iJango News

iJango Community Page Goes Live

PR-CANADA.net | 10/26/2009

With IJango Communities, members can collect, design and syndicate their entire digital world in just minutes. Moving beyond traditional blogs and social networks, Communities bring together and deliver on a single IJango page all types of rich online media, including RSS feeds, websites, podcasts, videos, blogs, and photos, along with web services, including del.icio.us, Digg, eBay, Flickr, MySpace, YouTube, and widgets from nearly any platform.

Starting today, members can enjoy content in over 16,000 Communities that have been created by IJango pilot content partners. Furthermore, IJango will soon announce the availability of tools to allow all IJango members to create their own communities and use them as outlets to express, showcase and share their complete Web life with others.

iJango on ABC2News

Npros.com | 10/4/2009

The article does not identify iJango as either, however it does include a few pointed paragraphs discussing the company and BBB reports of consumer experiences, most notably an apparent uncertainty by consumers as to what the actual iJango product is...

"Now let’s look at another example. iJango located in Texas invites consumers to a local restaurant to hear about the wealth building opportunity which works like this: a consumer pays an upfront fee of $50 to join the program; is then encouraged to purchase a package program for $149.95 to increase likelihood of success and that package support requires $19.95 monthly fee. After this investment, the consumer will recruit other individuals to purchase the opportunity earning income on the commission of these recruits, and earn commission on revenue generated by Web site traffic and purchases through iJango Web site “portals”.

What do consumers say? Well, consumer experiences reported to BBB indicates they are uncertain as to what the actual product is (visit www.ijango.com and see what you think) and they have delayed availability or use of the iJango portals (the alleged source of the shared revenue!). iJango uses an alleged relationship with Yahoo, iTunes, Rhapsody and Google (see iJango Notices on website) but Rhapsody and Google confirmed with BBB they have no relationship with iJango."

Click below for the complete article.

iJango Press Release

Npros.com | 9/25/2009

"We had our share of bugs in the outset, but with our loyal member base providing feedback and conceptual ideas, we have harnessed the power of the iJango Community and refined our offering to cater to our members' needs. We have been able to prove to our users that we are able to adapt to their feedback," said Rayner Smith, iJango's CEO.

Repositioning itself to a Membership Rewards Community, iJango's free users will now be referred to as Community Members. Those wishing to earn compensation from growing the Membership base are referred to as Community Directors.

The concept is simple. Community Directors are incentivized to grow the base of free Community Members. These Members use the tools and utilities provided to them including email, shopping, search, and news. Revenues are earned through the traffic generated by the Members and by the purchases made through the shopping portal. More Members means more commissions.

For growing their respective communities, the Community Directors share in the company's revenues. A Community Director, an optional position that costs a one-time $149.95 fee and a recurring $19.95 monthly fee for tools and support, must refer all Members.

The beta launch was questioned by the Central Texas Better Business Bureau (BBB) in a news release it issued 12 days before a date when the BBB had asked the iJango company to respond in writing.

"Unfortunately, despite the fact that iJango has provided the Central Texas BBB with everything it has requested, the BBB has mischaracterized the company in a news release and a reliability report," said Smith. "In its rush to tar network marketing companies such as iJango, the Central Texas BBB has mislead the public by failing to mention that: iJango Network and its Community Directors earn Usage Commissions from Shopping and Traffic, that the BBB had in its possession iJango's Agreements with its vendors, and the Central Texas BBB had edited out portions of its unannounced conversation with me.

"The BBB is taking the position that iJango has been utilizing funds from Community Director fees to pay its Membership Gathering Bonuses," continued Smith, iJango CEO. "What they have failed to realize is that iJango is a solid company with strong financial backing that has sought out its start-up capital from private investors to build our Membership Base."

Unfortunately, iJango lost one of their key vendors do to these false BBB accusations, but has since established an improved network of vendors, and the result has been a shopping portal with more products and services than ever before.

"Our valid and compelling business model encourages entrepreneurship, teamwork, and financial independence. It is a model that our Chairman Steve Smith proved successful in Excel Communications, and one that we stand by," Smith said.

The Chairman of iJango, Steve Smith, built Excel Communications, another network marketing business into the 4th largest long distance company in the country. iJango is following this proven business model and Smith's outstanding experience and leadership.

BBB warns about iJango

Npros.com | 9/25/2009

The Better Business Bureau in St. Louis is warning consumers and businesses to be wary of a Texas company holding a meeting tonight at Spazio’s Westport restaurant.

The BBB serving Central, Coastal and Southwest Texas, which is based in Austin, distributed a warning about iJango, saying it may be an illegal pyramid scheme.

iJango on NBC Chicago

Npros.com | 9/25/2009

Ijango Comes to Town With Critics Close Behind Browser beware.

That's the message the Better Business Bureau wants to spread about Ijango, a self-described "online community" which is recruiting marketers in face-to-face sessions across the country.

In pitch sessions, Ijango "directors" promise potential members that if they pay $149 to sign up and $20 a month thereafter, they'll make money when people they recruit search and shop online. The BBB says Ijango's plan has "red flags" and could potentially be a pyramid scheme, since its revenues may rely mostly on signups of new members.

Since Ijango launched in August, the Bureau has received 3,400 inquiries about the company. It gives Ijango an "F" rating. And Internet critics have lobbed savage reviews of its business. Here's what company cofounder Steve Smith told us about those bad notices on the Internet: "Mainly it's just been one guy named clicksniper and he's made an awful lot of money developing an awful lot of traffic from an awful lot of people who like hearing news that's not as good of news as you might like to hear."

Smith and other Ijango representatives have strongly disputed the Bureau's claims.

iJango Says BBB Warnings Unfounded

Npros.com | 9/25/2009

Angela Hale, iJango spokeswoman, disputes that claim. She says that the Internet marketing company has a legitimate business model and that the BBB is misleading consumers and the media as to how many complaints have been filed against the company.

The BBB reported that it has received 3,400 inquiries about iJango. It's important to not the inquiries are NOT complaints. It is also important to note that the BBB is not a government agency, it is a private entity and that members pay a fee to be approved by and listed in the companies directories and to be able to display the BBB logo on sites and businesses.