Notorious Amway Scam Review- Former IBO Testimonial

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amway_scamWelcome to my Amway scam review. I know that you’re browsing the web and you’re looking for more dirt on the famous company called Amway. Most likely you have heard of this company may be your uncle or grandmother was in it and maybe somebody has tried to recruit you into it and you’re trying to find more information about it and whether or not it’s worth to join and whether or not it actually works at all. Let me tell you this. I am actually a former independent business owner of the company myself. I have found a better way to make money from home, but I still feel a lot of people don’t tell the full truth about MLM and network marketing.

What I want to do in this Amway review is tell you my opinions and my experiences that I had. Most Amway reviews out there are pretty biased and most people that are reviewing the company don’t really have an accurate understanding of what’s going on with the business opportunity. So allow me to go and dig in deep further.

Pros 

  • Amway has been around 50+ years
  • Over $10+ billion in revenue annually
  • Offers some of the biggest bonus of all direct sales companies
  • Health & wellness niche products
  • Opportunity for average people to start home-based business
  • Ability to develop residual income that grows monthly

Cons

  • Very similar to a pyramid scheme
  • Products are very expensive
  • Deceptive tactics used by many IBO’s
  • Negative perception of MLM or direct sales from most people 
  • Designed to favor those with people-skills & charisma 
  • More of a “recruiting” game than anything

Chances Are, You Want to Make Money

Like mentioned earlier, I was actually an Amway distributor at one point and did the whole sha-bang. The whole reason why I got in was to basically make more money. I was shown the presentation, paid money to get in, and became active. I know a lot of people reading this review are truly interested in earning a passive income or autopilot income in their spare-time and need extra income, which is why they are researching Amway as a possible option. I actually earn a full-time income from home through affiliate marketing online, you can check out my #1 recommendation here. 

Do You Really “Save Money”? I Don’t Think So

A big selling point that distributors will give is that you save money on the household products you already buy. I actually have to disagree with this. The way it works is you want to at least generate 100 pv in your business and then another 50 pv customer. Amway is going to pay you on the amount of “PV” or “Points” you accumulate in your network.

$2.50= 1 point…only for CERTAIN products…mainly Nutrilite & Artistry. 

The partnering products such as “L.O.C.” and “S8” give out less points per dollar. You might spend $11 to earn 0.7 points for some. All I remember is having to spend about $500+ per month on the products just to meet my 100 points! And most of the stuff I never cared about before I joined, such as vitamins and meal bars and supplements. 

Oh, and the shipping charges are ridiculous!!! This could REALLY be a big chunk of the total cost. Sometimes the shipping was almost as much as the product, if you ordered at a small volume. 

How Do You Actually “Make The Money”?

The way that you’re actually going to make residual income is by sponsoring people into a downline. Yes, this means that you are going to need to get really good at recruiting your friends and family into the business to become an active distributor just like you! After you burn through the list of your friends and family, you are likely going to need to contact “cold” prospects or complete strangers and eventually convince them to join your downline or “team”. That is why perhaps you are researching this review after someone approached you at the store, coffee shop, or mall, and presented the Amway opportunity. 

The actual money comes from the sale of products and business tools. Amway contains a wide array of healthy/skincare products and as you and your team consume and/or sell these products, you get accredited “points”. Basically these points mean income. The more points your business is worth, the bigger the paycheck. Your goals is to create a large downline that is continuously buying and selling products. Sounds a lot easier than it is however. 

The Amway Scam Controversy: Why So Much?

It’s no secret Amway has been the subject of much controversy over the years. One of the reasons is because of the way this opportunity is presented by many distributors: unrealistic promises of income. Kind of the whole way you build this business is by selling the dream of lots of money flowing into your bank account by just working this “simple” business part-time. It’s not that easy. At all. And out of the 3 million+ members in Amway, just a very minute percentage make any kind of significant income.

The reality is, many of the “top” people or leaders in Amway make the majority of their income from selling the motivation materials and tools to their downline than anything else. This includes CD’s, books, guides, manuals, seminars, tickets to conventions, and everything else. 

But please note that Amway is not an illegal pyramid nor scam. It’s just…hard. You really have to become a “people-person”. You can do it. But you really have to learn these people skills that can take years. 

 Just Thinking Positively Isn’t Going To Bring In The Money

A huge part of building an Amway business is you’re taught to think positive depending on what team you are on. I’d say most do this. This is also where the money from the sales of motivational and promotional tools is made. Well, most of the money. Your upline or group your’e with will most likely be 100% positive all of the time when you are together. Believe it or not, this is one of the things I actually liked. Every meeting was just so positive. Everyone helped each other and all the of training was centered around having a positive mindset. 

Unfortunately, this acts like a profitable poison. 

Many people get so caught up in this world of positive thinking, nothing gets done. You are taught and trained to keep on attending the meetings, buying materials, purchasing books, and tickets to seminars…all which cost money. Not to mention travel expenses. And who profits the most? Yup. The people “at the top”. They earn a cut from all of these materials being sold. 

I personally don’t think Amway is a scam but you’re going to need to do a lot of “selling” no matter what whether it’s product or selling people the idea of joining. Plus, not everyone is the salesman type. You’re going to have to literally go out there and hustle people into a downline, attend meetings, “fake it until you make it”. That’s just the reality. 

To Be Honest, I Actually Enjoyed My Experience

When I look back at things, I have to say that I actually learned a lot. It was this introduction into the business world where I learned that if I set my mind to something, I could accomplish it. Before then, I had always been in that “oh well, I should just get a job” mindset. But let me tell you what: it wasn’t as much Amway as it was the group/team I was in that made the difference.

I had never been around so much positivity in my life. It was a different world. A good world. Whenever there were gatherings, it was nothing but moving upward and forward no matter what level you were. I met some of the most humblest people who were actual millionaires in the business. You would have never guessed it though. That’s one of the biggest things I miss about it all. Being in an Amway business was definitely not a bad thing. I am grateful for it. 

So I decided to move on…

So after my stint with Amway for about 1.5 years, I decided to move on. I don’t regret it, but I KNEW there had to be a more “simple” way to make money, and especially from home where I don’t have to go meetings and recruit people all the time. That’s when I discovered affiliate marketing online. I’m not saying you need to quit MLM, even though I did. But now, I am full-time working from home online, and I LOVE it. Talk about freedom? I get to do whatever the heck I want now.

Of course, like anything, it took some learning, hard work, a little time, but I do earn monthly residuals and a couple years later, I now earn a 6-figure income straight from home behind my computer. The most I ever made in Amway was a couple hundred bucks..and that’s with 20+ people in my downline!!! But hey, that’s just me. If you are looking to make money online the right way, make sure you check out my #1 recommendation by clicking here. 

260 Comments

  1. I will say that my overall experience with Amway and Britt World Wide were positive- however, when I decided it was time for me to move on to other things, my upline founder’s platinum
    (a couple) were not having it at all. From blatant disrespect to giving me false informing about upcoming Function ticket reimbursement, these two took the cake. They literally couldn’t accept that I was walking away without a real reason in their eyes. After contacting my founder’s emerald about getting my FED money back since my ticket wasn’t yet, I was actually asked if I had been threatened to quit the business by someone- wth??? I understand not letting someone give up on their dreams, but come on…all I really seemed to be was a reliable source of pv each month…. not a real family member like they kept claiming while I was active in the system….smh.. the opportunity isn’t bad, you just run into people with the wrong motives. Pray those aren’t your upline bc they can make your life hard in our out of the business.

  2. Hi Linda,

    I see you wrote a comment in 2014, where are you now? Are you and your boyfriend still with Amway and are you Diamonds? Thanks!

  3. Hi there. I joined Amway about a month ago, and so far i love it. Obviously Im not making a lot of money right now, but the experience has been great. What I want to say is that it really does depend quite a lot on your sponsor whether you will make a success or not. Mine told me about the Cds and books and when i said i couldn’t affordnit right now, they said it’s fine and actually borrowed me some of theirs, which was a great help. I got a ton of great info from them on how to build the business in a respectable manner. In a month I got to 9% ( leaders club) all due to the good training by my sponsors. I can call them at 2am and they will help me out with whatever i need to know or am struggling with. You need a sponsor that wants to help you more than they want to help themselves. And that’s what they taught me. Get to leaders club then help others to get to leaders club and your success will follow. The positive environment is also amazing. I actually enjoy going to the weekly meetings. And when they brought up the weekend seminar which is taking olace outside my country, again I said i can’t afford it even though i really wanted to go. So they actually helped me get the money together to go.

    I also must add that it will take a lot of effort to get started. It’s not a get rich quick scheme, it’s a business you need to build. But if you can get others that are willing to build with you, the effort starts getting less. I personally added 5 people, yet my business has 15 people in it, because those 5 also added others. We make it a point to work as a team and help each other out.

  4. The word is Lol. For you my dear friend. Will pray for you and will also find ways to replace the ceo of apple computers as their building full of attorneys suck at their market research. How they allow Apple to partner with a pyramid scam. They should Hire you as their new CEO instead. Your research rocks..

    • Use Common Sense is what i MEAN. All the CEO of Apple, Best Buy, NIke, Gap, Forever 21, Target and many such Fortune 500 company CEOS hAVE DONE THEIR RESEARCH. we all know these companies. whats your credibility??? Quitter?

  5. One thing I’ll add. I was apart of LTD for 2yrs, a little over actually. I very recently just stepped away. It was early on a good experience, I made some decent money and made my startup costs back in basically 2 days through client sales.
    Now some things are false: It isn’t $200 to get started with Amway. It was $65 without the product kit, with it it was like $160. The LTD fee was around $35 so made it close to $200, maybe it’s over 200 now I don’t recall.
    I never had issues with family or friends thank god, my parents were supportive, though at times questioning why I was going to conferences in other states they supported which I respect.
    A couple of things. I got involved as a freshman in college and became rather hooked, if friends didn’t pursue it though I never really brought it up again unless they did and never pushed it on them. I’m not that kind of person, but the meetings just piled up. I missed out on historic football games at my school, huge rivalry basketball games and social events which to some of you who are older may look at and say no big deal, but I lost part of my college experience which I regret.
    I thankfully never missed out on any family functions outside of my dad’s 60th birthday but we celebrated that early anyways due to previous engagements my brother also had.
    I will say you are told to buy tools in “expectation” of a team. I remember certain books would be recommended and some guys would buy 50-100. CDs were the same way. I never really went that route because my money was already limited that I didn’t spend much. I will say the “bundle” LTD says you need to be on can be pricey, the basic one runs at $89 a month. Which on a slim budget is very hard, I remember not going to the grocery store for a month because I had my ditto, bundle and a conference all in the same month. Now don’t worry I had plenty of food during that time, but it was something that made me start to think.
    In addition, it really restricted what I could do with my free time. Joining any kind of social rec sports leagues is talked down upon at meetings and people who do are seen as losers trying to re-live their glory days. They also seem to be little anyone who walked away for any reason. I walked away due to looking at these facts:
    1. I had not changed pins in nearly 2 years. This was an issue for me because I did want success as does everyone who joins I think, but I was just not seeing it.
    2. I had debt because of my business, not a ton. Like $400 due to me putting my ditto on a credit card then paying it off every month, but functions, info sessions and team meetings made it hard and took money from that so some would roll over and it began to pile up.
    3. I wanted to pursue the career I’d wanted all along, I thought that Amway would be cool to do, create some extra money and maybe create a safety net. However, I couldn’t pursue both at the same time and had to give up one.
    4. No one in my upline had changed pins in a year and a half. I had roughly 6-7 people between myself and my upline diamond. Not one true pin change. This obviously killed my belief as months went by with no growth, yet at every IS, team meeting and conference it was “I’ve never seen it grow like this!!” I was always going…where?
    Here’s a catch too. I’m gay. I’d say 95% of people in LTD and straight, conservative Christians. And there is NOTHING wrong with that. I myself lean more conservative and am a Christian and proud of it. However, I just could never see myself walking down the red carpet of LTD and onto a stage with a man on my side. It’s always straight couples. I don’t know if they’d actively discriminate against a gay man because I don’t think any have really succeeded in it before.
    After taking all that into account and other factors I decided to step away. The people in my upline that I told were honestly pretty mature with me. No name calling or anything at least not to my face. Which I appreciate, I think they knew I wasn’t going to change my mind.
    I have to say if you’re a college student do think long and hard before joining Amway. I did, attended 3 info sessions and a team meeting before registering. However, I’d make sure your finances are in good shape. I wouldn’t buy what anyone in LTD that says starting with no money is ok, cause it isn’t and can damage your finances for quite awhile. Anyone who wants to give this business a try should have reliable, steady income and good budgeting skills.
    I will say it is truly a relief to not be apart of the business anymore. My nights and weekends feel so much less stressed. My bank account is already stabilizing and I’m able to just be a normal college kid again. Plus it’s nice going to the gum not having to worry about meeting people and just meeting people because I want to make new friends and not talk to them about some business. I have deleted most evidence I was in Amway off my social media and am currently taking off friends from my FB list(quite a few) that I really never talked to in the business. It’s just a relief to be done with and I can honestly say I regret more staying for so long, but cannot change the past.
    Plus the burden is off my parents and others to support me customer wise.
    Now I actually do prefer XS over Redbull, Monster and NOS. I think it tastes better personally. I have cut back on my supply though and will probably weed it out at some point.
    However, like I said do your research, be smart, Amway isn’t bad just some people in it are. I never encountered them but they are out there. Be safe yall.

    • I see straight couples mostly in Amway too. But I don’t think people would go out of their way to discriminate against a gay couple. Since there’s been a push to recruit younger generations, I believe if you became a diamond, most people would celebrate. Honestly, this is just my opinion.

      • I tend to agree, but for me I was at a point in business where I had given up on going diamond and in night owls heard some pretty out there stuff about the gay agenda and such. I’m a conservative but it took me aback.

  6. Is there a penalty for getting out of the business?

    • No, I don’t think so.

    • Nope not at all. All you do is just not re-register on dec 31 and you’re out. It’s easy to get in and easy to get out.

  7. This is the biggest scam ever! The people who recruited me didn’t know what they were talking about and I later found out that the two people above me lied in order to get me to sign up. One of them were my friend and he just had no idea what he was selling. The other guy lied straight to my face and to get any real answers I had to go three levels above me and ask him what was going on. Everything about this company is a scam, 100%.

    • Yeah, it’s mostly about selling the “opportunity” if you want to sponsor people. I was lucky that the group I was in were very honest and ethical. But, it’s just not for everyone.

  8. People I knew took advantage of my trust in them and I allowed them to talk me into purchasing a $300 “membership” and some product. It turned into the beginning of the end of our relationship when I started questioning them about the product and the chick became majorly defensive and confrontational towards me which made me even more wary of the product and its selling tactics.

    • i agre with you you have to invest in you own business you can not be rich or get rich over night you need to put effort to it you to invest time and money will work its like a plant have some common since

  9. Hello everyone,
    I agree with one of the comments below. Entrepreneurship is not for everyone. Amway is a BUSINESS and like any other business you need to INVEST money in order to see profit in the future. I understand people get very inpatient but like I mentioned before if let’s say you make a restaurant you need to invest a lot of money on it then wait a few years to see profit. People don’t seem to understand the business model very well and think they need to start seeing money right away. Plus with Amway, there’s been people who have succeeded in less than a year. If you’d like more info please contact me.

    • I believe most of you don’t know that Amway Inc which is owned by the Van Andel and the DeVos families only interested in selling products which are good but overpriced. It has nothing to do with selling motivational tools like tapes, books, attending seminars and functions. Most IBOs who ended up broke doing the business are being scammed by AMO which stands for Amway Motivational Organization. AMO is owned and formed by the bigwigs diamonds who made their money mostly from selling tapes, books, seminars, and functions. Amway Inc and AMO need each other to survive. Amway Inc. knew about the unscrupulous dealing of the diamonds a long time ago but decided to look the underway. After all, Amway Inc depends on the diamond’s downlines to buy its products. If Amway Inc. comes down hard such as removal of the diamonds, the diamonds may take their downlines elsewhere. Thus, it can cripple sales of Amway. Meanwhile, the diamonds need Amway Inc. to carry on its scam. Amway Inc. sells products, without Amway, the diamonds are just selling dreams which will be a pyramid scheme in the eyes of the law. Amway has a moral obligation to stop these diamonds profiting from their downline through selling of tapes, books, seminars, and functions. The founders are ultra conservative Christians but it didn’t matter to them that money trumps Christian ethics. I

    • Hi
      I recently became an Amway IBO after turning 18 this November however I am still on the verge of understanding the whole concept of this business and its quite hard to explain to my clients about the product because I am still not convinced to why someone should buy such an expensive product if there is a cheaper alternative out there in the market. I need help in setting up my business and getting to know why Amway products are better than its comparatives.

