CieAura Review: Holographic chips?

CieAura launched in March of 2009 and are headquartered in the US state of Texas.

Heading up the company is CEO Paul Rogers, who was appointed following the acquisition of CieAura by Digital Media Group in October of 2012.

Rogers replaced founder and former CieAura CEO, Ken Rasner.

On the MLM history side of things, prior to founding CieAura Rasner served as the Vice-President of LifeWave (BehindMLM review of LifeWave here).

Lifewave market a series of “patches” the company claims ‘are clinically proven to stimulate acupuncture points, ultimately improving the flow of energy in the body‘ and ‘improve health and wellness‘.

Paul Rogers (right) has a long history in MLM dating back to 1998 with the launch of “NueWorld”, which appears to have been some sort of MLM e-commerce opportunity.

NueWorld eventually merged with Lexxus International (health and wellness), with Rogers serving as CEO. Following a lawsuit from car-maker Toyota over similarity with Lexxus International’s name and their car brand “Lexus”, Lexxus International changed its name to NHT Global in 2006.

In 2008 Rogers resigned from NHT Global and went on to become the CEO of LifeMax (seed based nutrition).

Rogers stayed on with LifeMax until early 2011. A few months later Rogers was appointed Chief Operating Officer of CieAura, becoming the CEO in late 2012.

Read on for a full review of the CieAura MLM business opportunity.

The CieAura Product Line

CieAura products are sold for learning, self-improvement and simple relaxation. No statement contained in this writing, and no information provided by any CieAura employee or retailer, should be construed as a claim or representation that these products are intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment or prevention of disease or any other medical condition.

CieAura market a series of “holographic chips” which the company claims

work to optimally tune or “balance” your body. It does not create strength you do not already possess. Instead it makes the body function at its optimum, resulting in more endurance, stamina and concentration as it maximizes the body’s immune system.

The manufacturer of CieAura Transparent Holographic Chips has discovered a way to adhesively bind intrinsic energies into holograms for the purpose of influencing the human cycle.

Our Chips influence key points to create the desired effect. The natural meridians in our body get out of balance and cause blockages in the natural energy flow between the vital organs, cells and tissues of the body.

The body works to connect these energy flows; however, without help, there is rarely if ever a balance in our body that keeps energy, concentration, stamina, and plus and minus (Yin and Yang) at the optimum level.

The hologram has proved to be an excellent medium to use in our technology. The hologram is capable of holding much more information than traditional vehicles of data storage. Formulas cannot be altered (only erased) so the formula remains pure. Data on a hologram lasts over 50 years, so shelf life of CieAura products is almost unlimited.

CieAura go on to state their holographic chips ‘are activated when they come within two inches of your body‘ and that they are ‘non-transdermal; nothing enters the body‘.

Five holographic chips are available, targeting energy, chronic pain, rest, sinus allergies and libido enhancement.

A “cell phone guard”, weight-loss product and wristband are also available.

The Most Powerful Energy Band in the World

CieAura converts natural vibrations into intrinsic energies and embeds various proprietary formulas of these intrinsic energies into the hologram on the CX2 Plus wristband using trade secret technology.

CieAura’s energies interact with the body’s vibrational system to move your body to its optimum vibrational level and achieve desired results.

CieAura’s wristband technology is the strongest known to man.

CieAura’s holographic chips and other products are manufactured by Harmonic FM, co-owned by former CieAura CEO and founder, Ken Rasner.

The CieAura Compensation Plan

CieAura offer affiliates residual binary commissions, matching bonuses via a unilevel and several leadership bonuses and affiliate rewards.

Retail Commissions

Retail commissions are offered on the sale of all CieAura products to retail customers. When a retail sale is made to a non-affiliate, CieAura pay out ‘the difference between the wholesale price you pay and the retail price’.

Retail commissions are also paid out on the product orders of preferred customers, retail customers who agree to sign up for a monthly autoship order in exchange for a discount.

Affiliate First Order Comissions

When a newly recruited CieAura affiliate joins the company, they have the option of purchasing an “Initial Product Pack”.

There are four Initial Product Paks to choose from, with each paying a 10% commission to the recruiting affiliate:

• Personal Pack ($120) – $12
• Professional Pack ($480) – $48
• Premium Pack ($960) – $96
• Platinum Pack ($1680) – $168

Affiliate Membership Ranks

There are twelve affiliate membership ranks within the CieAura compensation plan and, along with their respective qualification criteria they are as follows:

