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Following closely on the heels of Amazon.com's decision to end its "business relationships" with marketing affiliates in North Carolina (Shelf Awareness, June 29, 2009), the company has made a similar move in Rhode Island.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Amazon "sent an email to its Rhode Island affiliates on Monday saying that it was closing their accounts immediately." This was in response to a bill passed by the state legislature recently "that would force companies to collect sales taxes if they have online-marketing affiliates--businesses that get a sales commission by featuring links to outside e-commerce sites on their own Web sites--in the state."

On the same subject, an interesting piece from Wanda Jewell's blog entitled, "He’s Just Not That Into You: An Alternative for Ex-Amazon Affiliates".

(from the blog): "It’s like the morning after the prom, when in wrinkled dress and wilting corsage you realize they’re just not that into you. At least, not when they may have to collect millions in state sales tax that could help fix bridges, keep schools open and fund libraries at a time when your states are truly suffering. And they seemed so nice."

Jewell is the Executive Director of the Southern Independent Booksellers Association.