I have spent the last 6 hours on the Internet researching Amway and have
found many interesting sites. I did not go to any of the testimonial sites,
only those with negative information. I have been an Amway distributor for
6 weeks, and I know the testimonials only too well. I wanted the other side
of the story. I just wish I had done this 6 weeks ago. I would still be
a distributor, but I would have saved myself over $500 on "Dream Weekend."
Here is my story. Part 1. I was approached for the first time about 5 years
ago. A woman that I worked with told me she had started her own business.
I fell right into the trap - "Oh, what do you do?" -- I can't
tell you. -- What do you mean you can't tell me - I'm not allowed to talk
about it. I'm new. Are you interested? Yeah, right. Am I interested in a
business that you are not allowed to discuss? I don't think so. Then she
brought me a cassette. "This will explain it." The tape was almost
as vague as she was. I gave her the tape back and said no thanks. Then someone
I've never met calls me at work and invites me to this business meeting
on her behalf. I let them talk me into it. Someone else in the office tells
me that it's Amway, so I just didn't go to the meeting. About a week later,
she and her upline come to talk to me AT WORK. They are very sorry that
I couldn't be there and would like to set up a personal meeting with me.
No thanks. After many more attempts to recruit me over the next few weeks,
they give up. End part 1. Part 2. Shortly thereafter, I decided to go back
to school. My roommate was the daughter of some of my parents' friends.
She (call her Janet) and her parents are all Amway distributors. Janet never
once tried to get me to become a distributor in "the business."
I lived with her for 2 years and used lots of Amway products in that time.
(I always thought it was funny that if you asked her where she got something
she answered "Through the business" even though I new she was
in Amway.) I like most of them and told her that I would like to buy some.
Still no pressure to join. In December she sponsored a friend of ours (call
her Susie). Susie talked me into joining after I bought some products from
her. I signed up because these are close friends that I trust not some slick
salesperson trying to get me to attend some meeting about a "secret"
business. Now I am upset to learn that this group of good-hearted, intelligent
people has been brainwashed. Janet's parents (along with Janet, her husband,
and Susie) are working very hard right now to "build depth," so
they have already signed 3 distributors below me. I'm thinking, "This
is great! Six weeks and I've already got 3 distributors." Two of these
I had in the first week. I was excited. I signed up for SOT, Amvox and spent
over $500 to Attend my first major function, Robbins Dream Weekend in New
Mexico. (For the past 3 months I have been complaining that I am too broke
to go snow skiing this year.) I am canceling Amvox and SOT and will not
"invest" any more money into this "system." I have only
listened to 2 tapes (out of about 20) that were worthy of my time (both
with self-help type topics). Most are babbling something about how "Amway
saved my life." I will continue to be a distributor, and I will sell
to friends and family who would like to buy the products at distributor
cost. I will not, however, "show the plan." I do not believe in
the plan as it is explained. Up to this point, when people ask me what it
is, I tell them it is Amway. I will continue to do so. I refuse to be secretive
about "my business." I once believed that I would be direct in
six months. I no longer believe that. I will never be direct because I am
not willing to do what it takes (decieve people). I refuse to approach anyone
about this "business opportunity", an if anyone asks me about
it, I will be completely honest. After looking at the facts, most people
will probably not sign up. I wish it were required to disclose that less
than 1% of all Amway distributors are Diamonds. Of course, if they did that,
the entire company would probably collapse.