In the real world, companies sell units of value, called shares, whose buyers become part owners of the value of the company. Similarly, on Empire Avenue, buying shares in other users allows you to receive "dividends" (payments in game virtual currency) when they are active on those social networks. Empire Avenue allows you to "buy" virtual shares in registered users as if the user was a company on a real-world stock exchange, and similarly allows others to buy virtual shares in you. In effect, Empire Avenue is granting you a license to hold virtual shares in a profile for as long as you are a member of Empire Avenue's web site and abide by our Terms and Conditions of Use. Having virtual shares entitles you to receive "dividends" in virtual currency from a profile's virtual "earnings" (see below).

Not at all! For game balance reasons and to control the economy, we pay the owner of the virtual shares 50% in virtual share sales. Beyond 20,000 outstanding virtual shares, the percentage paid to you from virtual share sales decreases from 50% down to a minimum of 10% for extremely high numbers of outstanding virtual shares. To View the percentage and virtual shares that resulted in payment, check your bank entries!

We only pay you Eaves up to the maximum number of virtual shares that someone can buy in you. Normally, this maximum is 200 shares, unless they have bought the “Bigger Piece of the Pie” or “More Dessert” upgrades, in which case they can buy up to 1000 or more shares in you.

For example, a user buys 200 shares in you at 10e/share, you get (200 x 10 x 50%) = 1000 eaves. They sell those shares, and later return and buy another 200. but you've already been paid for the maximum so you get nothing. If they have bought the “Bigger Piece of the Pie” upgrade to allow them to own, say, 300 shares in a person, then you'll get money from 100 shares of the second purchase (100 x 10 x 50%) = 500 eaves.

To View the percentage and number virtual shares that resulted in payment, check your bank entries by clicking on Bank at the top bar.

Every user has the ability to buy up to 200 shares in anyone and have at least 200 shares owned by each other user in them. You can unlock upgrades which allow you to own more in any individual who has been on the site longer than 1 week (see below).

You can purchase upgrades and bonuses that increase the number of shares you can own in other users above the normal of 200. “Bigger Piece of the Pie” upgrades allow you to own more shares in all users, permanently. “More Dessert” bonuses allow you to temporarily buy more than your maximum in a limited number of users.

For “Bigger Piece of the Pie” , go here: (http://www.empireavenue.com/shop/upgrades#buy_more)

and for “More Dessert”, go here: (http://www.empireavenue.com/shop/luxuryitems)

Note: “More Dessert” and “Even More Dessert” bonuses are NOT additive. For example if your normal maximum is 200 shares, and you use a “More Dessert” bonus, you can purchase up to 300 shares in a user. If you then use an “Even More Dessert” bonus to buy more shares, the most you can own in the user is 400 (200 more than your NORMAL maximum), not 500! Similarly, if your maximum is 200 shares and you use “Even More Dessert” to buy 400 shares, subsequently buying a “More Dessert” will not allow you to buy a further 100 shares in that user.

The normal maximum number of different users you can own shares in is 1000. But you can increase this number by purchasing the “Increase Portfolio” upgrades, here: (http://www.empireavenue.com/shop/upgrades#shareholder)

A Fast Mover stock is one which is seeing elevated activity in buys and/or sells. These stocks will face commission increases that will be clearly displayed in the user interface. When you reach "Fast Mover" status, we will start increasing commissions on that stock for a limited time (up to a maximum of 50% commission!). You can then judge when to jump in or jump out.

Buying back your shares from your shareholders is not allowed. Your shareholders can sell shares in you and the shares return to your share pool.

Yes. You can buy virtual currency (Eaves) through PayPal, here: (http://www.empireavenue.com/shop/money)

You can also directly purchase other upgrades available in the Shop.

No.

To buy shares in someone:

1. You first need to find a profile you wish to invest in! You can do this by clicking "Search" on the top bar, typing in a name in the search box on any page, or by looking at any of the lists of individuals throughout the site and clicking their name or profile picture.
2. Once on the profile page, click the "INVEST" button. You will be able to enter a number of shares, click "INVEST" and you are done! The appropriate amount of Eaves will be deducted from your Bank balance.

To sell virtual shares, either:

1. Go to the profile page of the profile you own and click SELL button
2. Click on the Portfolio link on your Profile pageto bring up your Portfolio page and choose to Sell from there.

Select the amount of shares to sell. You will be credited with the current share price multiplied by the number of shares, minus the commission (see below).

Yes, you can set Share Price Alerts for any user. Browse to an user's page and click "Price Alerts". You can set an alert for when someone reaches a specific price or drops to a specific price. You will receive an e-mail when those prices are reached. While we endeavor to make sure that all alerts are delivered, Empire Avenue is not responsible if there is a failure in delivery of such a notification.

All share activities, including buying and selling, are subject to an Empire Avenue "Commission" set at 5% for each transaction. Please note this commission can change for various reasons and you should take care to look before you buy or sell.