Everyone love a great deal, but when you get a crummy ebook fool of fluff, or a defective product, you can become enraged. Heck, my mom still thinks her credit card will be stolen if she buys a song off of iTunes. Unfortunately, it is difficult to find someone that has not been a victim of marketing hype. Even with a money back guarantee, many people are distrustful of online businesses.
- How can I be sure your online business won't seduce me with promises, then quickly forget me once my cash is in your pocket?
- How can you convince me I won't be left on my own if I have problems with my purchase? How do I know you're even interested in consumer protection?
- How can you prove to me that your entire Web business isn't a front for a carefully organized scam with no business ethics?
A new web2 .0 comapny called iKarma answers these questions. Its a site where businesses/individiuals create pages that contain previous customer feeback, as well as bios, pics and a rating out of 5 stars. Its free and easy to create, and once made the business or individual can put the iKarma label on their website or printed material. I believe it will become the myspace of the business community. If I had the capital, I would buy the stock–its publicly traded under the symbol of IKMA.
Here is the ethos of iKarma
Overview
When making a purchase online, or even offline, its difficult sometimes to tell the good guys from the bad. How do you choose? Through more information about each vendor, preferably past customers feedback. Business and individuals create iKarma pages is a place for businesses to keep profiles and their customers to review them.
The Power of Reputation
iKarma helps you to harness the power of your previous customers, and use them to get new ones. If you have an account on iKarma, you can direct your customers to leave a comment about your business. You can place your iKarma logo on your website or letterhead, so customers can learn your reputation.
You iKarma rating is out of 5 stars, and if your rating is good, then customers gain confidence in you AND you gain trust from customers. Its a win-win situation.
Putting Your iKarma to Work
Your iKarma fstarts when you join and create your iKarma page. These profiles are for people, not whole business. So Joe Jones, Head of Sales, has his own profile with his photo, contact info, a bio, rating, and customer feeback.
The site then creates an iKarma Seal that links back to your iKarma Page, and anyone can view your page by clicking it. You can place your iKarma Seal in your e-mail signature, on your web page, or on any printed material used to attract new customers. Instant feedback and trust for your business.
Customer feedback is not new. Many web shopping sites like Amazon and auction sites like Ebay have built in customer feedback forms, but with iKarma all web shopping sites, auction sites, chat forums, job boards, dating sites and other web services interested can integrate reputation management into their business model.
If you are familar with the book Cluetrain Manifesto, then you are aware how the internet is bringing back honest discussion of products and services, breaking down bureacratic walls. How in business, trust and reputation have the power to trump advertising and slick marketing.
The site is www.ikarma.com
