Okay, that's it! I've pretty much HAD it with online misrepresentation and fraud. It's time for us to talk:
I've been dormant, on medical leave for a couple of months. Getting back online, I discovered my advertising had waned, and my web site traffic was down. So what did I do? I ordered a traffic package that appeared to be a GREAT deal. I paid my few little bucks ($29.95)and ordered it. After, who the heck DOESN't want a slew of visitors to hit their web site?
I set up my pages. Fortunately for me, I used a tracking tool for all my links.
Now, there's a catch to this: Some of the tracking I knew would not correctly represent the referring IP addresses of the users. Thishad to do with page configuration. Yet therewere other URLs that would not be affected by this configuration, so I watched those. Closely.Want to know what I discovered? Read on.
Okay... I'm in a rush to rescue my Alexa rating, so a rush of traffic seemed appropriate. After all, my site ranking had fallen by 4 MILLION in my absence (a testament to the need for consistency. I ordered a traffic package in good faith, assuming the traffic broker was, in fact, forthcoming and legitimately able to deliver what he/she promised. What I found was an appalling misrepresentation of product and methodology:
The traffic being sent to my site was all from a traffic exchange administrator's URL and IP address.Not only that, the rate of delivery (advertised to be 3,000 hits per day for 30 days) was FAR LOWER than advertised. By over 70%!!!! There was no way the advertiser would be able to fulfil his promise of 3000 hits per day. He was practically doing them all himself! Consequently, I am now embroiled in a tug of war over my purchase, requesting a full refund of my purchase price.
I've heard the suggestions in the past about traffic brokers... that most of the traffic is not legitimate. This is the first time I've dealt with one who truly is STEALING from his customers by literally faking a flow of visitors. He didn't even do the dreaded "hidden pixel" thing that has been described so well by marketing masters time and time again. Not smart. Certainly not at all a move of integrity.
It's time we all begin to THINK about what we are promising our customers. If you say you're going to deliver something--no matter WHAT it is: traffic, downline members, monthly earnings, whatever!--if you say you're going to do it, BY GOLLY DO IT! Don't make promises you can't keep.
Promises of massive earnings, etc., are subject to review by Federal authorities. It is SO easy to get yourself into trouble by promising something that you have no means or proof you can deliver. And it happens EVERY DAY on the Internet.
To my readers:
Take a VERY close look at the programs you are advertising to potential customers. MAKE NO PROMISES YOU CANNOT KEEP. You are not here just to take other people's hard-earned money. You are here to offer a service. If you can't DO what you say, it is the equivalent of STEALING from every person who reads you offer and pays money or TIME because you made an empty promise. One of these days, and likely very soon, you will be called upon to PROVE your claims legally and professionally.
If you THINK you can deliver something, then describe the idea's POTENTIAL. Don't
claim something as though it is certain unless it IS certain and you can prove it beyond any
doubt. Estimates of income? TELL them it's an estimate. Web site visitors? TELL them
you can supply "up to" that number of web site visitors. Downline signups (especially
from "spillover")? IF YOU CAN'T DELIVER THEM, THEN BY GOLLY DON'T PROMISE
THEM. Everyone has a day of reckoning. Trust me... you don't want to be on the wrong
end of the measuring tape when it's time to "measure up."
Don't be caught in the web of deception surrounding Internet commerce. Let's make this online marketing world a place of INTEGRITY or get the HECK off the net altogether.
My name is Rose, and that's "what I think."
