This post may contain affiliate links.
(Well, Canadian readers of The Fit RV, anyway)
I don’t know if something has changed, but over the last three weeks, we’ve received a rash of emails like this:
Is there anyway to add an ‘amazon.ca’ button to your website? We purchase a lot of things off amazon.ca due to our location. Would love to be able to support your cause if possible.
This served mainly to reinforce my stereotype that all Canadians are impossibly nice. But it did highlight a problem, and I’m happy to report I’ve got at least a partial solution. But first, some additional Canadian stereotypes…
You may have noticed that we don’t have any obnoxious advertising on The Fit RV. That’s on purpose, because I hate how advertising is handled on most websites. So you get (we hope) a pretty clean browsing experience here on The Fit RV. The downside of this approach is that we don’t make much money. (I joke that since we never really set out to make money with The Fit RV, we’re 100% on plan.)
But what we do have, as some of you have noticed, are some affiliate links at the bottom (or right, depending on your browser) of the page. If you like what you see here and want to help keep the lights on our web server glowing, you can use these to make purchases, and we get a small percentage back. It doesn’t cost you anything additional, so it’s a win-win.
And this is what our Canadian friends have been asking about. Our link previously went to Amazon.com. But folks in Canada have to use Amazon.ca to purchase, so they couldn’t help support us. Well, I think I’ve got it figured out.
I started off my career as a Rocket Scientist. Then I moved into programming. Then consulting. And now (shudder) management. But despite the increasingly less technical progression of my career, I’ve tried not to let it rot my brain. I still feel like a programmer. So I took this as a challenge.
I did not want to take up the space for another button, but I did want to accommodate our neighbors to the north. I wanted the button to just know where you were clicking from, and direct you to the correct site depending on your location. So with a bit of programming, I think I’ve done it.
But I need help from some Canadians!
So, that’s a copy of the button at the bottom or right of the page. If you click it, and you’re in Canada, it should open up amazon.ca, with our affiliate tag populated. If you’re anywhere else in the world, it should open up amazon.com. I know it works from here in the US, but since I’m not in Canada, I can’t be sure if it’s working from Canada!
I need some Canadians (or anyone currently in Canada) to give the button a click and let me know if it’s working. You can just leave a comment below to let me know. Possible responses include, but are not limited to:
- “It works, eh.”
- “It’s a-boot time you fixed the button.”
- “Nice job, you hoser.”
- “Tim Hortons!” (always accepted as an answer)
And if you’ve clicked the button, and you remembered you needed something from Amazon anyway, we’d be grateful if you used our link. (small plug).
I’m only halfway done though.
If we’ve used or tried a product that we like, we sometimes put links to Amazon for the product. I haven’t figured out how to go back and update all those links so that they work on a per-country basis yet, but I’m working on it.
Thanks in advance for your help!
I’m late but I have a suggestion. Amazon dot Ca link work, I’m in Quebec city. Suggest to “open in a new windows”.
Like your blog. Also folowing on Facebook and “Travato Owners and wannabees”. 2015 Travato G owners.
Welcome aboard!
(I’ll see if I can figure out the new window “target=blank” thing for you.
Interesting life you are leading, I,(We) stopped work in 2000,retired and built a Totor-Home to pull a fith-wheel with, and Full-timed it for 5 years. In Saskatchewan it can be tough to live in a RV the months of April and October…Hahaa
We still camp lots and enjoy as much of the winters we can down south in AZ and CA.
Always like a new idea and will be watching your site….
Welcome aboard, George! We had fun last time we were in Saskatchewan. We need to get back.
Works from Sudbury, Ontario.
The Polar Bears have headed back North for the summer, with a supply of Timmies.
ME
Thanks!
(Having a coffee now… with a sudden urge for donuts.)
Working in Winnipeg, Manitoba EH!
And it’s even working in the Far North! Whitehorse, Yukon.
Woo Hoo!!
I was worried the internet would freeze up there. 😉
Thanks for letting us know. And BTW – Yukon is on my list of “some day” RV destinations.
It worked for me from the ‘Paris of the Prairies’ (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan)…ya the province to the left of where you went to the Leisure Vans Factory in Winkler!
Daren 🙂
Daren, that’s Pleasure-Way country! We love those Pleasure-Way guys…tell them hi from us if you ever bump into them at Tim Hortons! 😉
PleasureWay and Saskatoon do go hand in hand – we kinda feel like traitors with our LeisureVans Class B – but hey it’s all good!
Works fine in Quebec.
Now for another fun challenge. Having it open the Amazon.ca page in french. LOL
That would be a challenge! Thanks Alain!
Working in Ontario…If you happen to visit The Hitch House again…we’ll drop by….it’s a short drive for us. Unfortunately no Travatos at this dealership
Another province in the bag!
Never tried to find a Travato while we were in Canada. I assume they do sell them up there…
Yes, you can find the Travato and the Era in Canada but the exchange rate between the US and Canadian dollar can make them a little bit more expensive than what the Americans are paying. It’s a bargain for you guys to visit Canada right now!! Next year, Canada will be celebrating her 150th birthday so there will be lots of partying happening up here.
It worked – I got Amazon.C Eh 😉
Couldn’t find polar bear collars, though. Not much call for those in Victoria, I guess.
Last time I was in Canadian Tire, they kept the polar bear collars near the dogsled cup holders… 😉
Preventing the clutter of another button is good, but won’t Canadians avoid a button that’s labelled amazon.com?
Good point! I’ll look for a more generic Amazon graphic. Thanks for the suggestion!
Longtime lurker here, love the posts!
If you want to see how location dependent code would work from other countries without being there you can use a proxy site. I haven’t had to do it in a few years (different job, no public web facing work now) but if you google “anonymous proxy site” you can find some you can safely use. They vary as to which locations they make you appear to be from so if you don’t see Canada or wherever you would like to connect from supported find another service. Obviously use good judgement here, avoid sites that want you to download and execute anything or seem suspicious in any way.
Hi Tim!
You know, I knew about proxy servers, and remembered I could have used one the second I read your comment. Oh well.
But if I had used a proxy to test, we’d have missed all this fun! (and the ridiculous Canadian jokes!)
But – to anyone considering using a proxy server: Heed Tim’s advice. Some of them can be shady, so don’t go in without virtual protection!
It worked. Merci!
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Formidable!
Anyone from Quebec or the Maritime provinces?
Nice work! It even works up here in God’s Country (BC’s Sunshine Coast).
How’s that for service?! 🙂
Service is amazing! The only thing that could possibly be better is if you would hurry and get your dog sled team ready for your trip up here! 🙂
It worked for me. Greetings from Calgary, Alberta.
Woo Hoo!
(and Calgary is awesome, btw!)
My dog bears a striking resemblance to that Canadian dog. I sure hope he fits in our Trend 23L that Winnebago is building for us!
I have my eyes on a set of resistance bands and will keep your link in mind.
Isn’t that what all dogs in Canada look like, eh?
It works! I get taken to Amazon.ca with your tag.
Gillian
YESSSS!!!!!!
Success. Thanks!