Thread: Banners Broker Question and answers

Deleted this and sent as PM to Poyol and Martin88

Question asked by {Name Undisclosed}

Explain the purpose of 'Monetize Group', the 'parent company of Banners Broker': Monetize Group.

Why is Banners Broker registered in Belize, not Canada?
Who are its directors and where can we see verified documentation of its directors?

Where is BB baron...I have a question for him:
Why huge delay in payments and why always longer and longer waiting time frame?
89FANTASY WORLD.JPG

I will ask the questions myself, I dont need anyone doing it for me and neither should anyone else. If you have questions ask. We are grown ups here.

My question is..you guys still have an office. in oshawa? That little garage looking building?

Maxwell

Maxwell, the reason for having a spokesperson is that it stops people talking over each other.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spokesperson

I dont care. this is a forum and a Q&A thread. I dont know you or anyone here and I have questions I have and ask myself. Its no one elses business.

If I break the forum rules then mods can do whatever but I will ask whatever I want.

Thanks for your understanding in the matter
Max

deleted and sent as pm to poyol

Ok, my apologies to everyone who's waiting with "baited breath" for answers. My position requires that I share my time between addressing concerns online as well as with our current affiliate base.

That being said, I have 2 things I'm going to post.

First, to address the question of "Monetize Group".

Monetize Group is the parent company for, and owner of BannersBroker International and a number of other companies, of which Chris Smith is the sole owner of Monetize Group.
The reasons it was registered in Belize and not in Canada have not been released to me, nor can I expect they will be. Certain information is confidential and realistically, not relevant to our discussion.
Since 'Monetize Group' is the parent company for a number of companies, with Chris Smith as the sole owner, you have your directors.

Now, with regards to the company in general, perhaps this will help focus the questions more, and address your concerns with regards to how the company runs.

BB buys ad space from ad networks with the understanding that they're going to package that ad space up and resell it to their network of affiliates. These packages contain panels, each panel has a certain
value and each has a specific time period it will take for that panel to mature, some as little as 2-3 weeks and some take 5-6 months or more. Each panel also requires a specific amount of traffic to mature. Each panel also has 2 values, what BB paid for it and what it's charging the affiliate for it.

With me so far?

As BB sells the panels through their packages, they require traffic for these panels to generate revenue, which BB purchases in order to service the traffic needs of the panels. In return for purchasing the panels, BB pays a dividend to the affiliate once the panel matures, however, that panel is generating live revenue as the panel is running from the ad network. So BB is generating revenue from the sale of packages to affiliates, as well as from the ad network for serving ads. The ads appear on the ad space BB has purchased from the Broker in the blind network, as well as on publisher sites BB has attracted. Whether BB has 1 site, 100 sites or 100,000 sites in their network , they've already purchased ad space through their affiliation with the ad network, and that ad space rests on sites within the ad blind etwork. So no matter what, there's advertising that will satisfy the panel needs. Since BB is paid every 2 weeks from the ad networks they do business with, and the panels mature at staggered intervals, BB is constantly serving ads and generating income. Now, it's understood no business will pay on its products what it gets paid to sell them, so BB reduces the amount it's paid by the ad networks for that advertising so it can afford to pay its affiliates and generate a profit.

Now since it takes traffic to generate ad revenue, BB purchases bulk traffic from the ad networks as well, which generate upwards of 3 Billion impressions per day. Again, since no company will sell a product for what it pays, it marks up the cost of the traffic to resell to the affiliate, the difference of course is profit for BB, and as BB owns the space and ads keep running, this revenue flows to BB. As it takes impressions to activate panels, and impressions for panels to mature, those impressions or traffic must be purchased up front. Now, an affiliate isn't required to use all their traffic up front, but they must purchase it up front, like a variety store can't buy individual cans of soda, it must buy cases. Since the purchased traffic represents a specific amount, and since each panel requires a different amount to activate, traffic purchases are constantly being made, and since BB only pays for what it uses, there's always going to be a surplus, which represents profit for BB.

