Rippln: Multi-Level-Marketing invading App store - Stephen Kiers' Blog

A very close friend just sent me a video that they asked for my opinion on. The link was to a video for an app launch for a product called Rippln.

I believe that this is a scam, not because it is looking to steal people’s money, but rather it is looking to steal people’s time and is full of false promises. 

First, What is Rippln?

Rippln seems to be a platform that will ‘allow’ you to spam your friends/family with invites to join ‘cool’ apps that you find through their platform. However, instead of doing it to build a barn, you are doing it to get cash. 

It seems to be setup like a pyramid, in which you get a cut from all of the referrals that your ‘rippls’ make for you. 

So what’s wrong then? Here’s why Rippln is, at best a waste of time, at worst a scam…

It pretends to be Exclusive

The video pretends that it is currently an exclusive app, and that the only people that know have signed NDAs… and that if you are being told you need to keep it secret…

Then why is it a video on YouTube?

Then why are there so many results for it on Google? (all of which are written by crazy affiliate writers trying to solicit people to join their team)

Why do they say, everyone else signed a NDA, but we trust you (random YouTube user)

It is Actually a Marketing Stunt!

Create scarcity so that people feel pressured into being a part of it.

It is a tried and true marketing method. Not evil, but not scarse. 

There are no current ‘joe blow’ Users Right Now

Do you know how I know? Because it isn’t in the Apple App store.

In order for regular people to use the app, it has to be in the App store. It isn’t, therefore there are no current users. 

In order to use an app on your phone that isn’t in the app store, you need to be an Apple Developer. Normal people aren’t; and it cost ~$99 (or something like that)

It is a Pyramid Scheme… 

They made the pyramid grow out from the center, instead of downward but it is still a pyramid structure. 

People ‘before you/above you’ get a cut of your profits, and you get a cut of your ‘rippls’. I guess Ripple sounds better than pyramid. Less negative connotation.

But let’s point out the problems with the actual business model, shall we?

First, People Didn’t join Facebook/ Instagram/ Twitter because of you!

Even if you told them about it first, they would have still joined based on someone else’s recommendation. Do you know why? Because…

Good Apps Don’t Need to Pay for Users

Facebook/ Instagram/ Twitter/ Pintrest/ Gmail/ Mailbox/ Tumblr all gained users because they were a great user experience. People liked them. 

That is why you told people about them. Because they were great. Try and name one good application that paid people to join it. 

So this leads me to the next point,

Only Crappy apps will Use Rippln!

The apps that you will be pushing onto your friends will be FB/TW/etc ripoffs and boring games. 

You will Think They are Cool because Rippln will Tell You they Are!

Think about pyramid schemes. You buy the awesome diet mix from them because you are told it will make your skin glow, and weight melt away… and then you are told that you need to use their VOIP phone system to save thousands a year… and in the end, you are left with a closet full of powder that tastes like vomit and people can never understand your robot sounding voice when you call them.

Why did you think these were good ideas in the beginning? Because (a) the crowd of people you were with told you they were and (b) you were promised money to convince other people of the same.

Even after trying the gross diet drink, you still push it as delicious because you WANT it to be a miracle that lines your wallet. 

Look up cognitive dissonance. 

You are going to want to believe the apps are cool when, in reality, they will almost always suck! Everyone you try to convince to download Upset Aviaries will see they suck, but you will have your Cognitive Dissonance glasses on…

It is sad to watch. And worst yet,

Any Good App that starts with Rippln will leave when successful

If a good app does decide to market themselves via Rippln, and then gets wildly successful; it WILL leave. 

If it is good enough to spread through word of mouth, why would they pay you?

Which leaves the question, who stands to benefit from this?

Rippln’s creators Will Make All the Money

They talk all bad about Mark Zuckerberg and team, but are they really creating this app to help you line your pockets; or is this a bid to help gullible people, who don’t understand web technologies, line their pockets?

I am 100% sure the leadership behind Rippln is from the former illegal pyramid schemes in the US. The channels that it got to me through are similar. 

You will See ‘Upgrades’ Coming Soon

One of the things that piqued my interest in the video was that eventually you will be able to sell products through it. Sounds a lot like an ‘online mall’… like Fortune Hi-Tech Marketing (and related companies).

I would bet money that they will be offering VOIP and Diet Powders through your own, $99 a year, online store within the year. ;)

My advice; Stay Away

I am sure I could find more things wrong with Rippln and their business model, but my final advice is: Stay Away. 

As far as I know you don’t have to pay to join. It is a free app. So you may ask, What do I stand to lose?

My answer:

• Your time. It is valuable, don’t waste it. Spend more of it with your family. Or work at McDonalds; statistically you will make more there.
• Your friends. If you thought farmville annoyed them…
• Your dignity. Joining Rippln will cause you to lose perspective. Eventually you will start believing that crappy apps are cool; and that ain’t cool!
• Your Money. An organization like this will not stop at a free app. Eventually there will be ways to pay money to become a reseller, or a ‘Tidal Wave’ or pay money to get early access to something-or-another. 

Quote me on this, Rippln is not free. It will cost you, and most participants WILL lose!

Conclusion tl;dr

Rippln is a multi-level marketing scam. Everything about it fails the gut check. It feels scammy and deceptive, and its video screamed slimy marketing.

I don’t think you will lose the house on it, but I think it is a waste of time, and only stands to profit the owners.

Sadly, I believe it will be successful for the owners, because the pyramid scheme business model often is, and this seems to be popular in those circles (or should I say, rippls) already.

FHTM is dead! Long live Rippln! ???