General Background Info:
Theuseful.com is one of many many companies offering 'free stuff' in exchange for you signing up to a 3rd-party offer (or more). I have tried dozens of these sites already, and they all operate the same way. Typically it works like this: for a $25 gift you need to sign up to one offer; for $50 gift you need to sign up to two offers; $100, sign up to 4 offers.
The offers are from 'affiliates' who pay the first company (theuseful.com) a nominal fee for each person who signs up to a free trial. Not sure what the amount is, but I'd guess its ~$50 for every $25 of free stuff they offer you. The free trials cost between $0-6 or so, and if you cancel in the free fortnight/month you don't pay any more for it, the best ones are Netflix/Blockbuster, (AOL is one to avoid, very hard to cancel).
There are also a lot of other sites offering $500-1000 in 'free gifts' — for those you have to sign up to 6 or more offers, but some of the 'required offers' will cost you $400-500 so it's usually not worth it.
Case Info:
Theuseful.com has many other sites that it runs (you can tell from site design/addresses). They are trustworthy, but my problem, and many other peoples' is the time it takes to get results.
1. You wade thru the crap advertising, get to the required offers, and sign up to how ever many are needed.
2. You wait 6-8 weeks, then check the website again (theuseful.com/redeem.html), by which time they should tell you you have qualified.
3. They then email a link to a webpage, which you print out and send to them.
4. You wait another 6-8 weeks or more, and finally you get a gift.
Conclusion: these businesses are not really dishonest or exploitative, but the process to get the gift is intentionally lengthy and convoluted, clearly with the intent of discouraging you from getting to the end of it. Most people likely give up half-way, saving the business more $. My recommendation is to be persistent, not greedy — follow everything up, and make sure you cancel the trials during the free period.
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