This structure enables advanced strategies like using different affiliate IDs for different traffic sources or A/B testing commission rates across Amazon’s various programs.

Broken Link and Stock Alerts

Amazon products go out of stock. Listings get removed. Sellers disappear. Geniuslink monitors your links and alerts you to issues before they cost sales. Fix problems once in the dashboard, and updates propagate everywhere instantly.

This proactive monitoring prevents the silent revenue drain of dead links scattered across your content. One broken link in a popular post can cost hundreds in lost commissions.

Pricing 

Geniuslink offers pricing that flexes with you. Their ROI calculator helps estimate returns based on your traffic mix and international audience percentage. For most affiliates earning even modest commissions, the service pays for itself within the first month through recovered international sales alone.

Day-One Setup Checklist

Getting started with Geniuslink and Amazon can take less than an hour. Here’s your implementation roadmap:

• Sign up for a Geniuslink account.
• Join the Amazon Associates program for the countries you want to monetize.
• Provide accurate payment and tax information in your Amazon Associates account. Make sure to select your preferred payment method and submit all required tax information to ensure you receive your earnings and remain compliant.
• Add your Amazon Associates tracking IDs to Geniuslink.

Create Accounts and Add Country IDs

First, join the Amazon Associates program for your target countries. At minimum, add:

• United States (Amazon.com)
• United Kingdom (Amazon.co.uk)
• Canada (Amazon.ca)

Then add Germany, France, Italy, Australia, and Spain if you have European traffic. Log in to Geniuslink and input each country’s affiliate ID in the settings. This enables auto-affiliation for those markets. A good rule of thumb is to add any country responsible for 1,000 clicks, and which represents approximately 10% of your traffic

Generate and Replace Links Site-Wide

Use Geniuslink’s tools to create new geni.us links or convert existing Amazon links:

• Geniuslink Express Mobile App: Create links on your iPhone or Android device 
• Amazon Link Engine WordPress Plugin: Automatically converts links as you publish
• Bulk Upload: Convert spreadsheets of links at once
• API: Integrate with your CMS or workflow
• Geniuslink Browser Extension: Create links on the fly while browsing Amazon
• YouTube Link Optimizer(YTLO): replace amzn.to links in your YouTube descriptions

Start with your highest-traffic content first for immediate impact.

Verify Tracking and Test Purchases

You can click your own links from different countries using a VPN, or to verify redirection without a VPN, use our /iso2/xx testing parameter. Check that clicks appear in both Geniuslink’s dashboard and your Associates accounts. Keep in mind you may have to wait up to 24 hours to see the data update in Amazon. Consider having a friend or family member make a small test purchase to confirm end-to-end tracking. This won’t count toward commissions, but it will help you test your first links. 

Tag by Channel for Clean Reporting

Apply channel tags to every link:

• blog-sidebar
• email-newsletter
• youtube-description
• social-media
• social media channels (such as Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter)
• YouTube channel

This segmentation reveals which channels drive real revenue versus just clicks. Focus efforts on your highest-performing sources.

Automate Ongoing Monitoring

Enable stock alerts and broken link notifications. Set up weekly reporting emails to track performance trends. Use Geniuslink’s automation to handle the critical link maintenance while you focus on creating content. Their platform features an Amazon Link Health Monitor that continuously checks your affiliate links and sends alerts when a product goes out of stock or a link breaks, which is a constant chore that would otherwise require manual checks.

Advanced Optimization and Analytics

Once basic implementation is complete, these advanced strategies multiply your earnings further. Developing a comprehensive affiliate marketing strategy, targeting long tail keywords, and focusing on successful affiliate marketing techniques are key to maximizing your earnings.

Split-Testing Destinations and Landing Pages

Geniuslink’s A/B testing features let you experiment with different approaches:

• Direct product pages vs. search results
• Single products vs. product comparisons
• Different product variations or bundles

Test small traffic segments first, then scale winners across all links. Even 10-20% conversion improvements compound into significant revenue gains.

