Comments on: JLP’s Question(s) of the Day http://allfinancialmatters.com/2006/03/06/jlps-questions-of-the-day/ A personal finance blog dedicated to discussing such topics as budgeting, asset allocation, 401K, IRA, cash flow, insurance, financial planning, portfolio management, and other areas in personal finance. Fri, 20 Nov 2009 19:56:44 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: Paul http://allfinancialmatters.com/2006/03/06/jlps-questions-of-the-day/comment-page-1/#comment-60679 Paul Sat, 06 Jan 2007 02:55:02 +0000 http://allthingsfinancialblog.com/2006/03/06/jlps-questions-of-the-day/#comment-60679 I've written a couple of posts about my experience in Amway here http://extremeperspective.blogspot.com/2007/01/is-quixtar-amway-bad-business.html and here http://extremeperspective.blogspot.com/2006/12/network-marketing-amway.html I'm not involved in Amway nor have been for over 15 years. However, I think all the comments here are off-base. None of the commmenters or JLP has taken the time to investigate the quality of this business nor the value of the products. MLM's take a lot of work but so does any good business. My sense is that the price of entry is too cheap for most to take it seriously. Hence most simply dismiss the opportunity when they encounter their first small pebble. I’ve written a couple of posts about my experience in Amway
here
http://extremeperspective.blogspot.com/2007/01/is-quixtar-amway-bad-business.html

and here
http://extremeperspective.blogspot.com/2006/12/network-marketing-amway.html

I’m not involved in Amway nor have been for over 15 years. However, I think all the comments here are off-base. None of the commmenters or JLP has taken the time to investigate the quality of this business nor the value of the products.

MLM’s take a lot of work but so does any good business. My sense is that the price of entry is too cheap for most to take it seriously. Hence most simply dismiss the opportunity when they encounter their first small pebble.

]]> By: Carol http://allfinancialmatters.com/2006/03/06/jlps-questions-of-the-day/comment-page-1/#comment-2099 Carol Wed, 08 Mar 2006 23:27:31 +0000 http://allthingsfinancialblog.com/2006/03/06/jlps-questions-of-the-day/#comment-2099 I have a joined a few MLM companies in the past, mostly as favors to friends. The only one I joined on it's own merits was Pre-Paid Legal which I still believe strongly in. I literally sought them out and ask about marketing opportunities after the service was presented to me. It is not my full time business, but I do still sell memberships when I see the need and I make residual income on memberships from several years ago. The thing I hate about most MLM is all the hype and empty promises. Some Pre-Paid meetings are like that but I ignore it and appreciate the service and what it does for me and my customers. I have a joined a few MLM companies in the past, mostly as
favors to friends. The only one I joined on it’s own merits was
Pre-Paid Legal which I still believe strongly in. I literally
sought them out and ask about marketing opportunities after
the service was presented to me.
It is not my full time business, but I do still sell memberships
when I see the need and I make residual income on memberships from
several years ago.
The thing I hate about most MLM is all the hype and empty promises.
Some Pre-Paid meetings are like that but I ignore it and appreciate
the service and what it does for me and my customers.

]]> By: MLM Blog http://allfinancialmatters.com/2006/03/06/jlps-questions-of-the-day/comment-page-1/#comment-2098 MLM Blog Wed, 08 Mar 2006 22:31:44 +0000 http://allthingsfinancialblog.com/2006/03/06/jlps-questions-of-the-day/#comment-2098 I have never heard of Al Williams and Quixtar is an outright scam in my opinion. It's funny. Most people know other people in Network Marketing and most people (like me) have an impression that most people do not make any money. However, most people also have no idea why. Some folks would make money in any business of this type, but the average person will not make money with a company that is flawed. Pick a % 90%+ of MLM companies are flawed. Find the % that are not flawed and [put in a reasonable effort and you would turn a profit. I have never heard of Al Williams and Quixtar is an outright scam in my opinion.

It’s funny. Most people know other people in Network Marketing and most people (like me) have an impression that most people do not make any money. However, most people also have no idea why.

Some folks would make money in any business of this type, but the average person will not make money with a company that is flawed. Pick a % 90%+ of MLM companies are flawed. Find the % that are not flawed and [put in a reasonable effort and you would turn a profit.

]]> By: Cathy http://allfinancialmatters.com/2006/03/06/jlps-questions-of-the-day/comment-page-1/#comment-2093 Cathy Wed, 08 Mar 2006 18:31:06 +0000 http://allthingsfinancialblog.com/2006/03/06/jlps-questions-of-the-day/#comment-2093 There's an interesting book called Multiple Streams of Income that did a nice job discussing the pros and cons of an MLM. I think if you pick a good company, it can be a terrific business but the product has to be something you really believe in. Incidentally, my mom did Amway when I was growing up but hasn't been very active for years and still makes a decent amount of spending money (20 years later). There’s an interesting book called Multiple Streams of Income that did a nice job discussing the pros and cons of an MLM. I think if you pick a good company, it can be a terrific business but the product has to be something you really believe in. Incidentally, my mom did Amway when I was growing up but hasn’t been very active for years and still makes a decent amount of spending money (20 years later).

