Jump to content
Marketing Checkpoint

Greg Parkin sites are scam


Recommended Posts

There are around 15 sites under him which he calls Smart Marketing Group. But no payment and no replies to your support ticket.

 

SmartMarketingGroup.info only lists 6 sites, and with no name attached to the site I believe this is the one in question.

 

Wasn't this nonpayent/scam/whatever topic brought up under a different thread?  I thought I read that Greg started paying out at one of his sites but not

sure because I don't belong to any of them.

 

 

What are his biggest sites?

 

The ones I see the most are queenofheartshitx.com, trafficpiratehits.com, and clixalothits.com.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Suman, small correction - his name is Greg Parkins, not Parkinson

 

He's also bought some sites recently, Kodiak Hits and Traffic Corps come to mind.

 

I don't have experience as far as paying or not paying, because I don't really use or promote his sites. However, this is what I know. He's been an owner of sites for some years. I can remember him as owner of several Text Ad exchanges, before Traffic Exchanges. Like this one ;-p http://www.bigbuckstextads.info

 

When I asked once in the Zubee Talk forum, for traffic exchange owners opinions on what they would like from their members. He wrote a very long reply, and one thing he complained about, was that site owners don't make so much money and that members should understand that and not be so demanding regarding their commission payments. So, it seemed from that, that he does pay (?), but that he doesn't prioritize the payment of commissions?

 

Also fairly recently, maybe around the end of last year or beginning of this year or so, I noticed an admin mail. He'd just purchased Kodiak Hits and was threatening members who had not logged in since some date in 2015, that he would delete their accounts, upgraded or not. His tone was pretty harsh. Lots of CAPS. The email went out several times.

 

Aside from that, I've heard complaints about unfair attitude to a request by an upgraded member of one of his sites, and also, from another TE owner, that "rumour is that he's slow to pay".

 

He seems to really like doing cross promos with other sites by the way.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

It seems to me that people who own these sites have a problem in understanding exactly what they are getting themselves into. It seems that they are also getting into them with the idea of "getting rich quick" or "just getting rich" from them. I've seen this before many times with TE's and Text Ads Exchanges. I think, many start out well intentioned, but don't research their particular business/industry well enough. If they did, they might make better choices. Just a thought.

Free Video Chat Service! Get Connected And Stay Connected!

Click Here!

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It seems to me that people who own these sites have a problem in understanding exactly what they are getting themselves into. It seems that they are also getting into them with the idea of "getting rich quick" or "just getting rich" from them. I've seen this before many times with TE's and Text Ads Exchanges. I think, mant start out well intentioned, but don't research their particular business/industry well enough. If they did, they might make better choices. Just a thought.

 

Yes, the script is very cheap, but its very basic. Apps cost money, and even the things that a surfer would take for granted, have to be purchased. Plus games and awards to attract and keep members. People have many choices of where to surf and advertise, and will simply go away if a site isn't interesting enough. Cheats are rife and need to be controlled. Either an owner needs to put in quite a lot of capital to start, or start basic and keep the money earned, and (aside from paying commissions), turn the profit back into the site to develop it. I've just started to help a friend admin her new site, and this is what I've discovered.

 

Buying an established TE with all these things added is much better value it seems, especially since there seem to be a fair amount of them recently on the market, but they come with their own problems.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, the script is very cheap, but its very basic. Apps cost money, and even the things that a surfer would take for granted, have to be purchased. Plus games and awards to attract and keep members. People have many choices of where to surf and advertise, and will simply go away if a site isn't interesting enough. Cheats are rife and need to be controlled. Either an owner needs to put in quite a lot of capital to start, or start basic and keep the money earned, and (aside from paying commissions), turn the profit back into the site to develop it. I've just started to help a friend admin her new site, and this is what I've discovered.

 

Buying an established TE with all these things added is much better value it seems, especially since there seem to be a fair amount of them recently on the market, but they come with their own problems.

 

All true. But what I was referring to was that most members do not upgrade and many do not even bother buying ads,solo ads,etc. From my research  and experience, I have learned that many who get into this expect the opposite and are disappointed by their lack of results. They fail to understand that they will not get rich from this type of business (though some have done well for themselves).

Free Video Chat Service! Get Connected And Stay Connected!

Click Here!

