Hi Jack, It is not a return on an investment. Let's look at this from the perspective it is presented. There is a "thing" happening and a number of people are all formed into a "team". The "team" is given an apportunity to promote a product that sells for $97.00. In return the "team" will get 50% of the sale or $48.50 per item sold. Now let us assume that the "team" has approx. 150 people sharing in the profit of the sales. $48.50 / 150 = .32 per sale for each person. Now if you knew anything about promoting on-line and you were to sell the product yourself you would make $48.50 per sale, but by being on the "team" you make 32 cents for the same work. You would have to sell approx. 151 items as a "team" member to earn the $48.50 you could earn by selling the product on your own. I won't go into any more detail, but the numbers are there and they do not lie.

Hi Bogdan, Always nice to see you post here.. :) =========================================== I have run survey asking my friends what they think about it. 90 people responded to it within 1 hour timeframe. (Very effective) Not more than 5% thought this would be a problem. All 95% were ecstatic and only 40% of those were actually "Adlander" already. In general the feature has be well received. =========================================== I have not answered the survey yet because I wanted to see how it works for a while first. Initially, I see the service as having good potential - but it will be how people USE it that will matter in the long run. That's why I posted this post - to encourage people to think before sending direct mail. =========================================== Also there is a limit of 4000 messages per month for each Adlander, meaning that if you have 1000 friends on your list, you will send 4 messages per month. =========================================== Those ones would probably be not a problem. But, if a person has 200 friends - which is far more common than 1000 - they can send 20 messages each month. If only 50 of my friends (less than a quarter of them) send 20 messages each month, that's 1,000 emails I will receive. Thing is, if those 1000 messages are things I enjoy receiving, I will love it. If those 1000 messages are "sign up under me" for the same stuff I don't respond to at their forum, it will get annoying fast. Again, that's why I posted this post - to encourage people to think before sending direct mail so it can be a good thing. =========================================== We will also provide a link in the message to rate that specific friend for content sent through "Direct Contact" feature. This will be an indicator if becoming friend with someone in the future. =========================================== That's a good idea in theory. However, experience tells me that most of us do not like to give negative feedback unless we know 100% that it is anonymous. We don't want to anger or offend people in the community. For example, I have left two forums. Not because I did not like the people, but because I no longer wanted to receive notifications. In both cases, I received unpleasant responses from the person. I learned, very quickly, it is easier to delete a message than ruffle feathers. Like all things, time will tell us how the rating system will work. If it's anonymous, it might work very well. As above, I think "Direct Contact" can be a good thing - but only if it's used with consideration of the recipients. I am hoping that this post will help people to think before they use it so it can be a good thing. : ) Linda

Hi Peter, I suspected there was more to what you had said in your earlier statement. It's just another example used to market a product. Call it a technique or trick, I guess it depends on how well the offer is explained and how eager people are to get a piece of the pie. I'm reminded that figures don't lie but liars can figure. :-) Jack

Hi Jack, A big part of the problem is when people are lead to believe something that just is not true and when they follow along like Sheeple and not people. When they are lead by someone that has no Internet Marketing Knowledge of their own and they have the Sheeple think that they are following some sort of guru. They see promises of learning new Marketing techniques but are not taught anything, they are kept more in the dark than lead to the light. It is hard to teach Sheeple when the teacher has no knowledge of thier own to give. Your comment of figures don't lie but liars can figure, rings loudly, but people will always be people and SHEEPLE will always follow blindly. There are a lot of Sheeple following blindly just look at the 12 Daily Pro situation. I see a lot of blame being placed, but it is all placed on the wrong shoulders. If you signed up and lost out, place the blame squarley where it belongs, on yourself. Just today I received one of the e-mail blasts that people are sending from Adlands, talking of PAY PAL surf. Not likely, I informed Pay Pal of the site and will let them make the decision on which route to take it. Then I banned the sender of the e-mail. Sheeple

From Linda's lips to all of Adland's ears.