      • Ur upline can help u to explain this

    • Sounds like your in desperate need for more people to join your team lol

    • Hi I was wondering if this is worth the time to do?

    • i just joined amway
      but i don’t know
      its a good way or not

  10. Could be. The fact is most new businesses fail. The fact is you do not get support. When I hire a new employee, even with the best credentials I find, 80 percent of them will fail. The difference is I pay them a great salary while training them, and if it does not work out, we part friends. Why doesn’t AMWAY pay their distributors a salary for the first two years while training? They would probably have more successful distributors if their reps did not have to worry about making a living while building a business. With all the success AMWAY claims to have, paying salary should not be difficult! in my humble opinion.

    • you right about that my friend at least for your part time

  11. Hi this is Francisco, well I’m glad you took the time to look this up and make some good reviews on the subject. Yes there is alot of people that join amway and quit because they belive its just not for them then go in the internet to give there own opinion well amway is really not for everyone as you can see but it just someone’s opinion. When i joines amway i also read lots of this reviews witch alloew me to think twice about it and led me to other businesses. As i unsuccessful tryed others i strongly advice you’ll to that if you really looking to make extra income and want secure your life or just have financial freedom talk to the ones that really do this to bring home someting better for there families maybe like me or jost someone else. On my experience my uncle was there didn’t understand what to do so now he’s the first one to tell me why not to do it so i went deeper and found out the why people quit afther 2 or 3 month and well i wwould say ask them why did they really quit if this is actually a very good way for success. Well if you would still like to know or still inteerested i will be more than happy to help you out.

    • My wife and I signed up with Amway and have since abandoned it – we were with it approximately 6 months. From what we experienced, this “business” is for younger people in the 25 – 35 year old age group. I am in my 60’s and my wife is in her 50’s – people in this age bracket are already set in their ways and it is much harder to get them on board.

      The IBO’s are not taught anything about P and L – profit and loss. They pay for everything – meetings, materials, travel expenses, including the monthly “ditto deal” that you almost need to stay afloat so they don’t cancel your “membership.” Most IBO’s are spending more than they know on all kinds of nonsense. Yes, you do need to invest in order to start up a business, but the materials and such with this are a waste of time. Any online/youtube meeting with a motivational pro is just as efficient. The weekly meetings that you are “suggested” to attend (I honestly was made to feel as if I HAD to go) are the same every week – introduction for about 45 minutes; short break; single or couple IBO comes up and goes through the 9 or so points of the program; short break; select speaker comes on and starts the “pump up” routine about how well everyone is doing and how the next conference is going to be the best thing you ever did (and that you share and pay for the hotel rooms, buy all your own food, pay for gas, parking, etc., and break for phone sessions while sitting on the floor in a hotel lobby – men in suits and women in dresses – calling new prospects on a Saturday afternoon. Who in the world wants to get a call like that on a weekend ?) Sound like fun yet ? Most unprofessional way to work a business I’ve ever seen – and I was a successful salesman in the sales world for over 30 years. My “mentors” were young people in their 20’s who barely had a clue about life in general – they basically spewed forth the Amway mantra and were against anything negative one had to say, even if it was a relevant question. I was always hit with the “don’t be negative” comeback.

      My advice ? Anyone would be better off starting their own business, doing what they have a true passion for, instead of this. And, not everyone is cut out for sales. Newsflash Amway – there’s plenty of people who work for companies and are very happy, know how to manage their money, and are leading great lives. And, they know how to have fun and live their lives – the Ambots I saw were the dullest people around. Someone needs to show them how to loosen up.

      • But the beauty of the investment costs, such as license, events, travel, etc, is that as a business owner, you can write it all off in taxes. So as you start your business and are employed elsewhere, your costs are negligible and eventually you’ll make a profit, if you work at it.

  12. Thanks for the review. You gaved me a lot to consider.
    I was thinking about joining then I read your
    post. Thanks for your honest opinion. With the
    feedback from others it helps me think twice before joining.

  13. HI, I am former IBO. Well, I am on former IBO who knows too much about this business model. If you thinking of joining, think hard. It is a business, that will consume you and take everything you have. It is the largest scam in US history. The money, is being made from books, cds, rallies, weekly meetings and a lot more. The word is optional, sure you don’t have to buy thess books, cds and so forth. You will make very very very little money just selling over priced products. I am person of interest that certain people don’t want you to know about. 813 505-5982

  14. As far as i am concerned it is a scam. It is all about you joining to make other people money and we will be positive to you and support you as long as you keep spending money and making us money. Those who say it is not a pyramid scheme are wrong. Tell me how it works??? You get others to join and buy so the money flows upward and you make profit and down and out it goes dpending on how many people you can convince to buy into the crap or buy the overpriced products which half of them are garbage and the selling tactics are a joke as soon as i heard it i laughed yes put in more tine and money than starting your own idea just to get others involved so you make profit.

  15. Be very casino us with network 21, they take your money off without telling you. Do NOT give Amway or network 21 your credit card, they don’t refund you. Sucking business. STAY AWAY FROM THEM,
    !!!

  16. I understand where many people feel burned by the Amway opportunity. But I do hope you understand that entrepreneurship in general is not for everyone. I can already tell who should have never been brought into the Amway/MLM business in the first place. This also applies to most traditional businesses, as most of them fail as well. It is not the business; it’s the individual. Problem with MLM is that most people who failed out/quit should have never been sponsored in the first place.

    First off, I want you all to know that I know many people have been scammed not by Amway but more like conned into signing up by a sketchy sponsor who wasn’t straight forward. I also understand that many people who have created success with the Amway opportunity were also conned into joining. hmmmmmm. I also understand why many people try these sketchy approaches; it’s becasue most people are are so judgemental that once they hear the word Amway, without knowing the truth, the run the other way.

    I am almost a Platinum using the Amway opportunity. I have never scammed anyone into joining. As a matter of fact, I am VERY picky about who I bring into business. Why? because I don’t want on my team people who think it’s going to be easy.I don’t want people on my team who have no work ethnics. I don’t want unaccountable people, or liars, or insecure people. I want only the best; the ones who are open to coaching & mentoring, who are accountable and honest, who are willing to work hard for a few years and not have a Friday to Friday, paycheck to paycheck mentality. I want people on my team who are all about helping their fellow man or woman into a better life with improved finances and mindset.

    All my pre-calculations of what my bonus checks will be, have been delivered by Amway on the penny and on the established pay day. Every time there has been an issue with an order, Amway has been amazing in dealing with it. Even replacing an entire order for me when I accidentally put down the wrong address. Yes the products are expensive… compared to Walmart. But compared to what I used to buy before (which is not the cheap crap), the prices are comparable.

    You can talk all the crap you want. But my entire team is on the grow and making money, and being fair to those they expose the business to. My sponsor, who was my customer in my old day job, is now pulling well over 6 digits, and becasue the team is built in an asset form… their pay is remarkably stable and constantly growing even when they don’t add more IBO’s to their front line.

    In my honest opinion…. this is how MLM should have always been! But we are just now figuring it out. But then again, most businesses are run by jerks who want to milk all employees of their souls and pay them as little as possible… like Walmart.

    If you want to know more about this, eMail me through my Amway store. I will asnwer most of your questions, as long as it’s not against policies or sacrificing the privacy of my fellow Amway IBOs.

    • Perfectly said. Starting my journey now

    • Jo,

      Thank you so much for the clear explanation. And also very true this business is not for everybody. That’s why the 1% vs 99%

    • Hey JO,

      I could understand why you’re a platinum. I’m on the Amway journey! Thanks for the comment, it helped me a lot 🙂

    • I am also an IBO, and I can definitely say its not for everyone. But..if you have clear goals and have unquestionable ethics, you cannot NOT be successful.

      I mean…what ARE your other options as a normal ‘Man in the street’ to start your own business??

    • Thank you for this Jo ♡ it’s not about Amway being a scam, it’s about the sponsors that need to be more educated or not try and swindled their way in by conning people to join. Tell the truth, there is definitely work involved, however, that goes for anything in life. If you have the right team that knows what’s going on and tells you the truth and you can say you’re ready to take on that challenge and put in the work you will definitely see results. People cannot expect instant income by doing nothing or just by signing up, no, there is work involved and if you have the right team and you set it up right you can definitely makes lots of money. I am very excited to be a part of Amway ♡ if you’re from Durban, give me a call if you have any questions ♡ My team is amazing and we are doing really well xx 0614793600

    • I AM VERY MUCH INTERESTED IN BECOMING AND IBO. YOU ARE VERY CORRECT HARD WORK PAYS OFF.

    • Well said! Thank you

  17. So i recently started LTD and Amway, this week. Tuesday was my first day. Ive been getting word that it is a pyramid scam and that it will take me 50 years to be financially stable and what have you. But this article has given me a straight forward approach to the good and the bad, and i think i should give it a try for a little while. I think i was sold more on the idea of being able to only work a few hours a week away from my full time job and still stack in a load of cash.. i’m starting to see that this idea may not be the case. I am going to continue to stay positive and see what is in store for me. But i dont want to work a lot harder, only smarter.

    • Cool. Yeah the idea of only working a few hours and being able to make lots, seems very attractive and why a lot of people join. You’re in for a big surprise. The way you’re going to stack a load of cash is by you creating sales and recruiting enough people that pay you a load of cash. Make sense? Amway is simply a vehicle. You are the driver. It all depends on you.

    • amway is a big joke ……….i was not join amway ever …my broay ther is mad abt this amwy nd spoil his professional life and his career

  18. This is a very good article, and a much more honest look at Amway than others I’ve read. It’s not, “Amway is a pyramid scheme that’s under constant investigation!”, nor is it “Amway is the golden bridge to true financial independence!”. I appreciate honesty like that.

    I’m an IBO for Amway. In fact, I just started last Thursday. I listened to the CDs and went to several meetings before I started. And the math of the business made sense and still makes a lot of sense to me.

    But I labor under no delusions about what it’s about. You need to put in a lot of work, and like you’ve said in several comments already, there’s a very small chance you’ll be truly financially independent from this.

    I’m going to stick with it for a while, though. At least long enough to get a good idea of how to run a business like this, where you sell things online. I’m honestly curious, and a people person, and above all I like the feeling I get at meetings. It’s the same feeling of belonging that I used to get from church (I’m not really as religious as I used to be). And even if the meetings do cost money, I really enjoy the trips and seeing new places. Living in Kansas for 25+ years will do that to you.

    • In the 1970’s I was laid off and my boss called me telling me he had a job for me and to meet him at his house at a certain time. When I got there, he had several people there and was demonstrating different products, which turned out to be Amway. I was devastate, he did this to me! I am disabled and was looking for work and he shows this to me. I attempted to do it, but I am not the kind of person that enjoys talking to just anyone. I didn’t like the fact they wanted me to try and trick friends and family into it. Granted they had great motivational tapes and get you really pumped up, but for what? It turned out I wasn’t really selling a product, but trying to get others under me, to sell product, then I was going to make a commission off their sales. How much product would I sell, if I am trying to get more people to sign up under me? I liked the product, but I was really upset with my former boss tricking me into this, when he was only looking out for his own bottom line. Granted, people, who are outgoing and will talk to anyone and have no problem promoting all the good points, but glossing over the bad points, might be able to make it eventually, but it will be a damn long time if they do. A few years I had someone try to get me involved in it again, but as soon as they brought out the pyramid chart, I knew where it was going and told them, if it is Amway, I am not interested!

  19. My boyfriend joined Amway about two months ago and I keep going back and forth on how I feel about it. He’s always been a workaholic and has jumped at every opportunity to make money, even if some of the opportunities sounded fishy. I definitely thought Amway was a scam at first, but now I realize that it isn’t. That being said, I also realize that 0.1% of people actually make it big time in this business. My boyfriend has claimed numerous times that it isn’t about the money, but more about the business experience and that he knows he has little chance of making it big in this business. It’s not that I don’t believe him, but I think he may be a bit brainwashed. He has literally talked about Amway every single day since joining. He fills up some of the time we spend together with recruiting phone calls. He goes to all these meetings and says he plans on going to the some of the ones out of state. He says that we both will be retired by our late twenties and will own all these lavish cars and houses and so forth. He’s even considered quitting his accounting internship because he has made more money with Amway so far. I’ve mentioned some of these things a few times to him, but I end up making it seem as though I’m not supporting him or I’m not happy for him. He comes home from these meetings so excited and happy. Honestly sometimes he seems happier after these meetings than after hanging out with me. It’s not that I’m not happy that he’s happy, and because he’s my boyfriend I will support nearly everything he decides to do with his time and money. But I truly think he doesn’t realize what’s happening here. I’m afraid that he’s going to invest so much time and money and energy into Amway and not get the results he dreams of and end up in a pool of disappointment and regret. I’m also afraid of the toll it may take on our relationship, because I honestly do get sick of hearing him talk about it everyday and plus he sacrifices a lot of our time together to do stuff for Amway or go to their meetings. I just don’t want to come off as the unsupportive girlfriend who keeps her boyfriend on a leash. I’m just genuinely worried for him and don’t know how to say it.

    • It just depends. If he’s getting sign ups, building a team, and doing it consistently, then he might be on to something. If he’s just going to meetings and eating up all the hype, and making moves here and there, then he might just become another statistic. The question: is he showing the “plan” to people 5x’s per week? If not, he’s a long way from truly getting anywhere. Strait up talk here.

      • Can you tell me more about “he “plan” to people 5x’s per week”???

        Thanks

        • The Amway compensation plan and how it works. That’s all it is.

    • I cannot describe how similar my situation is to yours. My boyfriend has a decent job working at BMW, and I believe he has better opportunities out there. That being said, he is EXTREMELY adamant about doing this, despite it wrecking absolute havoc on our relationship. He “brainwashed” into thinking that this is his dream job ( let it be known his “dream job” changed in a matter of days) and that he is going to become extremely wealthy from this. In fact, he is so oblivious to what is going on he thinks his “mentorship” is not in fact multilevel marketing. In doing some research on the products they use and sell, of course I discovered that is was Amway. Him and I have extremely opposing views on him doing this, I think that this is a scam, and is not a respectable job. The only thing holding the fragments of our relationship together is that I believe its going to fall through soon, although I’m starting to lose faith that my boyfriend will realize he isn’t making any money from this (although he claims he is). He’s only been doing this for approximately four months now, but he’s already taking days off of work to go to out of state meetings, its affecting our time together, all we do is argue about this and its creating a huge wedge between us, and of course he’s dragging his friends into this, which I don’t doubt he’ll begin to lose. I have done everything to try and make him see this for what it is, and at this point I don’t know how much more our relationship can handle.

      • Yeah. Sounds about right. I hate to say this but, when I was in it, my mentor advised me to date someone who was also in this business. You have to both be on the same page or there’s a 99% chance things will clash and fall apart (in my opinion). I have never seen a top earner where just 1 spouse was in it. Both had to be on board. This is a lifestyle. Not just a way to make money.

      • You sound way to smart for your boyfriend.

      • Well leave it to him..it was the same as my girlfriend who is fall in love with Amway. Sine she was introduced by one of the upline , she was mad at me everyday, before she join she was a very cheerful girl and we are very lovely couple . Day by day past Our relationship become sour and sour and she leave me.
        Till today she is not doing well and also resigned her job as a teacher. I am sad to see her spending more money to buy product than making money.
        My conclusion, she have lost her faith with me which myself is a director of a sme company. And she lost her job too.

