whydowork.com

[cindyprice]

Response to Question about WSI....STOP...don't even think about it. My husband and I bought a WSI franchise in September and we are suffering now!!!! My husband sold a large order right out of the gate, and WSI production centers would not help!!!!! They didn't have time and wouldn't respond. This was an $18,500 website. We are trying to get out of the contract now. We paid $50,000 for the franchise and in addition the minimums you are supposed to pay are UNBELIEVABLE. Basically it is a useless franchise. You don't need a $50,000 "License" to sell Websites. Please get the word out, if I can save anyone from loosing $50,000 I need to get the word out.

We borrowed the money (home equity) for the business and now we're stuck with it. Someone please respond with helpful information. I can't believe we lost $50,000!!!!!! We have 6 kids and certainly didn't have it to loose. Not only did we loose the money, but we lost 8 months of income thinking this was it.

Help!!!!!!

[cindyprice]

One more thing I forgot to add...the MINIMUMS per month are as follows: $250, three months later $500, three months later $700, three months later $1,000. These are minimums!!!!! It is IMPOSSIBLE to make this business work.

And I wanted to respond the nice person who was giving advice to the WSI franchisee who had also mortgaged his house....Your advice is helpful except for the fact that if you do use resources outside of WSI, like anyone could, then what have we paid $50,000 for???? You see, no one needs WSI. Anyone can do any of the web development with out paying $50,000 plus the unbelievable minimums. I want to cry!!!!!!!!!!

[GuitarDad]

After additional investigation, I told them thanks, but no thanks. The more I investigated it, the more I realised that you really can find contractors globally, with a little effort and networking. Plus, since there still isn't any brand equity associated with WSI (that is, nobody has ever heard of them), then what value are they providing for that kind of money?

I think WSI makes sense financially if it were more of an at-risk model, but to ask us to fork over this much money without their sharing the risk is unreasonable. That's not a partnership. Plus, their marketing this inappropriately. I can't imagine how many people are buying into this thinking their job will be to sell web sites from their bedrooms. That's not what this business is about! This makes it difficult to develop brand equity when there are a lot of unsuccessful internet consultants out there waving the WSI banner around.

I really feel for those who are sufffering because of this. If it's any consolation, your saving others the same grief.

[tainted_870]

I always stay the hell away from systems that require you to pay lots of money.

I'm a lone wolf, I look for methods that show me how to make money by myself, without relying on some high-risk organisation.

All I need is my website, ClickBank, and Google - And that's my online income sorted!!!

[shaz]

Has anyone every delt with or researched the Netspace Franchise?

[gurdasmann]

Being a newbie in business, I paid £10k as a deposit for the wsi franchise after hearing all the sales pitches of such a big successful company... voted no. 1, etc. It all seemed great until they sent me the contract after I paid the deposit and it completely contradicted what had been sold and marketed to. Filled with clauses and fees to tie you in and make sure you always pay them ongoing fees regardless of whether the franchise works for you or not.

I then decided not to go ahead and requested my £10k back and refused to sign the contract. The sales person, left threatening voicemails saying I was going to court if I didn't sign the contract and give them another £25K. They still owe me £10k however, I was lucky not to lose more and seriously lucky not to sign the contract which would have cost me even more.

WSI have a shoddy business... you can tell from their technology and from their service to their franchisees. If you are considering wsi... please get this ridiculous thought out of your head. DO NOT sign up. Instead, set up your own company, find a reliable company that can deliver the websites and online marketing. Do it yourself... you can start with around £5K easy.

ASK FOR THE CONTRACT AND READ IT LINE BY LINE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY ARE SELLING YOU AND WHAT THEY ARE CHAINING YOU DOWN TO. DON'T BELIEVE THE SALES AND MARKETING HYPE, ESPECIALLY NOT THE GUYS YOU ARE PROBABLY SPEAKING TO NOW!

[nickknowledg]

I have been looking at the WSI offer an they use some really fancy names such as:

Conversion Archtecture - this is a website

I think the offer is weak and really not worth £40k upfront, i have come across a company called Clever Business Websites and I belive they offer no upfront cost and jsut take a monthly fee for each site sold.

[akshah]

Hi,

Interesting post, I would certainly caution people from buying this franchise. I know of IC's that have had very bad financial hardship as a result of this "opportunity".

One of the production centers that they state is quality called Voloper sells a premium ecommerce platform! This platform is not PCI compliant and does not match ecommerce security guidelines. More importantly the platfrom has been hecked and credit card details stolen (yes they store credit card details on the system)

The data center once shut down for a few days and they restored to backups for a week before. If a site is getting ecommerce orders one can image the impact on VAT, returns, shipping etc... all the data went out of sink. The producion center said "We are a whole sale hosting provider and solution provider" hence client gets shaffted, who cant even give a reasonable explantion about the production center.

I found you can negotitate the MSF (managment service fee) but you need to be careful in stating that you are not closing down.

The reality is that in the digital industry you need to be responsive, professional and flexible the wsi model fails on all counts. Imagine the scheduling nightmare. There is not reasonable methodology for requirments gathering. The IBA is just questions and depends on the consultant that asks them and their knowledge. In most cases there is no technicla knowhow.

Also the $300 does not get you much marketing/ leads thats paid speratley. My view is that this is not a one man business.

Regards AK

[akshah]

WSI Modular framrework my arse....

The use an open source product Dotnetnuke, paid PWC lots of money to be told use this free system!
Guess what as the project manager you end up trying to support this system.

There elearning system GLS might have been ok, but there are many more SCORM compliant systems out there.

The CMS systemes aparat from the cluncky DNN, are really poor, with the exception of volopers obs solution. The OBS is ok, but lacks several key features and there are lots of tie ins. More importantly working with voloper can really strees anyone up, the support staff never admit to any mistakes they make.

My view production centers do have it hard, the only one making good money is WSI. The hosting company known as Action hosting is quite good.

[NH23]

So what is the WSI pricing model?

It certainly seems like they're charging clients enough to make a profit. Is it just that you can't get any sales?

They claim that there are all kinds of recurring income. Is that for real? How are they trying to set up recurring?

Basically I just want to copy (improve?) their model without paying them, so any help is appreciated.

[Gary Baker]

I was just looking for internet marketing opportunities and I came across this one about WSI and I cannot believe that it costs $50,000 to join. I am very sorry for anybody who loses that on any business opportunity. What did you get for that amount of money and how/where it it go all wrong?

[seeking]

My advice to anyone thinking of buying any franchise: if you've never heard of them, and they've been in business 10 years, then make sure you can find at least 15 people who have been making a living at it for at least 2 years, who can honestly say they did it by the system you're buying.