June 30, 2009: Seattle
*** Updated July 1, 2009 ***
***Updated July 29, 2009*** see below
Amazon Pulls the Plug on Hawaii, Rhode Island Affiliates, Strengthening Its Stance for a More Cohesive Internet Tax Scheme
What started with a pull out from its online affiliate system in North Carolina, Amazon.com has now cut ties with its Hawaii (as of July 29th, Amazon re-invited its affiliates in Hawaii to rejoin its program there) and Rhode Island online affiliates, too. Ties with Rhode Island affiliates were cut yesterday and those with Hawaii effective today.
In last Friday night’s post, when I wrote when about a similar move on Amazon’s part in North Carolina, I made a bet that it would follow suit within a week in other states. If only I was so good at odds making in real life, like in Vegas.
But it’s happened. The Amazon affiliate programs are no more — for now, at least — in three states. An Amazon pull-out trifecta, if you will, Amazon, Amazon, Amazon.
The qualifier “for now, at least” has as much to do with the fact that more states could be added to that list as it does with the idea that Amazon could reinstate these ties once legislation is passed that would enable a more cohesive scheme to tax Internet sales than what previously exists and is being legislated for among the various states. “The well-established multistate Streamlined Sales Tax Project (”SSTP”) is the legally permissible path for states to follow,” it has stated, as I indicated in Friday’s post, as well.
***** And Blue Nile, Inc. is following suit *****
The online jeweler, following Amazon’s lead, has cut its ties — thus far — with its North Carolina and Rhode Island affiliates.
***** And Overstock.com Cuts Off Affiliates Program in FOUR States *****
California, Hawaii, Rhode Island, and North Carolina. The biggest news — California. And don’t forget what it did vis-à-vis New York, as referenced on Sales Tax Buzz in January here.
Filed under: E-Commerce, Legislation Tagged: | Amazon, Amazon Associates, Amazon Tax, Amazon.com, Blue Nile, E-Commerce, e-commerce transactions, Hawaii, Internet sales tax, Main Street Fairness Act, overstock.com, Rhode Island, SST
[...] More here: Amazon, Amazon, Amazon! [...] check this site out for information
Thx for the post. i hope all this does not spell the end for affiliate marketing.
Also, I thought California had held off on the money grab scheme until January 2010.
This was a really great read, I am very glad I came across your site!
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