Shop at Amazon! ...or what I learned when Clark accidentally committed wire fraud.

[Adina P]

Yesterday was “Cyber Monday”.  That’s when we all start shopping for Christmas gifts online, right?  Clark and I do most of our online shopping at Amazon.  Clark is even an “Amazon Prime” member.

I know you shop at Amazon too.  You do it through our DK affiliate link and doodle rescue organizations this way (I give 25% of all our proceeds to doodle rescue).   Thank you so much!

Here’s the funny/scary story about my dh Clark and his wire fraud.  Also, the lesson we learned.

Earlier this summer, Clark was changing some of the links/banners to Amazon on the DK main page.  He thought he was done and had tested everything.  But then something amazing happened.  Our commissions exploded!  I mean, we earned more commissions in one day than we usually do in one or two months!  Always the buzz kill… Clark told me that this was too good to be true and something was definitely wrong.  He was right.  (Darn it!)

He fixed it, and self reported to Amazon… who then took care of any feelings of elation I had.  :-)  So everything is alright and Clark is probably not going to jail.  (At least not for that!)

Here’s what Clark accidentally did:

He accidentally put an Amazon tracking link (what Amazon uses to know who to pay us commissions for) on not just the people that clicked on our Amazon link, but on EVERYONE that viewed our site.  So everyone that came to our site and then went to Amazon in the next 24 hours and bought something earned us a commission.  Cool!  Nope… wire fraud.  Amazon only wants people that intentionally used our link to Amazon to earn us a commission.  Not people that just happened to come to DK and then happened to later buy at Amazon.  We know that and that is fair.

Here’s what I learned:  Only about 1 out of 40 of you are actually using our Amazon affiliate link.  That is HUGE!  To put it in perspective, if everyone used our Amazon link all the time when they shopped Amazon, we would be able to donate an additional $13,000 to doodle rescue organizations every year.  Thirteen grand.  No kidding.

So I need to know what I can do to increase the number of people that use our Amazon affiliate link without spamming you with Amazon links all the time?  You are already shopping at Amazon.  So might as well support DK and doodle rescue, right?

We have the ad at the top right of the page… we have the Amazon search widget in the right column of the front page.  What more should we do?  

http://amazon.doodlekisses.com

[Jennifer and Lily]

I have been on DK everyday for over a year, I have never seen the "shop thru our links". I think it's because I ignore all of the ads and just look at the site contents. I think sending reminders or maybe notes to new members would help! I'll be using the links soon to buy some Christmas goodies!

[Jolene, Sassparilla & Josie]

I'd suggest moving it up. My eyes are old and with trifocals looking for it (knowing it was there) still took time! I'd put it above the ad and below the support doodle kisses. My eyes are drawn to the top of the page.

[Jolene, Sassparilla & Josie]

How about a box above the Amazon link with a little note stating all proceeds through this site donates to the DRC or however it's divvied up? Highlight it or put flashers around it to draw the eyes to it?

[DJ & Chance]

Good reminder for holiday shopping :)

[Laurie & Izzie]

Hi Adina.  Thanks for the reminder.  I totally forgot about the link.  I'm putting in a big Amazon order this week and I'm thrilled to support Doodlekisses!

I added the link to my bookmarks toolbar so it's always there ready to go. amazon.doodlekisses.com

A gentle reminder every now and then never hurts (at least it won't bother me).  You'll probably get a lot more traffic after today with people like me who forgot and now will add it to their bookmarks.

Thanks again for all the hard work you do, and happy holidays to you and your family (people and dogs).

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

I use the dk link to Amazon all of the time already - I put it on my toolbar.

[cheryl & oliver]

Adina, I gues I never paid attention to it, but I just added it to my favorites and promise to use it from now on for all my amazon purchases..

[Ann Kendig]

Ann and I just got a couple of pet beds for Sheba and Duke using the DK Amazon link.  We have not had much Amazon or online purchases for a number of months but have used the DK link in the past.  If you check out Ken Rockwell's photography website he really promotes using his links to support his site.  If you could have a way to promote the preferred vendor links and tie them into rescue success stories or activities I would think it would give more value/interest to using the links to the members of DK.  We have photos of all the dogs Ann has fostered for the DRC. Here is a photo of Buddy a foster that was recently adopted. Mike

[Bonnie and Kona]

Mike, You and Ann are amazing. Buddy looks like a keeper to me! So happy to her he has found a furever home! 

[Adina P]

Awwwe he's so cute!

[Lonnie & Libby Lu]

Adina, we are a Prime Member of Amazon too, so if we buy through the DK Amazon will the Prime still work.  Once I tried to by buy something and our Prime Membership did not come up.  Maybe I was doing something wrong???

[Adina P]

It should not affect Prime.  It only allows your purchase to be connected to our commission...that's all.  Your account should function as always.