Seen the new Amway Commercials? (credit card, buy, sell, companies)

[GeminiGal]

Normally I don't watch a lot of TV, especially on weekends. I was quite alarmed to find that Amway (Quixtar) is airing a variety of commercials - one promoting their kids vitamins and another regarding their "business." I mentioned this to a friend as well and he had heard they were also airing commercials in China as well.

I don't really know what to think: Are they ...
a) Finally giving up and coming "out" so to speak?
b) Preying on Americans as they face hard financial times?
c) Tapping into global market looking for new victims?
d) All of the above

Needless to say I'm not a fan and I've known a couple (too many) folks that have been in the "business".

Has anyone else seen the commercials? Any thoughts?

[Dave1215]

Not sure which it is, but interesting to see that they finally admit they and Quixtar are one and the same... I know many folks that are "in the business" and while you could get them to say Quixtar you could never get them to say Amway... Was that Amway not wanting to admit they were Quixtar or was it Quixtar not wanting to admit they were Amway - either way the people "in the business" generally didn't want to admit either - it was just "their business".

They do have some good products and if you are not one to shop for deals you can get some good prices, but their schemes to get folks to buy-in generally feeds off of those that think they will get rich like their diamond. If those poor folks put the same effort into a real career the odds of getting ahead financially are so much more. Don't look at the diamond on the team, look at the general population on the team. If you are not a natural sales/marketing person who thrives in a pure sales enviornment, don't get sucked in with the idea of being the next diamond.

[Well Informed]

[SIZE=2]If anyone told you that Quixtar and Amway weren't affiliated, the individual mislead you, not the company. Alticor owns Quixtar and Amway and have always been honest about those relationships. In all reality IBOs (Independent Business Owners) are NOT in Amway or Quixtar. They are supplied by those companies. Any business that has products to offer has suppliers. Quixtar/Amway is our exclusive product supplier in addition to our almost 700 affiliate partner suppliers. It looks like you were misinformed and unfortunately had a bad people experience. I am sure you are mature enough to see the difference between a people experience and a business experience. The business is solid and can be a powerful vehicle to achieve success or disappointing depending who you are in business with. In addition to that - Every Diamond started at zero just like every new IBO. Every IBO has the ability to build as big or as small of a business as the are willing to build. There is one reason that most don't succeed in this business and that's because it easier not to. Its human nature to gravitate to the least level of commitment. Those that succeed in this business are the one's that are willing to commit to the process. This business works 100% of the time if you work it! If you didn't succeed, don't blame the company. You know who's to blame. [/SIZE]

[broadbill]

Originally Posted by Well Informed

[SIZE=2]If anyone told you that Quixtar and Amway weren't affiliated, the individual mislead you, not the company. Alticor owns Quixtar and Amway and have always been honest about those relationships. In all reality IBOs (Independent Business Owners) are NOT in Amway or Quixtar. They are supplied by those companies. Any business that has products to offer has suppliers. Quixtar/Amway is our exclusive product supplier in addition to our almost 700 affiliate partner suppliers. It looks like you were misinformed and unfortunately had a bad people experience. I am sure you are mature enough to see the difference between a people experience and a business experience. The business is solid and can be a powerful vehicle to achieve success or disappointing depending who you are in business with. In addition to that - Every Diamond started at zero just like every new IBO. Every IBO has the ability to build as big or as small of a business as the are willing to build. There is one reason that most don't succeed in this business and that's because it easier not to. Its human nature to gravitate to the least level of commitment. Those that succeed in this business are the one's that are willing to commit to the process. This business works 100% of the time if you work it! If you didn't succeed, don't blame the company. You know who's to blame. [/SIZE]

This is typical MLM propaganda. Anyone with two brain cells and a couple of minutes on their hands can figure out why these programs are a rip-off. I could go on and on about uplines/downlines, about the only way an IBO can make any money is having to recruit other members (to sell the same product!), etc.,etc.

What most people don't realize is that its the IBO that IS the customer! They pay their membership dues, they buy their starter kits, they are encouraged to buy the same Amway products they are selling, they buy the stupid motivational tapes/books, they attend the business meeting because their upline tells them it necessary for them to move up the ladder in "the business". This is how Away makes their money.

The IBO absorbs all of this overhead cost just to sell energy drinks and vitamins you could buy at Walmart for 1/3 of the price.