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

All true. But what I was referring to was that most members do not upgrade and many do not even bother buying ads,solo ads,etc. From my research  and experience, I have learned that many who get into this expect the opposite and are disappointed by their lack of results. They fail to understand that they will not get rich from this type of business (though some have done well for themselves).

 

You're so right, yes, this is often exactly what happens.

 

To a more savvy owner, free members are also valuable in their own way though. "Just because people are not spending money on a site, it doesn't mean that they're not spending money online".

Link to comment
Share on other sites

"and was threatening members who had not logged in since some date in 2015, that he would delete their accounts, upgraded or not."

 

...things have really gone downhill for awhile now... several years now.

.....I can not believe some people would even stay after an unprofessional email was sent. Some or almost ALL people who start online as affiliates ..should... STAY... as... affiliates of sites.... and not buy some replicated thing and become 'owners' and run amok with no payouts, weird rules, weird emails, shunning, etc etc etc etc. This is a hard biz, and harder to last past a few years, and behaviour like that - will knock you out alot faster though. lmao... I'm trying to imagine if I sent out email like that to members.

PHP Programmer - Internet Marketer - Web Designer - Advertising Network Owner

Celebrating 22 years in business - Since 1998

https://webstars2k.com

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You bring up a good point

 

You're so right, yes, this is often exactly what happens.

 

To a more savvy owner, free members are also valuable in their own way though. "Just because people are not spending money on a site, it doesn't mean that they're not spending money online".

 

You bring up a good point. Many are not savvy enough to learn the ins and outs of this industry and do not realize the value of free members. In some cases, it has been the free members who have been the most active in recruiting. The "paid members" (in my opinion) are not quite so active in their recruiting efforts and are along for the ride. I am speaking in general terms of course., I realize there are exceptions to this. I was one who did not fare well in my ownership of TE's and Text Ads Exchanges. I sold them at a loss, but learned many valuable lessons in the process.

 

P.S. Owners that send out threatening messages usually wind up losing big time and in the long run. I have seen a few that did so and tried to come back later. From the ones I can remember, they didn't make it the second or third time either. They succeeded in doing one thing: trashing their reputation.

Free Video Chat Service! Get Connected And Stay Connected!

Click Here!

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

There are around 15 sites under him which he calls Smart Marketing Group. But no payment and no replies to your support ticket.

 

I'm curious to know if there is any update on this situation. Because I still haven't heard anyone else complain of non-payment by this owner.

 

Just in the last few days, I've connected with him via support desk and found Greg Parkin to be very helpful and definitely not an unresponsive owner. Quite the opposite.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Disgruntled members maybe? One of the sad parts to any Internet business is that people often post negative remarks for some petty or imagined reason. I recently saw a video about a similar situation except the "complainer" was trying to get stuff he didn't deserve in any sense of the word. Apparently it cost the business owner thousands of subscribers.

Free Video Chat Service! Get Connected And Stay Connected!

Click Here!

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, well this is it. To call someone's business a scam, is a very serious accusation.

 

Some members don't read Terms, and fail to meet requirements for payout.  And don't know how to look for support ticket replies. Or they're using an email address that bounces mails, and they don't get the replies at all. Or terms change and members don't keep up-to-date with admin notifications.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Suman, small correction - his name is Greg Parkins, not Parkinson

 

He's also bought some sites recently, Kodiak Hits and Traffic Corps come to mind.

 

I don't have experience as far as paying or not paying, because I don't really use or promote his sites. However, this is what I know. He's been an owner of sites for some years. I can remember him as owner of several Text Ad exchanges, before Traffic Exchanges. Like this one ;-p http://www.bigbuckstextads.info

 

When I asked once in the Zubee Talk forum, for traffic exchange owners opinions on what they would like from their members. He wrote a very long reply, and one thing he complained about, was that site owners don't make so much money and that members should understand that and not be so demanding regarding their commission payments. So, it seemed from that, that he does pay (?), but that he doesn't prioritize the payment of commissions?

 

Also fairly recently, maybe around the end of last year or beginning of this year or so, I noticed an admin mail. He'd just purchased Kodiak Hits and was threatening members who had not logged in since some date in 2015, that he would delete their accounts, upgraded or not. His tone was pretty harsh. Lots of CAPS. The email went out several times.

 

Aside from that, I've heard complaints about unfair attitude to a request by an upgraded member of one of his sites, and also, from another TE owner, that "rumour is that he's slow to pay".

