Last Saturday, I followed Devi to StoresOnline - Internet Marketing Conference at JW Marriott. It was advertised in newspapers with “Free dining experience”, “Free MP3 & organizer” - which reminds me, I have to redempt my business organizer! - with free entrance!
I was going to work during the weekends so I couldn’t join her. As luck would have it, I had resigned from the job before I was given the offer letter. So I was free to join her. Besides learning more about E-Commerce is good, I can get new ideas for my handmade and imported jewelleries, original fragrances business in De Mystic Box. ;)
In the online version, there was a 9AM so we thought it would start at 9am. Devi had called the phone # provided in the newspaper several times and FREE 90 minute dinner conference in your area but nobody answered! Terrible service..
I asked Devi, “Is this for real? Free food and advice? They’ll get us to buy something later.”
So we arrived at Kommuter at 8am + with blur eyes. So not enough sleep. *yawn* The night before, I had celebrated Sam, T-Bone and NeverZzz’s birthday with friends.
When we reached there, we saw the sign and arrived there 9+am but it had started! We checked the schedule with the staffs at the lobby and found out the time for the next session. The friendly staff told us usually the registration and food were done 1 hour before starting.
The organizer was a novice? There was no schedule listed in the newspaper or email, whatsoever.
We decided to check out the conference anyway and found our way through the halls and peeked through the ballroom’s door slit. There were only about 2-3 rows filled for the 1st session. So few people!
So we walked around the area since Devi had never shopped around there, except - passing by Low Yat Plaza and once at Times Square! A city gal who rarely venture out to the city. :)
Most of the shops weren’t opened yet. Borders was opened!
“Want to watch movie?!” Devi asked.
“Sure!!!”
We went to GSC but it wasn’t opened yet. Lots of horror & CNY movies.
We checked out the magazines and then left for the conference. The staffs were Caucasions in suits.
Tea and coffee were available.
There were more people this time.
The instructor was a Lance Robinson. He was funny but it was a typical marketing conference to make money.
He pressed the importance of 3 words:
- Find
- Like
- Buy
As for the specific steps to the magical 3 words, you’ll have to attend the real conference at RM150 + free guest. He claimed all the sessions were “SOLD OUT” but “if you can’t make it, you can talk with our staffs at the back if we can slot you in.” How SOLD OUT is that?
If you go to the Real conference, Lance said, “You’ll get a DVD which you must view before coming to the real conference and there’ll be a team from US to consult you personally.”
He touched briefly about The Benefits of E-Commerce, Business Model package that StoresOnline offer, ePublishing and Drop Shipping (establish direct business with manufacturers).
Business Model package:
- Programming & Software (SW) fee (1 time only) RM5 800
- Hosting & Support (annual) RM5 600
This is valid if you have attended the Real Conference. Better yet, you’ll get #1 Programming & SW fee (1 time only) RM5 800 waived off. Hah.
Since there weren’t enough Business Organizer to give to us, we had to enter our codes in Success-Event.
It’s clever that they are giving free conference as a lure to get you to buy their products & services. It’s probably cheaper and faster than hiring marketing and sales staff to attract clients one-to-one.
For listening this, we got a lump of chicken/fish with bits of salad and witnessed 2 audiences pocketed RM50 each.
We didn’t buy the Real Conference but almost 1/2 of the audiences did. In fact, a man sitting next to me let us see his box which contained a DVD and some papers about StoresOnline.
Lance did mention that appearing at the top of search engines are SUPER important. “If you are not at the top, words and description are very important.” The word “FREE” is the catcher.
Google search “Storesonline internet marketing conference”
Your friend is correct that your website needs to appear at the top of the search engines. That can’t happen with a storesonline website. They do this on purpose so they came back later and use their affiliate PMI to solicite repairing your websites (Marketing) for about $16,000.00 U.S.. The Mormon mafia got me for the initial 6 websites and add ons for around $6400.00 but I didn’t get stuck for the PMI fees like a fee unfortunate souls I spoke to. I advise anyone reading this to go spend $5.00 or $6.00 on a fast food value meal so you don’t get ripped off by the Mormon Mafia for 5 or $6,000.00.. Their websites don’t work!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Screwed over, that wasn’t my friend. That was what the speaker said. What happened to your websites now? Did you get refund?
Did you ever get your MP3 player? Was it an iPod shuffle like the one they show on their letter?
Didn’t get that or expect to. I know these companies put more ‘honey’ to their ads than actual before I went.
I went to an event very similar in the Sacramento, California area. The same guy gave the presentation here.
We did receive something that looks like an mp3 player. However, but it was not the iPod Shuffle like they advertised. It’s a knock-off of the 1st generation iPod shuffle made by a company called Flair.
Hey, good info! Keep up the good job!
