People Group Buying Your Products?

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Hi guys,

Not sure if many in here have heard about it, but there is a TERM CALLED "GROUP BUYING"

Basically, it is a group of people that do not have enough money to invest in products or in your own personal online products, and they BAND together, so to speak and get a series of people to CHIP in each a small part to purchase the product and share it amonst those who have all CHIPPED in, in the first place.

I personally am against this, but this seems to be rife at the moment, and forums set up just for this sole purpose.

But this does happen! Not sure what others in here think?
  • Profile picture of the author Casey Hicks
    I know it happens, and I'm against it as well. There are also sites out there that have links to certain membership sites/trainings, and give them away while bypassing the opt-in pages. A few years ago, I created a blogging course for lead generation....I don't have a single link in the world out there for it anymore, but people still create accounts on there everyday, consume my content and I can't even generate a lead from it! haha
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    • Profile picture of the author David Beroff
      Originally Posted by Casey Hicks View Post

      ...people still create accounts on there everyday, consume my content and I can't even generate a lead from it!
      Please forgive my confusion, but wouldn't an email address and typically a name be part of the account creation process, and therefore lead capture? Sorry if I'm missing something basic here.
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  • Profile picture of the author ForumGuru
    Banned
    In most cases it's a blackhat technique and a violation of the software, plugin or course licensing. Among other things, this activity illegally exploits or circumvents built in security, developer licenses etc.

    Generally you find this practiced on blackhat sites when the thieves are having difficulty accessing a product. Usually this activity is considered flat out piracy.

    Cheers

    -don
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  • Profile picture of the author Dennis Gaskill
    It's also not allowed here. Those caught participating will be banned.
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    Just when you think you've got it all figured out, someone changes the rules.

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  • Profile picture of the author Chett
    I've seen a number of these sites in my time. If it's against the terms of the seller then of course it's a blackhat technique and I'm against it.

    I wonder if there is opportunity to offer legitimate group buys. If you have a funnel with a high end product that people want but can't afford, could you allow group buys. This could offer high value at a lower cost. If they go through your funnel but only buy products up to a certain price point, then this could be a way to deliver higher value than they can afford and they may go on in the future to purchase higher end products if you deliver results they can see with this product.
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  • Profile picture of the author boyishefast
    at the end of the day I think its about how do you think.
    If you have a product and someone sets up a Gb for it. How would you feel?

    There are two kinds of gbs
    one where the person who wants to do gb either obtains the product from a friend from a membership site or whatever than he opens a gb thread so that he can profit from it
    second where people genuinely to split their expenses does a Gb

    So I think it depends on the person,
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  • Profile picture of the author ForumGuru
    Banned
    @ boyish

    In both case you are almost always referring to theft. I and most others don't issue a license to a random group of people. Most of us issue a license to the individual purchasing the product, or the individual and a VA, or to the company that purchases the product and/or license.

    Cheers

    -don
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  • Profile picture of the author kenmichaels
    Originally Posted by celente View Post

    Hi guys,

    Not sure if many in here have heard about it, but there is a TERM CALLED "GROUP BUYING"

    Basically, it is a group of people that do not have enough money to invest in products or in your own personal online products, and they BAND together, so to speak and get a series of people to CHIP in each a small part to purchase the product and share it amonst those who have all CHIPPED in, in the first place.

    I personally am against this, but this seems to be rife at the moment, and forums set up just for this sole purpose.

    But this does happen! Not sure what others in here think?
    It happens to my stuff often. It really used to annoy me.
    Now I take it as a compliment.

    FYI - its NOT that they cant afford it. They just DON'T want to pay.
    also ... in some cases they do buy the back end stuff legit.
    So occasionally it does pay off.

    Want to know what really gets my hackles to rise?
    When you wind up with more reviews on the black hat sites then
    you do on your actual sales pages ... that kills me.
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    • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
      Originally Posted by kenmichaels View Post

      It happens to my stuff often. It really used to annoy me.
      Now I take it as a compliment.

      FYI - its NOT that they cant afford it. They just DON'T want to pay.
      also ... in some cases they do buy the back end stuff legit.
      So occasionally it does pay off.

      Want to know what really gets my hackles to rise?
      When you wind up with more reviews on the black hat sites then
      you do on your actual sales pages ... that kills me.
      Yeah, it doesn't bother me either. A couple of times, I've seen my material on E-Bay...and it was just copied. It's all marketing to me, so it's like someone copied a flyer I printed, and is distributing them for free.

      I always assumed that a percentage of my sales are group buys. What do I care? They are still sales.

      My stuff is good enough to steal? Great.
      All I still want is a hate website dedicated to spreading rumors about me. Jason Kanigan has one, Alexa has (I think) two....I deserve one too.
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      • Profile picture of the author David Beroff
        Originally Posted by Claude Whitacre View Post

        All I still want is a hate website dedicated to spreading rumors about me. Jason Kanigan has one, Alexa has (I think) two....I deserve one too.
        I'm sure this can be arranged... for a small setup charge plus a nominal monthly fee.
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        • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
          Originally Posted by David Beroff View Post

          I'm sure this can be arranged... for a small setup charge plus a nominal monthly fee.
          And I want a stalker! I earned one. A stalker that has pictures of me all over their bedroom walls. You haven't made it until you have a hate website, and a stalker.

          I want a scandal. I want an NFL player to punch me in the nose, and beat me with a switch.

          Without all of this, how can I be Somebody?
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      • Profile picture of the author Richard Van
        Originally Posted by Claude Whitacre View Post


        I always assumed that a percentage of my sales are group buys. What do I care? They are still sales.
        I was thinking this. I appreciate some just do it even if they can afford it but if there are 5 people who can't buy your product because they can't afford it and therefore won't, if they club together don't you have a sale you wouldn't otherwise have had?
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  • Profile picture of the author seasoned
    The concept, even with computers, has been around a LONG time! HECK, whether at the start, or retroactively, that is what most piracy is. Most of them are products that were bught by an indivual, OR GROUP,and shared among those that paid and/or those that likewise reciprocated.

    Steve
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  • Profile picture of the author sbucciarel
    Banned
    It always amazes me when people are so flattered that thieves like their stuff. I'm never flattered by thieves and pirates and I do get my stuff taken down when via DMCA when I run across it. I've had a couple do group buys into my membership site, which only allows access from two IP addresses, so basically, one person of the group still has to do all the downloading and then upload it to a site where I can then issue a DMCA notice and get it taken down.

    Group buyers typically aren't that interested in your product for personal use. They are interested in reselling your product for their own personal gain.
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    • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
      Originally Posted by sbucciarel View Post

      It always amazes me when people are so flattered that thieves like their stuff.
      I was mostly joking about being flattered. To me, it's a complete non-issue. I know it happens, because I get e-mails from "customers" that have never bought anything from me.

      But I don't give it a second thought. To me, a sale is a sale. I have other concerns.
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      • Profile picture of the author kenmichaels
        Originally Posted by Claude Whitacre View Post

        I was mostly joking about being flattered. To me, it's a complete non-issue. I know it happens, because I get e-mails from "customers" that have never bought anything from me.

        But I don't give it a second thought.
        To me, a sale is a sale. I have other concerns.
        Ditto.

        I wasn't joking about being flattered though.
        My ego is huge and it's one of the things I like stroked ....
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