Well, it was bound to happen sooner or later. The effects of internet taxation that is.
As regular visitors here I am sure have noticed, I run quite a few ads here on the site. This is to help make a few extra bucks for the site as things such as hosting and domain registration are not free. So this is one reason I am a member of a few different affiliate programs. Including Amazon’s program.
Well, while going through my mail this morning, I received a rather alarming an email from Amazon in regards to their popular affiliate program.
We regret to inform you that the North Carolina state legislature (the General Assembly) appears ready to enact an unconstitutional tax collection scheme that would leave Amazon.com little choice but to end its relationships with North Carolina-based Associates.
snip…
But because the new law is drafted to go into effect once enacted – which could happen in the next two weeks – we will have to terminate the participation of all North Carolina residents in the Amazon Associates program on or before that same day. 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 North Carolina residents.
So, it appears within the next few weeks, this shall pass. (North Carolina being a 100% Dem-run state since Reconstruction cinches that) And with that, the Amazon links here shall be removed as they will be useless.
Like California being a bell weather for a lot of a legislation that eventually gets passed nationwide, (nearly all of it counterproductive) this looks to be an early testing of the internet taxation waters. Just as this will make purchasing products online more expensive, it will also thin out the number of companies that will offer such affiliate programs, as it will be cost-prohibitive. Especially for smaller and mom-and-pop type sites. Which in turn will lead to less advertising for such companies and sites, less revenue and more layoffs in an already distressed economy.
As Plugs Biden said, “gird your loins”. The worst is yet to come.
For more information on other states and what they are up to as far as this subject goes, go to Performance Marketing Alliance.

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