No more PLR in the WSO Market Place

Good call man.

I hope this means higher quality products instead of multiple WSO's that all teach the same worn out material.

Allen wouldn't allow PLR in their either. Glad this rule has been restored.

...But the real question is! When can we start running free WSO's again?!?!?

How do we find WSO by category? Like: affiliate marketing, socialmedia marketing, video marketing, cpa, traffic generation, media buying, software creation, mobile apps, etc... Is there a way to separate WSO's by specific genre?

Gabe,

Please clarify.

Are you saying that PLR, even though it has been largely modified and re-written, can't be a WSO product, a portion of a product, a chapter in an ebook, or some other source of information for some part of a WSO?

Or are you just saying that a PLR product as it was purchased originally from a vendor can't be sold as a WSO or used as a bonus?

Thank you.

Steve

Gabriel...

In addition to Steve's question, are you also saying that PLR that was created originally (meaning not rewritten from old articles or other plr content or content in general, etc.) cannot be sold in the wso forum?

Or free WSO's could have their own sub-section with a disclaimer that free WSOs are offered for list building purposes - no direct upsells allowed - no PLR permitted. If members sign up for free WSO's they need to be warned they are signing up for a mailing list. Strangely, some just don't 'get it'.

Gabe and everyone,

I would like to offer a view contrary to most of those who have spoken up about the evils of PLR in WSOs. Understand that I have no dog in this fight, no ax to grind, have never sold a PLR WSO or, in fact, any WSO.

I think it's very unfortunate that reputable and honest PLR sellers of quality products are being "broad brushed" and lumped in with the sketchy low quality PLR sellers that I think this new "ban" is aimed at. I know there is high quality and useful PLR being sold - I have been the beneficiary of some of it from marketers whose reputations are at the top of the IM industry.

I see a trend developing here that I think deserves some mention. Let's call it "amputation."

First, it was the Classified Ads. There were problems. We don't have the time or manpower to do surgery to fix the problems by removing the bad and leaving the good. So let's just cut it all off. Amputate it, put it in the basement (the underground), and not promote it any more.

Now, it is PLR. There are problems. We don't have the time or manpower to do surgery to fix the problems with PLR sellers by removing the bad from the good. So let's just cut it all off. Amputate it, put it in the underground, and not promote it any more.

What will be next? The War Room? Probably not because it's focus isn't really sales.

May I suggest we amputate MMOs next? Don't most of the problems in the WSO section come from people making offers related to how to make money online? I just reviewed the first two pages in the WSO section and the great majority are directly or closely related to topics that claim to make you money.

Of course, banning MMOs will never happen - it's the life blood of the WF. It's what IM is all about! But IMO, here's the inconvenient truth: MMOs are more of a source of problems for sellers and buyers than PLR ever was.

Which brings me to the crux of what I want to voice: IMO, the real problem here is sketchy and garbage selling WF members, not the platforms within the WF (like the classifieds) or the sources of origin (PLR) where a product might have begun.

There is nothing inherently "bad" or wrong with classified ads or PLR.

They are simply marketing strategies that sellers have abused. Just like many sellers have abused MMOs, affiliate marketing, and every other online sales method invented.

The problems that the IM industry faces are not peculiar to this forum . . . they are problems that give IM a bad reputation (dare I say "sleazy"?) and they are people problems much more so than strategy problems.

I know efforts have been made at the WF to better "vet" sellers and I think that is the best way to assure that quality products are offered and the rules of the forum are kept. Go after the sellers, not their platforms and strategies.

Classified Ad and PLR sellers and their products could be vetted. The WF admins have already started the process with their verification initiative; and in fact, Gabe, you seem to be offering that same option in your post about now considering "free WSOs":

"I'm considering accepting FREE WSO from: 1) verified users 2) members with high participation 3) WSO that have been tested by 'us' first 4) no direct upsell after signup."

I understand it will take some time and maybe some new or additional vetting procedures, but I believe it can be done effectively as a means of increasing the quality of the products in this forum. I know it is a huge task, made larger by the fact that this hasn't been done much in the past.

But to me, relegating legitimate products and sellers to what is being designated as "the underground" as you have called it (where "we will push down the lower stuff") unfairly characterizes all PLR and classified ad products and sellers as being something less than legitimate. Put yourself in the shoes of a Warrior that makes his/her living from PLR - how would you feel about this generalization of all PLR sellers and banishment to the underground?

Two days ago you laid out a personal post about your goals for the forum:

To me at least, these goals are all about attracting and helping quality sellers, regardless of their strategies, which should have the long term effect of happier buyers and fewer complaints. IMO, that is done by using a scalpel and removing the offenders regardless of their IM strategies.

Every seller and every strategy can be good or bad, quality or not, helpful or useless. It's the dodgy sellers that are the root of the problems here . . . and with IM in general. IMO, amputation is not the answer.

Thank you for letting me have my say - this is what prompted it:

Without malice or personal criticism,

Steve

I agree 100% with what Steve said.

Let me share an example of someone that is trusted, widely liked, a Warrior member, and seemingly one of the most honest (quickly refunds, etc.) marketers out there: Dennis Becker.

I read everything he sends out to his list. I've bought a bunch of his materials. I've always been happy. And, he mostly uses PLR put out by other reputable marketers. Yes, he adds value but sometimes it's just putting a bunch of PLR together into an affordable package.

I've never heard anything bad about the guy and would question anyone that claimed to have been ripped off or anything like that.

