Simplifying the complex amazon.com image URLs

Nat Gertler has done a complete investigation of the Amazon.COM URLs which are really difficult to understand. According to Nat, the details of size and format are built into the image’s URL. What that means that, if you want, you can create URLs that generate odd and unlikely Amazon images. The proper combination of product choice and added elements and effects could create an interesting visual.


The foreign Amazon sites all seem to use the same method; the only difference is that instead of starting with the http://images.amazon.com/ domain, the amazon.jp images start with http://images-jp.amazon.com/ while the amazon.co.uk and amazon.de images start with http://images-eu.amazon.com/ - Amazon.ca uses the same domain as Amazon.com.


http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0762423374.01._PE20_SCMZZZZZZZ_.jpg


http://images.amazon.com/images/P/ - doesn’t vary. That points to the right place on the Amazon servers.

0762423374 is the ASIN, the identifier that Amazon uses for every item it stocks.

01 is an odd duck of a field. It selects the image and the format of the percentage off bullet.

_PE20_SCMZZZZZZZ_ gives information on the size of the image and adornments added to the image. I’ve found three formats that this field can have.


Before you start experimenting, there’s a word of caution: Abusing Amazon images for decorative art on your own web pages makes use of Amazon’s processor and bandwidth. While Amazon is generally good about letting people use their systems for interesting projects, it should be remembered that they make access available in order to ultimately sell more stuff. Read the details here - “Abusing Amazon images”.