Note: I compiled this information on 5Linx to help people determine if this is the right business opportunity for them.  I am not associated with 5Linx or any of it’s partners. I do not benefit financially with you choose to do business with them.

WHO IS 5LINX?

5LINX® is a true one-stop shop for all your telecommunications products and services! Whether you are looking for digital home phone service that provides unlimited local and long distance calling in the U.S., Canada, U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico plus FREE unlimited landline calls to 75 calling areas, wireless phones and accessories, satellite television, or Broadband Internet service, 5LINX® has something for everyone 

HOW CAN YOU MAKE MONEY WITH 5LINX?

5LINX® can teach you how to profit from the $400+ billion dollar a year telecommunications industry. There are few opportunities that provide a full-time income potential while working on a part-time basis. 5LINX® is enabling thousands of people across the country to dream again because they are earning a living they never thought possible.

5Linx is set up as a Multi Level Marketing (MLM) opportunity. This means you generate income through commissions of direct sales to your customers (along with residual income from future sales) and you also make money by recruiting new customer service reps into the company and receiving commissions from their sales. Being a MLM means that there is a compensation plan that spells out exactly how you earn money from the company; you can read 5Linx’s comp plan here. 

DOES IT COST ANYTHING TO START THIS BUSINESS?

There are 2 ways to get started with 5Linx:

Customer Representative-$99. A one time fee which gives you access to all 5Linx’s products for personal use and sale to your customers.

Independent Marketing Representative-$499. This is the level that you begin to build a downline.

WHAT’S BEING SAID ABOUT 5LINX?

Here’s some of the things that some people are writing about 5Linx:

5Links provides a surprisingly comprehensive series of services, including digital TV through Dish Network, and a fascinating domestic/foreign phone number system that… well, to be honest, I don’t entirely understand how it works. It’s some sort of arrangement where 5Linx can give you two phone numbers in different countries, and each of them behaves like the call is being made or received in that country; so you can make and receive “local” calls in two countries, which just seems really cool.

The multilevel marketing model is designed to produce fast revenue growth. It also, of course, produces controversy in many cases. In 5Linx’s case, CEO Craig Jerabeck says strong consumer interest in VoIP helps 5Linx sign up the direct sales representatives it needs to recruit. ”There merits have come under the pretense of video-phone sales but an exploration of their website reveals that the basis of their business is the resale of cell phones, Dish TV and medical benefits cards. Last time I checked medical benefits didn’t fit under the category of ‘telecom.’

5linx is definitely NOT a scam. It is a legitimate opportunity. I know there are some fools who go around calling every opportunity a scam. Do they get paid to do that?

BBB REPORT

 Who is Global Domains International?

Global Domains International: GDI or Website.ws is a domain name registry service which offers domain name registration, website building tools and templates, web-hosting, email, and also offers an affiliate home business program allowing individuals to earn residual income by promoting the business using replicated orientation video websites with embedded referral id’s. 

How would you make money with them?

Based on a quick analysis of the company the main way to earn money through GDI is by being and affiliate marketer for them.  Basically, they set you up with a website and other marketing tools and you use these tools to get new customers for them. You can also earn residual income from bring new affiliates to the company.  Pretty standard affiliate marketing and Multiple Level Marketing (MLM) set up. 

Can you really make money doing this?

Again, based on a quick analysis I would have to say yes you can.  GDI does appear to be a legitimate domain registry company, which means they offer a real service to people looking to obtain .ws domain names for their websites. Affiliate marketing is a proven business model, although it can very difficult to earn sufficient money to be a primary income source for many people. MLM opportunities should always be looked at with great skepticism but if done correctly they can be a viable source of income. 

All that being said, I did find some credible negative information on the company but it’s nothing that would cause my Scammy- Senses to start tingling immediately like some other "business opportunities" I’ve come across.   

Is there more information available on GDI?

http://website.ws

http://www.prlog.org

http://www.bbb.org

Random Thoughts Buzzing Around My Head

• Big question here is will .ws domains ever become popular? .net domains have become a norm but .com’s are still the standard.
• Honestly, I don’t ever recall seeing a website with a .ws domain name.
• I don’t like the fact they charge their members $10 a month to host there website they set up for them. It’s standard practice to charge for hosting but I $10/month is little high
• I scanned the BBB report and found it interesting that majority of the 36 complaints filed against them are for ‘ refund issues’. That’s red flag for me. I don’t believe should drag it’s feet when they’re asked for a refund. 

Still Not Sure About GDI?

I know picking a home business can be a difficult choice.  I may be able to help you decide if this particular business opportunity is right for you. And it’s a FREE SERVICE. Interested? Contact me and I’ll give the details of my Business Matching Service.  

