A product link copied from Amazon's address bar often runs past 200 characters. Very little of that is the product. Most of it is the product name written out as words, a ref= code, the search you typed to find the item, and a few parameters Amazon uses to record how you got to the page. The product itself is identified by ten characters.
There are three ways to get a short Amazon link. You can cut the URL down to those ten characters yourself, take the a.co link from Amazon's Share button, or make a short link with an ending you choose, one you can edit later and that counts its clicks. Only the last one can be pointed at a new product when the old listing disappears.
What is inside a long Amazon link
A link copied after a search looks roughly like this:
https://www.amazon.com/Wireless-Earbuds-Bluetooth-Headphones-Waterproof/dp/B0XXXXXXXX/ref=sr_1_3?crid=2M9QX...&keywords=wireless+earbuds&qid=1759740000&sprefix=wireless%2Caps%2C211&sr=8-3
The words before /dp/ are decoration. Amazon ignores them, and you can change them to anything without breaking the link. The ten characters after /dp/ are the ASIN, Amazon's ID for the product, and they are the only part the page needs.
Everything after the question mark describes your visit, not the product. keywords is the search you ran. sprefix usually holds the part you had typed before picking a suggestion. qid is when you searched, sr is where the item sat in the results, and crid ties it all to one search session.
Two of these are worth checking before the link goes anywhere public. keywords tells everyone who opens the link what you searched for, which is harmless for "wireless earbuds" and less so for other things. And if you reached the page through someone else's affiliate link, the URL may still carry their tag=. Share it as is, and purchases from your link can be credited to their account.
Trim it to the ASIN
- Find
/dp/in the address bar. The ten characters after it are the ASIN. The same code is listed on the product page under the product details. - Delete everything else, so the link reads
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0XXXXXXXX.
That is under 40 characters, with no search terms and no stranger's tag. It works on phones and computers, and it stays on the same store: a trimmed amazon.de link opens amazon.de.
Watch the variants. A size or colour usually has its own ASIN, so pick the exact variant first and copy the code from the address bar after that. Then open the trimmed link once and check that it shows the right one.
What you get is shorter, not friendlier. B0XXXXXXXX is still a code nobody can read off a screen or remember, and the link has no way to tell you whether anyone opened it.
The built-in way: the a.co link from Share
In the Amazon app, open the product, tap the share icon and choose Copy link. You get something like https://a.co/d/1a2b3c4. The website has a Share button in the corner of the product image as well, and it also gives a shortened link.
For sending a product to one person in a chat, this is the quickest option and usually enough. The limits show up elsewhere. The ending is random, the link always opens the same product, and it does not count clicks. The plain Copy link option also adds no affiliate tag, so it earns nothing if you are an Associate.
The one-minute fix: shorten the Amazon link
Any Amazon link shortener that lets you pick the ending and change the destination later works the same way. In Linxly it takes four steps:
- Copy the product link from Amazon.
- Paste it into a URL shortener.
- Replace the random ending with words, for example
linx.ly/blue-kettle. - Save it and use it wherever the Amazon link would go.
The link opens the same product page. The difference shows up over the following weeks.
Amazon listings do not last. A product goes out of stock, gets replaced by a newer model or is removed altogether. Every post, bio and printed card with the old link then opens a "Currently unavailable" page or an error page. With a short link you change the destination once, and every place that already shows linx.ly/blue-kettle opens the new product.
It also counts. Each click is recorded with the visitor's country, device and referrer. Make one link for the Instagram story and another for the WhatsApp group, both pointing to the same product, and after a week you will know which of them sends people.
Each short link also gets a QR code automatically. A QR code that holds the short link keeps working after you change the destination, which matters on a package insert or a flyer. Dynamic vs static QR codes explains why.
If it is an affiliate link
Different rules apply. Amazon Associates restricts where affiliate links may appear, and Amazon's own amzn.to links from SiteStripe already carry your tracking ID. The rules and the safe way to shorten without losing commission are covered in how to shorten affiliate links.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the shortest Amazon link?
The a.co link from the Share button in the app, at around 20 characters. The trimmed amazon.com/dp/ link is slightly longer. Both end in a code, so neither is easy to read or remember.
Does an Amazon link show what I searched for?
It can. A link copied after a search often contains keywords= and sprefix= with your search terms. Trimming the link to the ASIN or using the a.co share link removes them.
Can I change where a short Amazon link points after sharing it?
Not with an a.co link or a trimmed /dp/ link. With a Linxly short link you can change the destination in your dashboard, and everyone who opens the link from then on reaches the new page.
Does a short Amazon link work in an Instagram bio, TikTok or WhatsApp?
Yes, it is an ordinary link and works anywhere a URL does. One exception: links in Instagram captions are plain text and cannot be tapped. Where links work on Instagram covers every placement.
How much does this cost?
Linxly starts at $0.99 a month and includes short links with custom endings, click analytics, QR codes and a bio link page. There is a 7-day free trial, cancel anytime.