Reports are surfacing that solidify a connection between social networks and e-commerce. Not surprisingly, people who hang out together online sometimes talk about shopping, and discuss products, and share recommendations. Some branding efforts are starting to incorporate the building of online community into what previously were static sites. But the door is wide open for the development of dedicated online shopping communities that are explicitly about consuming stuff–but still encourage photo sharing, profile building, and other standard perks of social software.
One of these is Yub.com: “Meet. Hang. Shop.” It doesn’t get plainer than that. Yub incorporates elements of social networking with tricks borrowed from affiliate marketing and multilevel marketing (MLM), all packaged in a sort of virtual Sam’s Club. E-Commerce partnerships with such brand heavy-hitters as Dell, Apple, Macy’s, Home Depot, Sony, Target, and many others provide cash-back opportunities for network members that exceed 10 percent in some cases.
Yub has been around for a while, and is operated by Buy.com (note the backward spelling), and is an acronym for Young Urban Buyers.
david on February 3rd, 2006 at 3:43 pm
are there any MLM programs out there that use affiliate commission to pay the downline? Meaning, is there an online shopping marketplace that pays out the buyer, but then also pays out to the downline?