Sep 10, 2001 06:06 PM
2597 Views
Is there no end to the spate of Rewards programs going belly up?
In recent months we've seen UK only program, 'Surfmiles' stop paying for using it's Surfbar and looking unwilling to pay members who have claimed cheques from them.
Add to this popular, US Writing site 'Themestream' - closed up with 2 days notice, owing members thousands of dollars - and another 'TheVines' announcing they are stopping payment for articles.
Then just a few weeks back, it was the turn of 'Funbug.com' to close up shop leaving many members completely bug-eyed at the news.
Then, more recently another favourite of many - 'ETOUR'. Not long after arranging funding of some $45 million, Etour shut it's doors to members.
Highly popular especially with US members, Etour only had a limited membership outside of North America, (so it has not really impacted us Brits), but was another site where you could use it as a search engine and be paid (in points to be converted later) for clicking on links. No real point going into great detail about a program that - as of June - closed.
At it's peak, eTour had 150 employees, as of it's time of 'pulling the plug', it was down to 45. All bar 10 have been laid off, the others staying on board in the hopes - little or none - of selling off the company.
Another sad, salutatory lesson, but not likely to be last in these topsy turvy internet times.