Seriously, how is this a solid business model? (Maybe for Amway, but not for the IBO)

That, ladies and gentleman is why Amway is a rip-off.

[AtlanticHomeland]

I have my version of Amway at work. We are under pressure to push credit cards on our customers. I see it as a never-ending pyramid to keep a Ponzi-like credit card usury interest rate scheme going.

[broadbill]

Originally Posted by AtlanticHomeland

I have my version of Amway at work. We are under pressure to push credit cards on our customers. I see it as a never-ending pyramid to keep a Ponzi-like credit card usury interest rate scheme going.

It would be a pyramid scheme if you sold those credit cards to your customers who were then encouraged to go out and sell those same credit cards to other customers and so on.

And, when ever a customers in your "down-line" sold a credit card, you would get cut of the sale (good for you). You would also have to give a cut of that sale to the guy who originally sold you your credit card (your "up-line")..even better for him!

That is gist of a pyramid scheme...who gets screwed? The guy at the bottom! Heres the kicker....YOU ARE ALL SELLING THE SAME THING!!!! Now you have a bunch of folks in a given geographical location (because who does MLMs encourage you to recruit into "the business"...your family and friends)...all hawking the same junk. Junk you could buy cheaper and of similar quality at places like Walmart.

Compared to the pyramid scheme...Don't feel bad selling credit cards...at least with credit cards, federal laws require that terms and conditions be sent with them. Although people might not use credit cards responsibly...at least they have been notified of their potential hazards...

[montanamom]

AtlanticHomeland:

WOW! I find you post EXTREMELY interesting. Do you and I work at the same place perhaps?

I continue to marvel at the intensity of which we are being pressured at my place of business to intice customers to let us process credit card applications on their behalf. This, in spite of the current economic downturn that is causing so many consumers to get behind, or default on their credit card balances and lines of credit.

Could you please explain your "never-ending pyramid" Ponzi-like, interest rate scheme theory? In simple layman's terms? Maybe it would better help me to understand what is going on.

As a retailer, I understand the importance of credit to our business. Some customers are actually thankful to get the card. But getting these applications never used to be the be-all, end-all top priority that is today. We are literally POUNDED with this "Get the Credit Apps" daily, and jobs are threatened when quotas are not met. Sales and good customer service seem to be incidental and low in priority now compared to getting these credit applications from customers, approved or not. I know we are not the only retailer pushing this relentlessly. I guess I just don't get the driving force behind it, and haven't been able to find a clear answer on the internet.

Perhaps you can provide the "enlightenment" I need!

[AtlanticHomeland]

Originally Posted by montanamom

AtlanticHomeland:

WOW! I find you post EXTREMELY interesting. Do you and I work at the same place perhaps?

I continue to marvel at the intensity of which we are being pressured at my place of business to intice customers to let us process credit card applications on their behalf. This, in spite of the current economic downturn that is causing so many consumers to get behind, or default on their credit card balances and lines of credit.

Could you please explain your "never-ending pyramid" Ponzi-like, interest rate scheme theory? In simple layman's terms? Maybe it would better help me to understand what is going on.

As a retailer, I understand the importance of credit to our business. Some customers are actually thankful to get the card. But getting these applications never used to be the be-all, end-all top priority that is today. We are literally POUNDED with this "Get the Credit Apps" daily, and jobs are threatened when quotas are not met. Sales and good customer service seem to be incidental and low in priority now compared to getting these credit applications from customers, approved or not. I know we are not the only retailer pushing this relentlessly. I guess I just don't get the driving force behind it, and haven't been able to find a clear answer on the internet.

Perhaps you can provide the "enlightenment" I need!

All I know is my supervisor is using strong-arm tactics to remind us we are not meeting goals of signing up card-holders. He is getting nasty in some ways. A very unsettling feeling. It is as if the company's priority is to get its customers on an interest paying pit. They want us to sell product but they are tabulating the card sign-ups per each employee. They do not track whether we have sold $X in product.

I think it boils down to interest payments. Just like when people pay off their credit cards in full every month and get called "dead-beat" by the card industry, card companies want people to never payoff their card and keep having service the interest accumulation. It is a matter of the company getting an income flow. I think it is wrong. Having your customer provide your profit based upon the idea that they have this interest payment is a decades old dilemma in the making.

[bassholic]

AMWAY has a professional basketball stadium

[Tightwad]

A bad deal by any other name is still a bad deal.