Comments on: 100 reasons not to use Epik product portals…Your input is required http://www.domainstryker.com/100-reasons-not-to-use-epik-product-portals/ Expired domains and auctions Sat, 05 Feb 2011 10:59:55 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: Chris Nielsen http://www.domainstryker.com/100-reasons-not-to-use-epik-product-portals/comment-page-1/#comment-598 Chris Nielsen Tue, 12 Oct 2010 04:19:25 +0000 http://www.domainstryker.com/?p=3219#comment-598 I'm not sure why you are all bashing them so much if the suck. I agree the cost is too much for what you seem to get, but someone must like them or they would be gone by now, no? $250 plus 50% is crazy in my opinion so there's really not much to think or talk about... :-) I’m not sure why you are all bashing them so much if the suck. I agree the cost is too much for what you seem to get, but someone must like them or they would be gone by now, no?

$250 plus 50% is crazy in my opinion so there’s really not much to think or talk about… :-)

]]> By: npcomplete http://www.domainstryker.com/100-reasons-not-to-use-epik-product-portals/comment-page-1/#comment-587 npcomplete Mon, 11 Oct 2010 18:32:11 +0000 http://www.domainstryker.com/?p=3219#comment-587 It sounds like most people around here have a much higher opinion of Epik than I do! Epik: "Just say NO" I suppose the main reason that led to due diligence on my end was the comedy of errors in opening an account for one of the trial domains that had been "approved" as good enough for Epik. After the comedy of errors I did a bit of snooping and convinced myself that even a test case would be a waste of money. If they paid ME $250 up front to develop my domains I might reconsider a trial. It sounds like most people around here have a much higher opinion of Epik than I do!

Epik: “Just say NO”

I suppose the main reason that led to due diligence on my end was the comedy of errors in opening an account for one of the trial domains that had been “approved” as good enough for Epik. After the comedy of errors I did a bit of snooping and convinced myself that even a test case would be a waste of money.

If they paid ME $250 up front to develop my domains I might reconsider a trial.

]]> By: David Williams http://www.domainstryker.com/100-reasons-not-to-use-epik-product-portals/comment-page-1/#comment-573 David Williams Mon, 11 Oct 2010 09:47:58 +0000 http://www.domainstryker.com/?p=3219#comment-573 I ordered one site as a test with Epik and agree that it is definitely not worth the money. I'd much rather develop domains myself using unique content. Even after you pay the $250 you still only earn 50% of revenue. By the time you battle to get your site ranked in the SE's with it's poor SEO and lack of content you don't want to be stuck earning only 50% of the revenue it generates. However I do disagree with your opinion of picking up domains on the drop. I also catch many and turn them into a success. It is what you do with them that counts. I ordered one site as a test with Epik and agree that it is definitely not worth the money. I’d much rather develop domains myself using unique content. Even after you pay the $250 you still only earn 50% of revenue. By the time you battle to get your site ranked in the SE’s with it’s poor SEO and lack of content you don’t want to be stuck earning only 50% of the revenue it generates.

However I do disagree with your opinion of picking up domains on the drop. I also catch many and turn them into a success. It is what you do with them that counts.

]]> By: Mark http://www.domainstryker.com/100-reasons-not-to-use-epik-product-portals/comment-page-1/#comment-571 Mark Mon, 11 Oct 2010 02:55:45 +0000 http://www.domainstryker.com/?p=3219#comment-571 @ Danny - you forgot "pay Frager $100 to write about your product 3 times a week" @ Danny – you forgot “pay Frager $100 to write about your product 3 times a week”

