Rippln, a social media app company, yesterday unveiled a new compensation plan for its affiliates, 16 months after abruptly discontinuing its original payment structure. Over 700,000 people had signed up during that period, waiting for details on how they might earn money.
The company had launched an initial compensation plan in April promising affiliates could earn by recruiting others. Lawyers then killed that plan without explanation. Rippln scrapped it entirely, leaving its affiliate base without any earning mechanism for over a year.
The revised plan features a tiered membership structure. The first tier, called "Fan," is free. Individuals can sign up without cost but cannot earn commissions.
Next comes the "Player" membership. This tier requires an upfront payment of $69.95, plus a $25 monthly fee. Players gain access to a tracking platform, which details their recruited downline. Without this paid membership, affiliates cannot receive commission payouts.
Rippln also introduced a "Super Fan" option. This membership costs the $69.95 annual fee for the tracking platform but yields zero commissions. Rippln has not explained why anyone would pay for a membership that generates no income.
Players aiming to earn commissions must clear one of three ranks.
The "Pro" rank requires recruiting at least five affiliates, whether paid or unpaid. Meeting this target unlocks commission payments.
To reach "All Pro" rank, affiliates still need five recruits. They must also sell one coaching package and one loyalty offer to individuals within their downline. This rank pays 50 percent more than Pro.
The top tier is "MVP." This rank pays double what Pro affiliates make and 50 percent more than All Pro. The only requirement for MVP is five recruits; the coaching and loyalty sales requirements drop away.
The entire structure ties earnings to recruitment. Commissions flow through a pass-up system, where fees from new recruits move up the chain to their introducer. Rippln mentioned mobile app commissions in the original plan but provided few details then, and still offers almost no specifics now.
Rippln has not revealed actual commission percentages. They have not explained how much a Player can expect to earn at each rank. The company also failed to detail what commissions derive from app activity versus recruitment fees. Without these numbers, new sign-ups lack any real sense of whether this opportunity justifies its monthly cost.
The more than 700,000 people signed up are still waiting for those answers.