    • I know a man who did this when he was beginning his job asss as an electrical engineer. He lost his EE job when they discovered he was selling Amway while attending a professional conference they the company had paid for. So, please tell him to be careful. He could lose his day job. Ask him if he can live on his Amway paycheck right now. Will it put food in the table ? If not, he should think about stocking shelves at night. He will have more money in his pocket at the end of the day. I know it is addictive as I was in it for a while. It took my looking at my bottom line and comparing it with their bottom line for me to finally see the light. Get him out before he loses too much money or his real career, because it does a great deal of damage to your professional reputation to lose a job.

    • Dear Concerned girlfriend, I don’t know how old you are, but there are 24 hours in a day. I am a minority woman entrepreneur and like an other venture with purpose and outcome, it takes time and investment to be successful at anything. Do you want to spend the rest of your life with someone who does not have a purpose and mopes or someone who does come home happy? Do you feel that having a relationship is just about hanging? Time does not come back. If you already have a great plan for retirement and want to be like the old ladies at Costco handing out samples, more power to you. If your boyfriend has proven like you said that he is making some profit, why complain? You can’t be convinced to be above mediocre. I have a law degree, nursing degree and an economics degree, but I will never own the firm that hired me out of college. I make money for them and they have taken more than 90 percent of my life for the last 10 years and I have made them a lot of money. However, the nice half a million retirement will not be ready until I am of retireable age. until then, I can’t go when I want. I have to answer to someone and they decide when I can take time off with my kids. If your man is building a dream and it already shows promise, why not be happy that you will also share in it? Please figure out why you do what you do on a daily basis and look at yourself in the mirror. Had I known that I could use a business Network to build my own business, I would be a millionaire because I spent many years at school and work away from my children and husband. There may be a lot of things we can’t control, but your life is in your hands. The bad news is that it’s all up to you and the good news is that it IS ALL UP to you. If reviews can dictate your true pursuit of facts, only your best ideas will get you where ever you are.

  20. amway is the bigest load of bullshit ever … Evil people will leave u behing if ur not willing to comitt when i say behind i mean litteraly in another town with no phn money or transportation … rill u in with the word of god but turn out to be a bunch of hippacrits i wouldnt payb u if u payed me!

    • You are not too smart. As an American, you don;t know how to spell “too”, another word for “also.

      Wise up, you get nothing for doing nothing.

      I never worked the business hard, I buy the products and sell some, but I resent people who do not tell the whole truth. Amway is an honest company and the co-founders are honorable people. In my time, I know that Amway is an honest company and has actually written a check for l cent if it wee owed.

      Perhaps you should look at yourself to see if you did enough to be successful imstead of bashing Amway. To be

      my time in the business I have seen them issue a check for 1 cent
      way is an honest company, and has even written a check for l cent which cost the company more to write it. [

    • My son joined Amway he’s not making any money, he believes the hype please help me talk some since into him. to get him out…

  21. Amway has changed many people life. I have seen many people who were un-employed and started with amway and now they have made lot of money. If you go to India you will see many people are stil working for amway and still making money.

  22. I am very thankful for your review about Amway, as a friend tried to recruit me yesterday and anyway I was not involved in the system after watching the video I thought the same you have explained. I very intuitive and never failed to arrive to a conclusion. I will check right now the Wealthy Affiliate review cause I have the good feeling that this is what I need.. Thanks!!

  23. Just a little curious about your affiliate marketing Program

  24. I’m 42 this year and I was growing up hearing Anway since I was 6. Amway is like my family business as my parents, aunties and uncles are in this business since 1978. So you may ask, are you in Amway business too? No, I’m not. However Amway is never a scam. I see a lot of good things and have learnt a lot of good things from Amway. I have heard “you can do it! Think positively!” , all sort of positive slogan since young. But a good business doesn’t mean it suits everyone. I did get the positive vibe from it, which is a good thing.
    Amway itself has a very good business model and marketing plan but it is a people’s business. It needs people to build the business network. And whenever they are people, there are problems. I am still not prepared to get into this business yet, maybe one day, who knows.

  25. You know that nasty taste you get from a bad hangover, and it seems to linger – that is what it is like dealing with this woman! Except it never goes away! What do I mean? Read below:

    This female is a disgrace!!! As an agent who dealt with a couple of IBO’s – she is completely childish, disrespectful, and RUDE! She will threaten to discontinue your SOW – she can care less if you have bills to pay! She is a thief! Oh don’t let it fool you “Quick to answer questions” “encourage you to join” blah, blah, blah. Even when you decide to leave – she acts like it is all love and then comes that last paycheck folks!!! She keeps it – yep – you heard me!!! She will give excuse after excuse on why they haven’t released that last paycheck to you…. Yeah – they are checking their accounting department – she is the accounting department stealing from you! Trash – she is complete Trash!

    Reasons not to work there:

    1. ATTITUDE! You should see this woman’s communication boards! Demeaning!
    2. Can’t see your paycheck. Nope – no incentives – no breakdowns – nothing!
    3. Lies and stealing!

    Save your money and your sanity! Go to a different IBO!

  26. well i am in the process of joining up in amway with a friend. i have been offered this “opportunity” before a year ago, but was moving away. now that i am back in town, i have been approached by another amway mentor that is under the guy i was approached by the year before. this kid is 22 and has had plenty of success from his work. In my opinion people right away have a bad taste in their mouth when they hear amway… i have looked through over half of these other comments to see both sides. honestly to me is all what you want out of it and the work you put in. even my mentor said that just one of his clients does alot of his profits. so its as simple as being good with people to be part of the whole process. yes is is a pyramid, but as a scam? no. just like any other job you have, you go out and earn money for your employer and you get a small portion of what he makes in the end. so as i see it, amway gives you a chance to be the employee but, unlike a normal job eventually break off to have your own success and be a boss to many others as well. as for the upbeat positive mentality. yeah that is partially to hype the crowd and peoples, but its just because those speakers who are successful are people pleasers. its just who they are and if they always have that up beat personality then so be it. as a college student, this is an opportunity to make some side cash and be able to connect with many other people as i have. honestly the only people that i havnt seen in college in these meetings are the successful people and a few other older people who just want to make that side job money. but it is as simple at that. side job money for most. if you are one of those people who work at it, and put in the effort along the way it could be more then the side job money. it only takes one person to support you, or get your team the boost to make more money.

  27. Awesome review. Found it fishy since the first meeting I went too. Even more when I went to the Portland rally as a guest. Not much sense in charging $150 entry ticket or an entry fee at all for the smaller seminars, not including hotel, travel, and food expenses, unless there was a profit to be made for the successful speakers. They showed off flashy things, bragged about what they could buy, and their personal story along a bunch of moto crap. What bothered me was if you don’t succeed it’s you’re fault for being a quitter, if you do its only because of God, and that their goal is to “help people discover the buisness instead of recruiting”. Also the “live band” promoting themselves and selling their cover CDs and the way everyone saw XS is a cool hardcore energy drink. Statistically almost everyone in that room will be a Terminal IBO. It’s a cult.

  28. all business not just amway are a pyramid scheme in one way or another

  29. Hi,
    I joined Amway on July 27, 2014 and am still an IBO today.

    My approach has actually been rather successful.
    And, quite counter to what most IBOs do.
    I’ve made about $400 so far doing it this way.
    I refused point blank to make family and friends join.
    I respected (and still do to this day) the word, “No.”
    Or,”I do not have the money Keith to do this, but I like what you’re doing.”, or similar words.
    What I chose to do was focus primarily on retailing specificly.
    And after a year of this (with some struggles) due to a limited primary income where I’m hardly making $100 after bills even today that I receive due to being totally blind, I have done several things along with of course serious transportation challenges in my small home town of Prescott Arizona:

    My step mom and dad absolutely love the L.O.C laundry detergent.
    I never ordered my step mom to buy (she signed up as a customer of her own choosing) and places the online orders when she wishes to do so as she has the big job and my dad no longer has a business of his own, leaving her the only one happily working away (neither of them wanted to do the business), nor did my twin brother Kyle choose to do so, and I respected them all.
    I have actually, been extremely greatful for the customers I have managed to get.
    I have respected the over priced comments and utter refusals to, that I have seen in the retail process from my grandfather on my mom’s side after I sent him a catalog thre pack by direct mail, as well as another over priced comment from a good friend of mine that I’m sure (I’ll get more comments like those too as time goes on), etc.
    But I have seen my share of people who do want to willingly buy things because I believe they are finding value from doing this so that I end up making a little extra here and there, and I am content and at peace with this attitude!
    My dad certainly likes my attitude, if that matters much to anybody reading my story.
    I have not been a pushy blind guy, (nor would I pretend to be). In fact, I like to do blogging ( and will be redeveloping my website at some point soon) so please feel free to come back to it at some point.
    I have tried Wealthy affiliate, however Amway is currently more screenn-reader compatible.
    Not sure how familiar you are with the W3C guidelines, website accessibility, or adaptive technologies, but I wouldn’t be typing this without it.

    As of now, my waiting and praying has paid off more than a pushing attitude.
    I will be sponsoring another blind friend in Canada who also wishes to retail, and to occasionally get some products at a discount as well on October first so am looking forward to this.
    I have like I clearly stated, have got more success doing what I believe I have described well, rather than by doing anything else that I have read about most IBOs doing.
    The iCommerce team was who I became a part of.
    And when I had some conflicts (not with my sponsor) in fact I’ve never worked with him, but with another member of my upline, I found another who I preferred the advice of with more experience, but remain friends with this other upline member. We just do not work together.

    SO, for what this is worth, as a 28 year old guy from a small town with hardly any transportation options and a limited income, what do you think of my approach as a former IBO and admin of this blog?
    I very much enjoied your take on this, and found several of the bashing comments to be rather amusing, understanding where they were coming from.
    I haven’t even considered selling materials beyond catalogs, (if I am asked of course to do so), and I can’t say if I ever would.
    I’m a huge fan of Internet radio, am a piano player, and have been making music since I was about five years old, read Braille, and am rather hilarious to get to know in real life or even over technologies like Skype, etc.
    I hope my open attitude in this comment is something your readers can look at.
    Sincerely,
    Keith

    • Good attitude, Keith!! Keep up the good work!! My approach is similar to yours – to incorporate the Amway products that my family uses into our home business, so to share it with others, and if they wish to purchase, I’ll provide for them. My belief is that we must be a living testimony in whatever we “sell”. I am guided by my Christian belief.
      On March 18, 2016, I sent this out to my team:
      …the Lord took me to the Word; He said: “MARK 2:8-28; 3:1-3 – …so the Son of Man is master even of the Sabbath…” When Coleen invited me, I went to the Lord in prayer, and He said the very same, which was MATTHEW 12:8 – “For the Son of Man is master of the Sabbath”. We NEED to spread this business, because the Lord intends to take care of those in need. The economic downfall is other people’s business; Recession has nothing to do with you & me, God is taking care of us. USE the products, you would stand to benefit, physically, economically and otherwise. And this would give you a sure testimony, a gift to others that comes from the heart of one who struggled and is progressing on the journey. You will really be able to touch hearts and minds. This is our ‘day of rest’ – not to sit by idly, but to have all the pleasures that awaits us through hard work, diligence and endurance…and to share it with others!! Commit.

      Really proud of you, Keith!! God bless
      Regards,
      Nisa

    • Keith, wow, this is great. In fact Amway started with this philosophy only. Use the products and get fully convinced about the utility and quality. Promote the products (which you are convinced about) and sell them to people who will be willing to buy. And then sponsor(help) someone do the same.

      In my opinion, this “proven system” is the root cause why people are so negative about Amway.
      Just like any other business, if the products don’t sell, you don’t earn anything. So the focus should be on more sales, rather than recruitment.
      Keith what you are doing is actual sponsoring. You did what you could do, and now you are helping the other guy do the same.

      I am doing the same. I have more 65 retail customers who use the products and they love the products. I never have to remind them, whenever they need, They give me ring and I have the products delivered at their place. Not making tonnes of money through this but I am happy. I also have other business on side for supplying industrial equipment which is also doing good.

      Keep up the good work Keith
      All the best

      Wish you all the best

  30. Lots and lots of IBO defending Amway being NOT expensive.
    Well, I am shopping for Evening Primerose Oil, looking at Nutrilite EPO Plus, 1 softgel only provide 125mg of EPO. What? All other brands in the pharmacy provide 500-1000mg of EPO per softgel at the same price. How much GLA (gamma-linolenic acid) can you get from 125mg?

    That is the problem with Amway and Nutrilite. A random check at CoQ10, same thing, only 30mg while the rest gives 100-200mg. You can argue that Nutrilite products have proprietary formula that gives higher absorption rate. Amway/Nutrilite products are expensive. End of story.

    By the way, I am an Amway IBO, just a smart consumer.

    • I have to agree with you. It definitely is expensive. It kind of has to be though. Think about how they’re going to pay IBO’s. Do you really think they’re going to sell product to IBO’s at true wholesale, when you can earn money back on them by just purchasing? No way. On top of that, being organic and everything else. They are great products though. But don’t be fooled about it being less expensive.

      • Hey Vince I just sat down. With a young couple about amway yesterday I am interested in the idea that they have in amway. But I might want to find my best option in a online buisness would like your input on this.

        • My name is James. This must be old info!; Just because these people think they know everthing about Amway, doesn’t Change the true facts about Amway! Why did Amway do 11 billion in Sales last year? Why is it the biggest NMB in the world. Why do 1000 of people become successful at it? Year after year? Amway and the products are just the vehicle. to become successful in this business it really depends on the people that you’re involved with training and coaching is very important in this business if you don’t have the right people to teach you then you will never succeed just like in any other business in the world. I’m not even in the Amway business right now but if you’re going to take this one negative post on Google about a business and run with that one post then you better think twice look in the mirror and ask yourself why are you listening to this one person when there’s thousands of people in the world that are succeeding in the Amway business.

      • I did a research once Amway/Quixtar sells Polaroid alkaline batteries at a cost higher than the Duracell cell alkaline batteries sold at Costco. Why would anyone buy from Amway/Quixtar is beyond my imagination.

  31. Hey just wanted to clarify something about you finding a “better” way to make money from home through affiliate marketing. Amway/MLMs in general are not for everybody but you do need to take into account that the type of money you are making is quite different. I am an investor and in terms of investment and ROI building Amway to lets say the platinum level creates a passive income of on average $55,000. Now lets say that you are making $150,000/ year in your home-based work with affiliate marketing(not many people can get to that level either- im just being generous). The one who has the platinum amway business actually has an incredibly larger financial asset than you because of the type of income. In terms of investments $55,000 residual income is equivalent to having $1 million in the bank with 5% return each year so this person is essentially a millioniare already. However, if you stop working your 150 grand stops and you have no more income. So i understand that you found something you are better at but to compare the money aspect of it- its not the same at all.

    • Hey just wanted to clarify something….ummm..NO. It doesn’t work that way Robert. The Platinum level is only as good as long as you maintain that level. You’re thinking once you’re there, you’re there. Tell that to my upline who hit Platinum level and reverted back to a lower pin. Tell that to my team leader upline who I ran into several months ago and is STILL stuck at the same level, though has been in the business for 12+ years. Very hypothetical way of looking at things. There really isn’t true residual income until you’ve developed a deep, deep downline such as a Double Diamond or above where you have 10,000’s of of people in your organization (which is a fraction of a fraction of a fraction % of IBO’s), and even those organizations have fallen apart. You are much more likely to find a good niche, and create your own home based business online where’s there’s smaller competition, where you’re able to scale up, you’re in control, and can build your own brand.

      • Well, you are number is way way out. My new diamond friend, I met her in person, did it within 5 years and has about 700 people in her team (and not everyone is very active) . If you are talking about 10,000’s people level , I can confidently tell you if you reach that number, you are on the very top level, making huge passive income a year(1m at least)
        Yes, I also known people stuck there for 8 years. I am not saying it is easy, (in fact it is very hard at first) but If you really understand the business , the passive money won’t come until you reach 3 25% leg, but once it you get there , you rarely lose it.

