Subject: Free?? No catch?
Date: Thu, April 03, 2008 3:10 am
To: explorer@martialartsexplorer.tv

Hi guys,

I’ve been watching your video podcast from my home in
Japan for nearly 6 months or so. I really like the
content and the professional looking video. Kudos!

The recent advertisement campaign, I understand is a
necessary evil. I can handle that because we all need
to support ourselves. However, looking through the
Greenback Street site made me feel uncomfortable,
particularly when I read what new members signing up
for a free account agree to.

—Quote from Membership Terms of Agreement—-
Membership Fees and Payments
You agree to pay GREENBACKSTREET any membership fees
billed to the credit card or checking account you
provide and authorize for use at time of enrollment.
GREENBACKSTREET’s membership fee is non-refundable
except where state law prohibits. SHOP4ERO reserves
the right to change the amount of any membership fees,
and to institute new fees, without notice. If you
submit your credit card or checking account
information to GREENBACKSTREET upon registration, you
give GREENBACKSTREET permission to charge the
membership fee incurred through your account to the
credit card or checking account you designate on the
Registration Form. If payment cannot be charged to
your credit card or your payment is returned to
GREENBACKSTREET for any reason, GREENBACKSTREET
reserves the right to terminate your account and all
its obligations under this Agreement.
—End Quote—-

Huh? No catch? I suspect your martial defense must be
far better than your legalese defense! I tried to
learn on the site more about a membership fee that
they may be referring but failed to find anything. As
such, I don’t think it prudent to agree to allow
Greenback Street to take money from me and the right
to raise that fee as they see fit. Cash back? More
like cash gone!

Jim

PS. As I live outside the US, I can’t sign up for an
account anyway. I suspect that you have more viewers
in the same boat, like that Tommy guy who has emailed
you frequently.

Hi Jim,

Your’re right to be cautious.  I spoke directly with GreenBackStreet and the text you saw is a vestige of the old website.  They will be expunging that verbiage from the site asap.  I’ve been using GreenBackStreet for a few months now and have seen exactly zero charges for membership.  In fact, I was never asked for my credit card information in my sign up.  Neither has anyone else who signed up under Martial Arts Explorer.

As for international ordering, any store that would ship internationally should also ship to you in Japan and it really won’t cost you anything to research the retailers and find those that will.  Thanks for checking in.

scot