BBcode to Post Links to Amazon

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Scott
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BBcode to Post Links to Amazon

Post by Scott »

I have created some new custom BBcode that enables you to easily post a link to a product on Amazon using the ASIN (Amazon Store Inventory Number).

The most useful part about this new feature is that it enables even new users to post links to book. To prevent spam, users cannot post links or URLs until they have 10 posts AND have been registered for at least 7 days. Any attempt will automatically be blocked. Luckily new users can still use the Amazon BBcode tags to create links. While usually there is no need to post links especially for a new user, there are some exceptions such as when a person needs to identify which version of a book they intend to refer. In any case, I am glad to offer the ability for even new users to post links to books on Amazon.

How to Post Links to Amazon

First you need to get the ASIN number. This is 10 digit alphanumeric (mostly numbers) string that you can find in the URL of the detail or product page of the book or item. As far as I know, it is always in the dynamic part of the URL, i.e. it is always before the question mark in the URL if there is a question mark. In the case of the book, it is usually the old 10-digit ISBN number of the book. For instance, if I go to Amazon and search for 1984 in books, the first thing that comes up is the 2003 release of Nineteen Eighty-Four by Deckle Edge in Paperback. Clicking on that brings me to the page of the book at the following URL:

Code: Select all

http://www.amazon.com/Nineteen-Eighty-Four-George-Orwell/dp/0452284236/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1316825739&sr=1-1
The ASIN of that particular item is 0452284236.

Thus, to post a link to that particular edition/version of 1984 I could use any of the following codes:

Code: Select all

[amazon=0452284236]"1984" by George Orwell[/amazon]

[amazon=0452284236][i]1984[/i] by George Orwell[/amazon]

[amazon=0452284236]Check out 1984 on Amazon![/amazon]
Those codes display as:

"1984" by George Orwell

1984 by George Orwell

Check out 1984 on Amazon!

Basically, you can put whatever text you want between the opening tag and closing tag; whatever text you put between the tags will be linked to the item specified by ASIN in the opening tag. Note, you need to put in a correct ASIN for it to work properly.

Any Questions or problems?

If you have any trouble using these BBcodes, encounter any errors, can't figure it out or just need help, please post a reply in this topic or send me a PM explaining the issue with as much detail as possible.

Thanks!
Scott
"That virtue we appreciate is as much ours as another's. We see so much only as we possess." - Henry David Thoreau

"Non ignara mali miseris succurrere disco." Virgil, The Aeneid
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Dragonflytears
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Post by Dragonflytears »

Hi Scott!

That's awesome news!! But just to clarify one thing. Amazon uses a SKU or AISN which is usually the book's ISBN number (International Standard Book Number). We at bookcloseouts.com use the ISBN which can be a 13 or 10 digit number.

i.e.

ISBN-13: 9780736924313
ISBN-10: 0736924310

Using either the 13 or 10 will work in a link as we reference both on the site.

Patti
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Post by Scott »

Patti,

What about the letter that is usually appended to the end of the SKU on pages at BookCloseOuts? Is it necessary to include that letter?

Thanks!
Scott
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Post by Dragonflytears »

Hi Scott!

The letter represents whether it is a bargain book or a scratch and dent copy. Some you will see with the letter "S" at the end. I don't believe the letters are necessary. But I'm going to link one here to test without the letter -

Check out "Heart of the Matter" by Emily Giffin on BookCloseOuts!

-- Thu Sep 29, 2011 8:35 am --

Ok the link did not work, so then yes, the letter is necessary -


Check out "Heart of the Matter" by Emily Giffin on BookCloseOuts!
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DavidB52
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Post by DavidB52 »

You don't mind links to Amazon?!?!

I recall reading StephenKingman's stern post against spam, so I thought it would be a cold day in hell before links to Amazon would be allowed:

forums.onlinebookclub.org/viewtopic.php ... amp;t=7606

"4. Recommendations for amazon- if i want to browse amazon i will do so, dont need to be reminded of the website. "

I suppose it is easy enough to find a book there once you have a name, author, number, etc. Although, this new linking policy will make it a LOT more convenient.
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Post by Scott »

I don't mind links to Amazon per se. But spam is disallowed. If a new poster joins the forum and in their first post is already posting links--even just to Amazon, I agree that I would be very suspicious by that simple fact that the post is spam. If I or any of the other moderators feel it is spam, it will be deleted. I assume that is what StephenKingman meant in that post.