      • Well, i would say you need to work hard to achieve good passive income in Amway. However sometimes it is luck too. My mom has never been to Thailand and China and she has a diamond line both in Thailand and China. The good thing of it is you never know how your network could grow. She is 80 and doesn’t have any income from previous traditional business. But Amway still pays her check every month. Although not great income but hey, she is totally retired from it many years already although she still happily shares Amway products that benefits her.

    • Hi, my friend refered to to some guy with Amway. I found out about the company when i met him. He was pressuring me super hard to join. When i went on the phone to google what Amway he said that that is disrespectful and that by not joining i will never succeed in my life.

      Why are people this arrogant and rude!?

      • Depends on the the training there apart of. I’m an IBO and with the LTD training system. Someone that pushy and rude would have been kicked out. Our team are looking for people wanting our opportunity not making someone join.

      • It does really depend on the team you join, a lot more than I would have like to admit. You want to be with people that have a similar culture and speak the same language. That’s absolutely key. Sure, you’re going to get some rude IBO’s out there that don’t belong in the business. But that’s like anything in life.

        • wow thats interesting

      • Googling for answer is not wise at all. You will find what you want to find. Try googling your job, mother Teresa, the pope… There will always be hate reviews… Now Google positive things and you get positive posts. If you are going to check out anything, use the BBB, try the chamber of commerce. Come on… What will your professor do if you turn in a paper full of “Google” sources? You’ll get an F, why? Cause a lot my of the info is not filtered…. Not coming from legit sources.

        • Because this is isn’t an academic setting, it’s life.
          God I’ve never seen somebody so shady try to hide the truth, and then turn around and blame it on them.
          Trying to stop somebody from finding other opinions, because they are “hate reviews” is just dishonest.

        • Wait. What? There’s no such thing as “Google” sources. There’s just sources. Some are good, most are bad. When researching for a paper, you do use GOOGLE to find legitimate sources. You don’t cite “Google” sources, you cite sources from scientific publications. People who are against Google are usually those who have something to hide. Nobody who’s truthful should be afraid of information.

  32. Quick question – I briefly checked out WA. I even viewed the first lesson. It doesn’t APPEAR to be MLM. My major question is – other than your comparison ‘table’ in your review, what exactly sets it apart from Amway? It appears that you still need to refer people. I am not clear on that.
    Also, the major thing cost-wise I am not keen on is the monthly fee. I get it – I guess – the services included in the website – hopefully the non-introductory fee is not much more than the introductory fee.
    Apologies if these questions have been asked and answered – there are so many to read through.
    Thanks in advance!

    • Hi Mary. No, you do not need to refer people to WA to make money. You can become a partner like I am, but the majority of people pick their own niche. WA teaches you how to build a business from home, using the Internet. It teaches Internet marketing. You can literally market just about anything and make money by learning the skills taught within the members’ area and training. I am a WA affiliate, sure, but I also own multiple websites in other niches as well.

  33. Thank you for this review…very objective. 🙂 Cheers!

    • I have just met someone who wants to convince me into becoming an IBO.. i hate the pressure and hated the approach. I am not at all interested and don’t want to do this ….It’s a waste of time.
      If this is a way to get rich ..I don”t want to get rich…

      • Totally agree with you!

  34. Dear Vince,

    Can I honestly call you my hero now for the time being? I am glad you wrote this review, I had no idea what Amway was because it was only recently today that a friend of mine asked me about it, if at all WA is like a scam like Amway or pyramid scheme. I said no, WA is not a scam. I said it like this to him:
    WA is not a scam, they teach you and when has an online business been a program that was interactive in any way shape or form?
    Then, I found WA.
    First of all, WA is not highly expensive at all.
    I don’t think you can come across an actual online program that gives you proper training with building a website, adding stuff to enhance it, the right method to getting it ranked on 1st page of Google, getting visitors, and getting revenue out of it.
    Plus, you can ask millions of people here to help you. Me, I am just one of many, that is all.

    Thanking you,
    ~Angel

    • Hey Angel, thanks for stopping by! It’s always a fresh of breath air to encounter someone that has NOT been caught up the MLM mindset. There is no comparison, in my opinion, when it comes to building a home based business which is: online. And like you mentioned there, WA is the way to go. After my stint with Amway, I realized that there is much greater opportunity in the 21st century to go online than anything else as far as home business. I mean, all you need is a computer and Internet connection and you could pretty much develop an income in any niche.

      • I’m checking out WA, but why would people go through your site instead of just going to amazon? Isn’t that just a waste of time? Or is it like those sites that have “top 10 tv’s of 2015” then link to amazon? Would you link you WA site?

        • Because WA and Amazon are 2 completely different things. Amazon is simply a marketplace of products. WA teaches anyone how to develop a home business that can potentially sell affiliate products, like FROM Amazon, and earn an income. The money is in the training.

          • Given if you have $10 to spend, does your upline/diamond prefer you spend it on buying Amway/Quixtar products or tools like tapes and books. Which one has a higher commission to him, SA-8 or motivational tapes.

          • Both. You are encouraged to invest in your own Amway business by purchasing product, and also investing in your education by purchasing tapes and books. So, spend $10 on products and $10 on motivational material. That’s the kind of mindset you take on.

  35. Amway is the way to go. The ones who have dropped out are the ones who either do not want to work or do not understand the business. You get out of it what you put into it, like almost any other undertaking. Drop out if you must but do it gracefully. Only you are responsible for your success or failure so be man enough to admit it.
    All the negative comments are unwarranted. Because you have failed does not mean the business is at fault so stop the bashing and be grateful for the experience – good or bad.
    Enjoy the life you have chosen for yourself and allow others to do the same.

    God Bless

    • Bani, I appreciate your opinions and comments.

      The game has changed, and times have changed. Network marketing businesses like Amway and many others all will have success stories, sure. But it’s definitely not like it used to be.

      The way people communicate, connect, and meet is much different than just 10-20 years ago. There are so many MLM’s nowadays, I can’t even count. It’s getting extremely competitive, and the reality is, people just don’t resonate with these type of “call people and invite them to your thingy” anymore. I’ve done it. In fact, I’ve done more in MLM than 99% of anyone that joins network marketing. That’s for damn sure. Affiliate marketing, or should I say, the “Internet” is the way to go as far as building a REAL home based business.

    • Sounds like you are Amway brainwashed person
      Can tell by your reaction that you drank the koolaid. No god bless.

      • Kool-Aid? Really? Not once have I ever been served this Kool-Aid you speak of at an open or any other function for that matter. The truth is, Amway is a very reputable company. I’ve been an IBO for long enough to see success. Our team has hit an incredible amount of momentum, but it certainly wasn’t by drinking any Kool-Aid. The truth lies in the fact that you get out of Amway what you are willing to do with it. Too many people have sight, but no vision. They refuse to look past what their buddy is saying or even worse, the internet. Too many people blow themselves right out of the business because of their unwillingness to learn or their broke minded mentality. I used to be both, but when I changed how I thought and gained an attitude of being an open book to learning, that’s when my business started working for me.

    • You’re crazy. Do people who work for ExxonMobil get irate at any criticism? Also if it’s so legitimate why can’t you use the name Amway when you go recruit? I’m a realtor we automatically tell people who we work with and when I recruit agents I don’t lie about what it is. If you have to do a presentation just to not really answer what the business is its a scam.

    • I’ve been a business owner since hs. I’ve worked jobs when things weren’t going good but I never gave up and then I succeeded. And I’ll tell you what, IT WASNT BECAUSE OF AMWAY. The amway spokespeople are getting sneaker and sneakier about how they present things. These multimillionaires give people this big dream and the if you fail you’re a employee etc speech.

      In the end they say with motivation things like with only 6 recruits you could be making $4000 a year and some people within a couple years could make as much as 50,000 to 100,000 a year. Wow like that’s a lot of money. Asa self made business guy I just laugh. You have to invest a ton and rip off a ton of people to even make anything.

      4 years ago I became a vendor with a company and they were paying me enough were I could get other subcontractors to do the work for me and still get around 2-3k a job which typically takes a week. And if I would invest $1000 into a job within a week I would receive a check for $6k within a week! Not within 50 years. Within3 years company trusted me with all their work. So making 50,000 within a month became possible and all that and I didn’t even leave my house. And I bet if I worked even harder I would have made 100k easy within a month. Now of course there’s risk, but I hire good sub contractors and so far so good.

      And the amway multi millionaire will tell me with pride that 50k a year is good? When I have to put more work into recruiting people than I put in my own company? And I don’t recruit or lie to anyone. So yes all of you amway people consider me lazy consider me having a bad attitude or mentality… but I’ll I’m doing is what those multi millionaires that lie to you are doing.

  36. Hello,
    I have a question for you! Were you coachable? Were you apart of amway north america, because we have whats called LTD started by Larry and Pam Winters. And you can get one on one coaching with your upline if you are coachable and willing to learn. You obviously weren’t or you would’ve made it. Also it is such a positive experience I love being around my team and my goal is to help people not the money. The money will come in time and that is what the mentoring will do for you. If you take it. Amway is not a scam the people who say it is didn’t become a student of the business and weren’t coachable.

    • Hi Jackie. Appreciate your comments and thank you for you opinions. Coachable? Jackie, I had a downline of 25+….many I recruited myself. My first 1 month or so, I sponsored 6. How many have you personally sponsored so far? I loved being around my team too. It was always positive and pretty much a pep rally every time we got together. But there came a point where you had to look at reality: your life is ruled by meetings, and there is definitely a chance that you won’t make it, and nevermind how much more difficult it is nowadays with a gazillion other MLM’s popping up every year. I guess that goes for anything. I’ll tell you this though. A few months ago I ran into my old team leader (Emerald) and dude was STILL hustling people at the mall on a weekend…oh, and it’d been 5 years now since I left…I thought it’s supposed to take 2-5 years to go Diamond? Catch my drift? “Help people not the money” you said. Umm, no. It’s all about the money. That’s all they show at the rallies and what not: big homes, fancy cars, and financial freedom. This is the exact brain-washing that you have to be so aware of and becareful of, Jackie!!!! If within 3- 6 months you still don’t got a team going and aren’t earning income $$$, you might need to reconsider if it’s for you. That’s just my opinion though!

    • The problem with Amway is that you get turned into an Amroid sooner or later. I did not join a friend because he and his upline had that attitude. And especially the upline. You know, the, “I know something you don’t.” smirk that many distributors take on. I got out of the business long ago. But I have since seen my ex-upline and he always has that Amroid look. Even though he always talks about how close he is to being x level. As far as I know he still has his side job.

      I hated how Amway changed your friendships. All of a sudden you have no ‘friends’. EVERYBODY is a prospect. What other business do you know where you have absolutely no separation between business/home. Then the fact that the money and time they claim you can put into it is a complete farce. I was barely paying my rent as a college student, and yet the push for 100pv was still implicit, not from my direct upline but it was there.

      I don’t care how ‘coachable’ you are. If you really do the business sooner or later this will happen to you. You will lose many friendships because people get tired of being prospected. They get tired of Away friends who are only really interested as long as you are adding to their business. Yes, it is not true of all. But that is what comes across eventually. So my word of caution is do multilevel marketing at your own peril. It can ruin your life, even if you are successful.

  37. My friends are so drawn into it because the company is using motivational strategy to keep the network stable and those motivations are the right motivation which help them to success in life. The motivation are the techniques use to keep them in the company for their own benefit. They might see the testimony of the successful one, but the fact that they didn’t know is there were a lot of people being exploited and family or friendship relationship has been ruined. It is a cult.

    • You are exactly right, DC. The motivation part of the business is the BIGGEST part of the whole “business”. In fact, most of my upline made their big money with the motivational material, seminars, and everything else. The motivation keeps people in a world of unrealistic expectations in my opinion. It keeps them coming back for more since all the seminars and meetings are designed to be positive and tell people what they want to hear. I mean, it’s not a bad thing to be positive and dream, but there comes a point where you just got to be real too!!

  38. Hi Vince!!! Friends of mine are joining Amway, and there is no way out to convince them to get out of it. It is sad cos it will take times for them to realise and they will only get to realise after they have wasted time, friendship, family and others. It is psychological abuse manipulating people by giving them a wrong positive thoughts to become a loyal member. The reason why I am sharing my opinion is I just simply don’t like they way they make money. You got to recruit people to make money, those who you can possibly recruit are your family, you close friends, and possibly your neighbour hood. As a friends or family they trusted you, and they do the same thing as you do. They become your downline, you are just simply exploiting them. But, you might be aware of it. Cos you are very drawn into money and unrealistic success. Any Idea how to convince them in time?

    • I completely understand how everyone sees Amyway as a pyramid, because let’s be honest… It is. HOWEVER, for everyone out there who is skeptical YOU HAVE EVERY RIGHT… There is absolutely nothing wrong with thinking for yourself. Honestly, it’s great. You won’t make it in life unless you do. BUT here is the true reality… It’s not a scam. Pyramid.. Yes! But a scam? No. It’s just a “better” pyramid. Let’s be honest with ourselves people… For everyone who currently has a job, and goes to work… Think of what that REALLY is? Corporate America IS A PYRAMID. It’s life! Life was built AS A PYRAMID. Someone who had a great idea needed help working that idea, and simply trained others to do what he/she did, and continued on down the line. For everyone who hate’s on pyramids I want you to REALLY think about it. If you go to a grocery store and shop odds are you are supporting a pyramid. If you go to the mall, if you go to any franchise at all… That is a pyramid. If you have a boss… You are in a pyramid. So, tell me what other “Pyramid” our there allows us to be our own boss, and truly have the OPPORTUNITY for passive income. Yeah, it’s not easy, and it may take some longer than others to do so. Amway doesn’t tell you to quit your job and create a substantial business through them. They provide you with knowledge, and life long skills regarding success. Success mind you… That has been proven to work. So, please… Anyone… Tell me how this is a scam?

      • A better pyramid is still a pyramid. It doesn’t matter if the pyramid is Corporate America or Amway. If we play the same game, the result will be the same. My reality check is simple: a continuation of blown-up mountain tops and expansion of landfill.

    • And you know what, DC? There had been a number of friendships that I kind of, well not ruined, but made extremely awkward when I was in the business. I kind of regret it now, haha. But it is what it is. That’s kind of the price you pay if you’re going to play the MLM game!!

  39. Hi I was approached by an Amway “sales man” and he was all existed about Amway and getting me to join. My family has tried something like this when I was a kid, it was a long time ago and I don’t remember all the details, but they suck money into it and eventually quit. Now I’m a hard working guy, that has been my whole life building, painting, even working in cannerys. Now I’m working part time at a Fred Meyer. I don’t have the money to go to college but I’m looking into job corps’ and after that the career choice I have chosen will make me a lot of money, but I’m looking into this as a side job something I could do to make some exra cash. Now I read a lot of the comments on this page and most of them seem to be options and speculation. I would like learn some of the facts. Now I’m not saying every-ones input is bulls*** ( sorry but it is the easiest way to put it), but I always try to think first and act on a intellectual diction (most of the time haha). So if I could get some feedback as soon as possible i would appreciate it alot thanks for your time

    • I have been approached the same as you, and even went to a large meeting on one of their top players property (the place was nice, and he made casual references to other vacation houses) and most of the meeting was his story, and generating hype. After some research, and I am not 100% knowledgeable on everything amway, i have seen that you can indeed get very rich and eventually get money for sitting back and doing nothing. However the initial hurdle is what the amway represinatives gloss over. It takes work to build up to the level that the top people are at, some are making 12 million a year, but only after 30 years building it up. The initial work is simply recruiting, and that is where the main income is, you do get access to top quality products, and some discounts on other products, and a small return from what you buy with the point system. However you get paid 10% of what everybody you recruited makes, and as they recruit, they make more, which makes you more and it goes on down the line. If you are not willing to take that time, up to 3 years sometimes if you don’t give it 100% of your effort, and only 1 year for those that are really committed, you won’t make it anywhere. But after that year, you could be making digits around 40,000 a year, and it will only go up as those under you strive to reach higher. The fact is is that many dreamers get pulled in thinking you get millions for doing nothing and then balk at the work it takes to get there. If you are willing to put the work in, you can get very rich and retire earlier than any other job would allow, and still keep getting raises without lifting a finger.

