Now i'm sure you've all seen those ads out there in cyberspace promising you a free ipod. They're everywhere. And i'm sure like me, most of you just dismiss them as a scam. After all, it's got to be too good to be true, hasn't it?
But recently I started wondering whether there was any truth in it so I set about doing some research into these 'referral sites'. The system is based on the idea of 'referral marketing' and it really quite simple. Sites offer free gifts in return for users registering, completing an offer with one of the site's sponsored offers and then encouraging a number of others to do the same using their unique 'referral link'. If the original user refers enough people, they get their free gift.
'But how does this work? 'I hear you ask. How can these sites offer such appealing free gifts? The referral sites are paid by the sponsor for every person who signs up for the sponsors offer through the referral site. So if you sign up and then refer 10 others to do the same, the referral site gets payment from the sponsor for each of these 'referrals', hence providing enough money to supply the free gifts offered as an incentive.
But is it really free? I was skeptical about this. If you have to sign up to an offer, surely there must be a cost invoved. But on closer investigation, all these referral sites have at least some offers which are completely free. The most popular seems to be the LoveFilm.com free trial - all you have to do is sign up for the free trial, receive some DVD rentals and then at the end of the trial you can choose to either pay and continue being a member or cancel and not incur a single cost.
So, I decided to bite the bullet and give it a try. I've signed up to the Ipod Giveaway Network and am trying to get myself a free 80GB ipod classic. I signed up to LoveFilm to complete my offer meaning I haven't been charged anything. And now i just need to refer some friends. I've got nothing to lose, and I may even get a free ipod out of it! We'll see how it goes...
Still not convinced? There are heaps of advice sites and forums out there on this topic my favourite is this one which has loads of information and a review of the Giveaway Network, referral site i've signed up for.
So why not give it a go? Like I said before, if you opt for a free offer it won't cost you a thing. You have nothing to lose. If you do decide to sign up, please register under my referral link below and help me on my way to my ipod.
Thankyou! Any questions - please ask.
There most certainly is such a thing! I have just recieved an iPod Touch from the real incentives network and I already have had a PS3 from giveaway.