Why would you ban him from your marketplace?

Several of us have given multiple possible solutions for the problems. We've offered to do reviews - a real vetting of the offers. And other solutions that have been ignored or not put into place. Why not try some of the suggestions people have made?

Another thing to look at is by cutting out income claims, painting people with a negative black brush that have paid bump fees here for years in the classified section, and now cutting off PLR we have to ask ourselves - who is left? And how are you going to prove something isn't PLR? Who is going to look at it? Don't promise to cut it off if we can't do it.

And it can only be done by reviewing/vetting the offers, seeing the products, having access to the thank you pages, etc. like Clickbank does. And if you did that, you could keep the good PLR and get rid of the real trouble offers.

I know it's tough and you have a lot of competing interests you have to keep in mind - corporate, vendors, buyers, and regular users. But I don't see how this is going to change anything.

The last thing to keep in mind is that PLR is already forbidden in the WSO section by the rules. Why aren't the rules being enforced? Why is this an issue now? Is the problem with the rules or the offers or PLR?

Mark

Gabriel, you should know by now that some of us have your back and will do everything we can to support you once your final decision has been made.

But, until then, some of us share our opinions or different viewpoints. Not to rile you up, disrespect you, or anything else but just sharing opinions.

So it's settled.

Now let's go on to the other messes.

Mark

What if somebody created an original product and wanted to sell PLR rights to the product?

In other words, this is NOT a PLR product that somebody bought and "cleaned up."

It's a product somebody created for the sole purpose of selling it with PLR.

These are monstrous sellers on JVZoo and Warrior Plus, and they are usually high quality, ORIGINAL products.

So, the product itself is NOT PLR. The person just wants to sell a PLR LICENSE for the product. There are loads of products out there that offer a PLR license as an upsell. If you cut these types of products out of your marketplace, you are limiting yourself even more and scaring off a huge percentage of product creators.

What's the verdict on that?

I hardly think it's smart to push even more vendors away.

The question I have on the list is this...wouldn't most of the ebooks and coaching offers fit into the 'sections'? Are we moving away from "MMO" in that WSO section? "Templates" and "design" would seem to fit together. Does 'lead generation' include 'getting traffic'? Just wondering if a few broader 'categories' might be better to start with - adding more 'sections' once we see where they are needed. I'm sure it will become clear as it's sorted out...right?

Change is always bumpy but I don't get the arguments about PLR - every ad venue I've used online and off had restrictions on what could be advertised.

Let's say for example someone purchases the private label rights to an information product, then creates a new product from it, i.e. changes the name, graphics, sales video and changes some of and adds to the content and turns that product into a live video product and sells it without rights as a WSO with some other rebranded content as bonuses. Is this accepted? If not, how can this be policed?

A few do offer plr as bonuses to supplement the initial offer (which can be a original product).

I always thought it was the guy with the biggest gun.

Peace through superior firepower!

Brent

Gabriel I understand and appreciate your efforts to clean house, this can only be of benefit to all legitimate sellers and buyers.

You mentioned verified sellers, however at present there is no system for becoming verified.

I really believe a there needs to be a level playing field for all sellers and not just the elite few having an edge over other sellers.

Don't really understand what the fuss is about. One of the more understandable positions. Sometimes you just have to abandon a niche because too much scuzzy stuff goes on it

That doesn't make a claim that all of it is scuzzy.

Besides I see a time not so future where the underground might be more popular than above land..brace your selves

Gabriel - Those 'enhanced PLR sold as WSO' are not that hard to catch.

Until recently - it seemed the reports of 'problem WSOs', even when documented, often went nowhere. I think the system in place now will make it difficult for a seller to 'game' the WSO system - and provide real consequences for those who try.

Clear rules, consistent enforcement and consequences - will go a long way to cleaning up the WSO aisle.

Gabe:

Say I sell a product called "Selling Widgets to Dummies". It's 100% my creation. Can I offer PLR rights as an upsell offer? Can the plr offer be in my WSO post? Can it be on my thank you page?

Gabriel,

Good move, my opinion... for the same reasons you have.

Brent, I always thought you needed gold to buy the biggest gun.

Gabe, finally, I'm not confused no more. Thanks,

To anyone who is willing to work hard: This is a great opportunity to start a PLR market place.

I don't really have a dog in this fight, so this is just my take on the discussion...

I remember when the various credit card processors forced Clickbank to crack down on the crap polluting some of its sections, and the moaning and groaning here because of it. A lot of people predicted the demise of CB because they were doing things to drive some vendors away.

Last time I looked, both Clickbank and vendors of products the card processors deemed sketchy, risky or outright scams were both not only still around, but thriving. Just not together...

This is definitely a step in the right direction.

Hopefully, it would go a long way in bringing back WF's old traffic volume.

Much of that traffic is currently going to at least one other alternative platform.

I'll always have a soft spot for WF though

Anyone have any experience selling products in the CLASSIFIEDS (UNDERGROUND) section? Sales volume difference compared to regular WSO section?

What about resale and master resale rights.
Say I create a piece of software and offer it with master resale rights, this is OK in the WSO section?

If I want to sell the source code with PLR rights I have to sell in the classifieds?

Is there a discount for having to list in 2 sections of the forum?

I think most have valid opinions on the subject but it all really comes down to a simple fact, they WF Admins make the rules and no matter what everyone tries to find a loophole on what it PLR

If the admins decide it is PLR to the underground it goes really nothing more to say ! It is what it is

Jason