Buyer Beware: "Membership Superstars" Videos
I am so disappointed!
I just pulled out my credit card for a $97 set of videos called Membership Superstars. (There's a limited time offer of $50 off, so I only paid $47, but it may be full price by the time you read this post.) The promise is to give you the nitty-gritty details of how to do membership sites right, and make lots of money at it.
I've been wanting to do a membership site for 2-3 years, but haven't had the time to develop it using a CMS (content management system) product. I figured these videos would have a specific software program in mind, but I wasn't expecting what I got.
These videos are essentially a tutorial for using a specific product. A product which is only available if you sign up for a monthly service. A monthly service from the guy selling the videos, (of course.)
The real problem with this is the membership software is not available as a standalone product. It's bundled into a high end package consisting of a collection of software products designed to help you with your ecommerce site.
There are three packages available, but the least expensive package doesn't include the membership software. In order to access the membership software the tutorial is for, it will cost a minimum of $99.95 each and every month! That's more than I pay for my dedicated server!
I guess my age is showing. I still think of $100 as being a healthy chunk of change. But then, I can remember when a candy bar cost a nickel and a popsicle was 7 cents. My first minimum wage job paid $1.80 an hour...
Anyway, if you are interested in doing membership sites and you don't have a problem with paying for the tutorial plus $100 a month for the suite of services, over and above your hosting fees, this may be the program for you. If so, you can access the sales page here: Membership Superstars. (This is not an affiliate link.) On the other hand, if you're not up for the additional monthly charges, don't waste your time and money buying the videos.
My next step? I'm going to take them up on their "100% Risk Free On My Dime Guarantee" and ask for my money back.
I'll let you know how that turns out.
posted by Anita @ 10/11/2007 04:44:00 PM
4 comments
4 Comments:
Wow ! Glad I googled "membership superstars" before buying, and found your article !!! I was ready to buy. I definitely will not. Thanks a ton !
You're welcome.
It's too bad the author's don't make it clear that these videos show you how to use a product that requires a monthly subscription...
On the other hand, there are folks out there who will subscribe to--and benefit from--the monthly service only because they saw these videos.
I'm not saying the product isn't good, just that it will only benefit you if you're in the financial position to subscribe to the monthly service. And if you buy the videos, subscribe to the monthly service and put in the required work, you should be able to make up your investment and actually make a profit.
But, like so many other endeavors, "you have to have money to make money".
-Anita
Hello Anita,
This is Marc Goldman - the guy who is "selling the software" and the videos.
I found your post and I must reply. I have to say - I think you are being unfair in your assessment - extremely unfair.
First off, the videos are NOT some glorified tutorial for using our MemberOne software.
ANYONE using ANY SOFTWARE can use my techniques and teaching to do exactly what I do and say in the videos. They just have to think a little outside the box.
Now, I use MemberOne to run most of my membership sites (and I was the one - along with my development team who came up with the software) so would it not be logical that I would give instruction using the tool I know best?
Would you expect someone who works for Makita (a drill company) who put out a series of instructional videos on how to drill properly to use anything but a Makita for their demonstration?
I think not.
Now - we give a 30 day free trial for our software for the advanced coaching students and many are loving it.
Not sure if you are aware of our competitors but most charge 5000.00 per annum or similar pricing to ours.
Frankly, there is a LOT of work, time and effort that went into this software and its worth well more than 99.00 per month (its actually only 1 feature of an entire suite of ecommerce tools you can use to get more leads, traffic and sales for any business).
AND, furthermore, with MemberOne you can create up to 5 membership sites for only 99.00 per month. If someone could not make that back in membership fees (and far surpass it) I dare say they should be looking for another profession or another revenue stream.
Anita, I appreciate your opinions and commentary but I do take umbrage with a # of points:
1. We clearly state the price of the software in the notice for the coaching program and
2. We state several times in the letter that we will recommend the software to use.
I hate to say it Anita, but if you continue to try to build a business on cheap and free you are destined to build a business on a house of cards. One that, regrettably, may not be around for the long haul.
I do respect your opinion Anita but I find this post uncalled for and I also find that your bias towards not paying monthly for software is damaging others ability to judge for themselves about the quality of our service.
I wonder - did you really watch all 5 & 1/2 hours of video?
If so - I would like to know how you thought this was only a tutorial for our software.
If you did not - then I believe you owe us a retraction.
Marc Goldman
Goldbar Enterprises, LLC
Hi Anita, Hi Marc...
well I happened to have the advanced membership supestar, but there was a glitch somwhere as I signed and I was not informed about the MemberOne tryout subscription. I found out when I was charge 95.95 $ I asked the goldbar support center and they explained me about the tryout of 30 days and the recurring charge of 95.95/monthly. Perhaps it is cheap for you, but since I do not used it it seem excessive. I asked to be refund and they say that even though I was not aware and I never used it ( I never created a MemberOne site as a proof) I can not be refund.
I think it runs a little bit like a scam, when you charge for something that people do not use, and do not want to use.
I asked goldbar to refund my course since unscribing to the memberOne unsubscribed me to the membership and nobody answered me back.
Perhaps they are a respected company, I bought before from them and all was cool. This time I do not know if it is a bad customer service or just apathy but they do not help with my quieries and my questions.
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