iConsumer presents a unique twist on the traditional cashback model by offering shoppers equity in the company alongside standard rebates. The deck, dated June 2017, outlines a business model where retailers pay a 1-20% commission, which is then split 80/20 between the member and iConsumer. The most striking element of this pitch is the company's regulatory path; they utilized a Reg A+ offering to go public on the OTCQB, effectively turning their customers into shareholders. With a reported cash CPA of under $4 and a projected cash-flow positive milestone at 250,000 members, the deck leans he…
Key takeaways
- The business model relies on a commission split where members receive 80% of the retailer's 1-20% fee as cashback, leaving iConsumer with a 20% gross margin (Slide 2).
- iConsumer differentiates itself by awarding members equity for shopping, joining, and referring others, aiming to create 'the ultimate ecommerce loyalty program' (Slide 1 and 2).
- Marketing metrics show a significant drop in Cost Per Sign Up from over $12 to under $4 within a single year (Slide 3).
- The company projects reaching a cash-flow positive state once they achieve a member base of 250,000 (Slide 3).
- iConsumer pursued a Reg A+ SEC qualification, allowing for freely tradeable stock for investors as early as Q3 2016 (Slide 7).
- Operating assumptions value a member at approximately $384 based on the Ebates acquisition, while iConsumer generates an estimated $50-$100 in annual revenue per member (Slide 6).
- The executive team features significant experience, including CEO Robert Grosshandler, who founded iGive.com in 1997 (Slide 8).
- The deck outlines a secondary offering of $1,000,000 planned for mid-2017 following their OTCQB listing application (Slide 7).
iConsumer Pitch Deck Teardown
The iConsumer deck from June 2017 represents a specific era of 'equity crowdfunding' and the rise of Reg A+ offerings. It attempts to bridge the gap between a standard affiliate marketing business and a publicly traded company by weaponizing equity as a loyalty tool. The following is a slide-by-slide analysis of the provided materials.
Slide 1: Title Slide
The cover slide establishes the core thesis: "Ownership Is The Ultimate Ecommerce Loyalty Program." The branding is clean, utilizing a professional blue palette. The inclusion of a "Safe Harbor Statement" at the bottom immediately signals that this is not just a startup pitch, but a communication from a company with public reporting intentions or status, referencing the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
Slide 2: Business Model
This slide breaks down the four-step cycle of the iConsumer ecosystem. Step 1 notes a network of 1,700+ participating retailers. Step 2 defines the revenue: a 1-20% commission from retailers, supplemented by advertising and data mining. Step 3 details the 80/20 split, where 80% of the commission goes to the member, resulting in a 20% gross margin for the company. Step 4 is the differentiator: members earn equity for shopping, joining, and referring others. This slide is effective because it clearly explains how the company makes money while highlighting the unique selling point (equity) in a simple quadrant layout.
Slide 3: Marketing Metrics
iConsumer presents strong conversion data here. They claim a 35% average conversion rate on desktop and 44% on mobile . A line graph shows a dramatic decrease in "Cost Per Sign Up," starting above $12.00 in February and stabilizing at approximately $6.00 by May, while "Total Sign ups" (the orange line) shows steady linear growth toward the 60,000 mark. The slide also notes a "Cash CPA < $4" and sets a clear goal: the company estimates it will be cash flow positive at 250,000 members . This provides investors with a clear milestone for sustainability.
Slide 4: History - Phase I
This slide begins a chronological look at the company's development. Phase I, labeled "Complete," covers the Alpha Phase in June 2015, message testing in the second half of 2015, and the launch of apps, the website, and browser add-ons. It establishes that the technical foundation was built and tested over a two-year period before the current push for scale.
Slide 5: History - Phase III
Skipping to Phase III (as per the provided slides), the company highlights its Public Launch . Key milestones listed as complete include the "#GetYourShare" rebranding and getting listed on the OTCQB . The slide explicitly states the purpose of the listing: to provide shoppers and shareholders with "publicly visible value for their equity." It also mentions a Form 1-K filing showing $480,000 in revenue . This slide is crucial for demonstrating regulatory progress and transparency.
Slide 6: Operating Assumptions
This slide uses a grid to present the unit economics and valuation benchmarks. They use Ebates as a primary comp, noting it sold for ~$384 per member . Other assumptions include:
$50-100 annual revenue per member. · 80% average cashback rebate (20% gross margin). · $10-15 per annum cost to support early members (expected to scale down). · $5-20 free cash flow generated per member per year. · < $50 cash to acquire a member (noting current performance is < $4).
These figures allow an investor to model the potential upside if the 250,000-member goal is reached.
Slide 7: Market Value Strategy
This slide outlines the capital markets strategy. It confirms the Reg A+ SEC Qualification is complete, meaning investors have freely tradeable stock. It notes the OTCQB listing was applied for in June 2017, awaiting FINRA approval. Most importantly, it identifies a Secondary Offering of $1,000,000 planned for Q3 2017. The timeline ends with an "Ongoing - Robust Market" goal, which is the most speculative part of the deck, as liquidity on the OTCQB can be highly variable.
