On June 26th, I wrote a post about receiving a termination warning email from the Amazon Associate (Affiliate) program about RI gearing up to pass Bill HR 6141 aka in affiliate circles as the “Amazon Tax”.

http://www.ebizrantzandravez.com/160/my-possible-affiliate-termination-email-from-amazoncom/

Well … NOT that I am surprised, but it is NOW official - I am officially terminated from Amazon.com’s affiliate program!

RI lawmakers are right up there with the other “clueless” politicos that don’t understand anything about business except for the fact that they try to tax it to death. They buried it in the annual budget, so it would be hard to get rid of. It’s pretty much veto-proof.

For eveyone’s information, below is what an Amazon.com affiliate termination email looks like …

We are writing from the Amazon Associates Program to notify you that your Associates account has been closed as of June 29, 2009. This is a direct result of the unconstitutional tax collection scheme passed by the Rhode Island General Assembly with a veto-proof majority. As a result, we will no longer pay any referral fees for customers referred to Amazon.com or Endless.com after June 29. We were forced to take this unfortunate action in anticipation of actual enactment because of uncertainties surrounding the legislation’s effective date. The governor could sign the bill — or have his veto overridden — any day now.
Please be assured that all qualifying referral fees earned prior to June 29, 2009 will be processed and paid in full in accordance with our regular referral fee schedule. Based on your account closure date of June 29, 2009, any final payments will be paid by September 1, 2009.

In the event that Rhode Island repeals this tax collection scheme, we would certainly be happy to re-open our Associates program to Rhode Island residents.

The Rhode Island General Assembly’s website is http://www.rilin.state.ri.us, the governor’s website is http://www.governor.ri.gov, and additional information may be obtained from the Performance Marketing Alliance at http://www.performancemarketingalliance.com .

We have enjoyed working with you and other Rhode Island-based participants in the Amazon Associates Program, and wish you all the best in your future.

Best Regards,

The Amazon Associates Team

To be honest, I really don’t blame them. I have to admit I’d do the same thing. Just added bookkeeping for no good reason.

GREAT GOING RI (AND Other lame states passing similar laws) Lawmakers … You’re NOW gonna have LESS … Yes … LESS money coming into YOUR state coffers now. People like myself that are affiliates of merchants like Amazon.com are getting terminated because of the hassles of this most likely unconstitutional tax and therefore we won’t be making as much (if any) commissions from sales and the states will now get LESS income tax revenue from us now come April 15th each year. Just what ya wanted - huh? LESS money.

Hope you all are proud of yourself! As Bugs Bunny liked to say … “What a MAROON!”

BTW …

Michael E. Young, an online marketer and an attorney, has put out a quick & simple read 2 page report that you should read called the Future Of Affiliate Marketing Alert. Check it out. Something to think about anyway …

http://mikeyounglaw.com/future-marketing-special-report.pdf

Ciao!

Tags: stupid politicians, amazon tax, nexus tax, ri hr 6141, amazon associate program

Well … Can’t say that I’m all that surprised. I’m an Amazon.com affiliate. I live in Rhode Island and the RI politicos have an “Amazon Tax” type law being bandied about in the RI Capitol building. Hasn’t been passed yet but I did receive the following email from the Amazon.com Associate program …

Regarding RI’s HB 6164 Bill (hasn’t been passed yet)

We regret to inform you that the Rhode Island state legislature is preparing to pass an unconstitutional tax collection scheme that, if passed and not vetoed by the governor, would leave Amazon.com little choice but to end its relationships with Rhode Island-based Associates. You are receiving this e-mail because our records indicate that you are an Amazon Associate and resident of Rhode Island.
Please note that this is not an immediate termination notice and you are still a valued participant in the Associates Program. All referral fees earned on qualified traffic will continue to be paid as planned.

But because the new law is drafted to go into effect once enacted, we will have to terminate the participation of all Rhode Island residents in the Amazon Associates program on or before the day on which is it enacted. After the termination day, we will no longer pay any referral fees for customers referred to Amazon.com or Endless.com nor will we accept new applications for the Associates program from Rhode Island residents.

Note that other states, including Maryland, Minnesota, and Tennessee, considered nearly identical schemes, but rejected these proposals largely because of the adverse impact on their states’ residents.

The governor’s website is http://www.governor.ri.gov, the Rhode Island legislature’s website is http://www.rilin.state.ri.us, and additional information may be obtained from the Performance Marketing Alliance at http://www.performancemarketingalliance.com .

We thank you for being part of the Amazon Associates program, and we will apprise you of next steps.

Sincerely,

Amazon.com

For the record, I haven’t done all that much stuff with Amazon.com recently and IF the law passes here in RI then I’ll obviously be terminated from the Amazon Associate program. Financially, it won’t faze me, initially but IF all the other merchants follow suit THEN me and other RI affiliates could be in deep doo-doo!

BUT … The whole idea of this net tax “end around” moves by cash-strapped states disgusts me. A lame attempt to increase tax revenue but in reality, probably will backfire on them.

For example … IF this law passes here in RI, then Amazon.com (or any other merchants for that matter) CAN/WILL terminate my affiliation with them. Then that means me, as the former affiliate, will no longer be able to earn any income from that merchant and therefore since I’m making less money, I’ll not be paying ANY income tax on what I “might” have earned from any affiliate earnings.

