Amazon reduces affiliate commissions

Amazon.com is reducing the referral fees it will pay to Web site affiliates. Members of its Associates program will no longer receive premiums for "direct links," but will receive slightly more when they bring in more than 20 sales per quarter.

Amazon previously paid higher commissions when affiliates linked to a specific book and this generated sales. Web site owners who made most of their fees from these "direct links" will probably make less now. Several years ago, Amazon paid up to 15 percent on Associate sales, but has consistently scaled back the program. Now the top rate paid to high-volume affiliates will be only 8.5 percent.

Consumer electronics sellers are taking the brunt of the reductions. Now electronics sellers can earn only a flat 4 percent, regardless of their sales volume.

The cuts were necessary to "maintain a healthy Associates program over the long term," Amazon told its Associates in an e-mail sent this afternoon.