Review Of Coastal Vacations - Scam Or Real Opportunity?
By: Wealthy Marketer | Posted: 26th August 2007
As I started investigating the Coastal Vacations business and whether or not it was a scam or legitimate opportunity, I found some very interesting points about the advantages and disadvantages of this opportunity.
Here are some issues that should be evaluated before jumping into Coastal Vacations along with any other company you are considering.
Point 1: Who's making the company decisions?
Coastal Vacations has a board of directors who vote together to make decisions about what comprises the Coastal packages.
Point 2: How much is it going to cost me?
The product packages available for purchase have widely variable price tags. The Level I or domestic travel package sells for $1295. Packages go all the way up to the Platinum Combo Package for $11,000. The Platinum package is a combination of the Level I, II, and III packages.
Point 3: How much can I make?
Members may choose to market the packages themselves through direct sales. Once a qualified director, they will make $1000 on each Level I sale. To become a qualified director means that you have to have 2 qualified sales. This means that your first two sales of $1000 each are passed up to your sponsor before you start earning any income at all.
The second option is to use the Coastal call center to do your selling for you. Basically, to utilize the Coastal Call Center, the price of each travel package is increased by $700, which goes directly to the call center to pay salaries and administrative costs. For instance, the Level 1 package which normally retails for $1,295 will be sold for $1,995, and must be advertised as such. A hefty increase for the consumer for the seller's convenience.
Point 4: What kind of training support will I have?
This is where we reach the negatives of the two-up compensation plan. When and if the new rep makes their first two sales, they will break off from their qualified sponsor that signed them up for the business. They then become qualified to earn 100% of the $1000 commission on all further sales.
It seems to most like that this would be a great deal for both the sponsor and the person in training? Well maybe not. What happens very frequently is that when the representative in training breaks off from their sponsor, the support and training stops. The sponsor no longer earns any commissions on the new representative's efforts, so therefore has no incentive to help them continue to make sales and have success with the program. They actually are then directly competing with one another and the teamwork ends.
In conclusion, Coastal Vacations has some great selling points, like vacations at a reduced rate. Because the travel industry is full of competition, new representatives can often be easily intimidated. Another concern arises with the compensation plan. Newbies beware! If you are looking for a lot of support and guidance this probably isn't the program for you. After a new representative's sponsor receives his or her first two sales, it will be difficult to determine if the training will still come from the sponsor as they are no longer getting any benefit to training you. It just makes sense really. They're off to find the next person to give them 2 qualified sales. Two-up programs like Coastal Vacations are not for the faint of heart, but really may be better off for the experienced internet marketer not as concerned with support and training.
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Brian McCoy is a successful online marketer who works with other top marketers from around the world. To learn about him, check out his Wealthy Marketer Internet Newsletter.
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Tags: convenience, board of directors, salaries, compensation plan, call center, administrative costs, legitimate opportunity, travel package, level 1, domestic travel, platinum package, coastal vacations