So WHERE, pray tell, does THAT help the state’s economy? IF that (affiliate income) is a person’s main source of income then it now dries up and they are no longer contributing to the state’s revenue flow at all. Gonna cost the state MORE money in long run.

BAH!!!

DON’T think it can’t happen in YOUR state? They’ll most likely try to do it too - eventually. Below is one site where you can find more info about this and the states affected so far.

http://www.performancemarketingalliance.com

Also keep an eye out on Shawn Collins Affiliate Tip blog:

http://blog.affiliatetip.com

AND

Linda Bouquet’s 5 Star Affiliate Blog

http://affiliate-blogs.5staraffiliateprograms.com

Tags: moron legislators, RI HR 6141 Bill, rhode island net tax, amazon tax, net tax, affiliates, amazon.com, amazon associates program

Yeah, I know. You’re tired of hearing about the FREE Micro Continuity MP3 offer in your email, blogs, twitter etc.

BUT …

FOR THE RECORD … YES … I DID signup for Russell Brunson’s Free MP3 Micro-Continuity Offer last night. And YES, I was OK with the $9.97 ship/handling charge for this “free” package. And YES, I know it’s a “continuity program”.

And you know what else? I haven’t even gotten the preloaded MP3 player yet and I already feel I got WAY more than $10 worth of actionable information and products. ALOT more!

Here’s what I received for immediate downloads after signing up for this offer …

* Over 4 Hours Of GREAT Info From One Of Russell’s Micro-Continuity Workshops In 4 Downloadable Audio MP3 Files
* A One Hour+ Video From One Of His Other Micro-Continuity workshops
* 10 Custom Micro-Continuity Squeeze Pages And Sales Letter Templates

PLUS get the first two weeks of his actual lessons from his 6 month Micro-Continuity video email coaching.

Like I said earlier, I haven’t received it yet but when I finally receive the MP3 player, it comes preloaded with the audio recordings from the 1 Day Underground Workshop.

Since I haven’t done the iPod type thing yet, I may have to ask how to use the MP3 player! Give me some slack - OKAY? Trying to teach an OLD dog NEW tricks. I’m also having to learn how to text on my cell phone too. I’m sooooo behind the times! LOL

Today was a crappy weather day so I took the opportunity this afternoon (Thurs) to listen to the downloads of Russell’s recordings and watch the video. I tell you what … he’s given me a new, more positive perspective on how to use continuity to make money online. He lays out the steps to a successful continuity program pretty thoroughly in these recordings. He really simplifies things.

I don’t know Russell personally (I’ve known of him over the past few years) but I hope to in the near future. He certainly comes across as a personable and positive guy with a sense of humor. The sense of humor alone part gets extra points in MY book. heh heh

I’m a bit excited about what I’ve seen and heard so far. When I receive the MP3 player and see the first 1 or 2 lessons, I’ll get back to you all with my opinion on those too.

IF you’d like to check it out yourself …

Click Here To Get ALL The Details Of The Micro-Continuity Offer

Ciao!

Tags: micro-continuity, micro continuity, russell brunson, micro continuity workshop, continuity program

Have you ever tried to get your own WordPress blog set up and running? How frustrating was THAT? IF you are new to blogging, the steps to complete this can be a bit confusing. Do terms like domains, registrar, FTP & nameservers make your eyes glaze over?

I’ve been asked many times if I know of a good, SOLID step-by-step beginners tutorial for successfully setting up a WordPress Blog. I FINALLY found one I can recommend wholeheartedly.

Traci Knoppe has been helping alot of members (including me) on my favorite Internet Marketing Forum with our WordPress problems for quite awhile now. She’s proven herself to be a REAL WordPress Pro.

Traci has put her expertise into her just released Beginner To Blogger In 4 Weeks eCourse.

Her 4 week course will teach you how to create, customize and use your new WordPress blog.

Some of the many points she addresses are:

* ‘What Is A Blog?’
* Domain Name Registration
* Web Hosting Setup
* How To Create A Website With Your Blog
* How To Blog & Use WordPress
* What Are Widgets & Plugins?
* What’s An API Key?
* Customizing Your WordPress Theme & Many Other Important Blog Topics

You’ll receive the lessons in both PDF and video format.

PLUS she has some Surprise Bonuses for you too!

NOTE: This course is definitely geared for beginners. IF you’re comfortable with setting up & customizing WP blogs, then this course is probably NOT gonna cover anything new to you.

GRAB Your Beginner To Blogger In 4 Weeks Course Here …

Happy Blogging!

Tags: beginning blogger, beginner to blogger in 4 weeks, traci knoppe, blogging, new bloggers, wordpress blog, blog training, blog tutorials

Seems like many people have been getting banned by YouTube lately.

One recent IMer, Robert Plank, was recently banned from YouTube for unknown reasons. Read his story below …

http://www.robertplank.com/banned-from-youtube

Robert is a successful programmer specializing in PHP that also does pretty darn good in the IM market. He has put out alot of kool helpful scripts to use in marketing online. I use some myself.

I’ve seen ALOT of his YouTube vids and certainly can’t figure out why they were banned. BUT that’s the way the Big “G” family seems to work. The tell you that your account(s) are terminated but won’t tell you why outside that they somehow violate their TOS.

So be careful how you use YouTube and don’t put all your eggs (videos) in one basket!

Tags: robert plank, youtube, banned from youtube