]]> By: Stuart http://allfinancialmatters.com/2006/03/06/jlps-questions-of-the-day/comment-page-1/#comment-2074 Stuart Tue, 07 Mar 2006 05:01:24 +0000 http://allthingsfinancialblog.com/2006/03/06/jlps-questions-of-the-day/#comment-2074 I'm a fan of the system that is MLM. Theoretically it's an incredible process of moving products to the end consumer and each distributor is able to make a percentage of their sales along the way. Unfortunately, the human element usually fails this and the people selling the company eg. Amway, Herbalife etc can sometimes be cheesy, pushy and damnright rude. Have an open opinion and check it out properly before getting involved in any business proposition. NB. I am not in any way part of any MLM anymore though I did do Omegatrend for 3 years in my late teens/ early twenties. I’m a fan of the system that is MLM. Theoretically it’s an incredible process of moving products to the end consumer and each distributor is able to make a percentage of their sales along the way.

Unfortunately, the human element usually fails this and the people selling the company eg. Amway, Herbalife etc can sometimes be cheesy, pushy and damnright rude.

Have an open opinion and check it out properly before getting involved in any business proposition.

NB. I am not in any way part of any MLM anymore though I did do Omegatrend for 3 years in my late teens/ early twenties.

]]> By: Tim Freund http://allfinancialmatters.com/2006/03/06/jlps-questions-of-the-day/comment-page-1/#comment-2073 Tim Freund Tue, 07 Mar 2006 04:12:13 +0000 http://allthingsfinancialblog.com/2006/03/06/jlps-questions-of-the-day/#comment-2073 I was approached by Quixtar people twice. The first time I even went to one of their free meetings before I realized that it didn't feel right at all. The second time around I recognized all of the names and quickly let them know that I was not interested. I know they say it isn't a pyramid, but it feels enough like a pyramid that I don't like it. Being an "IBO" (Independent Business Owner) in my opinion adds no value to the people who actually purchase the products, and I hate how they refer to the savings one receives on their own purchases as income. I was approached by Quixtar people twice. The first time I even went to one of their free meetings before I realized that it didn’t feel right at all. The second time around I recognized all of the names and quickly let them know that I was not interested. I know they say it isn’t a pyramid, but it feels enough like a pyramid that I don’t like it. Being an “IBO” (Independent Business Owner) in my opinion adds no value to the people who actually purchase the products, and I hate how they refer to the savings one receives on their own purchases as income.

]]> By: m@ http://allfinancialmatters.com/2006/03/06/jlps-questions-of-the-day/comment-page-1/#comment-2071 m@ Tue, 07 Mar 2006 03:44:29 +0000 http://allthingsfinancialblog.com/2006/03/06/jlps-questions-of-the-day/#comment-2071 I was a Tupperware "Lady" (interesting since my name is Matt). I cleaned up. The novelty of having a man demo Tupperware (and cooking for the mostly female audience at parties) was a great selling point. It was my ex's 'business' so when we split up I quit doing it. I was a Tupperware “Lady” (interesting since my name is Matt). I cleaned up. The novelty of having a man demo Tupperware (and cooking for the mostly female audience at parties) was a great selling point. It was my ex’s ‘business’ so when we split up I quit doing it.

]]> By: Flexo http://allfinancialmatters.com/2006/03/06/jlps-questions-of-the-day/comment-page-1/#comment-2069 Flexo Tue, 07 Mar 2006 01:22:57 +0000 http://allthingsfinancialblog.com/2006/03/06/jlps-questions-of-the-day/#comment-2069 A former boss "strongly suggested" I attend a Landmark Education seminar with him. What a load of sheep. A former boss “strongly suggested” I attend a Landmark Education seminar with him. What a load of sheep.

]]> By: Tim http://allfinancialmatters.com/2006/03/06/jlps-questions-of-the-day/comment-page-1/#comment-2067 Tim Tue, 07 Mar 2006 01:10:18 +0000 http://allthingsfinancialblog.com/2006/03/06/jlps-questions-of-the-day/#comment-2067 I was asked to join an MLM where you had to buy stuff from a catalog (normal house stuff & consumer elections, etc.) and you would (hopefully) get a certain percentage of the money back. You were supposed to make money by getting other people to sign up to do the same thing. I think the company was called AmWay. It was totally cheesy. About a year later I watched a feature on 60 minutes or 20/20 about how they were basically scamming people because the founders and big money makers made their money from selling motivational books and seminars - not the products in the catalog. I was asked to join an MLM where you had to buy stuff from a catalog (normal house stuff & consumer elections, etc.) and you would (hopefully) get a certain percentage of the money back. You were supposed to make money by getting other people to sign up to do the same thing. I think the company was called AmWay. It was totally cheesy. About a year later I watched a feature on 60 minutes or 20/20 about how they were basically scamming people because the founders and big money makers made their money from selling motivational books and seminars – not the products in the catalog.

]]> By: MoneyDummy http://allfinancialmatters.com/2006/03/06/jlps-questions-of-the-day/comment-page-1/#comment-2066 MoneyDummy Tue, 07 Mar 2006 00:19:58 +0000 http://allthingsfinancialblog.com/2006/03/06/jlps-questions-of-the-day/#comment-2066 I'm profoundly ashamed to admit that I joined Mary Kay. There's not much to say about it except ---dang, that was stupid. I’m profoundly ashamed to admit that I joined Mary Kay. There’s not much to say about it except
—dang, that was stupid.

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