I know Amway defenders will talk about some of the sales they make, and that's fine and good, but when I look at the kinds of sales they make, it is usually insignificant. I recently read some comments that sort of made me laugh. A prospect apparently was invited to an Amway recruitment meeting by a friend, and out of courtesy, sat through the presentation (which nobody else attended) and politely declined to register. The commenter went on to say that after the meeting, he felt sorry for his friend and purchased something off of his friend's IBO website, and it felt like making a charitable contribution. Makes me wonder since Amway's products are mostly consumed by IBOs themselves and I believe less than 5% of Amway good actually made it into the hands of a non IBO customer. Even those who subscribe to Amway teaching may have heard how you should find yourself 10 customers. Now ask yourself what store can survive having only 10 customers?
But I wonder out of the tiny amount of IBO retail sales, how many of those sales are basically charitable contributions made to IBOs by family and friends who simply feel sorry for their acquainted IBO? When I first declined to join Amway under my eventual sponsor, they did ask me to buy some of their goods. But being a single male, my age group demographic didn't really match me with the products they were pushing. If I remember correctly, I ended up buying the liquid Amway car wax. While the car wax worked as well as the other leading brands, I recall that I paid about $12 for it back in 1995 or so. I can currently get a jumbo sized bottle od Nu-Finish or Astroshield liquid car wax for $8.99 at Target or other local retailers, and at times, the store puts them on special sales for $5.99. So basically, I am getting about twice as much car wax for the price if I purchase my car wax on a store special. I know Amway zealots will want to compare the price with an online source but as I said, I make my purchase in person and wait for store soecials which occurs every couple of months.
I know at times, I have seen other family and friends involved in MLM. And while I was once there, I now see their attempts as somewhat pathetic, especially when they are basically walking the same path I did about 12 years ago as an IBO. I do not discourage them, but simply decline to see their plan or register as a downline. I have at times, also made charitable contributions to some friends who had become involved in MLM. If nothing else, just to be supportive of a friend. Ultimately, these MLM friends eventually figured things out on their own and quit as I did. Some of them follow my blog and some just quietly faded into the sunset. They do not run an informative blog as I do, but not everyone can or will. (Sound familar?)
However, after reading the comments about the polite friend who bought an Amway product from a friend, I have to wonder whether IBOs are making true retail sales or merely receiving charitable contributions from friends and family in the form of Amway product purchases?
The sales will only be relevant if you are the owner and/or heir and/or shareholder of the company.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas, Joecool!!
Merry Christmas to all, even all Amway IBOs!
DeleteIf Amway had the slightest chance of selling its goods competitively to the general public, Amway would just open up a chain of stores and start retailing the stuff. But they don't do that.
ReplyDeleteWhy not? Simple -- they'd be blown out of the water by Procter and Gamble and the other big-name companies. So quite naturally they depend on "pity" purchases from family members and friends who want to be helpful and supportive to individual IBOs. But there's no way in hell you can run a profitable business on "pity" purchases.
The dirty secret of Amway is that the products are really of no importance whatsoever. The only important thing is "The Plan," and showing it to as many gullible jerks as possible.
This is why a number of big wheels in Amway have quit the business without missing a beat, and have switched over effortlessly to Monavie or some other MLM scam. Have they all of a sudden lost faith in Amway soap suds, and become enamored of fruit juice? Not at all -- the issue is not what junk you're selling, but what kind of a scam you can run on your trusting down-line.
So the "pity" purchases hardly matter one way or another. The key to success in Amway is simply to move junk down-line as a cover, and keep all the various fees and charges and other payments coming up to you, steadily and unquestioningly. You might then pull it off and be a success. But you'll also be a criminal.
IMO, the products are only there so upline can sell tools such as books, cds, functions and other materials.
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