]]> By: danny http://www.domainstryker.com/100-reasons-not-to-use-epik-product-portals/comment-page-1/#comment-570 danny Sun, 10 Oct 2010 21:00:33 +0000 http://www.domainstryker.com/?p=3219#comment-570 The cross linking will be their downfall. Coming from an SEO background, it seems like this is doomed from the start. Viewing some of their example sites, like computerhardware.net - there really is no meaningful content there (under the articles or Q&A). These sites leave an obvious footprint - so it just will take a slight algorithm tweak for all of the sites to be dropped in one swoop. It happened previously with sites engaged in obvious link selling or link networks. If I want to launch a domain for $250, here's what I would do: 1. install wordpress - $0.00 2. hire a topic expert to write a really good article - $50.00 3. install adsense and a wishpot / product feed 0.00 4. buy a link from a high quality directory, or buy 1 really good link under the table (not from a network) - $200.00 This assumes some tech skills - the labor for all of these steps could be outsourced for $50.00 or so per site. The cross linking will be their downfall. Coming from an SEO background, it seems like this is doomed from the start. Viewing some of their example sites, like computerhardware.net – there really is no meaningful content there (under the articles or Q&A). These sites leave an obvious footprint – so it just will take a slight algorithm tweak for all of the sites to be dropped in one swoop. It happened previously with sites engaged in obvious link selling or link networks.

If I want to launch a domain for $250, here’s what I would do:
1. install wordpress – $0.00
2. hire a topic expert to write a really good article – $50.00
3. install adsense and a wishpot / product feed 0.00
4. buy a link from a high quality directory, or buy 1 really good link under the table (not from a network) – $200.00

This assumes some tech skills – the labor for all of these steps could be outsourced for $50.00 or so per site.

]]> By: muhammed http://www.domainstryker.com/100-reasons-not-to-use-epik-product-portals/comment-page-1/#comment-568 muhammed Sun, 10 Oct 2010 19:55:05 +0000 http://www.domainstryker.com/?p=3219#comment-568 How do you even know your getting paid the full amount.. Rob states his sites earn on average .18 per click. That is from the 3rd tier biz rate feed, how about any money the sites earn from the google adsense ads and his partnership with wishpot? Where are the wishpot commissions going? Rob is only paying out 50% based on the bizrate feed! Sites are all on 1 ip, google will ban these any second. You share the ip with crappy spammy domains, many of them are horrible trademark infringed domains! How do you even know your getting paid the full amount.. Rob states his sites earn on average .18 per click. That is from the 3rd tier biz rate feed, how about any money the sites earn from the google adsense ads and his partnership with wishpot? Where are the wishpot commissions going? Rob is only paying out 50% based on the bizrate feed! Sites are all on 1 ip, google will ban these any second. You share the ip with crappy spammy domains, many of them are horrible trademark infringed domains!

]]> By: BullS http://www.domainstryker.com/100-reasons-not-to-use-epik-product-portals/comment-page-1/#comment-567 BullS Sun, 10 Oct 2010 18:40:07 +0000 http://www.domainstryker.com/?p=3219#comment-567 All their sites are totally BS All their sites are totally BS

]]> By: Leonard Britt http://www.domainstryker.com/100-reasons-not-to-use-epik-product-portals/comment-page-1/#comment-566 Leonard Britt Sun, 10 Oct 2010 18:13:42 +0000 http://www.domainstryker.com/?p=3219#comment-566 We have already seen from AEIOU how difficult it is to develop for the domainer community. While I believe one has to be selective about which domains to develop, EPIK does offer some guidelines regarding the search volume & CPC one should see prior to developing a name. While I am not a skilled developer I know from personal experience how tough it is to make money with Adsense and affiliates. Adsense CTR can be 1-2% on many sites while I gave up on Commission Junction after 700K impressions without a commission. 90% of search traffic is on page one. So if you spend $250-$995/site x 25 or more sites and are depending on a 50% cut of a PPC payout, I'm not sure if that works out for the average domainer. However, EPIK's platform is still a work in progress and one must keep in mind that any developer has to have a way to receive compensation for their work. Over the long run, the best way to generate more business is to have happy customers. We have already seen from AEIOU how difficult it is to develop for the domainer community. While I believe one has to be selective about which domains to develop, EPIK does offer some guidelines regarding the search volume & CPC one should see prior to developing a name. While I am not a skilled developer I know from personal experience how tough it is to make money with Adsense and affiliates. Adsense CTR can be 1-2% on many sites while I gave up on Commission Junction after 700K impressions without a commission. 90% of search traffic is on page one. So if you spend $250-$995/site x 25 or more sites and are depending on a 50% cut of a PPC payout, I’m not sure if that works out for the average domainer. However, EPIK’s platform is still a work in progress and one must keep in mind that any developer has to have a way to receive compensation for their work. Over the long run, the best way to generate more business is to have happy customers.

