Using Amazon's aStore for publications

Class of 76 publication page

Once you have signed up for Amazon Associates by far the easiest way to display classmate publications is by creating an aStore. You will be limited to the Amazon Associate supplied templates and there is a small margin problem, but the process is quick and easy and unless you want to design and program your own page I would suggest using it.

1. From the Amazon Associate main page click on the aStore Tab.
2. Click on Add an aStore.
3. Create a tracking ID for your site.
4. Press continue. You will be taken to a ‘Create AStore’ page.
5. Click on Color and Design in the left menu. Choose a theme color. I found Red and Grey to be the most Harvard like. You are welcome to change the colors for background, body text, etc. But there is no need. Click Continue at the bottom of the page to save.
6. Click on ‘sidebar widgets’ in the left menu. Under ‘sidebar placement’ click on Sidebar left. This is where the individual Authors names will appear. Click Continue at the bottom of the page to save.
7. Click on ‘Category Pages’ in the left menu. Click on Add a Category Page. Every Category is essentially a page within the store. In this case a category will be each author’s name which will be listed in the sidebar as a link to an individual page where their books are displayed. Change the name or the Category title to the Author Classmates name. In the next box highlight ‘Add Individual Products’ and Click the ‘Add Product’ link. You are taken to an Amazon Search page. Under key word put the author’s name. I’ve found it helps to limit the search to books only, but it is your choice. You will be taken to a screen of items that come up with your search. Simply click add item and it will be displayed on the author’s page. But be careful since items by other authors with the same name will also appear there. If you make a mistake you can always go back and remove an item later. When you are done adding the books press ‘Back to Category Page’ and add other authors.
8. Note that if you highlight a previously created category (authors name) on the Create aStore page. The arrows next to the Add Category Link are lit up. You use these arrows to reorder your categories. You can also use the indent arrow to add subcategories for the most prolific—(ie for Yo-yo Ma I have a separate page for CDs and DVDs). Also note that the page of the first author listed will be default appear in the content window when people first go to your publication page. I got around this be adding a ‘Harvard Book’ category and putting this at the top of the list of authors.

1. Press Continue at the bottom of the page until you get an option of Finish and Get Link. Pick ‘Inbed my store using inline frame’. Copy the html code in the box. Go to your ‘publications’ article in Joomla. Click the editor so that you are in the HTML editor mode. Paste the code where you want the store to be.

1. You can add authors and edit the store at any time by going to the aStore tab and clicking on edit for your store.

Kate Wolf '76