Slide 8: Executive Team
The team slide is a strong point for iConsumer. CEO Robert Grosshandler is credited as the founder of iGive.com (1997), eComXpo, and Intercast, with multiple exits. CTO Sanford Schleicher also has a history with iGive.com and Onebox. CMO Melinda Moore is listed as a former CMO of Crowdfunder and an author on crowdfunding. The advisory board includes David Carlick (DoubleClick) and Michael Brennan (Fortune 500 REIT CEO). This level of experience in affiliate marketing and public markets is intended to de-risk the ambitious regulatory path the company has chosen.
What iConsumer Does Well
The deck is exceptionally clear about its unit economics . By breaking down the CPA, the revenue per member, and the specific member count needed for breakeven, the founders give investors a mathematical path to success rather than just a visionary one. The use of a well-known competitor (Ebates) as a valuation benchmark provides a concrete 'north star' for what a successful exit could look like in this specific niche.
Furthermore, the regulatory transparency is a highlight. Many startups hand-wave the complexities of issuing equity to customers; iConsumer leans into it, showing the specific SEC qualifications and listing statuses they have achieved. This builds trust, especially for a company operating in the 'penny stock' environment of the OTCQB.
What is Missing from the Deck
The most glaring omission in the provided slides is a detailed competitive landscape . While Ebates is mentioned as a valuation comp, there is no analysis of how iConsumer competes with other cashback giants like Honey, Rakuten (which bought Ebates), or RetailMeNot on a feature-by-feature basis. If the only differentiator is 'equity,' the deck needs to prove that equity is a stronger motivator for users than immediate, higher cash rebates from larger competitors.
Additionally, there is no mention of churn rates or retention data . In the loyalty business, the cost to acquire a member is only half the story; the lifetime value (LTV) depends on how long they stay active. The deck assumes a $50-$100 annual revenue per member but doesn't provide data on how many months or years a typical 'alpha' member has remained active.
What a Founder Should Copy
Founders should emulate the milestone-based history slides (Slides 4 and 5). By clearly marking phases as "Complete" and tying them to specific dates and regulatory filings, the company creates a sense of inevitable momentum. It shows that the team does what they say they are going to do.
The Operating Assumptions slide (Slide 6) is also a masterclass in presenting a business case. Instead of a complex spreadsheet, they boiled the entire business down to six key numbers. This allows an investor to perform 'back of the envelope' math during the pitch, which is often more persuasive than a 50-tab Excel model that no one will actually audit during a first meeting.
Final Analysis
iConsumer's deck is a product of the mid-2010s push for democratized investing. It successfully pitches a traditional, proven business model (affiliate marketing) with a modern, high-upside twist (customer equity). The strength of the founding team's pedigree in the loyalty space is the primary reason an investor would take this seriously. However, the ultimate success of the pitch relies on the investor believing that the complexity of a public listing and the dilution of giving equity to every shopper will result in a significantly lower CPA and higher LTV than traditional marketing methods.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the core value proposition of iConsumer?
- iConsumer positions itself as an evolution of the cashback model. While traditional sites like Ebates offer cash rebates, iConsumer offers a combination of cash and equity. By giving shoppers a stake in the company, they aim to drive higher loyalty and lower churn, effectively turning customers into brand advocates who benefit from the company's potential growth and public market valuation.
- How does the company generate revenue?
- The revenue model is a standard affiliate commission structure. When a member shops at one of the 1,700+ participating retailers, the retailer pays iConsumer a commission ranging from 1% to 20%. iConsumer keeps approximately 20% of this commission as gross margin and passes the remaining 80% back to the member as a rebate.
- What is the significance of the Reg A+ listing mentioned in the deck?
- Regulation A+ allows smaller companies to raise capital from both accredited and non-accredited investors and provides a path to becoming a publicly traded entity with fewer requirements than a traditional IPO. For iConsumer, this was central to their 'ownership' hook, allowing them to issue tradeable shares to their shoppers legally.
- What are the primary growth metrics iConsumer tracks?
- The deck focuses on conversion rates (35% desktop, 44% mobile) and Cost Per Acquisition (CPA). They highlight a 'Cash CPA' of less than $4, which they compare against a projected lifetime market value of a member ($200-$384). They also track the total member count, with 250,000 being the stated breakeven point.
- Who is behind iConsumer?
- The team is led by Robert Grosshandler, a veteran in the loyalty space who founded iGive.com. The CTO, Sanford Schleicher, also comes from iGive.com and Onebox. The team is supported by an advisory board including David Carlick (co-founder of DoubleClick) and Michael Brennan (former CEO of a Fortune 500 REIT), lending significant corporate and tech credibility.
