| Comment Number: | 522418-02205 |
| Received: | 6/14/2006 9:54:21 PM |
| Organization: | Premier MicroSolutions, LLC |
| Commenter: | Jason DeVelvis |
| State: | OH |
| Subject: | Business Opportunity Rule |
| Title: | Notice of Proposed Rulemaking |
| CFR Citation: | 16 CFR Part 437 |
| No Attachments |
Comments:
First of all, I want to say that I'm glad you're doing what you can to crack down on scammers and bad business opportunities. It's long overdue, and it will (in the end) keep many people from falling for them. However, as a provider of Internet Marketing information and information products, I think this is too broadly worded. Do information products (how-to courses) fall into the category of "business opportunity"? If so, this potential law will destroy many, many small businesses - including mine. Not to mention the fact that most of my customers won't take the time to tell me if and when they've reached any "earnings claim" I make on the sales letter - so unless I only sell an ebook to one person who replies nicely when they do, I'll never be able to comply with the required disclosures. As a businessman who has taken part in various business opportunities in the past, I am also against having my personal information sent to prospective clients of said business opportunities - it violates my privacy, and will most likely cause me general annoyance and waste my time when the clients call to talk to me about it. It's bad enough when I refer someone and they cling to me for how-tos and free advice, let alone people I don't know, and that I'm not getting any benefit from helping. As it's worded, I think this law could also cover in-print how-to books about business and making money, and nobody is going to want to wait 7 days notice in order to buy a book at Barnes & Noble so they can learn how to make money. And to make someone who wants to make a purchase online wait 7 days is ludicris - in 7 days they'll be trying to purchase something else and I'll never make a sale. While adhering to the proposed law won't be hard to do for companies like Shaklee and Quixtar, it will be next to impossible for people like me, with a one-man business, trying to teach others how to make (legit) money online. So, as a small business person and an online entrepreneur (as well as a US Citizen all my life) I ask you to ammend the proposed law to remove some of the requirements for individuals and small businesses, as well as for information products. I agree that something needs to be done about bad business opportunities and "make money" scams, but I think it needs to be re-investigated and worded less broadly. Thank you, Jason DeVelvis Owner, Premier MicroSolutions, LLC