I was reading the TurboCommunity internet marketing forum recently, and a thread was started about being careful of product bonuses you get within the internet marketing community.

The initial discussion was about a “big time guru” offering big lists of email addresses as a bonus. The discussion went on as people detailed the trouble they got into by using these email lists.

The bottom line is – don’t fall for these “thousands of double optin emails addresses just waiting for your offer” offers, even when being given away as a bonus.

This bonus discussion brought to mind something I went through earlier this year with another internet marketing guru. I’m itching to tell you who it is to possibly protect you, but I don’t like bad mouthing people on a public blog like this. Perhaps if enough people want to know I’ll drop some hints later :-)

Anyway, here is another piece of advise when it comes to product bonuses.

Here is something else you should never do. Never buy a product just because you want the bonus. I think I may have heard this one from John Delavera originally. (John of JV Manager – the best affiliate, payment etc manager ).

I was swayed to buy an IM product because the early purchaser (in the first 50) bonus was – 10 of the 50 would have the opportunity to do a JV with this big time marketer. Those of the first 50 who weren’t chosen for the JV would be involved as partners in his next project.

So I bought immediately and was notified that I was one of the first 50. I wasn’t impressed with the product and didn’t feel right asking for a refund because I was hoping I’d get the bonus. After 6 weeks I contacted support to ask when they were going to chose the JV partners.

The support person responded that it was taking longer than planned because this guru was moving into his new beach front house, and didn’t have the time to choose the JVs. Of course he had time to email me twice a week with other product offers.

I emailed support a few more times over the next 4-5 months and always received the same response that the JVs would be chosen soon. I explained that I bought early in order to get the bonuses that I never received. In fact, I never received bonuses that others were supposed to receive who purchased after me – First 50 get bonus A, B and C, next 100 get bonuses B and C everyone else gets bonus C. I never got A, B or C.

At this point it was too late for a refund from Clickbank, and it was obvious I was not going to get any bonus. I have to wonder if the bonus offer was just a sales technique.

I did feel sorry for the support person who had to keep making excuses for this big time marketer, and I never once heard from the guru.

Of course I will NEVER purchase from him again, and have let him know that (or his support person anyway) – guess it doesn’t matter to him since I’m just one person.

So, I never purchase products just to get the bonus, well I may make exceptions when it comes to marketers I REALLY trust.

Mike