My Arbitrage Conspiracy ‘Experience’
ByThis is one product/program I would never (now) recommend to anyone.
First off at $2,211 (3 installments of $737) it has for me personally been the biggest (by far) stupid mistake I ever made — strong words I know but nonetheless fully justified in my opinion. I bought this following a personal (commissioned no doubt) recommendtion from Eben Pagan who in general I view as being trustworthy and highly professional — we are not all perfect (me included) and sadly he got it very wrong this time.
When you enter a 12 week program (as this is) then you can kind of get caught up in the hopefullness that there will be a great idea just around the corner. It’s a bit like being offered a ‘as billed’ goumet menu, choosing the starter to find it wasn’t that good, then hanging on for the next course in the hope that it will be better — but it isn’t, so you keep working through the list and by the end of the menu all you are left with is the expense and an upset stomach.
I can honestly say I have NEVER witnessed such persistence from any any authors in asking for and bribing (with prizes) for the best testimonials (split into written and video) on such a scale ever — anywhere. In fact I would go so far as to say that if that was what I had set out to purchase then I would have been ecstatic - it was and continues to be that blatant.
Where for me the authors went wrong was their complete lack of transparency – who are they (really) I still don’t know.
They were hyped as having this incredibly thorough approach to PPC and to be frank I have listened (very attentively) and learnt perhaps one or two useful snippets and that is all. The ‘course’ was advertised as been THE thing for both ‘newbies’ (I hate that term) and experience marketers alike.
Whilst I would not say I am experienced’ (by that I mean someone earning good money from AM) neither am I an absolute beginner and I have therefore found the whole thing to be pitched at those who may have only just succeed in posting their first web site. I found myself feeling cheated at hearing explanations I had learn’t years ago (for free) out of general on-line interest, certainly not ‘Golden Nuggets’ as postulated by the presenters.
This ‘course’ may well have been popular for those who are starting from scratch, I can see value in it for them. But it was never pitched specifically that way and was therefore dishonest in its marketing.
To make matters worse, they made is clear that a great deal of work was needed if using free tools…. BUT if you bought what they would only recommend as being beneficial to members because they use them themselves apparently, (at a discount – and also a fat commission to the organisers) then you would be significantly more productive and therefore your chances of being a success would be significantly improved.
That’s not how it should be played in my book.
If the course is setting out to recommend tools and by design rather than accident then it should be honestly declared at the outset, that opportunities to purchase effective tools would be offered and at a discount (honest enough if stated) and that potential members should budget accordingly or follow the course on a purely manual basis. If following the recommendations you could I guess double the course fee.
Yes I realise that such up front honesty might half their initial sales — it would ensure a very happy course membership. I have seen far too many posts elsewhere lamenting the failure of members to make any money at all and I myself have fallen behind from an action perspective but that has been purely down to illness and hospitalisation.
I for one will be seeking a course fee refund. The original offer made at the outset was to refund unsuccessful members who had put the work in their $2000 course fee (single instalment) plus an extra $500 for giving it their all.
I shall not ask for the $500 extra as that would be unreasonable as it is not the organisers fault that I have been unwell. But I will look for a course refund as I firmly believe the marketing was grossly misleading and also the content to be very very thin on the ground, like in week 12 video 6 ’how to install the LPGEN software (promoted)’ hardly the sort of content toward the end of the course when more advanced topics would be expected and where the authors of LPGEN explain that anyway when you buy it! (I didn’t by the way) and beleive me there is more that is worse (again) in my opinion.
So if you are reading this I strongly advise you NOT to even consider it, and whilst no doubt some members may have done well, the testimonials are not freely given (without an awfully large amount of encouragement) like at the end of almost every video/webinar.
If you are looking for a PPC training environment where everyone is helpful, responsive, admits they are not perfect and does not push tools down your throat and in fact provides many of them within their sites for free, then I can recommend two programs that I am personally a member of and I am totally happy with them both.
So check them out (I’ll be doing specific writes ups on them later when time permits)
These are honest organisations that over deliver- teach a lot – do not BS you and both cost a hell of a lot less too.
They are in no order of precedence:
Miles, I purchased AC as well and did not have a good experience. Their marketing was not upfront. I agree that they should have disclosed the fact that members should have at least an extra $1500 to purchase the software tools. Without those tools it’s difficult even near impossible for a new person to compete in Adwords using Search.
Had I known that I would have passed up on it. That was the most costly lesson I’ve learned in the past 3 years. I also paid in installments and worked my butt off but did not break any ground. I found your site through the WotoGepa forum. I’m already a member of the “Coaching Program One” you mentioned.
I’m still a member of AC but I’ve found that I’m learning more and actually seeing results from the coaching program one you mentioned.
Thanks for your honesty and putting up this post. I’m not the only one who was unhappy with the blatant 3rd party software endorsement (but not recommendations … lol). Only those who have huge credit cards or budgets to work with seemed to do well using AC’s methods.
I’m happy you were able to get a refund.