  40. Hello Vince

    I’ve hade my share with Amway but that was a long-long time ago.At that time there was no internet in my country.Me and a fellow student were approached by an Amway partner when in college and he recruited us in the company.After 2-3 meetings we were pushed to buy an initial standard package with Amway products in order to continue,The products were overpriced but their quality was TOP , in fact I never used such high quality products.

    But that was it.We attended meetings that were repetitions of the first meeting.No education , no guidance , no clear marketing plan…only fancy lectures on how wealthy we gonna become in the near future…..So how the heck we were supposed to promote those products after all?..We only had to knock on doors and invite friends.Our recruiter never answered to any of our phone calls , he never showed up in future meetings and we eventually quit the Amway experiment disappointed

    Tasos

  41. Dude! you are criticizing Amway to promote your own WA?!! That’s cheap! Amway is not easy money. Of course it’s hard! It’s not for everyone! You realized that and you quit! I am glad you found something you are good at…but that doesn’t mean Amway is at fault….! It’s been there for 56 + years! I use its products. They are amazing! Once people use them they dont want to switch. Don’t add Amway with all other MLM industries.

    • I know exactly where you’re coming from, man. The loyalty. Oh man, the loyalty. I’d probably crush MANY MORE Amway hopefuls’ hopes and dreams if I told them the story of how I ran into my old upline team leader the other week. Dude is STILL stuck at the same level. I was at the mall, and suddenly heard “Vince!” and boom, there he was. It has been 5 years. Looks like he had another kid too. After some small talk, I found out that my personal sponsor, the most HARDCORE AMWAY GUY EVER, had washed out. I never thought in a million years he would. My upline team leader, is still hustling people at the mall on a weekend.

      I never said Amway is easy money. It’s definitely not for everyone. I bet it’s not for you either. How many people have you recruited into your downline? I recruited 6 my first month and farmed a team to 25+. What about you???? I think someone is MUCH better off building an Internet business from home. It’s the true business of the 21st century.

  42. I am currently talking to an IBO about becoming and IBO myself. They area great family who I have known for awhile. They want to leave their full time jobs and only doing their business. I have done Mary Kay for a few years so I know how the system works, it’s very similar. I have a full time job and plan to keep it. I am in sales now and have a full sales back ground, even down to car sales and let’s face it you can’t really bullshit a bullshitter (excuse my language but it’s true) I would like to know what this “qualifying” is about and not getting paid if you don’t? Also what is it that IBOs arnt telling me until I am an IBO myself? What is the fee if you quit ? Also anything else that someone feels I should know while thinking about this?
    Thanks

  43. Amway is like college. there is no guarantee that you will be able to get a good income or a good job. you just have to work for it. us college students invest so much money into textbooks and tuition but most of us don’t even get a job, just like Amway, but we do still have to keep a positive mind when we are doing any kind of work, also have something intrinsic motivating you. we just have to learn to take chances cuz if we knew every risk and outcome in the world, it wouldn’t be no crime or divorce or anything. we just have to take chances but if you do have something really good, don’t give it up for something else cuz it seems like it never works and karma always bites in the ass

  44. I drank the cool aid of the almighty amway for about 1 and 1/2 years 20 years ago before the internet, you think its tough now!. The success rate is about 0.01 percent. I showed the plan to over 100 people got 1 he Quit the next day. Your evidence is true, its not for everyone. WA is the way. you prove it with your seo.

    • Finally!! Someone who gets it. Thank you very much. It’s insane the amount of MLM companies there are now out there, and they all pretty much work the exact same way.

      And yes, WA teaches SEO and everything else you need to build a successful home based business online. Thanks for stopping by!

      • Hey Vince, I’m an 18 year-old college student that works very hard to make money. A friend of mine from highschool recently approached me about the Amway marketing life and asked me to join his downline. I attended one meeting and it was very positive, the stories were interesting and amusing, the people there were all laughing and having a blast, just a good atmosphere with good looking people. I made about 6 solid friends in that one meeting and I do like getting social and going out with friends. But I also LOVE money. I was wondering if there’s a way to join Amway so I could keep my friends there and kind of be like an IBO (but not pour money into it). I was wondering if you could enlighten me about how Wealthy Affiliate works.

  45. Here’s a sad Scamway story for you:

    My two best friends in the world are affiliated with this scum. They’re the two most brilliant people I know, and yet they’ve wholeheartedly drunk the Kool-Aid. I love them, but I cannot respect their decisions. I showed one of them a ton of legal, political and testimonial evidence of the detrimental affect Amway has on people, and she literally told me she would find another way to support her family if I’m right. This girl doesn’t have kids or even a serious SO. Last year, I joined up. I did some research, but I figured my favourite people on earth wouldn’t lead me down a dark path. Turns out, it didn’t take me long to figure out just how stupid my decision was. At the end of my first month, Amway refused to pay my bonus because of an error in registration ON THEIR END. So my lovely $300 bonus turned into $15.37. I quit right there. I was done and I was going to find a way to disillusion my girls. Every time I brought up how ridiculous the system was, they’d reply with, “It isn’t for everyone; It was actually your fault; You weren’t working hard enough; Not everyone can go Platinum” and yet they’d do “Dream Building” where they’d go to expensive stores, car dealerships and to open houses to see their dreams and build up their illusion that Amway money would get them that. They’ve each sponsored exactly one person. In almost two years (the usual amount of time stupid Amway speakers tell you you’d go platinum), they’ve made exactly no money, spend a ton on drug store grade products every month, and pay even more to go see stupid speakers like Felbar talk about how they were “Free at three… But life was difficult and I had to work hard to make it where I am..” And they see nothing wrong with that! These speakers start their stories telling you they had never experienced money troubles, that they’re privileged and then they turn around and say they had to work super hard for it! They just clearly lied in front of an audience and yet the audience nods enthusiastically and downs another XS. The way I see it, anything that makes an entire group of people lose touch with reality is bad. I’ve seen both of my best friends lose it completely and fall into the trap of MLM schemes. It needs to be stopped.

  46. Come on guys! Amway is a very simple business to run! Don’t complicate things! Robert Kiyosaki wrote an entire book called “the business of the 21st century” which deals about the amway kind of business. Why would Robert and Donald Trump recommend it if it’s not good for the average person?
    The books/ CDs are real world business education anyway, developing individuals to be entrepreneurs and not leave them as cooperate slaves. Amway is the human way of doing business, it’s team work, people do everything to help you grow and become a better person, better leader for as long as you’re willing to learn. It’s not like cooperate where everyone wanna be number 1, with “expensive” egos.
    Amway products are concentrated and hence when you dilute them and compare with others, you find that they are cheaper! Also they come with a satisfaction guarantee or you get your money back! The same apples to CDs and books.
    Amway is not about sales, what we do is not sales! We create buying power!
    For the people unsure, I would recommend you the following books at least:
    1. The slight edge
    2. Why we want you to be rich- Robert and Donald Trump
    3. The business of the 21st century- R. Kiyosaki

    • Why do Robert Kiyosaki and Donald Trump like network marketing and call it “the business of the 21st century”? Because they know distributors love to eat all their stuff up!!! Pretty genius if you ask me.

      They make lots of money just selling books for MLM’ers to read all day and a large percentage of total book sales are from people in MLM. And I used to be one of the them. Do you know how many business and self development books I have read? A LOT.

      I remember when I was like 19 yrs old I went to a “free” Donald Trump seminar about how to make a bunch of money. And you know what happened after? They had a cool little “training package” and course you could buy for the easy price of….wait for it…$2,999!!!

      The money is in the motivational materials. People freaking love to eat all that up. That’s where the real money is in an Amway business…it’s from the sales of motivational CD’s, books, seminars, etc. That’s where the majority of your up-line’s income is from.

      I get it, Sibeko. You’re in the phase of being really pumped up and feel this is your ticket to your dreams. I’ve been there, done that. I challenge you to come back and visit this site 6 months from now, and tell me how far you’ve gone since.

      I’ve asked many people in my MLM reviews in the comments, after months, some even years, how they’re doing in the business…and you know what? Not ONE has replied.

      All I’m saying is, in my opinion, your chances of making in this business are slim to none and there are many factors why.

      1. Your personality type- if you’re an introvert, don’t like to talk to people, and not good at sales, and don’t have excellent people-skills, then tough tamale. And if you want to become all this, it can take YEARS to acquire these skills, and that’s WITH actually doing/practicing.

      2. Meetings, meetings, meetings- most likely you will have “team” meetings a few times a week. If you have kids, good luck. And if you cannot commit 100% to every single one, you’re screwed because being accountable to your downline is EVERYTHING!!! Miss 1 meeting, and you lose trust. People make a mental note.

      3. The reliance on your down-line to do anything- Once you recruit somebody, now you must motivate the hell out of them to get off their butts and do something. If they don’t feel like it, then there’s nothing you can do. I had 20+ people in my downline and do you know how many were active? Like 2. And half the time they hardly did any business volume. There’s nothing much you can do to a point, other than go out and recruit more and more people, and hustle them into a business that likes to paint pictures of riches and luxury. Your team and people are everything. It’s the way you build that coveted residual income.

      4. People’s awareness of MLM- I think now in the 21st century, most people have been approached by the MLM opportunity. There are so many out there now, and right away a lot of people can sniff one out while being approached for a “business opportunity”and you will get turned down before you even finish your first sentence.

      I’ll leave it at this…you are much more likely to make money from home building a valuable website for a niche market. You have total control. You don’t have to attend meetings. You don’t need to buy a bunch of products to earn points. You don’t need to hustle your friends and family into your team. Websites don’t have emotions. They work 24/7, attract visitors, and do the “selling” for you. Myself, as many others, have made full time incomes from the comfort of our own homes doing affiliate marketing online. THIS is truly the business of the 21st century.

      • I joined Amway about 1 week ago and its going well currently with a good support team and as you said the environment is great. I just wanted to ask you, what kind of things did you learn from your time there that help you currently? In terms of the principles of business. Basically what was the upside to learning the skills you needed to learn in the Amway business.

      • That was a great pitch. I recently joined LTD and I immediately realized I have a great team. My upline pours into me and my downline of 4 people (3 weeks in) more than anyone else on his team (50+) in attendance at the meetings. I love that. My current job, where I am operations manager, does not anything like this. They just expect you to know what you’re doing meanwhile expanding your duties while not giving raises (3 years without). I was promoted from within quickly, but never trained in management properly and I constantly get fussed at even though I’ve met all my goals for 3 years consistently and my business clients brag on me. I know this MLM can work and I wouldn’t mind getting to the level of speaking to people and motivating them. I also know I want multiple sources of income. I don’t want to put all of my hopes and dreams on ONE thing. A lot of the successful people in Amway do more than Amway. I would like to know more about WA.

    • Hey Vince how are you doing buddy 20/min ago just finist to talk to one of the guys who came to my house to a product demonstration I never thought I had to buy the product to get in the business so I told this guy that I didn’t had the money right now till next week but the reason what I did it is cause it was so beautiful and easy to make money and in my 30 years of life never see people make that much money so easy, so I was like naww it is kind of weard to me cause if its so easy to make money everybody will be in the business don’t you think so? well I feel so glad I made this research thank you for your honesty and help people don’t waste time joining this business but I first sight seems wonderful

  47. This is the best info for people desperate to make money to read. My philosophy is work hard and use your brain intelligently. There are people out there of all kinds trying to scum you more so your own very so called friends.

    Thanks for this site.

  48. This guy speaks a lot of truth. I have friends who have joined programs like this (Amway, Vector, Mary Kay) and he has a level head about it. You can make money, but chances are most people will not be willing to do what they have to. Take some community college courses in a business related field, take some free seminars, and explore all options. Realize that there is nothing wrong with a structured job. People who have bosses are not “losers” compared to those who don’t. I own my own business and have friends who make much more than I do, and have far less stress and risk.

    Emotion game. Well put.

    • I just met this mom whose whole family is fiercely into amway. They use all their products. She’s even dragged me to a convention in vegas. She is pressuring me to join. I work a full time job unlike her. She is a stay at home mom that lives in a million dollar home with the help of her engineer husband. I m so skeptical about this. Should I join??? I have a feeling I will spend lots of money first before I make a dime.

  49. So I actually was dumb enough to join Amway just to see what it was about. I was “guaranteed” that I would get my money I used to sign up back if I hit my PV goal the first month. All I got was a whopping $50. This was after I had put the $200 into registering and at least another $200-$300 buying products for people and myself to sample. I actually just got on my e-mail account, where my LTD information gets sent to, and found out that they are charging me MONTHLY for this!!! I was told it was a one time thing. Now I know why my credit card has been so high… $400 a year just to get CD’s? I don’t think so. The IBOs are so consumed in building their pyramid that they are willing to deceive a hardworking (working 50+ hrs a week) full time college student into joining the business…. I don’t blame it on the company, I blame it on the brain washing that occurs at every meeting. These people have a really weird vibe and I would give one word of advice for someone considering joining…. DON’T!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    • And so the Amway bashing continues! It’s multilevel marketing folks, and that isn’t easy, no matter what MLM you are with. The only true benefit of joining a MLM is to have the ability to purchase products at distributor cost. I am an Amway IBO, and I do not sell a single product. I am not required to sell anything, nor am I required to purchase any books, website office, or sign any one up. I simply take advantage of my 30% discount off of cosmetics, body care, vitamins and cleaning supplies. Amway does offer a high quality product. I would rather purchase Amway at a discount than she’ll out money at a high priced department store for my skin care and cosmetics.

      • I also forgot to mention, that DO NOT pay an annual fee either. There are numerous sponsors out there whom shall allow you to join as an IBO just for the 30% discount! Amway DOES allow such an option.

    • There is a guy in my office that is into Amway. He lives in a tiny flat with his a stay at home wife and kids. He’s always attending meetings, buying books, listening to CDs (of diamonds bragging about their wealth) and attending conferences out of the country. Frankly I think he uses his salary for that. Though he seems to be more focused on Amway, I know for a fact that he supplements his income driving taxi, and doing a number of odd jobs to make money on the side.

      I’ve asked him to explain to me how exactly you make money in Amway if you are not pushing products to customers, but instead seem to be focused on getting new people to sign onto Amway. I thought that selling large quantities of product was the aim but apparently not. He keeps giving me these vague answers. I’ve asked him what is it about the Amway business model that makes him think it will make him rich compared to regular tried and proven business models. How many millionaires do Amway have over the general population? Why should anyone buy Amway when their products are SO expensive, given that we get cheaper similar products from other countries ESPECIALLY China. I told him I don’t see how choosing to buy products for my household regularly and signing people (who btw aren’t real salespeople) is going to result in me makings real money.

      Instead he’s like a new believer, and anyone with opposing views on Amway, who tries to talk to him is seen like soldiers of Satan. He gets very angry and dismisses you as though you’re a part of the unfortunate population that will never get it and therefore never receive the blessings of Amway. He actually did it with me even though I have WAY more assets than he does, and I make more money that he does from my day job and my side business.

      The latest I saw him with was some face scanner that he had to buy along with a Samsung tablet and other device which totaled over $1000 USD. Apparently he’s scanning your face and recommending products for you to buy to correct your ailments – Amway products of course.

      Sometimes I feel Amway recruits pray on desperate people, people looking for hope. They brainwash you into thinking you can become a ‘diamond’ and live this life with little or no work, even though history has shown again and again that this does not work.

      • I, as an IBO can tell you that at no point has anyone ever said or made me buy CD’s or books. At no time has anyone from the double diamond levee down guaranteed that i would make money. It is quite the contrary. The one thing that I’ve always heard from day one is if you do nothing, you get nothing. It is a very transparent organization. The unfortunate and somewhat cumbersome angle to control is the bad practice that SOME people engage in that gives the Amway organization a bad name and negative stigma. They work very hard at minimizing these situations and have no reservation with terminating people who do not follow the rules with over 2200 IBO’s being terminated or suspended. I spoke with a very well know person within the organization with over 30 years in the business and can tell you that desperate people do not do well in the business by his own admission. Desperate people are the ones who give MLM a bad rap. This is a business for people who want to supplement their income until they can replace it. Wether or not that ever happens is based on consistency and effort as with anything in life. Its an amazing business model. The only down fall is the people who try to use it to take advantage of the system and that ultimately should lie on the individual, not the organization but it unfortunately doesn’t. There is an opportunity o make decent money with most legitimate mlm organizations. Ive seen it first hands through other friends of mine and the get rich quick scheme doesn’t exist with any of them. They all take time and effort PERIOD.

