Hi Graham

Thanks for your comments, you seem quite the authority on GDI, and very confident that GDI have any corporate responsibility? What a rather unique hobby?

Much like ISP's that host known spam organisations, GDI still stand to achieve the most profit ($9 per month, per referral) from members who break the "rules" to achieve sales or referrals. Forgive the comparison, but did you ever hear of a pimp that slept with the clients?

I have commented your message in Red...

Hi Macmagician,

I have been with GDI for 6 months. I know what they do and don't do, that's all.

Yes you got spammed, but not from the company; only one of its affiliates. That affiliate could well find their account terminated as a result.

GDI won't make $9 from "sacked affiliates".

I'm not sure what you are getting at about pimps and clients, but I am 53 years old and too old to play mind games.

I don't intend to start or get involved in a flame situation.

I am simply trying to ensure people see both sides of the story.

Graham

Thanks again Graham...

Absolutely no flame or mind games intended, and I do value your comments as someone in the know, and entertain that their may be a chance that GDI actually dislike spam and internet abuse as much as I do. The proof will be in whether, despite my complaints, I continue to receive the unwanted mail.

GDI employ a system that on this occasion has been proven to be open to abuse by those less distinguished and moral than your good self. If they don't like that fact, then they might act accordingly and responsibly by dealing with the problem? The only way internet abuse will decrease is if it is not facilitated and encouraged in the first place.

Out of curiosity and for the purpose of this debate, if a GDI client account is terminated for breaking the rules, are all their referred clients accounts terminated too, or would GDI continue to profit from the referred clients business? And is there any chance the terminated client might continue to trade as a self referred client?

Best, and thanks again

Mac

Hi Mac,

When an affiliate quits or is terminated, the downline simply compresses upwards.

Why should everyone else suffer because their upline does the wrong thing?

When GDI terminates an affiliate, they can never rejoin. If they were that determined, they could always use a different identity and credit card, there's no way anyone can prevent that.

I'm not sure what you mean by "self referred client". GDI, like all affiliate programs is the equivalent to a franchise in the real world. If you get fired from Mac Donalds, you can't open up your own outlet next door.

Regards,

Graham

I just started with GDI I see some of you have good things to say and some not so good. I would really like some input and what they have out there to offer or a good way to go about the whole thing

I am no longer with GDI.

After 6 months, I looked at my income and expenses; the amount of time and effort I had put in and weighed up the results.

The conclusion I came to was, I was "way in the red".

I don't have anything against GDI, it just wasn't for me.

Come to think of it, after 6 years online I haven't found anything that was for me, so don't let my decision affect yours

Cheers,

Graham

thanks graham I'll make sure not to sign up for too many extras if there are any.
thanks again for the input

This says it all for me!

Revoked by the BBB's Board of Directors

BBB Reliability Report

WebSite.ws
701 Palomar Airport Rd #300
Carlsbad, CA 92009

General Information:
Original Business Start Date: August 2001
Local Business Start Date: November 1999
Type of Entity: Corporation
Principal : Mr Jon Bailey Director of Operations
Phone Number: (760) 602-3000
Fax Number: (760) 602-3099
BBB Membership: This company is not a member
Type-of-Business Classification: Internet Services
Website Address: www.website.ws

The information in this report has either been provided by the company, or has been compiled by the Bureau from other sources.

BBB Membership:
On April 20, 2005 this company's membership in the BBB was revoked by the BBB's Board of Directors due to failure to cooperate with the BBB on advertising matters.
Nature of Business

This company offers website services and products including domain registration. Recently the company has begun offering a multi-level marketing program that encourages people to invite everyone they personally know with an automated email invitation system to participate in the program that consists of purchasing a .ws registration from the company for $10 a month. From there, anybody who responds to the email and also participates in the program, the originator of the email is to be paid a commission.


Customer Experience:
Based on BBB files, this company has an unsatisfactory record with the Bureau due to unanswered complaint(s). The company has resolved most complaint(s) presented by the Bureau; however, the Bureau did not receive a response to other complaint(s). Recent complaints are with regards to the free trial offer of a website domain. Consumers are stating that they attempt to cancel after the free trial offer and they are unable to do so. They claim that they continue to be charged for the service.

When evaluating complaint information, please consider the company's size and volume of business. The number of complaints filed against the company may not be as important as the type of complaints and how the company handled them.

Closed Complaints:
Number of complaints processed by the BBB in last 36 Months: 10
Number of complaints processed by the BBB in last 12 months: 2


Complaints Concerned:
Repair or Service Issues: 1
Outcome of the complaint -
Resolved: 1

Refund or Exchange Issues: 2
Outcome of all complaints -
Resolved: 2

Customer Service Issues: 6
Outcome of all complaints -
Resolved: 6

Credit or Billing Issues: 1
Outcome of the complaint -
Company did not respond: 1

Additional Information:
Additional Doing-Business-As Names: GDI
Global Domains International
Additional TOB Classifications: Internet Servers
Internet Web Design

Company Management:
Additional company management personnel include:
Mr Alan Ezeir President
Mr Michael Reed CEO

Company Advertising:
This company is currently offering a multi-level marketing program and they are advertising income claims including "Earning Quiet Fortunes From Home", "BUILD YOUR INCOME FOR LIFE", "have the financial independence", "a reliable, LIFELONG MONTHLY INCOME ", "Unlimited Income Potential", etc. The company has not provided substantiation for these claims or shown that these claims can be met by the average consumer joining their program.

Report as of 06/29/2005
Copyright 2005 Better Business Bureau of San Diego

As a matter of policy, the Better Business Bureau does not endorse any product, service or company. BBB reports generally cover a three-year reporting period, and are provided solely to assist you in exercising your own best judgment. Information contained herein is believed reliable but not guaranteed as to accuracy. Reports are subject to change at any time.

The Better Business Bureau reports on members and non-members. Membership in the BBB is voluntary, and members must meet and maintain BBB standards. If a company is a member of this BBB, it is stated in this report.

I'm interested to see if someone can convince me, because I'm afraid I don't get it yet.

The sales pitch is that the .ws domain names are something to be sought after, because the .coms are all used up, and people will 'expect' companies and individuals to have their WebSite or WS address. Somewhere downline, someone must be buying one or more of these domain names for individual use as opposed to merely marketing GDI, however, none of them appear to be the ones whose testimonials appear on the promotionals. When I look at any of their sites, all I get is a duplication of the GDI site, or a thinly-disguised 'skin' that eventually leads to GDI.

If I've read this right, all that's going to happen is that the Internet gets clogged up with redundant .ws sites, all of which lead to GDI. Once enough downlines have been processed to use up all the standard names (JohnSmith.ws, FredJones.ws, etc), people will get sick of trying to register their own name, give up, and the money will dry up. Likewise if enough people are actually persuaded that they should have a .ws domain name, and actually just register their own and use it for a personal or commerce site, the money will also dry up.

Have I missed something here? If so, please tell me.

Regards, Graham

My understanding of the difference between MLM & pyramid schemes is that in a pyramid stock is purchased as part of the membership, usually then sold down & down the downline with little, if any used (think of soaps in one of the early pyramids?). In an MLM scheme, the product is sold to an end user, & commission paid to the upline. So if the sites just refer to each other, just promoting .ws, it sounds a bit pyramidish. The email facility is an end user item though.