Hope we can share some ideas on internet marketing, blog me at Internet Marketing Blog For Newbie
Or visit me at Internet Marketing Strategies Revealed
Man lets keep this article going. My wife and I got screwed over by StoresOnline for $4000 (yea we got the 6 stores for $4000 instead of $6000) because we were on our way out the door and we got one of those “hold on and let me see what I can do….” BLAH BLAH BLAH. Here are a few things they don’t tell you … you have 3 days (TOTAL) to cancel and it is written only - they will not announce this but after 3 days to get your money back you might as well ask your dog for the refund.
Also they will not tell you how to get to the top of Google if you come to the FREE seminar… The big HAHA joke is that if you buy their $6000 website you will know but it you don’t buy from them “GOOD LUCK!” was their words exactly. And their big secret to get to the top of Google in 24 hours is Google ADWORDS. It is a paid program google offers and you can read about it anywhere.
Also after you pay $4000 or $6000 or whatever amount of ridiculous money for what they give you, plan on spending $25 a month (PER WEBSITE) just for hosting it. I pay $5.95 a month at hostmonster.com for 300 gb of space and bandwidth and host currently over 50 domains. ALso they will tell you that you can host it wherever but basicalyl you lose all the stats, merchant services and everyhting else you paid $6000 for if you do that. BUT YOU CAN!!! HAHA Right!
IF you email me right now I’d be happy to sell you my 6 websites today for $2500 as they are 100% transferrable. It’s cheaper than hte $6000 if you just want to give your money to them anyways. My email is goodpasture@gmail.com
I challenge everyone who has bought from storesonline (Stores Online Inc. or is it LLC) to write a comment here telling us of your experiences.
I went to the stores online confrence hoping to learn to market my exisiting website better. I learned nothing in the one hour session but it was fun. They offered an ipod for $20 if you signed up moneyresourcenetwork. Money Resource network is supposed to pay you back for your purchases at sponsered stores like petsmart, etc. The kicker is, you can only get your “rewards” the following month and have to have an active subscription which is $24.95. So in order to get your rewards you have to pay $24.95. I fell for that, and I signed up for the all day seminar.
I paid a freelance designer about $1000 to have a nice website designed. My purpose of attending the seminar was only to learn some of these great marketing stragegies they seemed to freely be offering. A woman who was in the audience had come around during a break to answer questions. I told her their cost of $2800 for hosting was enormous and I would never pay that, since my hosting is $25 a month. The lady said the seminar would tell me how to find my niche, and how to find suppliers.
The day before the confrence I was looking at storesonline’s website. I followed a link that said “if you have already attended our all day seminar and want to attend our BOOTCAMP, click here”. I clicked, and it included things I thought was supposed to be in the all day semiar (such as finding dropshippers and chosing a product). I googled and read many complaints that the all day seminar was a big sales pitch, and the personal consultation was a high pressure situation, not free advice.
I decided not to attend and forfeit my $20. I had no intention of buying 6 websites or spending thousands of dollars. I really just wanted some marketing info. Others who attended said there was some useful information in the all day seminar, but about 20 minutes worth, and it cost you an entire day in a sales presentation to get it. I would have liked to had the useful info, but I’m sure there are books or tapes on it somewhere for a lot less. If anybody has some great marketing ideas or links, feel free to email me through my website! http://www.exclusiveimagehairclinic.com
I bought three (3) websites from StoresOnline last August after I lost my job. I was hoping I could make money in a short period of time before my unemployment nsurance expires. Got excited with everything they said at the seminar because they made it sound so easy. I chose selling blank shirts for the printing industry and started working with my first of the 3 websites. After several months of working on this, I realized it involved so much work and attention compared with what they said that one can start running their website in a span of 3 months! I was also surprised to receive a fone call from a company affiliated with StoresOnline telling to get their service in promoting my website for $16,000! I told them how will I need your service if I couldnt even finish my sight inspite of me working on it fulltime? So I changed my mind and wanted to quit StoresOnline but they said I already passed the 3 days grace period. I believe it meant its either sink or swim in it cause once you signed their contract you have alreay made a pact with the devil. I can sell to anyone my 3 websites for $700. If you want it just e-mail me!
Hi guys,
You might also want to visit my storesonline review site.
Hundreds of comments left there so far..
I ALREADY HAD A WEBSITE TOO. THEY GAVE ME A TURKEY SANDWICH AND A GLASS OF ICE WATER FOR TWENTY FIVE DOLLARS I GOT TO GO TO AN ALL DAY SEMINAR. MY MOM IS 75 Y.O. THEY F@#KED HER OUT OF 5,000.00. I HOPE ALL THOSE MORMONS INVOLVED GO STRAIGHT TO HELL. YOU CAN GET ME INVOLVED WITH A GOOD LAWYER. USPALMS@YAHOO.COM JIM