When I send someone an Amazon link it inevitably has some tracking info attached when I cut and paste it. Sometimes it's pretty innocuous, like the search I used to find it. Sometimes I'm sure it identifies me directly, or an email sent to me if I'm forwarding the link.

So, whenever I send or post a link like this I trim it to the essentials, removing the tracking info.

As an example:

I went to Amazon, and searched for "MacBook Pro". I then clicked on the first one on the Amazon results list. The URL from that is (with spaces added so it all shows up):

https: // www.amazon.com/Apple-MacBook-Retina-2-3GHz-Quad-Core/dp/B071JNRK1V/ ref=sr_1_1_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=xxxxxxxxxx&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=macbook+pro&psc=1
(Note that I replaced the code after "qid" with x's. I assume that means something like "query identification", and directly identifies me as the source to Amazon.)

If I trim it to the essentials, it would be just:
https: // www.amazon.com/Apple-MacBook-Retina-2-3GHz-Quad-Core/dp/B071JNRK1V/


Some links, such as those that redirect from an invitation, can't be trimmed this way.
And interestingly, the Amazon link above does not work without the text part about the MacBook. The code alone gives an "item can't be found" error. So maybe I haven't avoided Amazon tracking after all. But it doesn't work without the code starting with "B" either, so I think that's part of the page ID.


Good luck.

- Winston

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Be seeing you.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/09/2019 07:22PM by Winston.

If I can from SD, I try to include both.

Edit: tracked link... I try not too, they usually link to your info.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/09/2019 08:27PM by Carm.

I often do edit out the end of the URL, but if it's a referral link and I think that the referral was earned then I'll usually leave the referral part intact.

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Usually, yeah. Though in a place like this forum, if I'm passing on a deal from slickdeals or whatever, I'll link to the slickdeals page so they get the credit and I don't look like I'm earning a referral for spam.

The B071JNRK1V is the ASIN, the product identifier.

For amazon you could do it as
http :// amzn.com/B071JNRK1V
amzn.com is a URL shortening service provided by Amazon



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/09/2019 10:44PM by Mike Johnson.

Yes, I do the same on deal links, but try to get them from the source in question, rather than, say, from an email I received that's linked to me.


Good luck.

- Winston

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Be seeing you.

I usually post edited/shortened links.

Amazon.com/really-long-descriptive-product-name-missing-the-info-on-what-store-is-shipping-it/dp/B-item-number
gets shortened to:
Amazon.com/d/B-item-number

mobile.twitter.com/tweeter's-name/possible-link-info

I will occasionally post referral links so the website that posted the original deal might get credit if a user happens to click-through and orders.

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In tha 360. [url=Zee Maps Now requires a subscription/payment to work]MRF User Map[/url]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/10/2019 12:09AM by Filliam H. Muffman.

I usually post edited/shortened links.
Same here. I stopped caring about SD getting 'credit' as so
many of the posted 'deals' are actually paid ads. And like AMZ reviews,
their 'like/don't like' ratings system can no longer be trusted.
ymmv

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N39° 39.7234', W075° 33.9788'
"I Call Shenanigans!"
-Kyle Broflovski

“If you can't explain it to a six year old, you don't understand it yourself.”
-Albert Einstein

Quote
Winston
...

If I trim it to the essentials, it would be just:
https: // www.amazon.com/Apple-MacBook-Retina-2-3GHz-Quad-Core/dp/B071JNRK1V/


...
And interestingly, the Amazon link above does not work without the text part about the MacBook. The code alone gives an "item can't be found" error. So maybe I haven't avoided Amazon tracking after all. But it doesn't work without the code starting with "B" either, so I think that's part of the page ID.


Good luck.

- Winston

how about this. seems to work fine.

[www.amazon.com]

https :// www.amazon.com/dp/B071JNRK1V/

and to answer the question: I usually trim the links, especially those from email newsletters, since those may have my email address (and they usually include 3-4 lines of text which is tracking info and cookies and crap).

I used to trim links from Slick Deals, but then I was pointed out that they lose revenue this way, so I was essentially hurting them. I usually include all Slick Deals links now.

Exception being if I find the deal myself somehow without Slick Deals, and then I see the same item at SD, than I may post a direct link to the item and then I may also include the SD discussion as a reference. You decide if you click on my link (cured) or go through Slick Deals.

I have thought about it. Do my links show that I bought this item in 1999?
I have thought about it.
Now that I have been schooled I will make an effort to clean up my act.

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Staunton, Virginia

yes, your links may be like a block chain, they get longer and longer every year, LOL

When I think about it, I usually trim the URL down to the minimum required to get to the intended page

Depends on how much time I have.