Friday, January 31, 2020

To Link Share

So recently I opted to join affiliate programs when I was waiting for Adsense to kick in. Worked my but off to add links to hundreds of pages on blogs that get a lot of traffic.  Imagine my surprise when I could not log in the next day. I read the email they sent me, responded to them and was told, nicely to f*** off.

If you are considering joiing their progra with the hopes of making money, pay careful attention to number twenty in their terms of use. Namely:

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.

They don't need to supply a reason at all. Imagine terminating hundreds of affiliates who are just below the payment threshold and keeping the money.
 
Extemely bad business for publishers.
 
Buyers beware, read the terms. Luckily for me I had not earned any money. I have receipts I would happily share about this if need be.