Monday, July 15, 2013

Returning Amway Tools?

When I was recruited into Amway, one of the catch phrases was that you are now a business owner. It sounds cool to be a business owner, but in reality, it appears that IBOs are simply salesmen for Amway who are afforded no guaranteed wage or any fringe benefits. In fact, many Amway salesmen do Amway a favor and go out recruiting other salesmen for Amway without any compensation. It makes sense though, because to attain levels of significance, you need to have downline. While it is possible (but nearly impossible) to reach platinum and even ruby without downline, any levels higher will require you to have downline.

So as an Amway salesman, you have no minimum sales requirement. That may seem like a good thing but many uplines will impose a defacto 100 PV requirement for "serious" IBOs. If you are planning to sponsor someone, your upline will likely tell you that your donwline will duplicate your efforts, therefore the 100 PV "requirement". 100 PV will cost about $300. While it is possible to sell some products, it would seem that most IBOs simply buy their own goods and do not sell to non IBOs. It's puzzling to me that so many IBOs argue about Amway's superior quality of products, yet so few former IBOs continue to use Amway products at all once they are not IBOs and even those that do, would rarely ever attain 100 PV. So much for that argument.

What many IBOs do not realize is that their upline diamonds are also salesmen. In addition to moving Amway volume, they will be selling you voicemail, standing orders, premiere club, functions, book of the month. All of these materials brings in a higher profit margin than Amway products. Thus it would only make sense that your upline salesmen would want to sell tools more than Amway products because it has more profit. Where this gets shady is when your upline tells you that they have your best interest at heart or that you virtually cannot succeed without these tools. Imagine your reaction if a vacuum cleaner salesman told you that he has your best interest at heart and that you cannot possibly clean your home without his vacuum. In an odd way, that is exactly what is happening when you purchase tools from upline. What's even worse is that the tools rarely ever work out for the IBOs who buy them. What if you bought a vacuum that didn't work? You would return it for a refund. What if the salesman said you can't return it because you used it?

I find it odd that IBOs accept this BS from upline. That you can only return unused tools. You should be able to return a product because it didn't work! Did that standing order actually help you to sponsor new people? Did you sell more products because you attended a function? Whether a tool is used or unused should not matter. You should be able to get a full refund if the tools didn't work. If not, IBOs who cannot return tools should complain to Amway and the better business bureau, and file formal complaints. Many IBOs simply quit and walk away, giving the tool sellers a break. If the tools don't work, you should return them on that basis and demand a refund. I challenge IBOs and former IBOs to do this.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am not an Ibo for Amway but have a few friends that are. First off it sounds like you think that Amway is a get rich quick scheme, when in fact it is not. Secondly do you really think that millionaire's got where they are by themselves? If you do, your sadly mistaken. Anyone that wants to have wealth in there life has help from others. There might not be a minimum requirement for your sales because it is your business, if you don't work and sell stuff you don't get paid, simple as that. Your uplines are telling you to get a minimum of 100pv to set a goal for you, they went forcing you to do anything. You know why? Because its your business. Any Ibo that is serious about building there own business would buy there own product simply because its there business and they should live what they do. Lets say you had a fishing shop, would you buy hooks and bate from your store or someone else's? As far as tools to help you with developing your skills as an Ibo l, you shouldn't have to buy them from your uplines because you can buy them from yourself, not to mention scene you are an Ibo its a tax Wright off at the end of the year as a business expense along with anything else you buy for you business, this includes all your products, gas to and from meetings, tickets for conventions, even baby sitters for your kids, the list goes on. Also there is a 180 day money back guarantee on all products and tools even if you use it all to the last drop. If your aren't satisfied you have 180 days to return it.

To joecool,
I am sorry that you had a bad experience, being an Ibo can be had as can owning or starting your own business. Most new businesses don't turn a profit for the first 2 years which means you wouldn't get a pay check for over 2 years. That is why being an Ibo with Amway is hard because if you don't posses what it takes to keep going then you will never succeed in any aspect of your life. I am truly sorry for you and wish you the best of luck with anything you do. But please don't take your anger on a business, after all its not even alive. Instead take account of your own action because in the end your in control of your own life.

Best of luck,
-an unemployed person-

Joecool said...

Hi there!

Amway's not get rich quick or get rich slow. Amway's opportunity usually results in people losing money. Did I have a bad experience? I didn't make money even though I did everything upline advised. Businesses don't profit for two years? But that's not how Amway is presented. They talk about low overhead and the ability to earn some money pretty quickly. The 2-5 year plan is a plan to go diamond. That's pretty quick don't you think?

I'm not taking my "anger" out on anyone. I just want people to know that the Amway business doesn't work for about 99.9% of people and prospects should know that if they are going to sign up because that's not how the business is presented. It's presented as "simple" and achievable.

Anonymous said...

This "I'm not an IBO but my friends are" is hilarious. Yes, you clearly are. You have all your words twisted in just the right way (how was conference this weekend? Or was it last?).
Anon, when you make these same tired arguements we've read over and over, you only prove anti-MLMers more and more correct.
A. No, millionaires get some help, bit they certainly aren't guided by the hand like, well, IBOs
B. 100pv is the minimum to get paid right? And for them to get paid from you?
C. As for the taxes, you can't completely write these things off. Visit an accountant, before you hurt yourself (no, billy who works at the movie theater in your upline doesn't count)
D. New businesses that start at a loss for 2 years had high start up costs. IBOs have little to no start up cost, or so they say.
E. Many people, who have what it takes, will quit out of a poor opportunity, and be more effective back in the REAL world. The people who "have what it takes" to become wealthy in this game you are playing, are making more money doing something else.

You run about like a bunch of teenagers selling charm bracelets. Telling yourselves you'll all be millionaires. Eventually, you run out of string and have better things to do with your time.

I feel sorry for you, because, in the end, you will have to retake control of your life.

Anonymous said...

+1