• Star – sign up as an affiliate ($49) and generate at least 30 PV
• Two Star – personally recruit at least 2 affiliates (1 on each side of your binary)
• Four Star – personally recruit at least 4 affiliates (2 on each side of your binary)
• Five Star – at least 1 preferred customer, have at least six personally recruited affiliates (3 on each side of your binary) and be generating a minimum of $100 in weekly binary commissions
• Silver Star – at least 2 preferred customers, six personally recruited affiliates (3 on each side of your binary) and be generating a minimum of $200 in weekly binary commissions
• Gold Star – at least 3 preferred customers, eight personally recruited affiliates (4 on each side of your binary) and be generating a minimum of $500 in weekly binary commissions
• Ambassador – at least 4 preferred customers, eight personally recruited affiliates (4 on each side of your binary) and be generating a minimum of $1000 in weekly binary commissions
• Diamond – at least 5 preferred customers, ten personally recruited affiliates (5 on each side of your binary) and be generating a minimum of $2000 in weekly binary commissions
• Double Diamond – same preferred customer and recruited affiliate requirements as Diamond and be generating a minimum of $8000 in weekly binary commissions
• Triple Diamond – same preferred customer and recruited affiliate requirements as Diamond and be generating a minimum of $8000 in weekly binary commissions
• Black Diamond – same preferred customer and recruited affiliate requirements as Diamond and be generating a minimum of $16,000 in weekly binary commissions
• Crown Black Diamond – same preferred customer and recruited affiliate requirements as Diamond and be generating the maximum $32,000 in weekly binary commissions

Qualification criteria between the Diamond and Crown Black Diamond affiliate ranks appears to be the same, so I’m not sure how an affiliate progresses after the Diamond rank.

One possibility is the increase in binary commissions, with affiliate membership ranks above Diamond triggering larger commissions potentials via binary commissions, perhaps an affiliate’s earnings above the Diamond rank determines their membership rank.

Binary Commissions

Residual weekly commissions are paid by CieAura using a binary compensation structure. A binary compensation structure places an affiliate at the top of the structure, with two legs branching out directly under them (level 1):

In turn, these two legs branch out into another two legs (level 2) and so on and so forth down a theoretically infinite number of levels.

Differing from traditional binary structures, in CieAura an affiliate is placed at the top of the structure but is also given two additional positions (the two positions on level 1 of the structure), for a total of three positions in their own binary.

When a new affiliate joins CieAura they are given these three positions, however the two additional positions on level 2 are not activated, meaning an affiliate does not earn on any commissions via them.

Volume can be accrued in the two additional positions, provided an affiliate maintains at least 30 Personal Volume (PV) each month in their primary binary position. PV can be generated either via an affiliate’s own purchase of products or by selling products to retail or preferred customers.

In order to qualify an affiliates two additional binary positions to generate commissions, an affiliate must reach the affiliate membership rank of Ambassador.

Once that is achieved an affiliate must maintain a minimum monthly 30 PV qualification on all three binary positions, earning commissions on all three. Affiliate membership ranks between the three positions are tracked independently, with different affiliate membership ranks between the three positions possible.

Until an affiliate has reached the affiliate membership rank of Ambassador, volume may be accrued in their two additional binary positions for up to two years (provided 30 PV qualification is maintained in an affiliate’s primary positions).

Commissions wise an affiliate’s two binary teams play off eachother, with 10% of the sales volume generated by the lesser side being paid out.

Volume is paid out in 120 Group Volume (GV) blocks, with each 120 GV matched on either side of the binary resulting in a $12 commission paid out and 120 GV subtracted from each side.

Binary commissions are capped at a maximum of $32,000 per week. CieAura don’t explicitly clarify whether or not this is per position or on all three affiliate binary positions, but I believe it’s per position.

Note that in order to qualify for commission payouts, an affiliate must have recruited two new affiliates (at least one on each side of the binary).

Matching Binary Commission Bonus

Matching binary commission bonuses in CieAura paid out using a unilevel compensation structure.

A unilevel compensation structure places an affiliate at the top of the structure, with every personally recruited affiliate placed directly under them (level 1).

If any of these level 1 affiliates go on to recruit new affiliates of their own, they are placed on level 2 of the structure. If any level 2 affiliates recruit new affiliates they are placed on level 3 and so on and so forth.

Using the above unilevel compensation structure, CieAura pay out a matching bonus on the binary commissions earnt down seven levels of recruitment.

In order to qualify for Matching Binary Commission bonuses, a CieAura affiliate must be at least a Four Star affiliate:

• Four Star – 10% on level 1 and 5% on level 2
• Five Star – 10% on levels 1 and 2
• Silver Star – 15% on level 1, 10% on level 2 and 5% on level 3
• Gold Star – 15% on level 1, 10% on levels 2 and 3 and 5% on level 4
• Ambassador – 20% on level 1, 15% on level 2, 10% on levels 3 and 4 and 5% on level 5
• Diamond – 30% on level 1, 20% on level 2 and 10% on levels 3 to 7

An override on the volume generated by affiliates in the unilevel is made available to Double Diamond and above ranked affiliates, paid out quarterly as a percentage of the total volume generated by a unilevel team:

• Double and Triple Diamonds – 0.5%
• Black and Crown Black Diamonds – 1%

Four Star Bonus

CieAura’s Four Star Bonus is a bonus available to a new affiliate if they qualify as a Four Star affiliate within 30 days of joining the company.

After recruiting at least four new affiliates who each generate at least 60 PV each, a CieAura affiliate qualifies themselves for the Four Star Bonus. The bonus is paid out on the sales volume generated by the affiliates recruited:

• 240 GV – $100
• 960 GV – $400
• 1920 GV – $800
• 3360 GV – $1400

Whichever one of the above volume tiers an affiliate falls into at the end of thirty days determines the Four Star Bonus amount they are paid out.

