Today’s American society favors drama. This can easily be evidenced by turning on daytime television. Our channels are rife with dramatic and often completely fabricated reality programs, talk shows, and live public discussion forums that often digress into childish antics of the most abhorrent nature. However, these types of programs are immensely popular. In fact, it could be said that drama sells, and the more dramatic it is, the more it sells. Business people and those involved in any sort of marketing have recognized this trend and seek to exploit it to its maximum level in order to drive as many consumers as possible to their respective businesses. This is especially true in the world of viral marketing online.
Take for example a company like DubLi.com. Already a successful, respected, and vibrant company in Europe, here in America there has been numerous reports of a dramatic nature not necessarily aimed at defaming DubLi, but rather to drive traffic to DubLi’s competitors or to support whatever other motive posters of dramatic material are in favor of. The way it works is that a public forum will be setup, supposedly in the interest of exposing scams. Those who support or initiate the forum post charged and often entirely fabricated material concerning a company or a person. The reason? Drama sells! Consumers are driven to intense and dramatic tales, and it often doesn’t matter if the stories are true or not- the value is in the entertainment provided by the drama- not in the actual content. Therefore, posting items of a dramatic nature will drive traffic to the poster’s site, where they will have the opportunity to “sell” consumers other products or services.
Continuing to use DubLi as an example, we can see that many different postings have asserted negative facts and attributes to this online shopping portal, and nearly all of these stories and accusations are false. For instance, one of the most prevalent falsifications out there is that DubLi is a pyramid scheme. However, the posters clearly are not even aware themselves what a pyramid scheme is. Namely, a pyramid scheme is one where each new level of associates supports the income of the higher levels. In to be called a pyramid scheme and be deemed legitimately illegal, the company must not offer any particular, verifiable, or significant products. With this definition, it becomes blatantly obvious that DubLi is not a pyramid scheme. DubLi offers millions of name-brand products, reverse auctions, and viral marketing. So how could it be a pyramid scheme? Furthermore, DubLi shares its revenue across a wide area of the associates who participate in its proliferation. The end result is that DubLi is very far from being a pyramid scheme.
Another popular story generated to drive traffic elsewhere is that DubLi is a ponzi scheme. However, can this really be true considering DubLi does not sell investments, offers no licenses, does not sell securities, and promises no returns?
DubLi’s founder Mike Hansen has often been accused of bankrupting numerous companies. Yet again, misinformation designed to generate traffic only. Mr. Hansen was involved with other companies over the course of his respectable career. When he left some of these companies in the hands of others, a small percentage of them went bankrupt because they were subsequently mismanaged long after Mr. Hansen left the companies. This has happened to many business consultants. For example, if you as a consultant help to create and build 10 companies, and then turn the companies over to their owners, and one of those companies later declares bankruptcy, are you to be held responsible? Of course not! This accusation is preposterous.
Some of these purported “scam” forums have even accused DubLi and other companies like it of being nothing but a gambling entity. So should this include eBay, because essentially every time you bid on an item on eBay, you are gambling? However, the government authorities in the United States would laugh at this accusation, as if DubLi was a gambling entity, it would be under intense scrutiny at all times and shut down if not operating in accordance with national laws.
Nearly all accusations against DubLi are subsequently retraced, and the origin of the defamation is never truly tracked and punished. In fact, it isn’t necessary. DubLi is a legitimate business like any other in the country, and as such has obtained and maintains all necessary licenses, insurances, and certifications. Any person who cares to perform legitimate research can determine this in a matter of minutes with a few simple searches. While this might not be as entertaining as the dramatic forums of supposed scam links, it is an honest and much more useful approach to obtaining information.
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