One of the crafty things that some uplines do is basically a bait and switch scam on potential recruits and prospects. During a meeting or a presentation, it's common for the upline to talk about the untold wealth they have as Amway diamonds and how they wake up when they are done sleeping and they do what they want when they want to. That they used to be in the 40-40 plan which is working a job 40 hours a week for 40 years. They they'll mention that they suddenly has a revelation about the business and how they made it happen. But they'll often mention how it started with a dream. They might then ask the prospect what kind of car would they buy if money was not object? Or what kind of home would they own if they could buy one in cash?
So the prospect begins to rekindle some hopes and dreams about some things that may have been suppressed by the realities of life. Most people aren't going to purchase sports cars and mansion in cash afterall right? But hey, maybe, just maybe I can be like that diamond and retire at the age of 28 and have cash rolling in abundantly so I might have all those trappings too. That little spark is what the uplines use to capitalize on the recruits.
So if the recruit gets excited enough to sign up as an IBO, the upline will likely loan the recruit some cds or have them attend a function. But at some point, the new recruit will be asked if they are a serious business owner. If the response is yes, then the bar will be raised and there will be expectations of them. They will be taught that Amway is their only hope and that the only way to succeed in Amway is listen to cds, read books, and attend all meetings and functions. In reality, all that has happened is the new IBO has become a dedicated customer of the upline who sells cds, books, voicemail and seminar/function tickets. And dedicated customers of the "system" are nearly assured to lose money because of those expenditures.
It's a big bait and switch scam. Get someone to think about hopes and dreams, which by itself is not a bad thing. But the sad reality is those kinds of dreams are not realistically achievable. Then the recruit is taught that Amway is their best or only way of achieving those hopes and dreams. And to succeed in Amway, you "need" to purchase the tools and functions. After all, a carpenter can't build anything without a saw and hammer right? But conversely, a carpenter doesn't need a new saw and hammer every week and the ones he does have actually helps him build things. The cds and functions are ineffective as new diamonds and big pins are practically non existent in the United States and Canada. Yeah, there's a few here and there but I believe there are fewer diamonds in my old LOS (WWDB) now than when I was an IBO 17 - 18 years ago. There is no evidence that the tools or the "system" works for IBOs. The system only works for those who profit from it.
I started and maintain this blog for the sole purpose of providing my experiences and knowledge to information seekers. Many many people have found the information on this blog helpful or useful and occasionally, I've had Amway supporters and IBOs come to debate with me. But not a single one has ever come back to tell me they made it to platinum or a higher level. And keep in mind that since 2009, more than 625,000 visitors have seen this blog. If you're a prospect, read all you can if you are considering a run at the Amway business. Ask me questions in the comments or look up my contact information which is on this blog and please make an informed decision if you are thinking about joining Amway. It might be in your best interest to look at facts instead of hype. Good luck.
4 comments:
I nearly got myself sucked into this! I was attending a job fair at my local college to look for some work. I went to a career consulting booth to have my resumé corrected. The person then make some corrections to my resumé and then after that he asks for my number because he will call me if there is an "opportunity". He called few days later stating that we meet at a nearby coffee shop. So, I went to see him and he was there wearing a business attire. He then talks something about e-commerce and e-marketing literature and said about "eliminating the middlemen". After a few minutes, he starts talking about networking because I was looking for jobs and I asked if he can help me through the school portal. He did not want to answer that stating that he will teach me later, he then starts talking about amway as a way and how it is a legit and trusted business. He talks about amway being on BBB and made billions of dollars in sales which to me was irrelevant. He then talks about how I could be financially free in just a short amount of time and gave examples of people retiring at 25 but wouldn't tell his name. He then signs me up right away without my permission and last, he tells me: "Don't tell this to anyone because they will say yeah this and that." After that, I couldn't sleep for nights and my conscience kept on bothering me until I asked for a refund and delete my account.
Thanks to you and Anna Banana for helping me out. Otherwise a dream can turn into a nightmare.
Amway has to be sold as a "bait and switch" proposition, because of the average-to-middling-to-lousy quality of Amway products. Let's face it -- if Amway stuff was in any way competitive with other brands, it wouldn't need to pass down an MLM scheme before reaching customers. Amway isn't about selling products. It's about selling hope and dreams.
Van Andel and De Vos came up with the brilliant racket of selling people on an IDEA and a CONCEPT rather than on an ordinary product. As long as you managed to do this, people wouldn't pay attention to the good or bad points about Amway stuff. Such things were irrelevant in the bigger picture of "having a dream." When you complain to your up-line that you're finding it difficult to sell Amway products to customers, what is their usual response? They say "We've learned that the best way to sell Amway products is to sell The Plan."
That response is a dead giveaway about Amway's basic fraudulence. When your marketing strategy is more important than your product, and when recruitment of salespersons takes the place of actual sales, you're running a scam.
You're welcome. I'm glad the information helped you! The BBB has nothing to do with Amway as a business opportunity. The best way to shut these folks up is to ask them to prove that they actually make money. That's when the stuttering and the excuses begin. Good luck in whatever you aspire to.
I fully agree with your post. Any product that has a real market demand can be on the shelves of retailers and making way more money than through an MLM scam. The Amway supporters cite quality and concentration as a means of justifying their average products but in reality, you can get similar products elsewhere at a fraction of the cost. Only difference is that you won't see "Amway" on the label.
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