So, if we look at things together, BB generates revenue from the banners placed in the space it purchases, and through the amount of time it takes for the panels (which is a virtual representation of an ad space BB purchased in the blind ad network) to mature, it generates revenue from the sale of traffic that it takes to activate those panels, and since it only pays for the traffic it actually uses, that's where the revenue BB generates comes from. Since it pays less to the affiliate than what it earns from the ads, and (to use an analogy) it pays on the cans of soda used not the cases bought, there's a surplus of revenue that represents profit that it can now turn around and pay its affiliates with while maintaining profitable growth.

Any advertising generated either through the site or through affiliates is passed through to the ad networks, BB takes a commission on that sale, and passes 10% to the affiliate for bringing in the business. When it comes to publishers (people looking to monetize their websites with ad revenue), those sites are added to the BB internal or "choice" network, and leveraged with the ad blind network to get better pricing deals. The affiliate is paid 10% of the revenue generated by the ads revenue to the publisher with BB and the publisher splitting the balance.

This is how BB works in a nutshell. We've already established what the Blind Ad Network is, and it can be easily researched. It's easily discovered that these companies all offer the ability for companies to
"resell" their products (ads and traffic) to other resellers. It comes down to packaging really and how these initial "resellers" package what these networks provide to them to add enough value to resell others.


Hopefully, this will explain to you better what BB does and how it does it.

Understand, I will not get into specifics of releasing confidential financial information, nor will I go into depth on who the ad networks we're involved with are, for good reason. There have been so many calls and claims BB isn't what it appears, that we have a stressed relationship with Durham Energy, and with one of the ad networks we're currently with Clicksor. We're not violating any of their TOS, nor is BB doing anything illegal, but the disruption these inquiries is having is creating a stressful environment for everyone concerned.

As for the legal case in India, I will formally state that as long as the court case is active, I will not be releasing any information on it. Any information will be released through official channels by those authorized to do so.

Maxwell,

Their office is located at: 5 Carlaw Court, Whitby, Ontario, Canada. We were located in Oshawa, however our needs have grown so they purchased the building they're in now to meet them.

Thank You.

One additional thing...

There seems to be a question regarding payments and the time it takes to receive them.

Payments were released, for example, on Jan 11th, 2013 - this represents the date the payments were released to the banks for distribution to the affiliates. BB does not have control over the time it takes for the payments to clear the financial institutions the funds have been released to. Usually it takes 5-10 days, however, it may take longer depending on where you're located and the institution you're dealing with. BB has no control over the funds once they have been released.

Thank You.

Question asked by: Hypanor

How can a business be sustainable when its 'product' (if it existed) is far beyond the realms of real world pricing? For example, 6 million global ad impressions cost $49 from say Feedjit (there are plenty of others with similar pricing). It would cost you $18,000 with Banners Broker. Thats an increase in price of 36,734%.

Originally Posted by tdstern

Now since it takes traffic to generate ad revenue, BB purchases bulk traffic from the ad networks as well, which generate upwards of 3 Billion impressions per day. Again, since no company will sell a product for what it pays, it marks up the cost of the traffic to resell to the affiliate, the difference of course is profit for BB, and as BB owns the space and ads keep running, this revenue flows to BB. As it takes impressions to activate panels, and impressions for panels to mature, those impressions or traffic must be purchased up front. Now, an affiliate isn't required to use all their traffic up front, but they must purchase it up front, like a variety store can't buy individual cans of soda, it must buy cases. Since the purchased traffic represents a specific amount, and since each panel requires a different amount to activate, traffic purchases are constantly being made, and since BB only pays for what it uses, there's always going to be a surplus, which represents profit for BB.

