As a customer, I love Amazon. As an Associate that makes small referrals from reviews, I am sometimes amazed how stupid they can be at basic web stuff. Back in August I released a new version of my Amazon Image Link Builder, because they are incapable of writing tools that generate valid XHTML code. From the post Amazon Link With Image Tool Has Been Updated:
** I emailed Amazon requesting an XHTML tool and they responded:
The W3 validator is very strict and constructing an HTML page which passes through it without any errors is quite a difficult task.
They have a market cap of $36.7 Billion and find XHTML to be a difficult task.
Having W3 valid code isn’t the end of the world. I’ve been told that Amazon developers have more important things to work on. Since I was able to knock out a tool superior to theirs in an afternoon, I disagree with that premise, but whatever. My real annoyance is the fact they are continually moving image URLs around. I’ll give you an example.
In June I wrote a review of the book Primal Blueprint. In the review, I linked to an image of the book cover. The reader could click on the image of the book or the title and be directed to Amazon to learn more about the book or even make a purchase. Today I discovered that they changed the URL to that cover image. This isn’t the first time. My link checker pulled up 15 examples.
I don’t want broken links on any of my websites. Amazon pulled this crap over a year ago. I made the fixes. I thought it was a one time thing. Nope. I sent them a piece of my mind today.
I am SICK AND TIRED of you guys breaking the links to the images of the products that I review.
My reviews have generated thousands of dollars in sales this year alone. Why you guys change the URL to image files of the books and DVDs makes no sense to me. You don’t break the links to the products.
We are suppose to be partners. I have 15 posts that now have broken image links. I have to go back and get a new URL for each one. Do you guys want more referrals? STOP MOVING THE IMAGES!!
Before someone jumps to Amazon’s defense about moving images, I’d like to cite usability expert and Internet pioneer Jakob Nielson. This is what he wrote back in March 1999 in the post URL as UI:
Do not move pages around but keep them at the same URL: it is very annoying for authors of other sites when their links either stop working or turn into pointers to something different because the original page has been moved and replaced by something new.
He specifically cites pages, but in a partner relationship, most would interpret the modern meaning to extend to other media. I certainly do. Amazon provides me with the images and links to help them sell products. I use them. They move the images, which alters the meaning of my work. A review with a broken image link appears sloppy and in my opinion is less likely to generate trust.
Amazon is located here in Seattle. I know a few employees. When I talk to them, the impression I get is they just don’t care about the Associates program. It is just a minor part of the review picture for Amazon, so it gets less attention. Sad.