      • The thing about the prices being high is explainable. You spend less for a product you get something of less quality. Also, by buying from a friend that is in Amway you are keeping the cash local. Why should we as Americans or of other countries, pour our hard earned money that we spend majority of our life to make? China is becoming more and more wealthy with everything we buy from them. I’m not saying that China shouldn’t be prosperous, but America is falling deeper into debt. Why shouldn’t we take care of our country that has given us freedom? Also, Amway has many different parts of the company. You can’t judge one group when you haven’t met any others.

        • I just started as an IBO and already have seen a lot of what Vince is saying is true I do believe there products are great quality but they are still overpriced as this example Slim Fast is an American Company and has proven results and tastes exactly like Amway’s body key shakes except you don’t need to mix them and is around a dollar for one most likely less if you buy a case body keys version is 4 dollars a shake and thats supposedly wholesale even though according to nutrition label body key has more nutrients and less calories 2 dollars would make it a much more fair and affordable price as how the pricing is with most all of their products the funny part is I just talked about their products more then I heard at the 5 hour Amway meeting I went to yesterday

    • Not all IBOs in the company are bad. Yes I noticed that most of them have the “salesman” mentality and can be a little shady, but if you are smart enough to work around that then you will be fine. And my uplines don’t always tell me what I need to know, so you know what I do? I call the Amway center because they are there almost 24/7 and I ask them ANYTHING and I will get an answer.You are supposed to tailor some things to YOUR personality. When my friends, and random people when I go out, ask me what I do, I tell them straight up. I show them the business and I show them how it works in every nook and cranny because I wanted to know all of that stuff before I had even considered joining. I don’t hide anything and you shouldn’t. I know they say “Don’t tell them everything at once,” well I don’t like that Idea. So I DON’T DO IT.

      YOU are your own business owner in this company and YOU run things in YOUR business the way you believe they should be. I found that showing people what it’s all about proves to them that I am a trustworthy person and it clicks in their head that yeah maybe they would want to be on my team. And I don’t hardly buy any of my products. I have some here at home and I show them to others and when they try it, the product speaks for itself and I sell. Also, you don’t HAVE to add every single person you meet to YOUR business team. If you don’t think they would be a good match for the style you have chosen to run this by, then recommend them to a business partner of yours/ Upline. I could go on and on about this, and if you have any more comments or concerns then feel free to reply.

      • Hello and thank you for your message… I am brand new and just had my budget session and I’m how you are about telling the truth… It was very hush hush for the first 6 steps, q1 etc… I have been to several meetings and was able to meet a sponsor 30 years in the business, I think it’s better to tell people more in the beginning because if it’s a good fit the person will respond accordingly… I am a super upbeat personality with a positive attitude that influences people around me so I know that’s why I was approached but I needed serious advice on this… I believe that you get what you give in life so if I give all I can in this business it should work… I have listened to several cd s and already had read the books they tell you to read before I met my sponsor. If you can advise me anymore I would appreciate it… I don’t like all the negative feedback on here at all.

  50. Last year I had a husband and wife that were trying to get me to join Amway. They were so pushy. I agreed to go to one meeting with them and it was over 2 hours of pure Hell. The speaker talked only about how rich she was but next explained the company. The couple wouldn’t leave me alone and called me a failure when I told them I didn’t want to join. They also asked me for my 401k and told me to quit my high quality job I have been at forever. These people were truly scam artists and were using the Amway name to scam others. It was horrible and makes me cring when I hear the Amway name. This couple lives in Idaho.

  51. Hello, I’m currently on my way to a meeting. Im in the 4th or 5th step and the leg from.amway is world wide. I am one of the most ambitious 19 year olds let alone praon I know. What advice would you give me. Fyi I am currently a sales person and also a people peeson as well.

  52. I liked your paragraph on: Just Thinking Positively Isn’t Going To Bring In The Money… Shows that mindset is so important when looking at this opportunity. Thanks for sharing your stand with Amway.

  53. Great review. I am not an Amway distributor either, but thought it important to mention a couple points that should probably be mentioned. First, one of the reasons Amway is extremely difficult is because the compensation plan requires reps to basically build the same leg twice, hence the term “breakaway.” Second, you are correct in that the real money is made from sponsoring and building teams, however to say you have to recruit friends and family to make money is grossly incorrect. Being a successful internet network marketer myself in a different company I will personally say I do not know a single top earner (and I know many) that built big businesses off just their friends and family. Lastly, it isn’t the industry that really has a negative reputation, it’s just particular companies like Amway due to their lifespan in the market. It just so happens it has a negative reputation which makes it harder to build than other companies. Great article though, you obviously know your SEO stuff, pretty impressive from one SEO to another.

    • Jason,
      You obviously didn’t read the review or simply ignored he very impotent statement the reviewing made. No where in the article does it say ”just” friends and family so I’m not sure why you even have to mention that you know no one who’s succeeded with ”just” friends and family. The reviewer never said “just”. Please read the sentence below which comes after the mention of friends and family (and without the word “just”) and you’ll see that the point made by the reviewer is not “grossly incorrect” It read: “You burn through the list of your friends and family, you are likely going to need to contact “cold” prospects or complete strangers and eventually convince them to join your downline or “team”. “

  54. You were off on some of the points yes there is a free website you get your own when you Sign
    up the initial cost is for you licence and intro kit and the kit starts your bonus
    program. There is step by step training there are a few sites that provide that.
    Private coaching is put out by your upline/mentor. The personal shop/website has a key word
    search and you can contact owners I myself have 4 Diamonds and 2 crown ambassodors on my social
    media listed as friends and I have chatted with them.
    You have also forgotten Amway has a 6 month money back guarantee, 3% payment is only applicable
    for up to 400 Pv then it goes up to 6% (paid on Bv not pv)then it can raise up to 25%+2% for top earners.
    There are free apps to share the plan and keep track of your business breaks it right down to per use cost.
    When your business reaches 1100 Pv your products are free the next month and as long as your business stays at the 1000 pv mark.

    • Hey Cathy, thanks for your comments.

      To respond to your points…

      1) You don’t get much of a free website that is fully functional such as WordPress, as it is more of your own pre-made, cookie-cutter, virtual store that really has no area to add content, grow, and brand yourself. It is more of a link to the Amway site. Without proper online marketing (which is a whole business in itself), it is pretty much useless to the Internet world.

      2) There is no clear, set, step by step training. There is a basic plan that comes with Amway, and the training comes from all kinds of different groups, who all have their own unique ways of doing things. There is no set blueprint as there is in WA. You just have to hope and pray that the system or group you teamed up with, knows what they are doing.

      3) Private coaching also varies as it totally depends on what team you are picked up on, or you sign with. I have never heard of an Amway IBO being able to contact the actual owners of Amway such as the Van Andel and DeVos family and spoken with them directly when they needed support and help Lol

      Your upline Diamonds and Ambassadors DO NOT own Amway.

      With Wealthy Affiliate, you can literally private message or live chat the owners, Kyle and Carson, at anytime in which they respond very quickly.
      4) It’s not secret that the majority of Amway product buyers are IBO’s THEMSELVES!! Which leaves tons of confidence to stamp the “6 month money-back guarantee”…IBO’s want to support their business.

      5) A very small percentage ever really even hit the 1100 pv mark as it is, and even less actually retain it. I should know. I had cracked the 1500 pv level many times over, and I was 1 of the very very few.

      I know you are on the Amway train right now, Cathy. I really do things work out for you. Time will tell. Know you are always welcome to come onto the online marketing world. It makes much more sense for these times.

    • Hi Vince… Question on a way….Can you tell me who do you sell the a way products to? I still don’t understand how working for a way makes people money… If you don’t recruit anyone and don’t buy the products your self who do you sell to family and friends?

  55. i have joint both amway and wealthy affiliate, but i have not made money from both……yet.
    however, i know some ppl who actually make some money from both, one of my partner in amway is making about usd$2000 per month when she is in her 19 which is not bad for a college student. to be honest amway is not bad if u found a right upline to give u support, i think one of the advantage doing amway over wealthy affiliate is that u actuallu get help from a real person and ur upline can teach u face to face, although kyle( the owner of wealthy affiliate)also always give u helpful advices in building ur online business, the efficience is not the same

    • Keep in mind, that it’s neither company responsible for your success. It’s dependent on YOU. You have not made money from both because you haven’t taken enough action or taken the right steps to make money. I made money in Amway. I make money using Wealthy Affiliate. You can have the best upline in the world (like I did) and still not make money. Many people would get extensive 1-on-1 coaching from their upllines in Amway, and still not make a dime…for YEARS.

      All I’m saying is, I believe online marketing is a much better business model for someone in these modern times. You can use your computer to build a six-figure business, in any niche, not have to recruit and hustle people, and you don’t have to attend a million meetings per month.

      Wealthy Affiliate’s training is SO GOOD, the need for a coach goes down, since all the info is in front of you already, waiting for you to take action. There comes a point where you have to hunker down and get your hands dirty. Nobody is going to force you to be successful, whether it’s face to face or online.

      Appreciate your comments and honest thoughts!

  56. I personally feel that amway is not as bad as people say but some people inside it have created a mess.i just feel that they should be more straightforward ..rather day dreamming they should give the real concept of mlm.i just feel annoying how ibo create a enviornment to gain its business.

    • They can’t be straightforward, Rakesh. If they told people the truth of how hard it really is, and how few people ever make it, then nobody would join! It’s an emotion game. The way you build this business is by creating hype, selling dreams, and pitching the idea of big money. Then people join, stick around, order the products and tools, hoping one day they will become rich. The ones who can keep recruiting hopefuls like this, will become rich. You can’t give the real concept of MLM. You have to beat around the bush and paint a rosy picture. Make sense?

  57. Hi Vince, Here is mu problem, my daughter and her husband are very much involved with the Amway process. Until now, mu husband and I have not said much to them about it, we feel that as adults they are entitled to live their lives as they wish. However, I feel that a big problem is coming on the horizon. My other daughter is planning to get married next July. She is limited in selecting a date because of her fiance’s job. Of course, she wants her sister to be in her wedding, but she was told that there might be a big Amway meeting. She seemed to imply that she would choose this meeting over her sister’s wedding! This is very upsetting for my daughter (as myself) especially since she was in her wedding this past May, and had to fly several times to Nevada from Florida to participate. My question for you is are these meetings mandatory? Are there serious repercussions if they were not to attend? Your advice is much appreciated. Thank you.

    • Yup. And that’s a huge problem. Are the meetings mandatory? Nope. It’s just a matter of principle and commitment. Their upline (mentors) and the system will hammer it into their heads that this is their vehicle to financial success and reaching their dreams and goals. Attending all the meetings and having your followers copy you is really how you build this business. My question is, does your daughter and husband have a lot to lose? Do they already have a large team under them they are leading and are making big $$$? (I doubt it) Because if they do, you might as well count them OUT of the wedding. It’s a monkey-see-monkey-do thing. You miss 1 meeting and your followers will never take you serious again.

      On the other hand, it would be entirely SAD if they are new and really have nothing to lose but choose the big Amway meeting over their sister’s once-in-a-lifetime moment, simply on principle and an idea of “commitment”.

      I remember missing a best friend’s graduation to attend an Amway convention (which happened every 3 months anyway) and still regret it to this day.

      The meetings are the main reason why I left Amway. You have to center your entire LIFE around them. You don’t really own a business. The system owns you.

      If your daughter and her husband decide to skip the wedding, but later drop out of Amway, I don’t think it’ll ever be the same as a family. That’s just my opinion. Wish you the best of luck!!

      • Thanks for your feedback, it helps alot

    • Hello, it might be too late, but I went and join the Amway company, where I am an IBO, a beginner I’m starting to have second thoughts that the more I reread your review the less I like the company, and the more I learned about them. Examplebeing them not telling me about the shipping cost, the monthly distribution cost and pv, system. Furthermore, the mentor tried to sent me to one of the events that was held in D.C.

  58. Now thier using a different presention.. I been to this meeting … now going under Equipo Vison… I spanish version.. same thing and prices are higher then I was five years ago… didt want join then not going to spent $181… and you don’t get it back, five years ago it was $200…

    • Yup. And it’s nothing new. Well to be fair, there are many groups out there that use Amway as their vehicle or business model. It’s not really Amway. It is the groups that sell the dream. Unless it’s something new?

  59. A couple of points.
    1) As I scanned the comments, I noticed that the folks who said that they didn’t make any money never talked about establishing retail customers. Retail customers are a part of the business model. Always has been. You are required to have retail customers to qualify for bonuses. If you establish retail customers and service them well, you will make money. Without retail customers, you profits will be minimal. That applies to Amway and any other wholesale or retail business. If you didn’t know that, go back and read the materials from when you signed up. If your upline fails to teach that, shame on them.
    2) Pyramids abound. If you went to school, you were a part of a pyramid. If you are employed, you are part of a pyramid. Your government is pyramidical. So is the military. And your church. Pyramids are how we organize. Most folks tend to confuse businesses in the MLM with illegal pyramids. The FTC and the courts have established what is illegal in a multi-level business. The first thing to look for is earning money for simply recruiting new members. Another thing to be aware of, is front-loading, or being asked to purchase products in advance. Never allow you self to buy products that don’t have a customer waiting for them. And there should be a refund window for educational materials.

    • Hey Paul, thanks for your comments and thoughts. I appreciate your honest opinions and feedback. Here is my response to a few of the points you made.

      1) There is a reason why Amway started requiring a 50pv outside customer to qualify. It’s no secret that a large part of Amway customers, if not the majority, were Amway IBO’s themselves. You start to wonder why they did this. It’s also no secret that what really sells people to join Amway, is the residual income model. This includes building large downlines. Not retail. Sure, you can make some money establishing a few retail customers, but you know as well as I know, this is not the main reason people join. It’s all about hustling and recruiting people into your team and building residual income and living the good life.

      2) I remember when I was in Amway, we rallied against corporate america and swore everything in life (besides Amway) was a pyramid and conspiracy. However, this belief never really sat well with me deep on the inside. I get it. Everything’s a pyramid. The pyramid is the most stable structure in the universe. The difference is, in a job, you are getting paid per hour. That’s the deal. That’s the agreement. You are trading your time for dollars. It doesn’t matter who’s above or below you. You don’t perform, you get fired. It really has nothing to do with a pyramid at an individual, personal level. You get paid per hour. It’s a little different as an Amway rep because here you are generating revenue and business volume, in which it does flow towards the top. Not only that, but if one of your upline is inactive or doesn’t qualify, bonuses will pass them and go to the next qualifying upline. The money literally flows up. Reps are getting compensated for creating revenue. An employee is getting compensated for their time. It’s very different.

      Amway is definitely not a scam. In fact, Amway hardly ever even promotes income potential. It is the teams. The different teams out there sell this idea of big houses, fancy cars, luxury yachts, and big riches if you get started in Amway. This business model is tough, and quite frankly, I believe many people do miss out on their opportunity of succeeding somewhere else. Like myself. Although I did learn alot about life, business, and myself in Amway, it definitely wasn’t for me and I have found much greater success online than I ever did in MLM….and the funny part is, I actually accomplished more in MLM than most people who join!

  60. I have one question. As simy as I can put it, I’m wondering if I invest in my down line and teach them to do the same.e to theirs how profitable is the Amway opportunity then? I mean if I see d the 250/by is or so per month to buy products tapes and CDs for them as well as for myself and I teach them to do the same is it profitable in this way? To me it seems to be a no brainer but I’m interested I. Finding out other opinions. Eagerly awaiting your response.

