Some big companies and some private entrepreneurs have been accused of being "sweat shop owners". This is when they exploit their workers, often in foreign countries by having them work for a very small wage. For example, a foreign operation may have a warehouse full of women and children working all day under poor conditions for a few bucks a day. The owners of these operations can rake in the dough as they save a ton of money in labor costs. There are some big American corporations that have been accused of this.
Some uplines operate just like sweat shop owners, but in many cases, they are worse then sweat shop owners because even exploited workers earn something. At the end of the month, they have a net gain, even if it might be small. In the case of many Amway IBOs, they spend money on Amway products, and uplines take the lion's share of the rebate/bonus that is generated by those sales, and then in turn, these same uplines try to get many of their downline to also become customers of their system of cds, books, voicemail and seminars or functions. In many, probably most cases, uplines will make just as much if not more income from the system, than from Amway. Most downline IBOs would be far more profitable if they simply worked a part time minimum wage job instead of building an Amway Empire.
These same upline will also teach fierce loyalty to the system. Never miss a function. Make sacrifices to buy more books or cds, and make sure you are always looking for people to sponsor to add to the system. Joining the system almost guarantees that you will suffer a net loss in the Amway business. It is why I continue to write about what IBOs and prospects should look for when they are being recruited or indoctrinated into these systems. It is why there are so many defenders of Amway, most of whom are losing money, but think they are still successful because it is what upline teaches. If only the IBOs and prospects could just step back and look at things objectively instead of blindly believing what their upline teaches them.
I know most IBOs won't believe this, but I will say it anyway. IBOs on the system are probably worse off than sweat shop employees because they are paying their upline to do their work. At least sweat shop employees get a smalll salary. Upline will teach you that it is an honor to drive them around, or to do tasks for them. I saw this firsthand and have no doubt that some or all of it exists today. Many platinums works are free doormen and ushers at meetings and functions. Upline benefits by maximizing profits from functions. It is pure downline exploitation and I hope eventually that more and more IBOs will recognize this. It is clear for those who are willing to look at it objectively.
For nearly all, a part time minimum wage job is a better proposition than Amway.
5 comments:
IBO's are paying their upline for edification, they pay for upline advice and they pay for their business tools. What do IBO's get from paying their upline? Abuse and psychological pressure.
Begging for spare change on a well-traveled street corner is better than Amway. You'll get close to one hundred bucks a day, and it's all tax-free.
Staying at home and watching TV is better than Amway. Doing nothing and giving your upline a check for $50 a month is still better than doing Amway.
Let's see... you make little or no money in Amway, you are abused by your up-line, you are forced to buy products you don't need and can't sell.
And yet many people still join Amway, remain fiercely loyal to it for long periods, and shell out cash every month in a losing business. Why?
It's something psychological and beyond normal reason. These idiots are getting SOMETHING from Amway, even if it isn't money.
I venture to suggest the following are their rewards: they get "edified" (something that losers and nerds deeply yearn for); they get a sense of "status" (you can pretend that you're an "Independent Business Owner"); you get a certain amount of friendship and human contact (losers are really addicted to this); and above all else you get FALSE HOPE. You can actually walk around with the illusion that you will eventually become super-rich.
Stuff like this is a lot more important to Amway freaks than mundane profit from a viable business. An ordinary business is about realism and common sense. Amway is about pie-in-the-sky dreaming. And for Amway freaks, pie-in-the-sky dreaming is as addictive as heroin.
IBOs are sold on the idea that life is hard. That Amway is the answer and there is no hope for financial success unless you're in Amway. That and peer pressure are factors in keeping people involved in Amway.
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