There's a new service that just launched, OwnMySite.Com, which pays you money each month for using its site to surf the web (via Google) as well as buy products (jump from the site to Amazon, Borders, etc.).
How does it work?
First, you go to http://www.ownmysite.com/, and register - this makes you a "stakeholder" in the site.
Then, you use the OwnMySite.Com site for surfing the web - I imagine lots of registered users will make it their home page. At the end of each month, the stakeholder's share is transferred to his or her PayPal account.
Where's the money?
Fifty percent of the the net revenue (note that's net, not gross) generated by OwnMySite.com through its affiliate links (Google, Amazon, etc.) is distributed to its registered users, or "stakeholders," in cash on a monthly basis "no matter how big or small the purchase."
Also, according to the site's FAQs, "[s]takeholders also own a stake in 50% of the potential sale value of the business. This will entitle you to your share of any proceeds from the eventual sale or acquisition of ownMySite.com."
How much cash can you get?
After being up and running for three weeks, it's reported that registered users have generated £1500 between them, 50% of which will be returned to members at the end of August. The company is estimating that the most passive users in August will receive a minimum payout in August of over £2 and the most active "stakeholders" will get over £30.
Remember, this is a British site, so the company reports in pounds; translating to American dollars at today's rate of 1 British pound = 0.538 American dollars, their first month out of the gate, they're estimating $1.076 to $32.38 for stakeholders.
Who's responsible?
A British man named Daniel Harrison, according to the company's recent press release, " ... set up ownmysite.com after becoming frustrated with the way many popular websites generate huge profits from the everyday online activities of users without rewarding them for what is a very valuable activity."
Harrison said, "[t]he sky's the limit but in the short term I'm really looking forward to paying members at the end of August to reward them for their faith in the site and to show them that their time spent surfing the web with ownmysite.com is genuinely worth something. I think members will be pleasantly surprised by how much they can earn."
How can they do this?
OwnMySite.com is charging merchants each time someone accesses the seller through its site (up to 40& of your purchase price) - which is what lots and lots of sites do, they just keep their profits. OwnMySite.com is keeping half of its revenue, and it's taking half of this commission revenue (net, not gross) and sharing it with its "stakeholders." The more that people use OwnMySite.com, the higher its traffic volume stats will be -- and the more it can charge those merchants for having a spot on the site.
