DealShare is a REALLY interesting new feature that MyPoints just added and I think it has great potential. Here’s how it works:
Log in to your MyPoints account (click here to join if you’re not already a member), and then click on the DealShare tab. They list a deal or two for specific merchants. Share it with your friends on Facebook or Twitter, or by email, with a special link and if 3 or more of your friends join MyPoints and buy, you get 1,650 points (the equivalent of a $10 gift card). And since these new members are your referrals (“in your network”), you earn 10% of the points they earn from some of their MyPoints activities like shopping and surveys.
The deals are pretty short term (about 48 hours). And you don’t earn the points if the person is already a MyPoints member. So this is only a tool for recruiting new members. Still… it’s a very unique method for recruiting referrals and it pays more than webmasters could earn via their affiliate program on Commission Junction ($2).
The only iffy part to me is, once again, that points can be devalued after they’re earned. MyPoints may just come along and decide that it’s now going to take 22,000 points for a $10 gift card. Cash is cash. So, I’m going to have to give some thought to whether I’ll switch over to this new promotion method, but I do have to give MyPoints credit for trying something different.
