Amazon Associates Operating Agreement

This document is the Amazon Associates Program Operating Agreement (APOA), which governs the contractual relationship between Amazon Services LLC and participants in the Amazon Associates affiliate marketing program, operating under the stated legal basis of a commercial performance-marketing arrangement. The agreement states that associates earn advertising fees (commissions) on qualifying purchases referred through Special Links, subject to compliance with Program Policies, the Fee Schedule, and content restrictions enumerated throughout the terms; the terms authorize Amazon to modify commission rates unilaterally by posting updated Fee Schedules, to withhold or reverse fees on transactions deemed non-qualifying, and to terminate associate accounts with or without cause. The agreement asserts broad unilateral amendment rights, including the ability to modify program terms by posting notice on the Associates Central site without direct notification to associates, and reserves the right to audit associate sites and conduct, creating operational exposure for affiliates whose monetization depends on continued program participation. The FTC's Endorsement Guides and disclosure requirements engage directly with the affiliate linking practices this agreement authorizes, creating compliance obligations for associates regarding material connection disclosures; the agreement requires associates to comply with these disclosure obligations but places enforcement responsibility on the associate rather than Amazon. As a US-governed commercial agreement (Washington state law), associates operating in California, the EU/EEA, or other jurisdictions with heightened consumer protection or data privacy frameworks may face additional obligations not fully addressed within the agreement's four corners.