Amazon Services LLC (“Amazon”) has set forth the following Advertising Policies and Specifications to help guide advertisers and their agencies in preparing advertisements for display on the Amazon.com website. These policies and specifications apply to the advertising creative that appears on Amazon.com, any technology or software used to serve and display the advertisements, and the landing pages that appear when a user clicks on such advertisements (collectively, “Advertiser Content”).

These policies are intended to help guide advertisers, but the advertiser is solely liable for the Advertiser Content, notwithstanding Amazon’s acceptance of an insertion order or display of such advertisements.

Technical Specifications

Advertisement Submission Guidelines

Submit all Advertiser Content to your Amazon Account Executive, and copy adtraffic@amazon.com.

Email submission information must include:
  • Advertiser Name
  • Campaign Start & End date
  • Creative Files
  • Alternative Text (if applicable)
  • Linking URL
  • 3rd party tags (if applicable)
  • Instructions on how ad element(s) should run/rotate
Creative processing turnaround time is 3 business days permitting all Advertising Content and related technical elements meet Amazon’s guidelines. If advertisements do not comply with the technical specifications or content policies, this may delay the start date for a particular placement and or campaign.

Approved Third-Party Ad Servers

The following third party ad servers are pre-approved to serve ads on Amazon.com, subject to certain restrictions described below. Other third party ad servers must be approved by Amazon at least 30 days in advance of the applicable campaign.

  • DART*
  • ATLAS**
  • TruEffect
  • Zedo
  • Eyewonder
  • ItsFogo
  • MediaPlex
*Amazon uses DFP as its third-party ad server. Please note that Amazon cannot serve DART Motif through DFP. You may use Dart Motif, but must send Amazon internal redirect tags. Please also note that we do not accept internal redirects for Homepage Above-The-Fold Placement and Thank-You Page. Please send iframe/Javascript tags for these placements instead.

**Please note that ATLAS is not accepted for any Thank-You page placements. All Thank-You page advertisements must be served through DART.

Eligible Ad Units

General Technical Guidelines



  • Advertisements must not collect any information from or about individual users (whether or not such information is personally identifiable) without Amazon’s prior written consent.
  • All advertisements must generate a new window and the existing Amazon window must remain open.
  • All advertisements must not include pop-ups and pop-unders, nor may landing pages spawn pop-up or pop-under advertisements to a user.
  • Amazon does not allow ads with flashing, excessive animation, “fake winner” copy or fake functionality such as HTML Drop Downs or Search Forms.
  • If an advertisement uses third party tags, please include specific trafficking instructions. A contact at the third party is required and must be provided to Amazon prior to the campaign.
  • All impression delivery and billing will be based on Amazon reporting numbers unless otherwise specified in the applicable insertion order.
  • All tags for Thank-You Placement must be secure.
  • If Advertising Content is late or do not meet guidelines noted herein, Amazon reserves the right to extend the campaign by the number of days the Advertising Content was late in order to reach the contracted impression goals. However, Amazon will work with the applicable advertiser or agency to deliver all impressions within the contracted flight dates pending placement and available inventory.
  • Advertisements may not use Amazon logos or trademarks or mention or refer to Amazon, its site or its brand in any manner without Amazon’s prior written consent.
  • Ads must incorporate advertiser’s trademark. The messaging should not mislead the user.
  • Advertisements must not interfere with navigation on Amazon.com, obscure other content or advertisements, alter computer settings or preferences or otherwise unduly or inappropriately interfere with the user’s experience of or Amazon’s operation of Amazon.com.
  • Advertisements must not trigger downloads of software to a user’s computer without first providing the user with clear and conspicuous disclosures regarding the installation, operation and removal of the software, and providing the user with an opportunity to decline to install the software after such disclosures are made
  • The display URL must be the actual destination URL (i.e., the website that the advertisement’s link resolves to, not a redirect) of the advertisement so that it informs the user of the destination website of the advertisement.
  • The destination URL of an advertisement must work properly and resolve to a working website. It cannot connect to an email address or file, and must not be under construction.
  • All advertisements must support “http:” and “https:” for visitors who browse and purchase in secure mode.
Flash Guidelines

  • Amazon allows Flash versions 5,6,and 7
  • Click-through URL should not be hard-coded into the flash, but passed through via click-Tag command.
  • Flash animation requires a default “slate” static 300x250 image for browsers which don’t support iframes.
  • 30KB download and up to 4 additional download streams upon user click are permitted. Each additional stream may not exceed 100KB.
  • Frame rate may not exceed 18 frames per second; 12 frames per second is preferred.
  • Both flash 5-6 SWF files will be displayed for flash 6.0 to 6.0.0.65 plug in browsers only.
  • If the browser doesn’t support flash 6.0 and above the alternate image will be served.
  • All content must only come from the serving ad server’s domain and the content served may not call in content from any other domain.
Flash 6 Specifications

  • The Flash 6 SWF file can be published as compressed.
  • Loading JPGs, WAVs, & MP3s are allowed but must have no more than 4 add SWF files @ 100k each.
  • The use of shared objects is not permitted.
  • Accessing the user’s microphone or webcam is not permitted.
Flash 7 Specifications

  • All Flash 6 specs apply to Flash 7 advertisements.
  • FLV files are treated the same as additional.
  • The use of clipboards is not permitted.
In Banner Streaming

Video

  • There is a 30 second maximum on video stream length
  • Any video must be user-initiated
  • The user’s click on the advertisement can activate progressive download streaming.
  • Play, Stop, Pause, and Mute buttons are required.
Audio

  • Any audio must be user-initiated
  • There is a 30 second maximum on audio served in conjunction with a video stream.
  • All sounds are subject to prior written approval by Amazon.
Advertising Policies and Content Guidelines

All Advertiser Content must be in good taste and must comply with all laws, rules and regulations that apply to the Advertiser, the Advertiser Content and any location where the advertisements may appear.

Advertising of special or free offers:
  • The landing page must prominently present the offer being advertised. Example: If the advertisement offers 50% off, then the landing page must feature the products that are 50% off.
Calls to action:
  • Non-specific calls to action (e.g. “Click here”) are not allowed. Specific calls are acceptable.
Pharmacies & Medical/Pharmaceutical Products:
  • Advertisements for pharmacies and medical or pharmaceutical products are restricted based on applicable laws and subject to Amazon’s prior written approval.
Free Offers & Sweepstakes:
  • Advertising promoting sweepstakes may or may not be allowed, subject Amazon’s prior written approval.
  • Advertising “free” goods or services must indicate that terms and conditions apply.
Advertiser Content must not contain:
  • Pornography and other “adult” content
  • Illicit/illegal drugs and drug paraphernalia
  • Gambling or gambling paraphernalia, including online gambling, poker, or bingo
  • Tobacco or tobacco related products
  • Alcohol related products
  • Weapons, including guns, gun parts, kits, mace, blank powder and ammunition
  • Foul, vulgar or obscene language or that features nudity
  • Content that is defamatory, libelous, invasive of another’s privacy
  • Hate speech – inciting or advocating violence or racial intolerance
  • Content that is threatening, abusive, harassing, or advocate against a protected group, whether based on race, color, national origin, religion, disability, sex, sexual orientation, age or any similar or other category
  • Content that promotes any illegal or dangerous activity
  • Deceptive, false or misleading content
  • Content or technology that infringes, or encourages or enables the infringement of, the intellectual property or personal rights of others
Amazon.com reserves the right to add, remove or modify this policy at any time by placing updated advertising policies on Amazon.com. Amazon.com reserves the right to reject or remove any advertisements at any time in its sole discretion.
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