Using Click and Revenue Heatmaps

Geniuslink’s geographic reporting shows exactly where your audience shops. This data drives content and monetization decisions. Discovering unexpected UK traffic? Create British-English content variants. Seeing German clicks without German affiliate accounts? Priority one: join Amazon.de.

Device and OS breakdowns reveal technical optimization opportunities. High mobile traffic with low mobile conversions suggests landing page issues. Browser-specific problems might indicate compatibility bugs.

Seasonal Promotion Planning with Data

Historical data guides promotional calendars. Track which products spike during holidays, back-to-school, or seasonal shifts. Plan content calendars around proven patterns rather than guessing.

Geniuslink’s date-range comparisons show year-over-year trends, helping you capitalize on recurring opportunities and avoid declining categories.

Scaling Winners Across Channels

When you identify high-converting products or content types, Geniuslink’s link groups help you expand rapidly. Clone successful link configurations across channels. Apply winning strategies from blog content to email campaigns or social media.

The platform’s unified reporting shows true cross-channel performance, not siloed metrics that hide the full picture.

Compliance and Best Practices

Amazon enforces its Operating Agreement strictly. Violations can result in account termination without warning. Learn more about violations at Amazon’s Creator U to ensure that you stay compliant with these guidelines. Additionally, make sure to review and comply with all Amazon affiliate program requirements, including eligibility criteria, website content standards, performance benchmarks, and initial sales goals, to avoid account termination.

Required Affiliate Disclosures

Every page containing affiliate links must include a clear disclosure. Amazon provides specific language requirements:

“As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.”

Place disclosures prominently near your links – hiding them in footers or About pages risks termination. The FTC requires disclosures to be “clear and conspicuous,” not buried in fine print. This is why you’ll find a disclosure on any Choice Page you build.

Prohibited Content and Promotions

Amazon bans affiliates from:

• Paid search ads targeting Amazon-related keywords
• Link cloaking that obscures the Amazon destination
• Price comparisons showing outdated information
• False scarcity or misleading promotional claims
• Content targeting children under 13

Review the full Operating Agreement quarterly. Amazon updates terms regularly, and ignorance doesn’t excuse violations.

Staying Updated on Policy Changes

Subscribe to Amazon’s Associates newsletter for official updates. Join affiliate communities where policy changes spark immediate discussion. Set calendar reminders to review terms quarterly.

Geniuslink’s blog also tracks major Amazon policy shifts affecting link strategies, helping you stay ahead of changes.

Case Studies and Success Stories

Real affiliates share their Geniuslink results:

Many affiliates use the Amazon Associates program strategically to pursue passive income and affiliate income, building websites that generate ongoing revenue with minimal daily effort.

Here are some real-world case studies from affiliates who have used Geniuslink to optimize their Amazon affiliate earnings.

Niche Publisher: +$500/Month from International Stores

A home decor blogger with 40,000 monthly visitors noticed 30% of traffic came from outside the U.S. After implementing Geniuslink, they captured an additional $500 monthly from UK, Canadian, and Australian commissions – revenue that was previously lost entirely.

The key insight: their Pinterest traffic skewed heavily international. Without localization, those high-intent shoppers hit Amazon.com and abandoned purchases due to shipping costs.

YouTube Creator: 5× Mobile Conversion Rate

A tech reviewer struggled with mobile conversions from YouTube traffic. Viewers clicking links in descriptions landed on Amazon’s mobile web, facing login friction. Geniuslink’s deep linking pushed them directly into the Amazon app.

Results: Mobile conversion rates jumped from 0.8% to 4.1%. With 70% of their audience on mobile, this fix alone doubled total revenue.

Tech Review Site: 4× Revenue After A/B Testing

A gadget review site used Geniuslink’s split-testing to optimize its “where to buy” buttons. Testing direct product links versus category pages versus search results, they discovered product links converted 3x better for new releases, but category pages won for older products.