So, if we look at things together, BB generates revenue from the banners placed in the space it purchases, and through the amount of time it takes for the panels (which is a virtual representation of an ad space BB purchased in the blind ad network) to mature, it generates revenue from the sale of traffic that it takes to activate those panels, and since it only pays for the traffic it actually uses, that's where the revenue BB generates comes from. Since it pays less to the affiliate than what it earns from the ads, and (to use an analogy) it pays on the cans of soda used not the cases bought, there's a surplus of revenue that represents profit that it can now turn around and pay its affiliates with while maintaining profitable growth.

Mr. Stern, with all respect -- this sounds interesting but it fails when reduced to practice. You have basically re-stated the vague inventory analogies used by various marketeers of BB for months now.

I'm going to re-quote myself here:

Let's make it simple. Let's say that all of those members each only earn an average of $500 in profit, per year. This pales in comparison to the marketing speeches given by the ICs, so it is an extremely conservative number. In fact, it is lower than the typical amount of $567.57 per year disclosed at the bottom of your own website's page, here:

BannersBroker

So, after operating expenses (including ad inventory purchases), that means you need $132,500,000 per year free cash flow in order to pay all those members.

I will let you propose a solution to this question, Mr. Stern. Tell us how you can unequivocally prove that Banners Broker generates that $132.5M of yearly net margin, through the online advertising business. My only request is that you don't use statistics to 'prove' this. I don't care how much money is out there. We need to see the proof that Banners Broker does what it claims to do, in a market with nearly zero barrier to entry.

Read what I wrote, and then read what you described. The amount of advertising traffic you would require, in order to satisfy that yearly $132.5M amount of liability, would be absolutely enormous. You did quote one number -- 3 billion impressions per day -- or roughly 90 billion impressions per month. Clicksor's total capacity is around 5B impressions per month -- so you are telling us that you have forged partnerships with 18 times the throughput of Clicksor -- or (ignoring Google) the entire capacity of the top advertising networks in existence, for the sole benefit of consumption by Banners Broker?

Tribal Fusion -- the biggest gorilla in this space -- has a monthly capacity of 20 billion impressions. Not my data, their data:

Tribal Fusion: Advertiser FAQ

So Banners Broker was able to forge a business relationship with all these top-tier companies and also convinced them to basically starve off their own organic business, and instead transfer the profit of that traffic over to Banners Broker?

Mr. Stern -- you said you refuse to discuss detailed financials, but even this hint you give makes no sense. You need to be able to explain $132.5M of net cash flow per year -- I'm using your own data, not mine.

Thanks for the answer terry. I have more I will ask later when i have the time.

Originally Posted by tdstern

The reasons it was registered in Belize and not in Canada have not been released to me, nor can I expect they will be. Certain information is confidential and realistically, not relevant to our discussion.

That's not a satisfactory answer Terry. I thought you where a Bod in Banners Broker not a Shroom.
I don't think any of us expected an answer to this question did we? (from Banners Broker)

It looks like we need to ask the Organ Grinder these questions.
If you keep answering "Certain information is confidential" and the like. There is little point asking questions.

@samuel.r
If read what I wrote, I did not state that we received 3 Billion impressions per day, what I said was...
"Now since it takes traffic to generate ad revenue, BB purchases bulk traffic from the ad networks as well, which generate upwards of 3 Billion impressions per day. "

The networks generate 3 Billion impressions per day, not BB.

The amount of advertising traffic you would require, in order to satisfy that yearly $132.5M amount of liability, would be absolutely enormous. You did quote one number -- 3 billion impressions per day -- or roughly 90 billion impressions per month. Clicksor's total capacity is around 5B impressions per month -- so you are telling us that you have forged partnerships with 18 times the throughput of Clicksor -- or (ignoring Google) the entire capacity of the top advertising networks in existence, for the sole benefit of consumption by Banners Broker?

I would love to know where you're getting your numbers from in order to feel that the cost of doing business isn't realistic? First off, I said that traffic had to be bought all at once, not used all at once. BB pays only for what's actually used by the affiliates, not what's bought by them. You are assuming too much.

