How to Post Links to Amazon or BookCloseOuts, Even New Users

September 26th, 2011, 9:55 am

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) or to post a link to a a product on BookCloseOuts using the SKU number (don't know what that stands for but it is BookCloseOuts' equivalent to Amazon's ASIN).

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 and BookCloseOuts BBcode tags to create links to those sites. 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 and BookCloseOuts.

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.

How to Post Links to BookCloseOuts

First you need to find the SKU number of the book. This is the part of the URL starting with R- and then, as far as I can tell is always made up of 13 numbers and then 1 letter. For instance, if I go to BookCloseOuts and search for Mariana and click on the first result, I land on the webpage for the 395-page softcover version of the book Mariana with the following URL:

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http://www.bookcloseouts.com/Store/Details/Mariana/_/R-9780749007065B

The SKU number of that particular item is R-9780749007065B.

Thus, I can create a link to that page with any of the following codes:

Code: Select all

[bco=R-9780749007065B]"Mariana" by Susanna Kearsley[/bco]

[bco=R-9780749007065B][i]Mariana[/i] by Susanna Kearsley[/bco]

[bco=R-9780749007065B]Check out "Mariana" on BookCloseOuts![/bco]

The above code will display as the following:

"Mariana" by Susanna Kearsley

Mariana by Susanna Kearsley

Check out "Mariana" on BookCloseOuts!

Again, like with the Amazon tag, 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 the SKU number put in the opening tag. Note, you need to put in a correct SKU including the R- 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