 

He seems to really like doing cross promos with other sites by the way.

Sounds to me like he needs to learn simple economics.

 

Stop adding new sites if you can't afford to pay members on time.

 

With every purchase set aside a payouts fund covering commissions and any cash promotions.

 

Focus on 1-2 sites and make them popular with a good reputation instead of burning domain after domain starting over.

 

Andy Zeus Anderson

Andy Zeus Anderson

 

I'm Writing 10 Bitcoin Blank Checks this month, will you claim one of them? Mailer On Fire Contest!

 

Get the FREE report that tells the truth of why you are failing to make money online. Click here for your free report now.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sounds to me like he needs to learn simple economics.

 

Stop adding new sites if you can't afford to pay members on time.

 

With every purchase set aside a payouts fund covering commissions and any cash promotions.

 

Focus on 1-2 sites and make them popular with a good reputation instead of burning domain after domain starting over.

 

Andy Zeus Anderson

 

There are a couple of issues in this one. First, I can understand his desire to encourage inactive members to become active again. But, not to the point of yelling or threats. There are other far more constructive ways to go about encouraging member to reactivate their accounts or getting active again. Having contests would be one good way to go about it. I can also understand the need to "clean house". I think it's one of the major frustrations related to this industry; inactive members. Again, threats are not the way to go about it. It's also a good way to destroy your reputation online.

 

AS a member of some safelists, etc. I track the ones that are working out for me as far as promotional responses go. The ones that work, I focus on and the ones that are not working I drop. I think a lot of people do this. It's simply a matter of doing business on line. People who are looking to make money, need responsive promotions to make money. I tend to think that alot of exchange owners get into this not really trying to think of ways to encourage member participation, but stick to the "run of the mill scripts". These people need to understand that, in order to succeed, they need to set themselves apart from the rest.

 

I mentioned this before, that this guy obviously does not understand the industry he is involved in. I think, if he did, he would rethink his entire business model. From what I understand, sites like this do not make a great deal of money. Most are lucky to break even. Unless the owner is savvy enough to understand this and use that knowledge to his advantage, he/she will lose money.

 

I agree with the comment above. Focus only on one or two sites. Create a fund to pay members. Use the rest to promote or develop your site (or do both). Keep the ones that are showing promise and sell the others.

Free Video Chat Service! Get Connected And Stay Connected!

Click Here!

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Some people are also really badly suited to owning membership sites, in that they lack the social skills necessary to communicate well with users. Some are probably nice enough people, but just come across as arrogant, unsympathetic or unfriendly.

 

Clare, very well said, if you wasn't already the #1 Team Leader, I would vote that you were!

 

I'm sure that a lot of people have never had their own business online or offline. It's very easy to get your own business online, in fact, It's so easy, that I got my own membership site! :)

 

Lack of social skills in dealing with people online and offline is a sure way to kill your business very quickly.

 

I agree with you Clare, that some of the owners are nice people and just come across unfriendly in their emails and texts.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest mrclean0325

Most people don't truly appreciate what running their own business entails or have the proper skill sets in place. The old rule was the "rule of 500", where each person you deal with can have positive or negative results from 500 others who know someone who knows someone. On the Internet, that figure can go into the thousands, millions, or billions with all the social media contacts everyone has. Everything we do online can be seen by more people than we want to imagine. Social skills are what will kiss us or kill us. We have all seen a lot of people and businesses taken down by one wrong post, email, video, or comment. Some have recovered while others not so much...so be careful what you put out there as it may come back to haunt you.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Most people don't truly appreciate what running their own business entails or have the proper skill sets in place. The old rule was the "rule of 500", where each person you deal with can have positive or negative results from 500 others who know someone who knows someone. On the Internet, that figure can go into the thousands, millions, or billions with all the social media contacts everyone has. Everything we do online can be seen by more people than we want to imagine. Social skills are what will kiss us or kill us. We have all seen a lot of people and businesses taken down by one wrong post, email, video, or comment. Some have recovered while others not so much...so be careful what you put out there as it may come back to haunt you.

 

So very true. I have seen businesses or online games take serious losses because someone posted a negative remark about them. I saw a video on youtube not long ago related to this very subject. In this case, however, the online game owner had friends who exposed the person responsible and his lies.

Free Video Chat Service! Get Connected And Stay Connected!

Click Here!

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...