    • That is the whole point, Joe. You’re supposed to teach your downline to buy and sell Amway, feed themselves motivational stuff, and repeat. If you can do this, you will be successful. Problem is, 99% of people fail at this. It’s not a business model that is going to work well for everyone out there, although your upline will brainwash you and tell you it is.

  61. Hi everyone, my girlfriend joined Amway recently and yes she did attend for many meetings and seminars and even bought their CDs and so on. I am quite annoyed because she seen like completely brain-washed by her upliners. So nw i am doing research on this amway business model to find some facts to prove that this business is not that perfect as her upliners told her.

    • It is a brainwashing game. That’s the point. You have to brainwash yourself to make it in MLM, and believe all the hype. This is what’s supposed to fuel you to go out and hustle people into your downline. You are probably going to see a huge change in your girlfriend if she continues. I’m not saying for the worse, but much different. The CD’s, books, meetings, they’re all designed to be super positive and paint a picture of great success. It definitely changed me, for the better, but there was a point where I realized I needed to get out and do something else. I am grateful for the time I spent. It’s just sometimes, you can get a little or should I say, a lot delusional as to how far you really are from achieving what you’re aiming for. Your uplines won’t tell you, you’re not doing enough or that you suck. Lol.

  62. Its abvious that its bullshit. People on top are making money and created a system of living in the dreams just to make us buy their products which are more expensive and they tell you , you can have 3% back bla bla but who s gonna swallow that ??? Let s say you spend 200 on amway products ..that could cost you only 150 or less if you bought them somewhere else… but they give you 3% back whcih is 6 dollars hahahh but they say most of your money comes from the percentage of people buying the amway products under your line. Which means its a vicious cycle cause these people under your line are and gonna be imaginary … cause people keep joining and leaving and u have to hustle people all the time to get some cents by helping amway.. now seriously ask your self .. DO YOU THINK DIAMOND PEOPLE EXIST AND THEY RE MAKIN ALOT OF MONEY OUT OF THAT ?????AND THAT AWAY IS GONNA SIGN A CHECK ONE DAY OF 1000 000 DOLLARS.IF YOU DO , YOU RE TOOO NAIVE CAUSE ALL YOU RE GONNA MAKE IS 1000 DOLLARS IF YOU ACCEPT TO BE THEIR SLAVE AND RACHET BUGGIN PEOPLE 🙂

    HAVE A GOOD ONE GUYS

  63. I belonged to Amway back in the 1970’s and didn’t do well. I think it was because I was young and didn’t give the time I should. Now I am retired and could use some extra income and am thinking of joining Amway again. I am still thinking about it.

    • I would highly reconsider. Honestly, you can do so much better and there is so much opportunity online these days. it’s crazy to think that I too was brainwashed in Amway, thinking it was the only way to financial success. Heck, I even did fairly well compared to other people who got started. You are going to need a ton of energy to do Amway and it’s definitely not the same as it was in the 1970’s. Back then, it was relatively new and not as heard of as it is now. Also, there wasn’t nearly the amount of competition as there is now. Just about everyone I know has heard of an MLM opportunity and most despise them. That’s just the reality of things my friend.

  64. The basic point missed is this. You need 6 people under you. They each need 6 people under them and so on. In simply 13 levels of this the entire population of the earth is exceeded. Take away third world country populations and disenfranchised and how many rounds? The dream is truly just a dream, not possible in reality.

    # of Levels Start # Multiplier # of Dream Participants comments
    1 1 6 7
    2 7 6 42
    3 42 6 252
    4 252 6 1,512
    5 1512 6 9,072
    6 9072 6 54,432
    7 54432 6 326,592
    8 326592 6 1,959,552
    9 1959552 6 11,757,312
    10 11757312 6 70,543,872
    11 70543872 6 423,263,232
    12 423263232 6 2,539,579,392
    13 2539579392 6 15,237,476,352 so at 13 levels the population of the planet is exceeded

  65. Amway products are to expensive? Yet, you mention at the beginning that they are grossing over 10+ billion annually? So with that can of income how can the products be to expensive? This business works but only if your willing to put in the effort and make sacrifices to live a better future. People now and days are looking for quick cash without any real work being done. So to end my rant, this business works, its not quick cash and there is time that’s going to be needed to invest in this, but if it is for your future and or families future, why wouldn’t you?

    • Hi Daniel. I appreciate your response.

      To answer your questions.

      Amway is able to generate so much revenue simply from selling the idea of a business opportunity. The main customers of the products are IBO’s themselves, participating in the distribution of product in their own “home business”. In other words, they’re players of a game. Most just buy for themselves, and do a little selling on the side.

      I’ve been in your shoes before. Trust me. I remember I would defend Amway to the death. But, after a while, reality sets in. and you realize what’s really going on.

      All I’m saying is, you’re actually better off starting your own business. The statistics don’t like about Amway. Look them up and see how many IBO’s are even pulling in over just $1,000 per month. Not many compared to the amount of people in the business.

      • Hey, Vince, like Scott was saying previously about the pyramid of numbers. The top diamonds and emeralds have been around for years and have brainwashed thousands of people to get where they are now. You get more than 2 people to believe you can build your own Jones town horror story 😉 You just have to get them to drink the cool aid.
        Yes, I was in Amway in the early 90’s.
        Dan Labbe

  66. Hello everyone, Vince :). I need some advice. I have recently joined Amway and I was so excited after going to two of their functions. When I was asked by a classmate of mine to attend a presentation (or as I have recently learnt, launch) I thought it was something progressive and would be interesting, so I went for it. Someone I’ve never met before presented “the plan” for the next hour and afterwards I spoke to him about the presentation, but in hindsight I was too greedy to have asked him the right questions.
    What should have put me off there and then was that after the presentation, only two people were still there, besides me and still, I signed a form and paid the fee the next day. After the first function i attended, I was motivated for about a week, and spoke about my dreams and goals continuously with the person that signed me – we’ve got a good friendship going right now. After attending the second function, I was motivated for the rest of the day, but after going through the catalogue, visiting the centre, and viewing their prices I was so angry at myself.. How could I have believe that a sales company would sell products at 10% retail (they said 90% goes to middlemen and advertising) – these products are sold at much higher prices!!
    Also, the way the plan was presented – about how you make savings and get money back -it was all deceiving. I don’t spend money on unnecessary products so it’s not personally a problem, but how am I supposed to sell a plan that my mind and heart don’t find true. I’ve been blind and probably deserve the headache I now have and I should leave while I’m still new, but I’m afraid that if I do tell my friend that I no longer want to be a part of this, then it will end our friendship, and I don’t want that to happen.

    That’s part of my (short [maybe not]) story and I’m at odds with myself. If anyone has had similar experiences, please guide me.
    Thank you for your time, readers.

    • Hi Confused!

      I have been in the same boat and felt the same – My wife was very passionate about it and I did not understand the big deal about the Amway opportunity. For years I tried (thought I tried, but my heart was never in it) and then I quit.
      Couple things with the training tools. I felt the books and CDs very useful. In fact I used alot of the Amway principles about goal settings, perseverence, failing forward in other business adventures and career and it helped alot. Never really understood that part about people having a challenge with the tools.

      Unfortunately, our other businesses that once worked well, started to suffer. Ebay fees went up, cutting into Pwersellers profit margin like no tomorrow, Real Estate became more challenging and online competition from Asian Wholesalers makes your own Internet Business also challenging.

      So my wife and I are giving Amway another go. This time, expectations are, we know it’s tough, but so were all our other business adventures. There is no easy street. But at least we have help. A mentor that build the business over three years to Emerald we can call. Suggest to share your confusion and frustrations with your uplines. Are we rich, no. But making a couple hundred bucks to assist with the mortgage is great and with the right expectations it’s much more fun this time around.

      Pricing is a big one. Strongly suggest to sit down with your upline and go through the Nothing Compares. Amway does not follow a wholesale model like Costco for example. Amway offers profit sharing, but less of bulk wholesale pricing. However, I am sure you will find some products that you find of value. Buy these and learn more step by step. Nutriway is amazing the more you understand it, so are the other brands.

      Don’t quit yet. I regretted it. Having questions, being frustrated, confused, hitting a bump is all part of it and I am convinced by talking to my mentors, everyone that has become successful in Amway wanted to quit at some stage.

      Why do we not advertise/be upfront when we invite people to a business review, that we represent Amway? I think that is a very fair question as well. The part I found is, that it really depends on who is showing the plan and timing. I just sponsored a couple that declined the oportunity many times before and would have said no on the phone right away. It’s odd, I don’t understand it, but sitting down with someone, sharing the opp without any bullshit and be upfront with people should work everytime but it does not over the phone.

      Long comment, probably confused you even more. But when I read your text, it was such a deja vue. I wish you luck, keep asking questions, and hopefully it will work out

    • Questions like this is what your upline is for. Trust me, I have been there and your upline has probably been there too. Hope this helps

    • Hey Vince,
      I’m adams. I noticed your comment was made in August of 2014, about 5 months ago,
      How did it go? Did you leave?
      I’m asking because I’m in the same EXACT situation as you right now!

      Thanks

    • I was in scamway in 92 or 93 the freinds i had then are no longer in my life so they will forget you were in that bad joke.

  67. I was recently approached by an Amway distributor. She and her husband, though I thought were nice people, refused to tell me who they were actually representing. I have worked in the Personal Growth field for many years and I can almost tell from their pitch and body language what company they represent. Though their main objective was to get me to their big regional meeting. I asked them point blank ‘Is this Amway?” The answer they gave was’ “You will be surprised who we represent once we get there.” I admit, I was curious I felt I knew all the direct marketing companies. When I got there no one wore an Amway name tag. I did see someone carrying around an Artistry lipstick so I chuckled under my breath. I had multiple people try to hand me energy drinks etc. I was waiting for someone to start singing kumbaya and pass Koolaid. About two hours into their meeting they claimed to be a marketing company that distributed Amway products and how proud they were to be part of such a great company. I cannot respect anyone that will not be truthful upfront and told that to the distributor who brought me. In my research I have not seen Amway use any other name but Amway or Quickstar. I do not wish to join but Amway should be aware of the fact that some regionals are using deceptive practices to fill their rooms. The regional who spoke used simple english and explained his past. I respected what he shared. I tried talking to him after the meeting. He was a little gruff with me when I asked for his business card. I was surprised by his reaction. I foundthe approach they used disrespectful to the guests they brought in and it seemed to me they were ashamed of the name Amway. I wish I could remember what they wore on their name tags for a company name….but I cannot, it was that unmemorable.

  68. Hey Vince,

    I tried to access the Wealthy Affiliate but it says it is not free in my country. I am from India. Will this really work because I am desperately looking for income option to look after my child at home.

    Please reply ASAP.

  69. I grew up surrounded by the Amway system. My parents are Emeralds, very big names in their group. I signed up recently myself. Let me say, this for the most part is a fair and honest review. Growing up in the system I’ve seen so many people come and go. Some people make it some don’t. It’s true that this is a very hard business, that’s the reason why we have to stay positive at all times. If we start saying to people, “oh if you don’t have people skills or if you’re shy you won’t succeed” all that will do is bring prospects down. Amway works by building people up and making them feel confident, nurturing them to be real business leaders. Yes it’s true that in order make it in this business you gotta hustle, you gotta be willing to get your boots on the ground but if that initial comfidence isn’t there, if you dom’t truly believe that you can make it, it’s all for naught. This isn’t true just in Amway, confidence is key everywhere. When you go for a job interview, when you make investments, when you start your own business, anywhere you go if you wanna be somebody you have to be confident.

  70. First, I appreciate everyone’s feedback here. I was an Amway IBO for two years. I had to quit not because I didn’t enjoy it but I had life challenges that prevented me from continuing. I will never knock that business ever. It was a positive experience for me overall. The problem that I had at times was dealing with personalities but that’s everywhere so that’s not a black mark on the business. The business itself works. There are a few things that need to be mentioned that I had learned from my experience. This is only my experience. I was not working when I started my business and that is definitely something I would not recommend. Make sure you have a job that pays well. Next, make sure your partner or spouse is informed and on board with your decision if you decide to sign up. Having your spouse involved is so important. The company is reputable and legitimate but this opportunity is not for everybody. Can you make money? Yes, absolutely. I did and I enjoyed it. Make sure your upline is doing what they said they would do. If not, go higher and tell that person. Get them to help you in any way they can. Keep good records for tax time and learn how to sell. There are ways to sell the products to outside people (e.g. Ribbon cards to car dealerships, real estate etc.) What I took away from the whole experience was that it helped me deal with people better and I feel I can succeed in other areas of my life not just business. I read some great books while I was in BWW and I continue to read. Did I get frustrated at times? Yes I did but jobs will get your frustrated too so again that is not a knock on the business. Simply speaking, do what is right for you and if this business does not speak to you, do something else. It’s perfectly okay. I hope this helps someone but do your research from reputable sources and get the facts. Make the right decision for you and don’t feel pressured to do anything. Be honest with the person who showed you the opportunity. Give back the literature they loaned you so they could use it for someone else. They are paying for it out of their own pockets and when you take something from someone when they loaned it to you, that’s stealing. That’s one thing I couldn’t stand as an IBO but what could I do except try to help the next person. Good luck to whomever is reading this and do the best you can if you decide to become an IBO.

  71. the things that’s interesting for me is that the person who approached me to join the business keeps telling me some points that do not exist in their kind of MLM but in fact it seems that they all do EXIST in amway and they are no different from any other kind of MLM style businesses by any means.

    She keeps saying:

    1) This is not a Pyramid style business
    2) We are not ATTACHED to anyone new in the business (Which means they do not need to get me in at all and she sais she is spending her time on me for not much benefit of her side)
    3) Just because some member is older than new members does not mean that they earn more than new ones.

    But please anyone here in this discussion could tell me CLEARLY that how is this thing working out , I have met her twice, in a coffee shop and in one of their meetings, but still dont have a clear image of what they do. I was given a dozen of brochures and books to read to move on with them but I’m still not pretty sure.

    Thanx in Advance

    • Hi Sarah, I am a former IBO and I want to say this is an MLM business but it is not a pyramid. In other words, the person who signs you up does not get paid to sign you up. They do receive Point Value (PV) but no monies. In a pyramid scheme, monies are paid to a person who signs somebody else up. In addition, pyramid scheme are unstable and most importantly illegal. Amway is a respectable, reputable business but it is just that. It’s a business and it’s something that takes work. If you are not willing to put the time in to start this opportunity, I would just be honest and let the person know. If you want to try products, you can do that too but if she is doing it right, she does not have to get you in. It’s not about getting you in. It’s about helping you. That is if her intentions are good. Ask her for a 9 minute CD of how it works and watch it at home a few times just so you get the concept. If you are going to pick an MLM, this one has been around for half a century. Find someone to help you build it if you are willing to start. Your business is built by your own efforts and not someone else’s. There are a lot of products to focus on but learn how to sell. You can make money buy just selling products but sign people up that you like. It’s not for everybody so don’t contact everybody. You pick the people you want in your group. It’s about growth personally and professionally. Read the books, build a relationship with upline and stay positive. If you are single, what do you have to lose? If you have a significant other, tell them what’s going on but get the facts and don’t off of somebody’s bad experience. I had to give up my business for reasons other than business so that is why I am not an IBO anymore. If it wasn’t for that, I would still have my business but God called me in another direction and His plan is better than my plan. Find out yours and good luck!