However, I was inspired to add this linking option for even new users--who are usually blocked from posting links at all--after one contacting me with the following problem: She says that she has just joined to discuss a specific book, but she needs to refer to a specific version of the book by the same title and the only she thought to try that was by linking to the specific version. If that is true, then I do not think that would be spam linking to the book as a way to demonstrate which of version of a book one is referring. I also think most spammers want to link to their own site or at least to a site different than Amazon, so isolating these people to just those links seems to make sense to me. If someone is spamming an item on Amazon, it will probably be a book of which they are the author a paid promoter. In such a case, removing their ability to link to it will not stop them from spamming it as they won't mind just mentioning the title in the hopes you go to a site like Amazon and buy it yourself. And spam without a live link is still spam.
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"Non ignara mali miseris succurrere disco." Virgil, The Aeneid
Nhocngamy
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Post by Nhocngamy »

ok i think so
jonalyn23
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Post by jonalyn23 »

Great!!! thanks for this wonderful information. It really help me a lot.
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Scott
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Post by Scott »

Update: I have modified the bbCode tags to also enable linking to the homepage of Amazon and BookCloseOuts by putting the word home in place of the ASIN/SKU. To link to the homepages of these websites one could use the following code:

Code: Select all

[amazon=home]Amazon homepage[/amazon]
[bco=R-home]BookCloseOuts homepage[/bco]
The above code displays as follows:

Amazon homepage
BookCloseOuts homepage

***

I have also created a block for any new links made to Amazon or BookCloseOuts without using the BBcode. Requiring posters to use the BBcode will give me more immediate moderation oversight over such links. For instance, I can now easily block any and all links to any single item on Amazon. For instance, if someone joins and spams the forums with links to their book, I can now easily block and all BBcode links past and present made by anyone from going to that book. In addition to blocking spam, this will greatly discourage spam since I doubt any book promoters authors would want their book to be blacklisted.

In fact, the new features I have been working on to create this automatic blocking will be a great discouragement to spam because I can now in a matter of seconds blacklist any website I wish and nobody will be able to submit any post that contains a link to that site.
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"Non ignara mali miseris succurrere disco." Virgil, The Aeneid
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Post by Dragonflytears »

Hi Scott,

If I want to put a link to a sales event on BCO, how do I do that? Or would you only like the link going to the home page?

~ Patti
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Scott
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Post by Scott »

Great question Patti! I have added the functionality for this. Here is some examples of the BBcode anyone can use:

Code: Select all

[bco=R-new]New Arrivals at BookCloseOuts[/bco]
[bco=R-promo]BookCloseOuts Promotions[/bco]
[bco=R-kids]Kids' Section at BookCloseOuts[/bco]
[bco=R-dent]Scratch and Dent Page at BookCloseOuts[/bco][bco=R-new]whatever text you want[/bco]
[bco=R-promo]whatever text you want[/bco]
[bco=R-kids]whatever text you want[/bco]
[bco=R-dent]whatever text you want[/bco]
And here is how the above code would display:
If there are any other pages you want me to add, please let me know.

Thanks!
Scott
"That virtue we appreciate is as much ours as another's. We see so much only as we possess." - Henry David Thoreau

"Non ignara mali miseris succurrere disco." Virgil, The Aeneid
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Post by Dragonflytears »

Excellent Scott!!

Thank you so much!

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!!

:D :D
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Post by Scott »

No problem!

If you tested them at first, you may have had trouble (got a 404). I made a mistake with the redirects on the backend but I fixed it almost immediately.

Thanks!
Scott
"That virtue we appreciate is as much ours as another's. We see so much only as we possess." - Henry David Thoreau

"Non ignara mali miseris succurrere disco." Virgil, The Aeneid
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Post by stevecosta »

quite interesting to read the post in this forums
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Post by pawpoint »

Does this work on Amazon.co.uk as well?
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