One thing that I was unaware of as an IBO was that our uplines were profiting from our tools purchases. I was in WWDB at the time and I was told very clearly that nobody made money from the tools and in fact, I was also told that WWDB was a non profit organization. Both of these statements were bold lies told by WWDB leaders and they have never been held accountable. We were told that upline cared about us and our success, thus they spent their own money to fly to functions to teach us how to succeed.
Eventually, the internet amd other media made it impossible to cover up these lies and uplines funally admitted that they profitted from tools. However, it looks like they downplayed the magnitude of the tools profits. I believe some upline may have made most of their income from tools, especially leaders who may have fallen out of qualification. Now the upline admits they make some profits from tools, but there is still a great deal of secrecy in the tools business. What makes the whole thing ironic is that the uplines allegeldy are not supposed to entice Amway prospects into joining by using the tools money as a draw, but at the same time, they are told that tools are vital to their success.
I wonder how many prospects or IBOs would be fired up about buying tools if they knew that their uplines might not currently be qualified at the level they claim to be, and knowing that the uplines will make a ton of money whether or not you make a cent as an IBO? Also, some uplines are shameless is pushing the tools on downline. Sure they might cut the newest guy a break and loan them some cds, but once that IBO decides to start building downline, they are likely to be told that a real business owner buys their own tools, or that a business owner needs to be a leader and purchase extra tools for their downline.
How would you feel uf your upline is touting themselves as a financial genious but in the background, their homes are foreclosed or they have financial difficulties? What if your upline touts their morals and you find out they are divorced or getting a divorce? What if your upline said Amway saves marriages? Your upline certainly won't say they are perfect, but conversely, they should be held to the highest standards if they are using their status to be able to sell tools and make large profits.
Many prospects and IBOs don't know this, but I hope they take it to heart.
TO ALL PERSONS OUT THERE WHO ARE THINKING OF SIGNING UP AS AN AMWAY DISTRIBUTOR (known now as an "IBO"):
ReplyDelete1) The person trying to recruit you into Amway hasn't the slightest interest in your financial success. His only goal is to sign you up, and then keep you in Amway as a reliable income source for himself.
2) You will spend MUCH MORE MONEY than you think. In fact, as the months progress, you will notice that your membership in Amway will be a growing drain on your finances.
3) You will find it next to impossible to sell Amway products to the general public. Amway forbids you to advertise, to set up a store, or to sell your products by the internet. Therefore most of the products you buy from Amway will have to be self-consumed.
4) Recruiting other persons to be Amway distributors will also be next to impossible. Amway's general reputation here in the United States is now not much higher than that of a Colombian drug cartel. Just mention the name "Amway," and people will back away from you as if you had bubonic plague.
5) There are secret and unrevealed obligations if you are signed up in Amway -- obligations that will never be mentioned to you in the beginning, when you are being recruited. A vast amount of your free time will be swallowed up by mandatory "meetings." You will be expected to attend regularly scheduled "functions," sometimes in far-off locations. You will be compelled to sign up for useless voicemail systems, and most significantly, for endless CDs and books and other propaganda. These things are called business "tools," and they are a major monthly expense.
6) Not-so-subtle pressures will be brought to bear on you -- pressures to change your lifestyle, disassociate from family members and friends, accept certain religious beliefs, adopt a style of dress, and to talk and behave in an "acceptable" manner. There is a strong cultic element in Amway, and it is forced upon all members eventually.
7) You will be coerced into hiding your true feelings at all times, and present a face of happy enthusiasm and positive vibes. Deviation fro this is called "negativity" by Amway, and you will suffer severe chastisement if you are suspected of being "negative."
8) You will be told that lying and deception are perfectly acceptable for luring new persons into the Amway business, and that you should especially lie about your business success, never admitting for an instant that you are not making great sums of money. There is even an Amway saying for this practice: "Fake it till you make it."
9) You are also sternly warned never to talk to, read, or associate with anyone who criticizes Amway in the slightest degree. You are specifically ordered never to consult the internet to find out information about Amway that isn't vetted and approved by the Amway corporation.
10) You are also told to make Amway your total life in every respect. You are to have no activities or interests or concerns outside of the Amway business.
