Amway

[janainaz]

Originally Posted by Bess

Well, I've known some VERY involved, VERY busy Amway people throughout my life and *none* of them were wealthy. In fact, it seemed as though all their money went right back into Amway (products/meetings/conferences, etc.). It's very sad.

I've seen the same thing. In addition, I've seen people brainwashed. Some friends of ours were all wrapped up in it and all we could do was to sit back and wait for them to learn for themselves.

[Ellie]

Originally Posted by KidsHappen

This is the only thing in my entire 18 year marriage that seriously threatened it. I have absolutely nothing good to say about Amway and honestly this is the closest thing I have ever seen to cult behavior in my life and I have seen a lot of weird stuff including an actual commune in Germany.

I'm sorry you had that experience. Mine was different; Mr. Ellie and I count our time of activity in our Amway group as one of the most productive and postive-life-changing in our 35yr marriage, even though we were way too lazy to work hard. Although I have ocassionally met Amway folks who remind me of Billy Bob or whoever that guy is who sells stuff on TV, lol, we mostly knew people--on all levels--who were compassionate, responsible, full of integrity, wanting only to help us to reach our goals, whatever those goals were.

[MeanestMomInMidwest]

I have used some Amway products that I like, but people who hoodwinked me into coming to their house "for dinner" and then launched into a presentation were fanatics. I do not like fanatics of any ilk, regardless of what they're fanatical about, fanaticism itself scares me.

Of course, I have not met every person who has ever sold Amway, so my experience is, of course, limited.

[Kelli in TN]

Originally Posted by MeanestMomInMidwest

I have used some Amway products that I like, but people who hoodwinked me into coming to their house "for dinner" and then launched into a presentation were fanatics. I do not like fanatics of any ilk, regardless of what they're fanatical about, fanaticism itself scares me.

Of course, I have not met every person who has ever sold Amway, so my experience is, of course, limited.

I have met some non-fanatics who sold Amway but they never made any money and they only lasted a few months to a year. All of the ones I met that stayed with the company were scary fanatics. Of course I have not met all of the Amway dealers in the world so I can draw no logical conclusion that they are all fanatics. Perhaps someday I will meet one who is not a fanatic and still stays with the company long term and actually makes some money.

[Ellie]

Originally Posted by Kelli in TN

I have met some non-fanatics who sold Amway but they never made any money and they only lasted a few months to a year. All of the ones I met that stayed with the company were scary fanatics. Of course I have not met all of the Amway dealers in the world so I can draw no logical conclusion that they are all fanatics. Perhaps someday I will meet one who is not a fanatic and still stays with the company long term and actually makes some money.

My sponsors were friends from church (the wife made my wedding dress). They have made money, have been in the business for over 30 years, and are not scarey fanatics (other than to be thankful for what the business has done for them). I know many others who have made money, are not scarey fanatics, and have stayed with the business for many years.

Mr. Ellie and I aren't fanatics, and have also been in the business for over 30 years, but we havn't made money, so I guess you can't prove anything by me. However, I must also say that we haven't worked at our business, either, and no matter what you do, if you don't work, you don't make money. I'm just happy to be able to keep using the products, and I have no doubt that if I really needed to bring in an income, I could do it this way.

[JoyfulMama]

My mom has been an IBO for oh... 20 years? But she has never really SOLD it - she uses it to get the discount on the stuff she uses. Occastionally someone will buy something from her, but she doesn't really have regular customers. And I buy my stuff through her IBO # (shhhh!) so I get her price. She's never had a problem with anyone above her giving her a hard time, and she doesn't look at it as an income opportunity - just a discount opportunity.

[Ellie]

Originally Posted by alilac

We did it for a couple years, but it changed to Quixtar. You make money by having people in your downline, so if you're not going to hand out cards and be a salesperson everywhere you go trying to get people to sign up you won't make any money. My dh did it. Drove me batty. We bought all our staples from them and I hated that. It was cheaper to go to Walmart and get deals. They have great make-up and some great products, but you'd make just as much money being a rep for a homeschool company or books like Usborne.

I wouldn't do it. Unless you're an agressive sales person, it's not for you. Our upline...the top ones that got us started made $20,000/year and they've been doing for almost 6 years. You'll do great if you're a great salesperson. But you have to sell it 24/7.

