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Your Next Business!!

Each month I will review a different business opportunity that has some merit. I will point out the good points as well as the not so good. I will keep it simple and straight forward. No videos, no appealing to emotions (I leave that up to the business websites) except for a bit of levity or Pun-ishment as the case may be. Your comments are appreciated....

There is no “Perfect Business.” All businesses have their advantages and disadvantages. It is finding the right mix for you that is important. What you can make money and be happy with.

What are the costs vs the rewards?

I am looking for those with low costs and high reward potential. Also, since I enjoy doing other things in life, I look for features that reduce the time, money spent and effort – part of my rewards. One major item I look at is stability. Will it be there in the future?

November 2007

This month's review

My Power Mall

Internet Malls have been tried for many years. They do not have the appeal of the malls you can physically visit, exploring and window shopping strong advantages with social aspects and strong drawbacks – travel, costs, time... With so many search engines bringing you to a myriad of sites for your particular needs, Malls on the net have had little broad appeal. Could this be the exception?

Lets look at the bottom line first.

Costs to do business -- NONE

But what are the hidden costs? I find no $$$ costs, other than any costs you decide you need such as business cards , phone calls – if you so chose ....

How you make $$$$$ ?

“This is not an affiliate program” .. or can it effectively be? MLM on the net does take on features of affiliate programs .. or is that the other way around? You can promote it on your website(s).

The money you make is called “Rebates” not commission or profit sharing. They say it is not “Multi Level Marketing (MLM)” – many people are turned off by that phrase. Therefor its use is often avoided.

Unless somebody changed the definition of MLM while I wasn't looking, this surely is. Whether you call it a rebate, a profit split or a commission, it is how your income is calculated that makes it MLM. It's like saying a white rose is not a rose because it is not red. It's still a Rose, it's still MLM.

Plain and simple, they pay on 8 levels under you, what would you call that if not MLM? Could be a good thing... or not, lets look further! After all it is money we are after as well as the time to enjoy it!

Features

Easy no cost sign up and your free website.... Nothing you are forced to purchase.

A large and growing number of stores to shop at. This is a major feature to consider the more stores signed on the more appealing it is to people. The more members My Power Mall has, the more it appeals to to stores to sign up... A nice cycle, as long as nothing interferes with it.

Break Even Point

Since there are no required costs, you start off at the break even point and cannot lose money, unless they go out of business and do not pay what has been earned by you.

They have 9 levels of payment to you:

The picture it paints is one seen over and over again in MLM and of course it is only for “demonstration purposes.” This demonstration I wish they would not use as it is not based in this reality. It uses 9 levels, (The first level being only you, there are 8 real levels to make money on, each 10 times the size of the prior... so picture a one with 8 zeros after it for the last level. For all levels combined, use 9 ones to give the total number of participants. In other words 111,111,111 people needed to fill your downline in a 10 wide. One out of every sixty people on the planet. That is why I never like this type of projection. It is rediculous to the extreme. I will look at what seems more reasonable later.

Purchasing assumption – any projection is only as good as the assumptions made... This one can vary so widely. Instead of an estimate, I call it a “guess-timate.”

To make a rebate, or whatever you want to call the money, products must be purchased. Is the assumption used reasonable? Purchase from various stores $150 a month on average. I did find with a quick review of some links that there are a number of sites that I would shop at. I do not know if I would purchase $150 a month, but with a few of the sites there I can see that amount and possibly more in some months (especially November and December) and none or little in others. For this reason I will cut their projection to 1/3 of the dollars per person they use. Is that cut enough or too much? I prefer to look at lower income.

Income Potential

What would you make with 100, 500 and 1,000 people under you? (to me these are reasonable growth expectation and is done in many companies – As you build one at a time they will also start doing the same... Using the calculator on site and the assumption of $50 per month purchases here are some rounded numbers (They are estimates- cents are meaningless!) and it depends on who buys how much.

100 people = $110 per month, rough estimate - consider this your “fun” money.

500 people = $700 per month, rough estimate - This amount can start changing your life and those you love.

1000 people = $1,350 per month, rough estimate - here we have a mortgage payment! The vacation you dreamed of, better education and the incentive to keep growing your business.

If the purchases are higher so can be your income.

Note: Depending on what level the people are below you, the income can also vary greatly. I do not like to project past 1000 people as that is doable in most companies. The effort to do so and the ability to keep them there and buying are critical.

Would making any of these amounts help your financial situation?

What makes this different pay wise from many MLM's is the uncertainty of purchase. Most MLM's sell products direct and have monthly auto ship plans. This gives you a good idea how much you will make each month. Here we do not have this feature available. So there needs to be incentives to purchase. They do have promotions and contests to assist in that area.

Will it be there in the future? The key to any business is sustainability. Your income depends on THEIR business. If they go under so does your income. Nothing will guarantee your success other than your own efforts. In this case, it has a Strong potential for being around for a long time.

Other features

Debit card

How to promote your business is covered by an ebook: 101 ways to promote My Power Mall. Good information that can assist you in any business.

Raise money for your church or charity while making money for yourself. Click here and then go to

Rich's Scam meter: low level – the basic concept is very sound. You and others shop at stores, they pay the company a part of that as they negotiate with each store and the Company then pays part out, keeping part. Works for all as long as people are buying and the sales are properly recorded. I did some searching on this on the net. Here is one resource http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070823192253AAqimLi The major concern was giving them a SS#, which is required because they have to report the income they pay you, so that is a non-issue.

In summary since there is no investment, no financial down side and a fair but overstated (in my opinion) income potential I have joined this one. A place to learn and earn at no apparent risk. Care to Join me?

Click and take a look!

Listen to the business presentation and see if you want to use this to help reach your goals.

With the Christmas buying season at hand it is a wonderful time to start this. Click on START NOW

This is just one income stream to consider, one that will take little time and effort. See where it takes you. See what you might add to your business income streams again next month.

See you again next month! Rich