Fixing Broken Amazon Product Images on My Blog

Did Amazon Associates change its policy? Product images have completely stopped displaying. Reviewing gadgets and items I buy on Amazon is a bit of a hobby of mine, and since pictures make it obvious what I'm talking about, I used them quite a lot on this blog. I never expected much in ad revenue, so while it was a bummer, I just left it alone for a while. But with summer break being brutally hot, I've decided to stay indoors—and with some free time on my hands, I figured I'd investigate and try to fix it.

Doing Some Research Online

After looking around online, a few potential options came up:

Method 1: Use the Amazon API

Requires an application process and qualifying sales within the past 30 days.
Details are still a bit unclear.

Method 2: ValueCommerce's MyLinkBox

It can also display links to other platforms like Rakuten.
Not really sure how commission cuts work with ValueCommerce.
Details are still hazy.

Method 3: Just Switch Everything to Text Links for Now

Since I already know the ASIN (product code), couldn't I just handle this with a find-and-replace?

Looking at the structure of an Amazon Affiliate image link... it seems to boil down to these three elements:

The Associate tracking ID:
t=theworldsta04-22

The ASIN identifying the specific product:
asins=B08CDXTHXM

And probably the direct product link identifier:
linkId=b91b433c4e7306449d17bcb4551cbd24

However, looking at the text-only link format, it turns out to be way more complicated... Doesn't look like something I can easily automate.

Someone Already Built a Converter!

"Generating Image Links Discontinued from Amazon Associates SiteStripe on Your Own"
"As previously announced, you can no longer create image links directly using the Amazon Associates SiteStripe toolbar.
So, I wrote a Python script to generate image links out of the text links that are still supported."

Feeding links into Python manually one by one, though... sounds like a chore. Setting it up so it runs natively within WordPress... also sounds painful. I'll table that idea for now.

Method 4: Rinker

I saw this mentioned ona websiterecently.
It uses Amazon's new system to generate cards from text links, product titles, or ASINs... but boy, it still looks like quite a hassle.

Method 5: Manual Assembly

■ The 100% Manual Approach
https://www.osslicense.jp/amazon_link/
This is explained in the second half of that article:
1. Enter the product title/text
2. Insert the affiliate text link
3. Insert the image link (copied directly from the store page)

For brand-new articles, this might actually be good enough.
If only I could automate this process somehow...
And maybe hook Rakuten into it automatically, too...

The Game Plan

I'm still sorting things out, but here's my plan of attack for the immediate future as I aim to use Amazon's new API:

• Build them manually using text combined with direct links to Amazon product images.
• Use the official API recommended by Amazon (Amazon Product Advertising API / PA-API v5).

The PA-API method requires at least one sale within the past 30 days. It explicitly states this on the credentials request screen, so there's no working around it. I'll apply once a sale goes through.
To register a sale, I could buy something for myself or the family via my wife's account. Of course, I just bought a replacement ribbon cable for a PS4 controller yesterday! Until that sale happens... am I stuck using Method 1 or 3, sticking with plain text links and adding images by hand?

A Quick Test

When a PS4 controller malfunctions—specifically the D-pad or the face buttons (Cross, Circle, Triangle, Square)—the culprit is usually a broken trace on the flexible printed circuit (FPC) board. On the controller I picked up, the Up and Right buttons weren't responding. When I disassembled it and checked with a multimeter, the ground lines on the top and bottom of the ribbon board had no continuity, confirming a break. Swapping this out should fix it. There are several variants that look nearly identical, so make sure to check the model number stamped on your board (such as "JDM-001") before picking one up.

1. Plain Text Link

PS4 Controller Replacement FlexibleCircuit Board

Hmm, just a plain, boring link.

2. Title Plus a Link

PS4 Controller Flexible Ribbon Board

Buy on Amazon

3. Turning "Buy on Amazon" into a WordPress Button

PS4 Controller Flexible Ribbon Board

Now it's starting to look like a proper product card.

4. Embedding the Image via URL

PS4 Controller Flexible Ribbon Board

Oh, got it! Apparently modifying product images violates policy, so linking directly to them is required. Though really, my whole goal was to just display these pictures effortlessly in the first place.

5. Organizing with Columns

Looking at the preview, it doesn't make that much difference. I want to make the image smaller, like the original Amazon widgets.

Still, at least I get the concept. If only I could automate this whole routine...

Using Amazon PA-API via a WordPress Plugin

This is probably the standard route. It supposedly makes everything much smoother. Why didn't I just use this earlier?

That said, even after looking into it, there doesn't seem to be a single plugin hailed as the clear winner. Let's just try this one that looks promising.

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You need an Amazon PA-API Access Key and Secret Key, which supposedly requires at least one sale in the past 30 days. Since I didn't have one, I figured I'd have to buy something myself first—but when I went to request credentials, it let me generate them right away! Turns out that requirement didn't block key creation after all.

With credentials in hand, let's test it out!

Hmm, searching for products throws an error. Did something break? Does it only accept exact, specific keywords?

Nope, still no good...
Looks like the lack of sales in the past 30 days really is where it hits a wall. → Confirmed. On top of that, API access gets shut down whenever you don't maintain sales within a rolling 30-day window, and it only comes back once you make another sale. ...Yeah, this might not be realistic for me after all.

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