If you look at the list of top American consumer brands, according to Interbrand (www.interbrand.com) and analyze their percentage ownership by individual shareholders, as compared to institutional shareholders, you will find that on average they are 23% owned by individuals and 77% owned by large institutions (Yahoo Finance).

If you compare this to most other consumer brands, you will find that the vast majority of consumer branded companies are owned virtually lock, stock and barrel by large Wall Street institutions.  Many brands are almost entirely institutionally held.

While we can’t establish definitive causality, meaning we can’t say for sure that the more individual shareholders a company has, the stronger the brand and the more successful they will be, what we can say for sure is that the strongest, healthiest and most successful brands in America (and the world) have more individual shareholders than the others.  There is definitely positive correlation.  This goes for older brands, like Coca-Cola and AT&T, as well as relatively newer brands, like Yahoo! and Google.

This is in part why we at LOYAL3 have developed our Customer Stock Ownership Plan, or CSOP. To provide American businesses and consumers with a Web & Social Media platform that for the first time in history makes it easy and convenient for companies to connect directly with their customers and offer them economical and simple access to stock ownership.

In fact, consumers can buy stock from their favorite companies in just 3 clicks, with as easy of a process as buying a book on Amazon. Consumers can get started with an investment as low as $10 and best of all, consumers pay no fees to buy or sell stock.

We believe that the more customer-owners a company has (loyal customers who are also loyal shareholders), the better.  That this benefits the companies themselves, who pay for any transaction costs on behalf of their customers, by creating more loyal and valuable customers and shareholders, and benefits the customers as well, many of whom will gain access to the stock market for the first time.

At LOYAL3, we believe that the more Main Street Americans who hold stock in companies they know and do business with, the better off we’ll all be.  It’s time to level the playing field.

At LOYAL3, we’re passionate about what we do.  Our Customer Stock Ownership Plan, or CSOP, is a Web and Social Media platform that represents the first time in history you’ll be able to buy stock as easily as you buy products. In fact, 3 clicks is all it takes. 

Our CSOP represents the first time you can buy stock in your favorite companies and pay no fees whatsoever.  You can sell your stock anytime you want.  Buy more stock anytime you want.  Or, if you choose a monthly investment plan, opt out anytime you want – all with no fees.

It gets better.  You can start with an investment as low as $10, regardless of the price of the stock.  Say you want to buy stock from a company whose stock price is $300 a share, but you’d prefer to invest less.  That’s not a problem.  You can buy the amount that works best for you, starting with an investment as low as $10.  It’s called “fractional shares,” and it enables you to buy percentages of stock, the exact right amount for you, either one time, whenever you want, or automatically each month, understanding that any stock may increase or decrease in value.

So why have we created this platform for public companies?

First of all, for most of us, buying stock through conventional means is intimidating, complicated and expensive.  And because many companies have high share prices, you’d often need hundreds of dollars to get started (not including transaction fees).  Not anymore.  A CSOP changes all that.

Secondly, what we’re doing is great for American business. The companies we work with pay your fees for you.  That’s why you don’t need to pay any transaction fees.  They do this because they want their customers to own their stock.  They want owners who care about them.  Loyal, long-term shareholders are valuable.  Also, the companies assume that as a customer-owner, you will be more loyal and valuable as a customer too.  It makes sense.  Why wouldn’t you shop more at this companies you own.  Think about it.

Thirdly, what we’re doing is good for our overall economy.  Most American companies are majority-owned by Wall Street institutions.  These institutional investors can cause volatility when they buy or sell huge amounts of stock.  But when customers own stock, and hold it for a long time, this can have a calming effect on the stock and the markets.

We hope over the coming years you take full advantage of our CSOP and buy stock ownership in the companies you know and trust.  You win by investing low amounts and paying no fees.  The companies win by gaining more loyal and valuable customers.  And America wins by over time creating a more stable, healthy market.