The Company and Products
Global Resorts Network is a travel business that has existed since 1986, selling discount luxury travel. The product is a membership that has been sold, up until recently, only to customers who attended a personal sales presentation. This membership enables the clients to book week-long vacations at time-shares and resorts around the world at discount rates, ranging from $298 to $798 per week. The Gold membership is $1495 (for three years) and the Platinum is $2995 (lifetime); the only other difference being that the Gold members pay a slightly higher price per week stay.
The Program and Compensation
There are currently three approved marketing systems that you can get involved with to run your online business for Global Resorts Network. The first two are standard marketing systems used to promote your website and the third is a Reverse Funnel System that is a funded proposal system. This means basically that the prospect must pay a fee to get any information about the business in order to weed out non-serious buyers. This was revolutionary when it debuted, but has now been copied by others in the direct sales home business industry. After joining at the Gold or Platinum level you then need to pay a $100 Global Resorts Network site fee and $29.95 to $300 per month, depending on which marketing system you choose. Advertising costs are not included, so this will add to your monthly cost. Global Resorts Network uses a perpetual one-up compensation plan, which means that your first sale is passed up to your sponsor to activate your first level. After that you receive a commission on each sale and your sponsor also receives a commission for that sale, and so on.
Analysis
This company seems to provide a good quality product that has a 20-year track record of providing discount luxury travel. However, by shifting their sales to network marketing they have dramatically increased their memberships, decreasing the available inventory. And as ever-increasing numbers of clients utilize their member benefits, the quality of the product diminishes since there is a relatively finite number of resorts. Secondly, the travel industry is highly competitive and there are many internet companies that offer competitive travel deals that can be customized for specific needs, e.g. — shorter weekend stays or different booking days. Additionally, this type of business is very hard to market in a down economy, as people tend to cut back on things like luxury travel when money is tight. Lastly the training, coaching, and other company help appears to be minimal. So if you enjoy travel and want to make some affiliate money from the opportunity as well, than this business might be for you. If you want a better marketing system, more personal coaching and help with your business, and a product that is less dependent upon a healthy economy, then continue your investigation.
