I remember seeing the plan as a prospect back over a dozen years ago. I remember the speaker talking about how you can capitalize on distribution efficiencies to make money. We as IBOs would simply cut out the middleman and that savings would be psssed onto us as IBOs. In its simplest form, it made sense and there was a misconception passed onto the audience that you will actually save money by ourchasing Amway products. I even remember the speakers saying that even if the whole world signed up for Amway, even the last guy getting in would would have the benefit of saving money. Looking back now, much of it was deception and lies. And to think, people now and back then paid good money for training on how to become, in my opinion, the least efficient manner in which to move products.
In a few weeks, we will enjoy the Superbowl. And as you know, superbowl commercials can cost millions of dollars. But do you know why? It's because hundreds of millions of people across the world are tuned into the superbowl. Companies probably have their best staff working on developing these commercials because they want to leave a lasting impression on their viewers. And it apparently works because people today are still willing to shell out serious coin for these commercials.
Amway IBOs advertise person to person, one person at a time.
What are the chances of an IBO ever moving a significant amount of products or being able to reach out to potential new downline when they prospect person to person, face to face, one at a time? To me, that is the most inefficient manner of expanding business. And let's face it, Amway's rules don't help when you are not supposed to advertise online without special permissions and you are not supposed to sell product on Ebay or Craigslist. With today's technological society, it seems almost crippling to be so inefficient.
And even your beloved uplines, at your expense, run the most inefficient manner of doing business. Who needs voicemail when we have facebook, email, twitter or text messaging? Not to mention the added expense IBOs face by these outdated technologies. Also, with video conferencing, skype, or webcams, why do people need to travel long distances for meetings and functions? The answer is simple, your upline might not want your success, they simply might just want your money. All of the training and motivation is a profit center for upline and modernizing would simply reduce their tool profits.
Try asking that of your upline. Why do we keep using the most expensive and inefficient means of doing business and communicating? I'd be curious to hear that answer.
Up-line won't answer you. They'll simply scream "NEVER QUESTION UP-LINE!"
ReplyDeleteOr they'll give you vague and unclear answers that don't really answer the question.
DeleteI have actually written about utilizing "Kate" short for communiKate, because of my continued frustration with that idea when they were asking me to join. I asked my upline, why would I need Kate if I have a cell phone and e-mail. His response, "It's the most effective way to get your message out to a lot of people quickly." I said, but I can do that with an e-mail and a mailing list. He said, "It's not the same as them being able to hear your voice." To which I said, well if it is that important I would just e-mail my people to come meet me so that we can have a real meeting. Clearly if they need to hear my voice some serious stuff must be happening. He basically didn't have a response to that and shut down saying, "If you don't want to use the tools that's your option, but I can't help you." (i.e. EFF YOU! BUY MY STUFF OR GET OUT!) I have also gone to the Kate support online, and they have basically said our cell phones can do everything Kate can, except fax. I said, why the heck would I care about being able to fax. (side not, this proves Joe's article about utilizing the most sucky and inefficient forms of business and procedures). She said lots of businesses still require fax for notarized documents. None of this actually pertains to this business, and I would still have to go out and get to the post office or wherever to get the darn thing notarized. I then broke down the costs of Kate compared to a very reasonable cell phone plan with internet and the ability to skype. The cell phone plan was close to the same cost and you can definitely find plans that are cheaper. The best part of having a cell phone is that you can COMMUNICATE with ANYONE! You don't have to be in some weird psycho network with only Kate consumers. These tools are absolutely absurd, costly, and ineffective to run a successful business in the 21st century. (See what I did there Kiyosaki?) Oh and I didn't charge a dime for that information...
ReplyDeleteKATE is a big money maker for the diamonds. I beieve the upline diamond gets something like $6 - $10 a month for each subscription. Imagine having 1000 or more downline subscribing. And that's just one money making tool. Add in standing order, book of the month, functions and they are making serious coin off the downline purchases, not to mention they get the lion's share of downline PV generated bonuses.
DeleteUplines are afraid of "modernization." Not only it reduces the flow of money to the upline, uplines are afraid that their deceptive practices will be known to everyone. Uplines are fearful that the truth about their practices will be exposed thanks to mobile internet.
ReplyDeleteI believe the internet has made it impossible for uplines to hide the facts about the business and the tools. I have heard that function venues have gotten smaller, maybe because many people know the scoop on the tool scam.
DeleteThey talked about eliminating the middlemen and something about e-commerce but the reality is that they have more middlemen because the middlemen are the upline's cash cow.
ReplyDeleteAmway has added middlemen to the distribution process. That's why Amway needs to charge such high prices for products, because the IBO bonuses are built into the cost.
DeleteYes, it's totally absurd to drive three hundred miles to an Amway business meeting when skype, video conferencing, and webcams are available at practically no cost at all.
ReplyDeletePart of the motivation for this is up-line's simple fear that if they change Amway procedures in the slightest way, the entire house of cards may collapse. And the way things are going downhill now, your Amway up-line is haunted by this possibility.
But another part of it is the sheer lust to dominate down-line. "Force them to drive! Force them to draw the circles in person! Force them to make travel plans! Force them to spend money on gas and hotels! Amway wasn't easy for us -- why should it be easy for them?"
There are plenty of up-line vermin who think of themselves as drill instructors on Parris Island, making life torture for young Marine recruits, and taking pleasure in doing so.
Yep, I heard the saying that the Amway business is built on inconvenience because in order to make it big, you must be willing to do what others are not. Bunch of BS.
DeleteRemember your upline talking about e-commerce and at the same breath your upline tells you not to go to the internet?
ReplyDeleteThat's plain irony. They don't know that e-commerce is part of the internet system.
That's hilarious! Ecommerce and the internet is the new age medium to sell goods! Oh, but don't go on the internet looking for informatio about Amway before you sign up because there are broke losers wanting you not to join.
DeleteROTFLMAO!
We use Internet tools very well. We are doing social marketing for years even before Facebook came out. However, nothing can replace live meeting , that's why we still have CES not long ago and tons of events a year.
ReplyDeleteI have no idea where you come up that we don't use Internet . I don't know about the voice mail things , we use free commutation , wechat or whatsapp etc. we hold online meeting. We are in fact much steps ahead then a lot of company.
That's m point. You use the internet to place orders but uplines don't want prospects to look for informatio about Amway on the internet because they don't want people finding and reading blogs like this one.
Deleteno , your blog is good information for me. It help me to explain to my downlines two things. One, we don't act as you claim in your blog so we are different. Two , we know how to respond to such questions and back up our answer with real life and real time eve dents.
ReplyDeleteLots of people claim they don't operate unethically, but they still do.
DeleteTrue. you might fool everyone at one time , or someone for all time. But you can't fool everyone all then time. As a business growed for 58 years in more than 100 market , it is a real business . And for our system keep being the biggest system and growing over 100 market , we also proved ourself. Of course , not everyone in our system operate ethically, but most of us do.
ReplyDeleteAmway has tens of millions of former IBOs. There's a good reason for that.
DeleteSome as other business. As I said , many former IBOs become customer. My family use have one join Amway tens ago, then become inactive but still using loc and sa8 for years. She just getting it at retail price from her upline. What's wrong with that ? Once a while she also purchase some other things on and off. Not everyone will be an IBO lifetime, but certainly they can be a long term customer.
ReplyDeleteNothing wrong with customers but most IBOs don't have any.
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