PRLog

Feb 17, 2010 – (PressRelease) February 15, 2010 – Dean Blechman, 
Founder of TwinLabs, one of America’s greatest sources for nutrition and health has joined DNA as Its Chief Executive Officer, Chairman Of The Board & Founder of Data Network Affiliates. Data collection  is a  $14 Billion industry. Data Network Affiliates was created to let online and offline marketer join this billion dollar industry. 
DNA is directly involved in providing American business with meaningful, actionable information that will keep America able to compete in the world sales market, and save consumers money by reducing vehicle and property fraud.
Public safety will also benefit, by providing law enforcement with real time information on stolen cars, crime scenes and possible whrereabouts of missing children. 
Private individuals will benefit by being able to receive monthly cash payments for doing nothing more than noticing license plate information on cars they already see parked or travelling. There is no cost at all to become an affiliate of this program. 
As an independent affiliate with D.N.A. you are helping to build databases. You are not selling a product. Instead you get paid to help prevent crime, and help American business regain its world leadership. 
http://jbpublisher.DataNetworkAffiliates.com

Now this just screams SCAM ALERT! SCAM ALRET! DANGER WILL ROBINSON DANGER! to me but i could be wrong. Since the site hasn’t officially launch yet there isn’t much information out there but I did come across this video:

Troy pretty much covered everything I would say about DNA and this "opportunity". Don’t waste your time or risk your privacy (or mines!).

Next! 

This review was compiled by guest reviewer G.M. Shu. If you would like to be a guest review please leave a comment and I will contact you 

What They Say

Pitch

In a nutsell, Amway (parent company:Alticor) claims to give you the opportunity to make money by selling products and by sponsoring/mentoring/training others as Independent Business Owners. Like similar Multi Level Marketing (MLM) companies, you recieve a percentage of the revenue generated by any of the IBO’s you sponsor.

Products

Amway offers a various products that their IBO can sell. Product categories include Nutrition & Wellness, Beauty, Bath & Body, and Home. You may have heard of some of their brands: NUTRILITE®, ARTISTRY® Skin Care,  L.O.C.® Multi-Purpose Cleaner.

Cost

According to Amway’s registration contract  the cost for joining is $137.75. This fee covers "Business & Support, IBOAI Support, and Product Info Pack". Additionally, several sites have reported that Amway encourages new IBO’s to purchase several self improvement/ motivational books and CDs. The cost of these materials can push the inital investment much higher.

What Kind of Support Do They Offer

Amway offers several ways to support IBO’s:

• Your sponsor
• Training-online, video, and instructor-led trainingMarketing
• DVDs, online sites, magazines, brochures, and free websites
• ProductsCustomer support

What Others Say

Ripoff Report: 28 reports filed against Amway. All of the reports were negative, here’s the most recent one

….My start up cost was 140 dollars. That money, I was told was to pay for my start up kit and for my 4 websites. Only maybe 2 close friends actually signed on the business with the full 140, the rest did 60 to mainly get the websites. Oh and remember my friend I mentioned earlier, the cousin of my upline and sponsor? Well, he also signed on with me as my upline since he signed up first. None of my friends including me have made any actual money since we’ve been in the business. Sure I’ve received checks: 1 for 6 dollars, another for 38 dollars and the last for 50 dollars, but that money still doesn’t exceed even my start up cost. Plus it was basically forced so that I would go on to the next bracket, I didn’t do anything my upline just bought a bunch of random crap. To be honest my friends also haven’t really done anything either except my one friend Neill who was occasionally selling some products to his mom. And basically not really seeing any money from that anyway, he was probably getting 10-20 dollars for selling like 200+ dollars worth of Amway garbage.

WAHM.com: 

I was an IBO with Quixtarseveral years ago, some family members are still IBO’s… Good products, the comp plan is ok. Since I am in Calif.it is easier and cheaper to drive to the store for the bulk of the products they offer. I know it works well in areas that are not as populated, but a hard sell for many….

YouTube.com

Positive:

Negative: (note: This Dateline expose is from 2006) 

Part 2 

Just Plain Funny: 

 Better Business Bureau

Amway is listed under 3 names in the Better Business Bureau. Amway, Quixtar, and Alticor.  All have an A+ rating. Only Quixtar has any compliants, 28 to be exact,  listed against them

Final Say

Overall Grade:   No Grade

I was personally involved in the Amway “culture” and prefer to abstain from influencing your decision…Now that we got the disclosure out of the way.  It should be noted that the culture of the company “called for” a lifestyle/mental change to narrow for my taste. Meetings, talks, reading materials, friends all related to the Amway …well way.  This might appeal to some and not to others.