Implementing this insight across 2,000+ reviews quadrupled their Amazon commissions within 90 days.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Learn from others’ expensive errors:

Many beginners overlook the importance of strategically adding affiliate links to their content and fail to focus on driving traffic to Amazon, which are common mistakes that can significantly limit affiliate earnings. By understanding these pitfalls, you can avoid them and maximize your success as an affiliate.

Relying on One Marketplace

Using only U.S. affiliate tags means writing off international revenue. Even predominantly American audiences include 15-30% international traffic. Those visitors generate zero commissions without proper localization.

Ignoring Mobile Deep Linking

Mobile traffic dominates, but mobile web conversions lag dramatically. Sending app users to mobile websites creates unnecessary friction. Every login screen or “download our app” prompt loses sales.

Failing to Monitor Out-of-Stock Items

Amazon’s inventory fluctuates constantly. Popular products sell out during peak seasons. Sending traffic to unavailable products wastes clicks and frustrates readers. Automated monitoring catches these issues before they cost significant revenue.

Violating Amazon’s Disclosure Rules

Inadequate disclosures remain the top reason for account termination. Amazon requires specific language, prominent placement, and disclosure on every page with links. Getting creative with disclosure language or placement invites account suspension.

Tools and Resources for Amazon Affiliates

Beyond Geniuslink, these tools enhance your Amazon affiliate efforts. How-to guides and setting up an online store are valuable resources for Amazon affiliates looking to improve their strategies.

Plugins and APIs

• AAWP (Amazon Affiliate WordPress Plugin): Creates comparison tables and product boxes
• Amazon Product Advertising API: Pulls real-time pricing and availability

Research and Analytics Platforms

• Helium 10: Keyword research and competition analysis
• Google Analytics 4: Traffic analysis and conversion tracking
• Microsoft Clarity: Free heatmaps and session recordings

Communities, Newsletters, and Courses

• Amazon Creator University: A free resource to help you succeed as an affiliate
• Authority Hacker: Advanced affiliate marketing strategies
• r/AffiliateMarketing: Reddit community for peer support
• Amazon Associates Forums: Official community for program updates
• Niche Pursuits: Case studies and tactical advice

Next Steps and Scaling Beyond Amazon

Amazon Associates provides an excellent foundation, and diversification ensures long-term stability. By exploring the Amazon affiliate marketing program and partnering with other affiliate programs, you can benefit from better commission rates, longer cookie windows, broader product offerings, and increased revenue potential.

Multi-Retailer Strategies with Geniuslink

Geniuslink supports multiple retailers beyond Amazon. Create choice pages letting visitors select their preferred store – some audiences strongly prefer alternative retailers. This strategy can boost overall conversion rates by 20-40%.

Test adding Target, Walmart, Best Buy, or specialized retailers relevant to your niche. Geniuslink’s unified reporting compares performance across all programs.

Building Email and Owned Audiences

Relying solely on organic traffic and platform algorithms is risky. Build email lists to maintain direct audience relationships. Email traffic typically converts 3-5x higher than cold organic traffic.

Use content upgrades, product guides, and deal alerts to incentivize subscriptions. Then monetize through targeted product recommendations based on subscriber interests.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How Long Does It Take to Get Approved? Amazon typically approves applications instantly, but you must make three qualifying sales within 180 days to maintain access. Focus on creating quality content and driving initial traffic before applying to ensure you meet this requirement.
2. What Countries Should I Join First? Start with English-speaking markets: the U.S., UK, Canada, and Australia. Then add European programs (Germany, France, Italy, Spain) based on your traffic. Use Geniuslink’s analytics to identify untapped geographic opportunities.
3. Can I Use Paid Ads with Amazon Links? Amazon prohibits bidding on its trademarks and related keywords in paid search. However, you can use paid traffic from social media, display advertising, and non-Amazon keywords. Always send paid traffic to your own content first, not directly to Amazon.
4. How Do Returns Affect My Commission? Amazon deducts commissions for returned items from future earnings. High return rates in certain categories (clothing, electronics) mean your actual earnings lag reported commissions by 30-60 days. Factor this delay into cash flow planning.