Top 10 Monthly Bonus

Each month, CieAura pays the top 10 recruiters in the company with the winners chosen based on the amount of volume newly affiliates recruited generate.

A minimum of 840 GV is required for affiliates to qualify, with the top 10 affiliates company-wide volume wise taking home a $500 bonus.

Note that both the qualification GV and volume used to rank affiliates is only from newly recruited affiliates who joined CieAura that particular month.

Leadership Bonuses and Rewards

Starting at the Ambassador affiliate membership rank, CieAura reward ranked affiliates with various Leadership Bonuses and Rewards.

• Ambassador – $5000 leadership bonus paid out $250 weekly
• Diamond – $10,000 leadership bonus paid out $500 weekly and an “expenses paid” annual Diamond Trip
• Double Diamond – $25,000 leadership bonus paid out $1250 weekly and an “expenses paid” annual Diamond Trip
• Triple Diamond – $50,000 leadership bonus paid out $2500 weekly, an “expenses paid” annual Diamond Trip and a one week trip to Bora Bora for 2 people with $10,000 “expenses money”
• Black Diamond – $100,000 leadership bonus paid out $5000 weekly, an “expenses paid” annual Diamond Trip and a ten day trip to “any city” for 4 people with $15,000 “expenses money”
• Crown Black Diamond – $200,000 leadership bonus paid out $10,000 weekly, an “expenses paid” annual Diamond Trip and a two week trip to “any city” for 4 people with $25,000 “expenses money”

Note that the leadership bonus is paid out weekly provided an affiliate qualifies at that particular affiliate membership rank. Failure to qualify results in the leadership bonus being forfeited for that particular week.

If 20 weeks pass with an affiliate failing to qualify at a particular rank, they forfeit the entire amount of leadership bonus remaining.

Joining CieAura

Affiliate membership to CieAura is $49 annually.

Conclusion

The Focus of our company is our amazing products. The Culture of our company is giving those products away.

The above is taken from the CieAura Products page and sounds a bit strange on its own. Naturally giving away products is not enough with actual sales needed to generate revenue for the company.

That said, the model CieAura adopt and encourage their affiliates to adopt appears to be one of affiliates buying products and then giving them away to encourage sales.

Whether that works or not is something every affiliate would have to personally evaluate and determine if it’s an effective marketing strategy for CieAura’s holographic chip product line.

On the compensation side of things I’m generally not a fan of multiple positions in a comp plan so whilst I understand CieAura’s using stacked positions as an incentive, think the plan could do without it.

Typically affiliates have their hands full with one positions, stacking two other positions under it just to double up on sales volume is likely to cause headaches. Not to mention that those two positions could be better spent I feel on actual affiliates.

If you need anything more than one position in a compensation plan, unless you’ve maxed the plan out completely, it’s a possible indication of something lacking in the plan itself.

Kudos for CieAura for trying something different though, I’ve seen stacked positions in matrix plans and additional binary positions offered at the upper ends of affiliate ranks but this is the first time I’ve seen them introduced from the start.

The Four Star Bonus does look a bit worrying at first given that it’s tied into affiliate recruitment, however it does only apply for the thirty days and is paid out on sales volume generated.

The Four Star Bonus does lead itself into recruiting affiliates and getting them to purchase one of the four starter packs available, however there’s no pressure on the affiliate to make the purchase. They don’t get anything extra if they do (other than PV, which is unrelated to the bonus paid out to the affiliate who recruited them).

And again, it’s limited to 30 days which I feel makes it more of a true team building bonus, differentiating itself from a Fast Start Bonus that could be exploited via constant recruitment indefinitely.

I also like the inclusion of preferred customer requirements in the affiliate membership ranks. Retail volume qualifications are always good to see, especially when there’s no PV bypass option available.

CieAura affiliates must attract preferred customers if they wish to advance in the compensation plan and build their sales teams.

One thing I think CieAura could introduce though would be a retail volume alternative. I can see why they chose preferred customers (retail customers don’t any ongoing purchase commitment), however for some affiliates it might be easier to sell to retail customers of preferred.

Counting as much generated retail volume to affiliate rank requirements is always a good thing.

Now let’s address the elephant in the room: CieAura’s holographic chip product line.

You can blab on all you want about “the science” behind it and trot out as many doctors as you can find, but convincing people of the legitimacy behind little plastic discs with some sort of “source-code” embedded into them is always going to be a hard sell.

I suspect this is behind CieAura’s “give our products away” marketing approach, as it’s probably easier to get people to use the chips rather and see if they feel anything rather than convince them a bit of plastic that doesn’t mechanically transfer anything over anything to the body does what it’s claimed to do.

Find a market for these chips is definitely going to be the biggest challenge for a prospective CieAura affiliate. I suspect it’s somewhat of a limited market.

On the plus side though, once you’ve established customers for the chips it’s not like they’re able to simply go elsewhere to purchase them. If they buy into the whole “there’s a unique source-code on the chips” thing, then that pretty much locks down the customer to your business as long as they feel they need the product.

Good luck!