My new book Amazon Autopilot gets banned by Clickbank, the world’s largest affiliate platform
My new book: Amazon Autopilot
I put a ton of work into my recent book, Amazon Autopilot. That included packing it full of every tip & trick I knew of for building a six-figure bookselling business with Fulfillment by Amazon. And when I say every trick, that includes all the weird Amazon hacks that other sellers are afraid to divulge.
That’s where things got “controversial”…
Amazon Autopilot gets banned
To get my book out to the world, I submitted it to a large affiliate platform called Clickbank. This allows other people online to promote it in exchange for a cut of the sale. Pretty standard stuff when you’re promoting a new book.
Almost immediately, Clickbank informed me they would not allow Amazon Autopilot, to be sold on their platform.
That is, unless I removed at least 15 pages.
Why would Clickbank ban a book on Amazon bookselling?
At issue were passages in which I explore tactics for increasing profits with Amazon and FBA (Fulfillment by Amazon) that may be in violation of some of Amazon’s policies.
I’m not talking about legitimately offensive activity either. I’m talking about some seriously benign practices like listing unread and cosmetically flawless but technically pre-owned books as “New” (come on, who doesn’t…)
There was nothing scandalous. Nothing criminal. And no Amazon customers were harmed in the making of this book.
Just a few tactics, discussed in candor with the proper disclaimers, that most honest Amazon sellers would admit to doing – that also may technically be against Amazon’s “terms of service.”
Clickbank’s rejection email to me
Here is their email to me, received today:
ClickBank does not permit any content that may violate another company’s terms or service or any content that may be considered “black hat”. All chapters and sections that discuss these black hat techniques must be removed for approval. This includes the content in chapter 12 that starts on page 144 and chapter 15 starting on page 161.
Rejecting book is one thing. Asking the author to surgically remove certain pages is pretty bold.
And my response to Clickbank:
Your attempt to manipulate the content of my book is absurd. This is exactly the reason content producers are leaving Clickbank in droves. I’m laughing all the way to Paydotcom.
…followed by me deleting my account.
Update: 2023
Update, 2023: Amazon Autopilot did just fine without Clickbank, selling many thousands of copies (I never kept track of the total amount, but somewhere in the mid-four-figures).
– Peter Valley
PS: Find out what the (micro) controversy is about:
PPS: I updated Amazon Autopilot and expanded the content massively into my Amazon Altitude FBA bookselling course.
Gotta love Clickbank LOL, especially when it seems the sleaziest of products are being sold on THEIR platform. Oh well, good thing it didn’t stop you from selling your guides, they’re priceless!