Be careful with joining rakuten affiliate program!

This is just a friendly warning if you are with, or thinking about joining the RAKUTEN AFFILIATES PROGRAM.

I have only been with the Rakuten affiliate program for only just over a week now and have only signed up to a couple of merchants and waiting for a few to be processed and confirmed.

I have a few banners up of the merchants that I have been accepted to, but thankfully I haven't created any posts or pages containing any merchants products which as anyone who has their own website will know takes a lot of time and effort to put together

Now I'm not normally an angry person and I shouldn't have taken it to heart and threw my android tablet across the room nearly breaking and loosing the only way I can create my website at the very impressive and legendary WEALTHY AFFILIATE.

But.....oh yes, there's a BIG but....and I don't mean my fat ass!!

I just recieved an e-mail out of ghe blue from the www.linkshare.com which I believe is part of, or partners with rakuten which I took a screenshot of.

All my details were correct

All my details were up to date, my payment details were correct and the information I had down about my website www.shwnisports.com were spot on, so why did they suspend my account????

Time to take a look at section 20 I think...

What is section 20? I hear you ask...

Well after I had calmed down and picked up my tablet from the floor, still in one piece thank God!!! I took a look at section 20 so I could see what the problem was.

I couldn't belive it!!!

I copied the section 2 out so i could paste it here and this is what it was...

Rakuten section 20 of the terms and conditions

20. Termination, etc.

20.1. Termination. You or Rakuten Marketing may, at any time, with or without cause, terminate this Agreement and your participation in the Network or use of any other Rakuten Marketing Offering. You may affect such termination through your Network Publisher Account Area or by written notice to Rakuten Marketing subject to actual receipt thereof.

20.2. Restricted Use. Alternatively, Rakuten Marketing may, at any time, with or without notice, in its sole discretion, suspend, limit, restrict, condition or deny your access to or use of all or any part of the Network or any Rakuten Marketing Offering.

Now I'm baffled...

I don't know about you but maybe I misread it, does it actually give me a reason?

NO IT DOESN'T!

I e-mailed them straight back (obviously) but to no reply. So now I am left clueless as to why my account was suspended and having to look through all my posts and pages to check if any of them have any links that will not work now.....and not to forget, a cracked tablet!!

I am just glad I hadn't got to a stage where I had quite a few posts and pages littered with rakuten affiliate links.

So for anyone who is with RAKUTEN AFFILIATE PROGRAM or thinking of joining up, just be careful that they don't do the same to you.

All the very best

Cheers

Matthew