Question: DO YOU REALLY WANT TO BE IN A "BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY" OF THAT NATURE? Think about it. Think about it long and hard.
Good comments! Thanks for sharing those thoughts!
DeleteSpot on!! No wonder that the person who tried to sponsor me has a full smile, charming and has a pleasing personality, very friendly and likes to sing. All for the purpose of concealing the true motive of lovebombing.
DeleteIf you choose not to attend all "functions" then you will get some shit-kicking from upline.
DeleteUpline will praise people who attend because each person who attends is like someone stuffing a hundred dollar bill in upline's pockets. Those who don't go get shamed so they'll "do what it takes" to make the next function.
DeleteThat is the reason why uplines don't want anyone to climb their position. Otherwise, their profit from tools would be shared among these people.
ReplyDeleteYes, for that reason, I believe the uplines would rather see people come in, shine for a while and quit. They make money and nobody to share tool profits with.
DeleteJoe, if you don't want to print my comments anymore just let me know, and I'll cease contributing.
ReplyDeleteWhat comments? I didn't delete any comments. I post all comments, even ones critical of me, unless they are racist or filled with profanity. I accept all comments, for or against. Unless your comment went to my spam folder, which I don't often check.
DeleteI sent a fairly lengthy comment on this particular thread when it first appeared, in the form of a warning to prospective IBOs in Amway. It contained no profanity of any sort.
ReplyDeleteI found your comments in my spam folder. It has been published.
DeleteThank you, Joe.
ReplyDeleteI don't know why it went to spam. I don't really check spam so I didn't know your comments were there.
DeleteAmazing accurate points, Anonymous. A rock solid case against Amway!
ReplyDeleteI know amway defenders will say that Job is a pyramid, you have to be loyal to the boss and to the company and the company decides for your freedom....
ReplyDeleteIn Amway, your upline is just like a boss.
DeleteAnonymous that is a very common fallacy...it is known as the corporate hierarchical fallacy. You can explain it in two different versions. 1. Just because they have the same shape doesn't make them the same...at all. If milk comes in a carton and Whoppers (malt candy balls) come in a carton, are milk and whoppers the same? (Rhetorical question clearly they aren't).
ReplyDelete2. If you are joining a company, do you have to recruit others to move up their tiers and earn higher pay? Does your pay directly reflect the number of people you have below you? The logical answer is no, and that you are paid to do your job and earn promotions/demotions dependent upon your performance at the tasks given. Your job is not based on bringing other people in...
Right, the MLM defenders try to use a corporate hierarchy to defend Amway but what it really does is say corporations are pyramids. But it doesn't excuse Amway as not being a pyramid.
DeleteAs usual, the defenders of Amway use the term "pyramid" in a very loose and ill-defined manner. They are basically saying "Every business structure has some people at the top, and some people at the bottom. Therefore Amway is no different from General Motors."
DeleteThis is simple-minded. But that's what Amway likes to do -- simplify things to a sound-bite level that can be parroted by IBOs.
The crucial element in a true pyramid scheme is the perpetual recruitment of new members to maintain cash flow, and the utter unimportance of selling products. The "retail" side of a pyramid just uses the products as a fig leaf to mask recruitment.
In a real business that isn't a pyramid scheme, the selling of products to the general public is paramount. That's the difference.
Agreed. What makes the pyramid scheme determination difficult is that the FTC doesn't have a clear cut definition. If you look at the FTC's red flags, Amway has all of them but escaped being shut down because of the bogus rule that prevents inventory loading, requires retail sales and refund policy. The rules that Amway never bothered enforcing, such as the retail sales rule.
DeleteIt was very common. and might still be for IBOs to be taught "buy from yourself, no sales needed".
Telling potential recruits that they don't need to make sales is just a quick-fix method of developing a down-line. People will be more apt to sign up if they don't have to worry about retail sales.
DeleteYes, most people do not enjoy selling so that makes the pitch easier. Just buy your own stuff and sponsor others who do the same. But your "store" doesn't make money when you don't sell products. This is what people miss.
DeleteThey don't need to make sales because amway products itself are a tough sell.
ReplyDeleteYes, $50 for a case of bottled water, $80 for a one month supply of double x vitamins, etc.
Delete