So Banners Broker was able to forge a business relationship with all these top-tier companies and also convinced them to basically starve off their own organic business, and instead transfer the profit of that traffic over to Banners Broker?

Please show me where I said BB forged a relationship with "all these top-tier companies" or "convinced them to basically starve off their own organic business". I don't appreciate having what I said twisted around. You asked for answers, I'm providing them.

Mr. Stern -- you said you refuse to discuss detailed financials, but even this hint you give makes no sense. You need to be able to explain $132.5M of net cash flow per year -- I'm using your own data, not mine.

Yes, I am refusing to discuss internal private financial data with you, nor am I required to do so. Your assumption that I owe you an explanation as to our financial capabilities is incorrect. I need to be able to explain where the company gets its inventory from, how it's used in our products, and how revenue is generated from it. Nothing more. I have done this. If there's something you don't understand with regards to the process, I will do my best to explain it so you can. If you're looking to see where every dollar flows, I'm going to have to disappoint you. You aren't entitled to that information, in fact, I'm not entitled to that information.

Let me be blunt for a moment.

You're a bunch of people with alias identities, who have made assumptions regarding who BB is and what they do. Your research has only provided you with a partial picture into what BB does and how it does it, which has left you with questions. Compound that with the incomplete stories you've heard (essentially hearsay) and incorrect terminology that's been used by some affiliates, and I have a messy picture to clear up. This doesn't mean the company is guilty of any wrongdoing, it means that I have to correct everything that's been said wrong, and put things back on the right track.

I understand your frustrations, however, if you want the truth, you need to be open to hearing it. Present your questions and I'll answer them where I can. Certain things you aren't entitled to, you'll have to accept that. If you have evidence BB is doing something wrong, I along with the proper legal authorities are interested in seeing it. Unfortunately, some of you, no matter what is said will feel that I'm not beng honest and BB isn't what they appear to be. That was the case before I came here so I don't expect it to change, however, the answers I'm providing to you are, to the best of my knowledge, accurate.

Now, if we can keep things on point in asking questions, I'll continue to answer them. If this is going to turn into a "we demand details, you're a scam" witch-hunt, I'll thank you all for having me, and leave you to official channels for your answers.

I hope we have an understanding and can move forward to get some clarity on things.

Thank You.

Apropos Banners Broker International Limited: Why IoM, not Canada? The company was originally registered in the name of Bedford Ltd. in January 2010 before being changed to Banners Broker International Ltd. as late as April 2012. Why 'Bedford Ltd'; why not 'Banners Broker' from the beginning? Why that name-change delay? Who were it's original directors? Why is the company 'hiding behind' nominee director Stephen Mark Epplestone? Will you show us verifiable documentation of who really owns the company? If not, why not?

@Terry: Who has been and is now in charge of the official twitter account? Has anyone else access to tweet from it?

Noname, I will ask that next. :)

Jason, apologies for hijacking your thread, just needed to clarify something for Mr Stern.

' you are a bunch of people who hide behind aliases'

I wish to assure you Mr Stern, that I never sought out BB, BB sought me out.

Like many here, I was told it was an investment,compared to google and facebook, it was implied that BB worked with Coke Cola and Toyota and other big hitters and for 5 minutes work a week I could make huge returns. All the things that BB deny.

It was MY due diligence that brought me here.

My anonymity, not only protects me Mr Stern, but also your representative, who if they really believed what they told me, expects to retire in BB on a very hefty monthly pension from their BB investments

I don't hide behind an alias.

I must say that was a really poor response and I am disappointed. I expected more.

Brenda,

I apologize for what that person has said to you, and I'm not sure of who the individual is or what their capability of retiring on their earnings is, but I'm not here to misrepresent any facts about myself or the company, there's no need to.

I'm here to show we're as legitimate a business as Coke or Toyota, and to dispell any rumors or half truths regarding our operations. Period. I hope I get an honest attempt to do just that by the people here, without prejudgement or bias.

hendyphilhendy,

May I enquire then as to what you expected?

