Why Not Make Honest Money Online?

By Steve Gillman

Most people looking to make money online want it to be made honestly. Almost all of us want to feel good about how we make a living, and know that we're doing nothing to hurt or cheat others. The good news then, is that there are hundreds of honest ways to develop a stream of extra income on the internet. Thousands of articles and web pages tell you how to do it, but this article is more about what not to do - or how to keep it honest.

Drop the Page Traps

For a moment, imagine going to your mailbox to collect your mail, and having a hand reach out of the box to grab you and hold you there while a voice tried to sell you some product. Or consider how you might feel if a salesman blocked the door when you were ready to leave the furniture store. Almost none of us would consider these tactics ethical, nor would we tolerate them for long.

This is essentially what internet marketers do when they set up a web page in a way that does not allow you to easily leave when you want to. We have all been to sites where when we click the little "x" up in the right hand corner, instead of the page closing, a box pops up trying to sell us something. Of course the box itself is set up to be difficult to decipher, so you don't immediately know whether to click the "x" in the corner of it, or click the "okay" button. What you are agreeing to? This is a tactic that deceives us on purpose.

Some marketers will say that this isn't unethical, of course. We didn't have to go to his site, he might argue, and if we do we have to abide by his rules after all. The furniture store salesman could say the same thing as he locks the door with you inside the store still. This practice is plainly wrong, and if we had to agree to the supposed "rules" or "terms of service"of such sites before entering, we would not have entered - hence we are clearly deceived. Those who want to make honest money will drop this disgusting tactic.

What's the True Price?

Perhaps television advertising is the worst offender when it comes to deceiving people about prices. An add will say, "Only $9.99, and get the second one free," adding in a lower voice or small print, "Just pay separate shipping and handling." But the cost of that shipping and handling is not mentioned, and is likely to be $7.99 for each item. Thus your $9.99 widget and additional "free" one will cost about $26 total - a bit misleading, wouldn't you say?

The online version is the "free" CD that many sites offer. You have to give your name and email address to get the "free" CD, which would be fine, except that only once you have done that will you discover that there is a charge of $5.99 for shipping and handling. A CD can be produced for about a dollar, and shipped for about a dollar, making the claim dishonest on the face of it, but the fact the shipping charge is not mentioned until after an email address is gathered for spamming purposes makes this a doubly dishonest way to make money.

When you use the word "free," you should actually offer something that is free of any financial cost at all. If offering a bonus only available with the purchase of something else, that should be clear up front ("free" when you purchase...) A shipping charge for a supposedly free item should also be acknowledged on the same page as, and near, the word "free."

Always Offer Real Value

We each have to decide for ourselves what has real value to others. It seems clear that some vendors sell garbage knowing it is garbage - and also knowing that many or most people will not bother to fight to get their money back. This tactic may work for short-term profits, but it's not honest money, so it another practice to avoid.

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