The business plan now is exactly the same as it was before the Internet and Quixtar. You don't make money merely by having people in your downline--not now, not before Quixtar. You make money if you sell a box of soap, sponsor someone, and teach him to do the same thing. It is exactly the same now as it was over 30 years ago when I joined.

I don't buy "staples" from myself (other than toilet paper, just because it's easier to buy a big ol' box and have it shipped to my house); I buy primarily the mainline Amway products. They are superior to any Brand X I have ever tried. They are usually at least as economical as Brand X products, too. Mr. Ellie is allergic to every Brand X laundry detergent and bath soap; I have made my dc promise that when we're old and decrepit and they put us in an old folks' home that the home will only wash our clothes with Amway stuff.

[Peek a Boo]

Originally Posted by MeanestMomInMidwest

...but people who hoodwinked me into coming to their house "for dinner" and then launched into a presentation were fanatics.

I can safely say that after spending the night at Ellie's house she never once came off as fanatical

.....not about Amway anyway....


{{We should do a mid-Texas get together again someday!}}

[pixeldog]

I've tried selling both Amway and Arbonne and made nothing. For me, it was a lot of wasted money and energy. Trust your gut...I think it depends on what your Mom's goals are...

Nancy in NC

[Katia]

Originally Posted by KidsHappen

This is the only thing in my entire 18 year marriage that seriously threatened it. I have absolutely nothing good to say about Amway and honestly this is the closest thing I have ever seen to cult behavior in my life and I have seen a lot of weird stuff including an actual commune in Germany.

I have a similar experience with Amway and my marriage. My dh was totally taken in....we had no job...no money.....and my doctor had us over to 'visit' and we spent over $100 to get a basic start-up kit! Plus, we still had to buy more motivational materials AND for the kicker....drum roll.....my doctor decided I needed to stop breastfeeding my then 10 month old baby so that dh and I could spend more time recruiting our down-line. That way baby could stay with a sitter (she ate every two hours around the clock). I did not want to do this. This was my third and last baby, and the only one I had successfully produced milk to feed. But dh was adamant that Amway was more important (even when I pointed out to him that we had already spent more money than we had and my parent were supporting us!), and he would NOT let me feed my baby again! Instead, my baby cried and cried, I cried and cried, and we had to sign up for WIC to get formula. Because of Amway. Sick.

And, dh made me listen to these motivational tapes every time we stepped in the car to go anywhere. They made me sick. Down right sick. The most important thing was making money and having more, more, more. And leaving your kids to make this money was necessary. Being content with where you were in life and being happy in your current job was NOT ok, and forGET being frugal: spend, spend, spend....especially to go to meetings, meetings, and more meetings to meet wonderful Christians that had wonderful money in our wonderful up-lines.

Sick. It was just.sick.

Doctor and dh told me I was going to make my dh fail. It would be all my fault because "I" wasn't "doing my part". Nope. Taking care of 3 small dc, the house, the cooking, the laundry, the bill-collectors, etc. while dh went to meetings instead of to job interviews.....that was failure as far as Amway was concerned. Because I didn't go with him. I didn't hire unknown sitters to stay with the kids. Sick.

Finally, I sat dh down and told him if Amway was his thing: fine by me. But I wasn't interested in a group of people that thought money was more important than their children and their families. If he wanted to pursue it; fine. He could do so without me. I would just stay home and hold down the fort. But I would no longer use their inferior products (dh made me purchase their disposable diapers which leaked like mad and cost twice as much). If he liked a product and wanted to use it: fine. But I was purchasing products that worked for me. (I also hated their shampoo/conditioner and laundry detergent and make-up)

I can not tell you how relieved he was when he finally admitted to me that I was right and he had been totally taken in by the 'life-style' that was constantly put in front of him by these people. He apologized for the breast-feeding thing that could NEVER be recaptured, he applied for real jobs, went to interviews, got hired, and we could finally pay our bills.

And, all those wonderful Christian friends he had met? We never saw or heard from a one of them again, and my doctor 'recommended' me to 'someone closer to where I lived'. Yeah, right. Sick.

I hate Amway. JMPersonal experience. But, from others I've talked to....our experience is not all that uncommon. Frankly, I'm always very surprised when I read that Ellie here has had such a wonderful experience with it. It just shocks me.

Sure wasn't OUR experience. When I hear the word "Amway", I run as fast as I can....in the opposite direction.