I recently came across one of these sites, and thought it looked legit: Notebooks4free.com
Is it legit? And is there any catch? Any way to avoid paying for an offer you pay for? Thanks Dave!
I have seen a lot of these sort of offers in my own mailbox, inviting me to go through some hoops and get a free iPod, free Sony PSP, free notebook computer, free TV, and just about any other gadget that is at all desirable, so I decided I’d try to go through the steps required to see if it really was legit or not.
I don’t recall whether it was the same group as “notebooks4free.com”, but I went far enough in their never-ending signup process to recognize how it all works, so let me share it with you and then you can decide for yourself if you think it’s legit or not.
Lots and lots of companies pay online publishers for leads driven to their site, and many more pay a percentage of first transactions or a commission to publishers who are responsible for the acquisition of a new customer. For example, if you were to click on a specific link on a page and sign up for an American Express card, I might be paid a $5 or $10 commission once you were approved.
For the company, $5 or $10 is a cheap customer acquisition cost (many companies like America Online pay $50 or more for each new customer they bring into the fold) and for a publisher, well, it’s pretty easy money for a link on their page. A win:win.
But is it? Well, while many people involved with these programs simply add a link or two to their site and hope for a few signups a month as a small incremental revenue trickle, others make that the focus of their efforts and create Web sites or promotional campaigns with the express purpose of getting people to click on their links.
Now you can start to see how this works. If Notebooks4free can buy an older Dell laptop from a surplus store for $299, say, and can require that you sign up for at least 40 offers that pay them $10 each in commission, they’ll earn $400, subtract $299 for the cost of the laptop, charge you double or triple their actual shipping costs, and pocket $100-$150 for your efforts.
It’s informative to notice the small print on one of these “free giveaway” sites (emphasis added to highlight the key clause):
“These promotions are brought to you by [company name] are subject to participation terms and conditions. Receipt of incentive gift requires completion of offer terms, including: age and residency requirements, registration with a valid email address and may require completion of user survey and participation in sponsor offers and shipping address verification.”
$299 is a fairly expensive item for this sort of transaction, which is why something like an iPod shuffle is ideal: it’s cool, sexy, and only $70 from an online vendor. Now the bar is lower: potential winners only have to bring in $150 in revenue, say, to “qualify” for a “free” iPod shuffle. The company makes $80, you sign up for promotional offers you’re interested in anyway (theoretically, at least) and get a free iPod.
So now you can see how they work, and indeed when I went through the process with one of these promotions, I found that it was a never-ending series of signup offers, and I was forced to accept at least one offer on each page (and sign up with my personal data with those vendors) before I could get to the next page. Unsurprisingly, I also noticed that each page suggested it was the last but somehow I always had just one more set of offers to review.
After all, if they’re paid for your signups regardless of whether you “complete” the series, these companies have a strong incentive to make it a real pain in the booty to sign up for enough to ship out the device. Think of it this way: if signing up for 40 offers gets you a laptop and earns them $150, why not require that you sign up for 50 offers, or 75? You get through 10 or 15 if you’re enthused, give up, and they now get $100 or $150 without ever having to ship a product.
But it’s not fraudulent, because if you did sign up for all of those many, many offers, they really would send you the free iPod, free Sony PSP, free notebook or whatever.
My conclusion: these offers are “legit”, but it’s a fool’s game and you’d be far better off coming up with another way to acquire the device that you lust after.
hey i dont need a psp but if u can give one to me that would be great thank u. but if u dont have that many than save them for other poeple ok. cuz i have a gamesystem but i have games for a psp but dont have one.
gud morning mr Dave i am beging you to help me to get a psp bcause my parent cant afford it for me pls help me in name of God
i dream to get laptop with help of with u i can touch it God bless u
please i need a psp badly my parents cannot afford one plzzzzzzzzzzeeee
may god bless u as u do so
hello sir i m from poor family i live in sukkur and my wish is want to a psp my father could not afford it please please you send me one i will be thankful to you i hope you ill send me thanks
My name is Hamza. I live in pakistan. I am dying to have a PSP. My dad can’t afford one. Can you help me plzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz! I beg of you
hello sir i am vry poor man so i want one appple ipad that thing is your wish i am not asking plzzzz give me ipad so is your wish
I want a PS3 but i can’t but because I haven’t enought money.
Please, help me.
Get me ps3 with post office.
I am poor. please provide me one laptop. Thank you sir. Praying for you
i just found out about this website and i an desperate on getting a free PSP urgently
pls my name is kevin i live in ghana i pls need a play station portable go or vita i beg u with the name of god plssssss
pls psp is my life
GIVE ME LAPTOP
MY ADDRESS JIMMA UNIVERSITY P.O.BOX 307
Can i get a free laptop. I am in Ghana,eastern region,Koforidua.Sir please am a student and i need a laptop in order for me to be more serious and copy notes easily but i don’t have a laptop that can make my studies easily for me to learn.Please help me to get a free laptop.Any company can ship it to me. THANK YOU. hope i receive it
Hello dave im s.j. 26 i will be going to school for the 1st time since highschool i really need a computer dnt have the money right now but i will greatly be happy to recieve 1 thankyou
Sir, I am a poor man I live in Pakistan Karachi city,I need loptop for further studies and through earn money internet program, but i am not afford to buy it.i find it difficult when ever we have been an assignment,i have to walk as long as 50 miles to find an internet cafe. So please consider me and provide a laptop to me. After getting my job I also distribute to poor students like me. IF want to contact me here is it aazizbaig2012@ymail.com
+92213323136992
Thanks and Regards
Mr.DAVETAYLOR ,
Sir,
I need a PC for my research work and earnings
some benefits with this device.If this possible
I can benefit with your help.
thank you,
KRISHNAKUMAR
i need a laptop for my studies. i m doing m.tech plez send me soon..
please help me sir.coz am in need of a laptop
am a student in ghana,and am studying soil science
and for further studies i need a laptop
so please help me .i hope you will help me
coz you are my only hope
Sir, I am a poor student in Ghana. I am studying C.A.(IPCC) In Accra, Ghana. I need loptop for further studies, but i am not afford to buy it.i find it difficult when ever we have been an assignment,i have to walk as long as 50 miles to find an internet cafe. So please consider me and provide a laptop to me. After getting my job I also distribute to poor students like me. IF want to contact me here is it woodesamuel@rocketmail.com
Dear dave
i am a student and need a laptop to help me do more research and do more practical work i know you will help me God bless you
can u help me get a laptop, I am a student at the
Faculty of Computer Science and Engineering in Macedonia
pls guy i need a laptop am surpose purchase but it too expensive.pls guy i need one am from nigeria.
Gooday Dave, my name is Dave i’m a student in Nigeria. I’m in my final year and has my project before me. Imagine me trying to undertake a project dat involves networking and programming without a laptop. Pls help me, its so expensive over here dat I just cant afford it. I need a laptop/notebook and an ipod at no cost. Pls respond its URGENT, i dont know where else to go. God bless u.
I really need 2 IPODS for my twin boys that I can not afford to purchase for them. They need for school.