]]> By: DeadHub http://www.domainstryker.com/100-reasons-not-to-use-epik-product-portals/comment-page-1/#comment-565 DeadHub Sun, 10 Oct 2010 18:08:08 +0000 http://www.domainstryker.com/?p=3219#comment-565 It's another "DeadHub" idea that only benefits the feed providers, the insiders, the one's actually selling the products, and those being paid to promote Epik on their blogs. It’s another “DeadHub” idea that only benefits the feed providers, the insiders, the one’s actually selling the products, and those being paid to promote Epik on their blogs.

]]> By: anon http://www.domainstryker.com/100-reasons-not-to-use-epik-product-portals/comment-page-1/#comment-564 anon Sun, 10 Oct 2010 17:55:12 +0000 http://www.domainstryker.com/?p=3219#comment-564 It is practically identical to SmartName Shops, which save you $250 per site. Not to mention the rev share is probably better on SmartName. SmartName also doesn't force you to promote Rob's other properties like Identity.net, Questions.com and others that I'm sure are coming soon like Comments.com and ChatRooms.com. And how does helping to promote MyCoupons.com make you money? You're paying to develop a site that promotes and distributes his shit... Rob is a genius. He'll be laughing all the way to the bank when his "feature" sites are promoted on thousands of web sites you guys paid for, and then he offloads them for millions because you paid to make them valuable and popular. Suckers... It is practically identical to SmartName Shops, which save you $250 per site. Not to mention the rev share is probably better on SmartName.

SmartName also doesn’t force you to promote Rob’s other properties like Identity.net, Questions.com and others that I’m sure are coming soon like Comments.com and ChatRooms.com. And how does helping to promote MyCoupons.com make you money? You’re paying to develop a site that promotes and distributes his shit… Rob is a genius.

He’ll be laughing all the way to the bank when his “feature” sites are promoted on thousands of web sites you guys paid for, and then he offloads them for millions because you paid to make them valuable and popular.

Suckers…

]]> By: chris http://www.domainstryker.com/100-reasons-not-to-use-epik-product-portals/comment-page-1/#comment-563 chris Sun, 10 Oct 2010 17:46:56 +0000 http://www.domainstryker.com/?p=3219#comment-563 thanks for the info. i will definitely stay away from epik and look for different options. thanks for the info. i will definitely stay away from epik and look for different options.

]]> By: mark http://www.domainstryker.com/100-reasons-not-to-use-epik-product-portals/comment-page-1/#comment-562 mark Sun, 10 Oct 2010 17:36:10 +0000 http://www.domainstryker.com/?p=3219#comment-562 That's funny 'cos for $248 in India, you can get a website made in gold, with platinum dangling in the corners. Ofcourse you should know how to sort through the garbage, and get to know someone who can do things. Boy o Boy, this is one of the advantages of being born in a third world county. Development in the way to go, I am happy that I am born in the right place at the right time. I am scooping up as much as possible. And please don't call what they do as SEO, if somebody does that here in India, we won't even take him as an intern. It's that bad, period. I guess they know where they are heading, and that's why they have chosen this name. Epik(Fail)..AMEN. That’s funny ‘cos for $248 in India, you can get a website made in gold, with platinum dangling in the corners. Ofcourse you should know how to sort through the garbage, and get to know someone who can do things. Boy o Boy, this is one of the advantages of being born in a third world county. Development in the way to go, I am happy that I am born in the right place at the right time. I am scooping up as much as possible.

And please don’t call what they do as SEO, if somebody does that here in India, we won’t even take him as an intern. It’s that bad, period. I guess they know where they are heading, and that’s why they have chosen this name. Epik(Fail)..AMEN.

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