Thursday, July 12, 2012

Playing The Amway "Game"?

One thing my sponsor often told the group was that many of us were "playing" Amway. What he meant was that many people can listen to a tape or CD every day, read a success book 15-30 minutes each day, attend all the functions, use and/or sell 100 PV or more each month, but never make progress in the business. Basically what he was saying was unless you are showing the plan and sponsoring downline, you are just playing Amway. And while I agree, I honestly believe that most IBOs simply "play" Amway.

They can do most of the CORE steps such as listening to standing orders or cds each day. They can read every day and attend all the functions. They can even use and sell Amway products. But because of previous IBO behavior, many people cannot get anyone to see the plan, let alone sponsor others. Seems like everyone (at least in the US and Canada) know of someone who was lied to, or tricked into attending an Amway meeting. This alone has given Amway a shady reputation and just the mention of the name Amway can send people running. I was tricked into a meeting once, and as an IBO, I saw people get up, cuss and leave the meeting because they were lied to or tricked into attending a meeting based on the curiosity approach.

I do not believe that IBOs in general are dishonest or deceitful. I believe that most of them are probably motivated, wanting more in life, and hard working. But they are taught to duplicate or copy their uplines. I believe it is some of the tenured leaders who teach bad business practices that are duplicated and spreads a bad reputation like an infectious disease. I believe that because of this, Amway's North American sales tanked and now they don't even report the North American sales seperately from Global sales.

When you stop and take a deep breath, you see the signs of weakness and the chinks in the armor of the once untouchable and "divine" diamonds. We see diamonds suing other diamonds and Amway. We see diamonds losing their homes to foreclosure (so much for paying cash). A triple diamond was in chapter 7 bankruptcy and hoards of diamonds leaving their LOS along with their "awesome" mentors and lifelong friends to form their own LOS. Why is this happening? I believe it is because of greed. Why else would you leave a "mentor" and "lifelong friend" to start your own LOS? It's all about the money.

Sadly, while all of this goes on, most IBOs come and go, lose money and "play Amway" along the way. It truly saddens me that this has gone on for so long, and it looks like (in my opinion), that my former LOS, WWDB, seems to have been the worst of the bunch with no apparent improvement in the last 15 years or so.

You can "play Amway" hard, but you most likely won't make enough net profit to buy a value meal a McDonald's. Of course you are welcome to prove me wrong.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I have been following this blog for some time now (possibly the day since I had the guts to quit my mentor for my family's well being). Even though I had a different system to follow, all routine is just duplicate across. In terms of people joining it is never going to stop, or even reduce because of the present world economic scenario. And after all, these guys are masters of jargons and analogies built over five decades of cult enforcement. And their model of 'not to worry about small investments in tools' will always keep them going. But the reality is larger percentage of the people lose money for small fraction and it just goes on. I do not know if you have read business reference guide (available on my blog as well in Amway US website) it is almost impossible to make money any money through 'this busines' (do not use the word Amway!)

Joecool said...

Thanks for the comments. I'm glad this blog served to help give you useful information.

Anonymous said...

I build businesses... I was 'duped' to an Amway meeting saying it was an 'entraprenurial' meeting... even 15 minutes into the first speaker's jargon, I was still believing that this 'duo' had built an online business themselves... the word 'Amway' only came up after about 30minutes and I began to feel sorry for the duo. They were talking about 1st class flights, etc but they had 'driven' to the meeting and was staying with 'friends'. I wonder if these people believe the lie or are simply decietful... I am sure Amway makes all those billions they claim... but how many millions are suckered into paying $170 (or whatever) to join and buy a bunch of stuff they don't need? Isn't this world a sad place when people (especially in USA/Canada and now apparently in places like India, Africa) pry on the desperate situations of human beings?

Anonymous said...

To add further.. I contemplated paying the $170 just help these people out... but then I realized that it will be Amway that makes the bulk of it... I plan to find another way to help this duo and my 'introducer' in some other way... I must say that I have a lot of respect for people who beg on the streets and I always stop my car and make a donation. I would resort to begging that be an MLM promoter!