Online marketing course a suspected pyramid scheme 新世相营销课涉嫌多级分销
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WECHAT suspended the payment link for a promotion campaign of an online marketing course Monday because it is suspected of being involved in a pyramid scheme, the Shenzhen Evening News reported.
An online poster for the marketing course, which was published by a new-media company, identified as Xinshixiang, went viral early Monday. The online course on marketing strategies was facilitated by the head of the company, Zhang Wei.
The poster had attracted massive attention by promising to pay a commission to buyers who recommended the online course to their friends by sending them payment links via WeChat.
A buyer received a 40-percent commission by inviting a friend to sign up for the course. The money would then be transferred to the buyer’s WeChat wallet when the sign-up was completed, according to the rules.
Also, the top 10 buyers who got the most friends to purchase the online course would win a commission of up to 100,000 yuan (US$15,748) and the number one buyer could win a free advertisement on Xinshixiang’s WeChat account.
WeChat’s staff deactivated the payment link Monday around noon and claimed that the new media company was suspected of being involved in an illegal pyramid scheme.
Many WeChat users found that the promotional poster was no longer valid by around 12 p.m. Monday. The new media company later said they accepted WeChat’s decision, but those who purchased the course could still cash out their commissions as promised.
However, after the promotional campaign was suspended, some people who had signed up for the course couldn’t get a refund from Xinshixiang. No response has been made by Xinshixiang.
Part of a rule that is hidden in the introduction to the course states that since the course they were offering was a knowledge-based product, the company would not give refunds.
However, a lawyer named Pan Xiang said that the sales mode adopted by Xinshixiang had already violated the law because it was offering customers a commission for persuading others to buy their product.
Editor/ Lily