@Terry: CAN YOU PLEASE ANSWER MY QUESTIONS?

Let me try this again.

Your official Facebook page said 265,000 members. Actually, now it says 300,000 members. Your company website, BannersBroker Ad-Pub Combo says typical earnings of $567 per year. I generously rounded that down to $500 per year.

The math is simple here - Banners Broker claims to be paying out at least $132M per year. Those of us who know how the advertising industry works understands that at the margins required if we OWN the traffic would mean that at least 1.25x that number in gross revenue. To be leveraging some other company's residual/surplus traffic then the gross revenue would have to be even higher, since the owning network will want their cut of the margin.

I'm not telling you that you have to have the top tier ad networks in a stranglehold in order to get that kind of residual business from them -- your own numbers are telling you that.

Yes, I am refusing to discuss internal private financial data with you, nor am I required to do so. Your assumption that I owe you an explanation as to our financial capabilities is incorrect.

That's a bold statement coming from the PR head of a company that solicits thousands of people around the world to invest in it. So, you expect someone to buy one of your packages that could cost thousands of dollars, with no explanation of the company financial capabilities, to substantiate the claims the company itself makes? Does that make sense?

If you're looking to see where every dollar flows, I'm going to have to disappoint you. You aren't entitled to that information, in fact, I'm not entitled to that information.

I can accept that I'm not "entitled" to this detailed level information, nor did I ask for "every dollar" to be identified -- I just want the overall math to hang together. I disagree with you however -- YOU are not only entitled to that information, you NEED it.

So, you are willing to accept what you are told about how this company works, and you are "out there" as their PR leader -- yet you are not privy to how the financials work, or how these incredible amounts of profit are substantiated? If found to be fraudulent do you realize the personal liability you will be dealing with? I'm not trying to scare you -- I'm frankly amazed that you allow yourself to be put in this position without having been disclosed to how your own company makes the profit it claims to make. If you worked out on the warehouse loading dock that would be one thing but for heaven's sake you are the VP of Public Relations

Mr Stern,

Why am I still being coerced into participating in a survey that I do not wish to partiicpate in ?

Originally Posted by RockLion

No Sir,

I am NOT getting my chance to have my say. I do not like any of those options and normally I am invited if I would like to participate in a survey.
In many organizations I have worked for, the norm is to invite people (in this case affiliates) if they would like to participate in a small survey and send the
weblink to the survey (like surveymonkey)

I argue, If I did have my say, I would be given the "Other" option box. That way I could give other new names for packages I think might be of value.
You have not ensured I have my say, but rather ensured that I have a very frustrating and unpleasant experience of logging into my banners broker account.
It appears that banners broker have hijacked my account and unless I provide an answer to a survey, they are unwilling to allow me access to what is rightfully mine.

It's impossible to see how you would value my opinion, nor see how you are giving me a chance to have my say with so limited options.

You are actually demanding that I participate in a survey otherwise you will not allow me to progress.
This gives off the a very negative impression and perception of banners broker and words like blackmail, extortion and coercion immediately spring to mind.

from wikipedia
"Extortion (also called blackmail*, shakedown, outwresting, and exaction) is a criminal offence of unlawfully obtaining money, property, or services from a person, entity, or institution, through coercion".

I argue that my property is being withheld from me and obtained by banners broker unless I act in an involuntary manner of answering a survey.
You are unlawfully gaining a service from me. I also argue it is causing me emotional and psychological harm and this harm feels real to me.

Coercion (pron.: /koʊˈɜrʃən/) is the practice of forcing another party to act in an involuntary manner (whether through action or inaction) by use of threats or intimidation or some other form of pressure or force.

I am forced and/or pressured into answering this survey, and I am not really getting my say. Further I am being forced into choosing only 1 of 10 options
(I really don't like any of them) !

Further I really do feel intimidated by this process.
It is this type of behavior that is giving off a very negative and unprofessional perception of banners broker.

In what ways does this behavior from banners Broker come across as professional ?