AGLOCO has launched, and it promises a new Get Paid to Surf model that will actually work, as compared to the ill fated AllAdvantage train that derailed so many moons ago. Learning from Web 1.0 mistakes, AGLOCO has a interesting business plan that includes an IPO, and a philosophy that is based around building a surfing community.
Earlier today, I was discussing it with other web heads and AllAdvantage Vets, and there were lots of questions about it. Is it MLM? Is it Spyware? I had those questions too, so instead of telling everyone a hundred times what I was thinking, I'd just sum up my thoughts right here with some of the best questions that I have gotten.
How Does It Work?
AGLOCO pays you to surf, up to 5 hrs a day. They do this by asking you to install a toolbar, much like AllAdvantage did, and not much different than Google Toolbar or Alexa Toolbar.
The toolbar can be minimized, but of course, you won't get paid when it's down. Once up, it shows you an indicator of how many credits you're getting etc. So the logical next question is...
Is This Toolbar SpyWare?
You know, I asked that question myself, and the answer is, I really don't know yet. The toolbar hasn't officially launched. However, there are apparently "DIFFERENT CLASSES" of this type of software. Howeer, I'm not going to jerk you around and tell you it isn't on a technicality. I really don't know because it hasn't actually launched.
What I used to do with AllAdvantage was I installed it on a seperate account on my PC. When I was up to my surfing limit, I would just log in to my other account, and the AllAdvantage bar wouldn't track me anymore. It's even easier on XP because you can keep both sessions live and switch users. When you get to your 5 hrs, you can shut'er down if you want. Of course, AGLOCO would want you to keep surfing...of course...
How Much Do I Get Paid?
It depends. AGLOCO hasn't finished setting the pay schedule. Like AllAdvantage, AGLOCO is referral based. I know you're thinking MLM's and pyramids, and if I told you it wasn't, I'd be lying. Someone must be at the top, and many many people must be at the bottom to make the guy at the top money. However, here's hoping AGLOCO stays true to their community philosophy and bites slimeballs in the ass before they get started. You can have up to 5 levels so you can go wide, but you can't go deep. The picture below shows your referrals below you. So including you at the top, you have 5 levels.
AGLOCO does a revenue sharing platform that is based on shares and cash. Any extra cash, after expenses get distributed to the members in dividends. AGLOCO plans to go public in the near future as well. When that happens, the shares that you earned surfing WILL BE WORTH MONEY . However, as far as I can see, even if they don't, you will still get a bit of cash while you surf. At least this way, unlike AllAdvantage that just paid out everything to the users recklessly, the company will be sustainable, and at some point, if this surfing hours investment pays off, some of us will have some cashable shares and smiles.
How Does AGLOCO make money?
AGLOCO makes money by selling advertising on the toolbar based on the surfing behaviour it collects from you. Because this is excellent market research, totally targeted, advertisers find this very valuable, and they will pay dearly for your direct surfing habits. So yes, they spy on you, but you get paid for it in cash and shares. For 5 hrs a month, sure, I'm in.
Where is this company based?
Well, according to their terms of use , it looks like HONG KONG...
14. Applicable Law. You agree that these Terms of Use and any dispute arising out of your use of this website or our products or services shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Hong Kong, S.A.R. P.R.C., without regard to its conflict of law provisions. By registering or using this website and service you consent and submit to the exclusive jurisdiction and venue of Hong Kong, S.A.R. P.R.C.
Wow, that's a new one! Apparently, the former British Colony will also be doing their IPO in the UK. However, they have offices in Stanford, CA. The two other offices are in Hong Kong and London.
Can I Cheat?
Well, I guess that's really up to you, but if I was AGLOCO, I would be saying no. With any of these types of programs, there will be individuals out there looking to take advantage of the system. In AGLOCO's case, they want you to feel like this is "OUR SYSTEM". But if you do, and they go public with the shares you earned, expect something bad to happen to all of those shares. Think of the consequences! Keep your nose clean, and you should be OK. Not to mention, you have the AGLOCO community breathing down your neck.
Things that people used to do in the past with AllAdvantage was use automatic surfing BOTS to rack up their hours. Now that there's new technology available, it definitely won't be easy for these individulas to defraud the company...err...OUR COMPANY. But would you want to? I mean, if they IPO at 20 bucks a share, and you accumulated 1000 shares, do you really want them to investigate you and cut you off? We're talking 5 frickin' hours a month people! Bottom line: DON'T DO IT!
How Do I Get Started?
Getting started is easy. Just sign up and you'll be ready to go. The toolbar hasn't been released for Canada yet, and is in limited release, so it looks like your US friends could already be surfing, but recent reports have said, it isn't ready for the US either. However, because the program doesn't pay if you have a bunch of inactive members, I would have to think that if you're not using the bar too, you don't get credit either.
So far, it sounds like an interesting business model, and only time will tell if it will be sustainable. It registers more like a long term investment than a short term get money every month thing like AllAdvantage was. The trick with such a program, and because the wide referral implications, is to get in there early, and sign up people right away so that when it launches in full, you'll have a good network. We've even setup a test account at the link above. Hopefully, we can revisit the validity of this program in a future article, and maybe come up with some tips for how you can take advantage of it fully. The information they ask for is minimal, and it's definitely worth a try . The worst you could do is make a buck or two.
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