Key points
- Amazon does not allow content whose main purpose is to promote a business, a website or an offer.
- Links to other products on Amazon are allowed, links to external websites are not, and neither are links with affiliate or referral codes.
- Price comparisons with other shops do not belong in a review. An honest comparison with another product, on the other hand, can be allowed.
What Amazon’s guidelines say
Amazon’s Community Guidelines are clear about advertising:
- Content whose main purpose is to promote a business, a website, an author or a special offer is not allowed.
- Links to other products on Amazon are allowed, links to external websites are not.
- Links with referral or affiliate codes are not permitted.
- Pricing information from the reviewer’s own shopping experience, such as “€5 cheaper elsewhere,” and references to availability in particular stores do not belong in a review.
Typical cases
- External links: to an online shop, a blog, a video or a social media profile.
- Discount codes and offers: “10% off at … with code XY.”
- Recommending a competing product: “Buy brand X instead,” often with a name or link and with no recognizable connection to the reviewer’s own experience.
- Price comparisons: “You can get this cheaper at another shop.”
- Contact details: phone numbers or email addresses that readers are invited to contact.
When a comparison is still allowed
Not every mention of another product is advertising. “My old device from brand X lasted longer” describes the reviewer’s own experience and is usually allowed, even if it is unfavorable to your product. What matters is whether the review mainly rates the product or mainly promotes something else.
Strong signs of advertising are a link or a code, a targeted recommendation of one specific other offer, or the same note appearing under several products.
When the advertising comes from a competitor
If a review promotes a competing product while running down yours, a competitor is sometimes behind it. In that case, it violates the guidelines twice over, because Amazon prohibits sellers from reviewing their competitors’ products. In addition, disguised advertising by a competitor can constitute unfair competition. Read more in our guide Reviews from competitors.
How to report such reviews
Advertising and links are guideline violations and can be reported via “Report abuse” below the review. State the reason precisely, for example: “The review contains a link to an external shop” or “The review uses a discount code to promote another product.” Take a screenshot first, because reviewers can edit their review later.
How AMZDelete helps
AMZDelete detects links, discount codes, references to other products, brands and shops, and pricing information in reviews, and flags them. Identical texts appearing under several of your products are also picked up. Our partner law firm checks the cases you include in your order and reports them to Amazon through the appropriate channel. You only pay if a review is removed afterwards.
Frequently asked questions
Can a review link to another Amazon product?
Under Amazon’s guidelines, yes: links to other products on Amazon are allowed. However, if the review mainly promotes that other product, it can still violate the ban on advertising.
Is “cheaper at shop X” allowed?
No. Price comparisons from the reviewer’s own shopping experience and references to other shops do not belong in a review. Comments on value for money, on the other hand, are allowed.
Do links to videos or social media count too?
Yes. Under the guidelines, any link to a website outside Amazon is not allowed, including links to videos or social media profiles.
This guide gives a general overview and does not replace a legal review of your individual case. At AMZDelete, our partner law firm checks whether a review can be challenged.