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To sell or not to sell - Ethical question

by Mark .W. James
8 replies
I would like your opinions on this topic which has been bugging me for quite some time now..

Is it okay to create and promote something which we do not use ourselves?

Example: I know forex is a hot topic. I know someone who knows a lot about forex and makes money from it so i decided to invest by asking him to write an ebook for me so that i can sell it and earn from it... even though i don't do forex myself.

I know the weight loss niche is hot. I get someone to make some phsycial training videos for me so that I can sell them and make money. But I am over weight and out of shape person myself and I like the way I am

I know the quit smoking niche is hot so i get some product made about that on how to quit smoking even though i smoke myself and dont want to quit smoking...


I actually see this happening here in the WSO section too. Im pretty sure there are people out here selling methods which they don't implement themselves. maybe heard it from someone or came accross it and are selling it to people who might be intersted in it.
Its possible, I mean I personally know 10 methods to earn online. I implement only two of them.. maybe because they are less time consuming, more profitable, not as boring...
but the other eight methods work!!.. so is it wrong to sell them?


PS: Im not overweight, I dont smoke and I never made a forex product.. nor do I plan to launch a WSO.. so please don't judge my intentions. I just want to know what you guys think.
#ethical #question
  • Profile picture of the author DrewG
    If the methods work, and as long as they work, then they are worth selling. Doesn't really matter who they've worked for, as long as you KNOW the method and KNOW that it works for someone (or everyone), then it is worth selling.

    Think of it this way - if a doctor knows how to take appendixes out of his patients but has never done it on HIMSELF, should he stop taking appendixes out of other people? Nope, because his method works for others. If I went and asked (and paid) that doctor to write an eBook for me on how to take out appendixes, then I could very well sell it.

    On the other hand, I'd say it's 'unethical' to sell scammy or 'non-working' products.
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  • Profile picture of the author GriffinL
    As long as the method works, I don't think it matters. Why do you have to have personal experience with it to sell it to people?

    Now the problem therein lies in the fact that..how do you know if it actually works if you don't have personal experience with it. The internet never lies, after all.
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  • Profile picture of the author gabibeowulf
    Sell it .. think about how many "gurus" sell stuff they never used ... it's very commun.

    And as for ethics, if the product is good and you have a strong iron clad guarantee that you can only offer with a good product .. that I think it's highly ethical

    If the product is good, you will actually help out the people who need it ..
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  • Profile picture of the author Mark .W. James
    Great!
    Im out to make a new WSO about something i wont ever do buy i can guarantee will work!

    " How to create amazing info products in three easy step!" and sell it for $27

    - pick a three digit number lesser than 500 , open the dictionary to the page of the chosen number .. the first word is your niche.

    - google that keyword and find the guru in that niche

    - pay him 1000 bucks and get your 50 page product made!



    you guys think it will sell?
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    >>>

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    • Profile picture of the author biznet
      Information is what people pay for.....but they could probably get more from wiki and places like that or doing serious searches. I think the author being an expert or in the "know" helps sell and validate the information.

      Biznet
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  • Profile picture of the author artwebster
    Anything will sell if presented to someone who can be persuaded to buy it. It is all down to the way you create your presentation.

    As for not using the things you promote, one of the things I promote (on a non profit basis, unfortunately) is a device that only women can use - I don't see this as unethical.

    What would be unethical is if your publicity material was written in the first person.
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    You might not like what I say - but I believe it.
    Build it, make money, then build some more
    Some old school smarts would help - and here's to Rob Toth for his help. Bloody good stuff, even the freebies!

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  • Profile picture of the author Adaptive
    What would be unethical is if your publicity material was written in the first person.
    Unless your letter is from the point of view of the expert.

    Or, unless your letter really is your story, and it includes that you met the expert and helped the expert share his or her expertise.

    Here's a great example of an ad that ethically promotes someone else's expertise.
    The Gary Halbert Letter

    "There's a guy... What this guy does... Here's how he came up with his latest invention... Chances are, what you are looking at..." (implied as a prediction that the expert would make, if he was there looking at it with you) "... that's why... In truth, any way you look at it... " (again, implied as how the expert looks at it)

    This particular ad was to sell investors on getting an information package about the company's business plan. However, the same approach could be used to introduce any expert's point of view.

    Notice that in this particular ad, there's nothing about Gary's personal story. If Gary hadn't used it as an example of his writing, you'd never even know who wrote the ad. There's nothing at all about how Gary had this problem, how Gary couldn't create a solution, how Gary found out about the inventor, how Gary's life was made better by the invention. Not a word about any of that... it wouldn't help sell the story of the inventor and the invention.

    Amadaro, you can find an investor and a personal trainer, make them stars and get a piece of the profit. In fact, there's a personal trainer on the forum right now looking for marketing ideas.

    Regards,
    Allen
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  • Profile picture of the author shane_k
    When I was in high school I once read in a book the difference between black magic and white magic.

    When asked to define the two the author said, "Black magic is when someone puts a spell on me. White magic is when I put a spell on them."

    In other words there will be some people who will say it is ok to sell say a weight loss product to someone even if you do not workout yourself.

    However, these same people will blast you to smithereens if you were to sell an IM niche related product if you never made any money online.

    lol


    Shane_K
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