  72. Interesting reading all your comments. @ Shariff and the others who have defended Amway- you are obviously distributors so answer these questions- how much do you make from your Amway business and how long did it take you to get to that point? How many other businesses do you know of, who will not tell people what the business is PRIOR to getting them to come to meetings? I was a distributor (or “IBO” – whatever) in the 1990s and loved the motivational tools and seminars. I will give them that much. I think it brought out the best in me as a person. However, like Vince, I found the products expensive and they didn’t save me money. The only time I got to 3% was when I purchased the full set of pots and pans for myself. I couldn’t keep that up every month and neither could our downline. Like me, they found it difficult approaching people to get them along to presentations. I felt bad having to pretend that I was confident at doing this myself. Not everyone is skilled at telemarketing or selling. You’d have to build a MASSIVE organisation of your own before you start seeing the rewards. My other half didn’t like the “churchy” aspect of it , and the pressure to go to the services. You IBO’ s can’t tell me that is not true because it is. You are pressured to “immerse” yourself in the program. The reason for this is, you may talk to outsiders or find information contrary to what your “upline” has told you, making you doubt what you have got yourself in for and eventually quit. Its Amway or nothing. Its very much a closed shop. Once you quit, you generally don’t hear from anyone still in “the business”. You can feel ostracized if you had made friends in the organisation- but were they your true friends? I doubt it. Yes you can just buy the products for yourself, and not pay retail, but you have to pay an annual fee for the privilege. So any savings would be after this fee, and shipping have been deducted. Like any other business, Amway is hard graft through lots and lots of telemarketing, and a low strike rate. They need to tell you that upfront, instead of promising fast money and superyachts. If you can make it work, good for you, but Amway is not for me.

  73. I’ve been an IBO for over a year now, but only recently active. I actually find it very easy to sell products and recruit down-lines, but I have highly developed social and networking skills through previous work. Firstly, yes, you can make money off Amway. It’s not a scam. Secondly, do yourself a favour and avoid those high-pressure elements. I personally couldn’t care less about “the dream” or “financial freedom” or any of the other stuff you hear about in the meetings/seminars/motivational speeches. I don’t follow them and I don’t sell them to my down-lines or customers. All I ever say to people is “try the products, and if you like them, buy them, if you don’t, return them for a full refund”, or “if you’re willing to work hard selling, you can make money”.

    I like Amway because of the people you meet. It’s not about the energy or the motivational stuff, it’s more about the fact that you meet people who see opportunities and take them. In my previous years of work, I mostly worked with people who weren’t motivated, made a lot of excuses, etc., and it is very, very draining. I like people who go “Yeah, let’s do it!” Secondly, my up-lines are all brilliant. Every milestone I hit, I get phone calls to congratulate me, we run social events together, hell they even go so far as to travel around the state with me to sell products and deliver pitches. I don’t pitch “dreams”, I don’t pitch “easy money”, I don’t pitch anything like that. I pitch convenience (online shopping), that I’ll work beside them and teach them how to sell products (this is what every boss should do imo), that I exclusively use the products myself (worth the extra dollar imo), and independently verified facts.

    Amway isn’t for everyone. It’s for people who want to sell products to make money. Forget all the rest.

  74. I’m a working mom and joined Amway as an IBO after using their products for a year. I appreciate the impartial posting by Vince because it affirms that those who have an entrepreneurial spirit, are willing to give opportunities a try, and are people-oriented can succeed. It’s also an opportunity to professionally network with others. Product-wise, if I’m using the products because it helps me save time shopping without sacrificing quality and high cost – why wouldn’t other middle-income households?

    Similar to a job or any other business relationship, if your higher-up is a jerk – you will have a bad experience. That’s why you need to make sure you don’t sign up with the wrong team. Yes, there is direct selling and recruiting involved – but those are core functions of every organization.

  75. Only one thing I would say to all off you guys,if you do job for someone for ten years -u will stay doing it for another 50 years and get nothing.but if you do you own business for 10 years you will be debt free in another5.Amway is just an option.its always your choice.its you who will decide what will be the future off your family.I am an IBO got started 3 months back and now heading for the level that my wife can stay home with my 6 month old son with money- she is going to quit the factory job soon.If want to see the features of Ferrari don’t talk to the person who is driving Honda.its that simple.contact me if you want more research work.

  76. Hey guys, I’m a fairly new Ibo (been in for 3 months) and so far I hate it so far. Yes, you can make money, chump change, but at least it’s something. I agree, you’re going to have to have down line for you to make an actual nice paycheck. What I don’t like is that it seems like you have to live and breathe amway. First off, the products are not that damn great. The artistry skin care system I bought, broke out my face so bad that I had to buy some proactive ( which is amazing), the products are expensive and for a realist like me, it’s hard having a positive attitude when I myself wouldn’t even want to but these high ass expensive products. I’ve observed that some of my up line have been to school for business and marketing. As for the “amway is not a pyramid scheme” stop lying to yourself because I know you’ve seen the plan and “if it looks like it and sound like, then it must be.” On the other hand, everything is a pyramid, but the only difference is it’s more organized and you get paid regardless. One thing that this company does not teach you is “location, location, location” I’m a civilian living in a military town. Majority of my team members are military couples, including my team leader. You think they get most of their sales in town? No. They get their sales from home or wherever they were stationed at before, including downlines. But I can’t say anything of the sort because it’s “negative” and I should have faith. Faith is fine, but I should also have common sense. Common sense will tell you if majority of the town (exclude military base) is either borderline poor then chances are they’re not gonna want to buy a $34 box/jug of laundry detergent when they can get a cheaper one that does it’s purpose at Walmart/kmart/target/Harris teeters. Another thing, just thinking about it, every info session, the team leader always asks “why shop there when you can shop on your website and get paid to shop?” And every time I want to say, ” you’sa damn lie. They’re still paying for the ish, because if they don’t get 150 points, or at least 50 customer points, they don’t get paid at all. And if someone truly doesn’t want to pay for something they’ll find a way….extreme couponing.”

  77. I am currently on my second journey with Amway. When I got divorced 13 years ago, I gave the business group to the ex wife. Unfortunately, she did not keep it going. In order to make it in ANY networking business, you have to have the courage to change what you think you know and be willing to become a better individual.

    The crazy thing that 98% of the population misunderstands: In ANY field out there, people are the ones who make things bad and we focus on the negative, rather than the positives. There are great politicians, doctors, lawyers, police officers, educators and leaders in the world. There are also horrible people in these positions worldwide. We have to look through the negative smokescreens in life to look at the individual’s character. I have found that my first group was more aggressive and in the end, I was not a better person. However, this second time has been an amazing journey in self growth. I have become an better man. The first group was more about selling and recruiting. The second group is more about developing you as an individual first, then assist you with your business. It is like night and day, yet both groups are part of many that make up Amway.

    I will continue to do the opposite of the masses. It makes more sense to me to be that way. I started my first business at the ripe age of 8 years old. I knew as a child that jobs would never pay you what YOU are worth. Trading your time(we don’t know when that clock stops) for dollars is sad. Just look at the CEO’s of US companies, they are making on average $690 for every $1 an employee is making and Japan who is second on that list have a 20:1 ratio! Look at that gap!! Why is it that most CEO’s are hired from the outside? That means you will never be CEO!

    US universities have also changed their stripes. In the last 20years, tuition has increased over 400%!!! It is all part of the grand scheme. We were ALL taught to go to school, get good grades and get a good ………JOB. That is taught to us on a global scale, Did you know that in the early 1900’s 80% of the population owned their own business in the US. Now, that number is closer to 18%…….just food for thought ladies and gents.

  78. Hi, the number of times I’ve joined and resigned from Amway was 4 times. The seminars were exciting to listen to, to begin with because it got me hyped up but when it comes to showing the plans to people who might want to join, I was just hopeless at it and I was lucky if I sold a product or two. In retrospect, I went to one of Burt Gulick’s meetings in Melbourne which I thought very highly of until we all lined up in the cue to receive a book to everyone of us with his signature and when my turn came, he ignored my presence but signed the next person’s book as much to say “You’ll never do any good with this business!” However, he reversed and signed his name on the book given to me but I still had my feelings hurt. I know this wasn’t a mistake because he didn’t use that posture on any of the other people who attended to his meeting. My advise is this, bugger Amway and bugger Burt Gulick too because he must thinks he’s pretty good and I hope God will send him to hell after he dies.

  79. Listen here….. All of you Debbie downers.
    Amway is not a pyramid! Your job is a pyramid, where you cannot make any more money than the person at the top and you’re always a constant bottom feeder.
    With amway, I encourage and strive to raise leaders to be better than me and make more money than me because in the end we all benefit. Honestly it would be a major pride to know I can teach someone not to make some of the faults I have, raise a leader to have a bigger better business than myself.
    Put down your ego, set your status aside…. Open your eyes and open your heart before it passes you by and you miss your piece of the pie.
    ~Tyler~

  80. Honesty is greatly appreciated. Amway is not for everyone. Just like the gym it takes effort, training and discipline. Amway is definitely not a scam or a pyramid. Pyramids are illegal! If anything any business that has bosses and CEO’s at the top are truer representations of a pyramid because those underneath them are supporting them and the big bucks THEY make. Everyone in Amway is paid exactly the same percentage. There are many people who get into Amway and do not put in the effort that it takes to be successful. Lack of success is not Amway’s fault.

    Are the products expensive? You may pay more up front for the product but you use less and it lasts so much longer. In the long run the products cost less. There is a lot of science and research in Amway products. They offer only the best products. The products work! This is why Amway has a 180 satisfaction guarantee. You don’t like send it back. The company pays return shipping.

    Amway also has the highest integrity. People can always find negative things on the internet. Some people only look for the negative. Some people follow in foot steps and jump on the negative train. A recent fact; Amway is the world’s largest direct selling company @ 11.8 Billion a year. Look at Amway’s recognition.

    There can be 50 people in a down line that does nothing. The dream is not in check. Anyone who has a dream and ACTIVELY works to fulfill that dream is going to make money. Rather than suggest that Amway doesn’t work take a look at the person who doesn’t do the work it takes.

    I wish you all well.

    Annie

  81. I learned about Amway from a couple out of Washington State. This couple was so pushy and even went door to door. They told me I could not date their son unless I joined Amway. I went to one meeting and was sick to my stomach. The meeting didn’t talk about Amway… Pretty much just talked about how great the lady talking was because she made millions. But how? She in the two hours we were there Never mentioned that….. The meeting was a waste of time and much like a Cult. The couple that brought me there was only friends with the person above them to steel from him. I am no longer involved with the family or Amway. I’m sure they have get products but because of the people pushing the sales and telling me that if I didn’t join I was nothing….. I would never recommend Amway to Anyone. I hope no one has the same experience as I did with pushy people!

  82. Do not trust HASEEN Health & Beauty Supply on Amway.com, it’s a fraud!

    Let me tell you my experience with a personal retail seller of HASEEN Health & Beauty Supply on Amway.com.

    I found this girl in a social event once who was selling some vitamins and beauty products at a table with her family. Her family was selling with her, so I thought it was a family business and looked trustworthy. So, I bought a vitamin bottle from her at the event. Then later she added me to her Amway account called “HASEEN Health & Beauty Supply,” where I could buy more products if I wanted.

    She asked me to schedule an appointment with her in person, so I did, but she did not show up to the first one. Then we scheduled another appointment a month later and she cancelled that last minute. She kept pushing the appointments, so I was thinking—maybe she is just busy and I let it go. Then finally we made another appointment and yet again, she was trying to cancel the appointment last minute. So, I started to realize she is inconsiderate and careless about this. I told her I can’t keep ruining my schedule for her, so then she showed up finally. She came in and she was very unprofessional. She kept asking if my family wanted to buy anything and I can tell right away she does not care about her customers at all, she is just desperate for money. She is also a very fake person and makes up a lot of excuses.

    So at my house, she showed me an eyeliner and a mascara that I liked, so I bought it from her. The total was supposed to be $35.00, but I gave her $40.00. When I showed her the $40.00, she changed the price and said “Yeah it is $40.00, not $35.00 with tax,” which made no sense. She did not want to give the change. She even had change because she kept opening her purse, and money was falling out of it. She was very unorganized. At that time, I didn’t care so much about $5.00, so I let it go. She left in a hurry and I realized she gave me the wrong eyeliner color, when I told her 10 times, I wanted black, and the mascara was also used. So I contacted her again to tell her about the issue and she said she can bring the black eyeliner to me soon.

    So, again, she started making appointments to meet with me and cancelled all of them months after months, even when I told her clearly I wanted it before I go off to vacation during spring break. Then, finally after 10 cancellations and after my spring break, I came back from vacation and by chance she was coming to my college campus. So, she said she can meet and exchange the wrong blue eyeliner with the right black one. She also suggested that she can bring the vitamins as well, so I said sure. So, then again last minute she made excuses and said she will be late, but I let it go because at least I will get my things finally.
    So, finally when we met, she packed the vitamins and the eyeliner with an extra sample of an energy drink in a fancy bag and I returned the blue eyeliner. The total was $18.00. Again said she does not have change, when I was about to give her $20.00, hoping she will get the whole $20.00 bill, since I let it go last time. So, I was trying to show her she cannot keep doing that, so I went and broke the change myself from a nearby store and gave her exactly $18.00.

    So, after she left, I opened the bag and saw that the eyeliner was some liquid eye liner, and she gave me the wrong vitamins as well. I started to realize she is actually very careless and fake. She is very desperately hungry for money. So, I called her right away and told her all the items in the bag are not what I wanted, and she is said, “Oh yeah, we don’t have the black eye liner in stock anymore, and I am sorry I cannot come back right now, I am on the highway, maybe we can meet again later.” This pissed me off because it had only been less than a minute before she left and I looked outside the window, her car was still there, where she was sitting in with her whole family inside. So, I told her “Wait, you are not on the highway, you better come back or I’ll sue you.” So, she came back right away and I told her “You cannot be dishonest to your customers and you have to tell them all this information before, not after you sell them the wrong items.” She then started to say, “You told me you wanted the multivitamins, you did not say you wanted the regular ones.” Then, I said, “Do you want me to show you the text, I stated in the text exactly what I wanted about 10 times almost every month, and you still bring the wrong things.” So, she was quiet because I had proof. I told her she was ripping me off. Then she started to say, “Listen this is an online business…” And then I told her, “then you should be honest with your words and business, and not sell outside of your online site or tell your customers they can buy in person, nor make any appointments in person.” She had nothing to say. Then I told her, “I want my money and the old eyeliner back and you can take your bag back.” Then even after all of this, she had the audacity to say, “Oh sorry, I cannot give you the money, I put it away.” This totally pissed me off even more, she loves to make random senseless, stupid and absurd excuses, just so she can have some money. So, I told her “Okay, fine then, I will just call the cops and they can settle this for us.” Then she quietly went to her car, and got the money, and my old eyeliner back for me. She left with her family in the car. I cannot believe her family lets her do this and supports her to be a disgusting fraudster.

    She is insensitive, inconsiderate, and a cheater. Do not trust her.

    • Your story just blew my mind. You seem like a really good person.sorry she played you.

  83. I hate AMWAY reps, who try to reel people into joining their club. when you attend an initial meeting they make you feel as if your going to join some type of underground world or cult. But they don’t tell you clearly exactly how you can make money. or save money. A lot of beating around the bush. I wanted to stand up at the meeting and say what the hell are you all talking about. the lady that reeled me in said she lost so much weight and felt like she had so much more energy after having one of AMWAY’s soft drinks. At the time, she just gave me a drink and told me about the benefits. I was completely clueless why she was telling me this, she didn’t tell me the company name at any point. she just kept telling me how great the products are and how healthy she is now. The whole shha-bang made absolutely zero sense to me. At the rate someone has to pull you into trying to join AMWAY – imagine – you have to do exactly the same thing to reel other people in to join. So in essence you really become a very pushy beggar. trying to get people to join. The more people you get the more money you get. I think its a very hard job, especially if you run a business or have a normal day job. Doing this on the side is not an option, it becomes a full time thing if you want to make money out of it. A lot of convincing a lot of time. It’s quite frustrating and annoying when your approached by an AMWAY rep, because they won’t give away much. They’ll just say, are you interested in making some extra income?

  84. I don’t get why people don’t just hire mags to make products themselves then get 3 people to sell them or just recruit new businesses on their own by saying they have 100,000 website hits etc etc etc. find a cheaper source to buy products from so you can keep more of the margin, this is too played out now that people either know its a scam or they will try to get new members and phase out leaving the few who do make it safe only long enough to avoid falling under the eventually self deficateing pattern

  85. In 2012 -2013 there was nearly 20,000 new platinums in the business. so that’s 20,000 New people making 50-75k a year. You don’t need a job with that income. So 20,000 people can be jobless. the only problem is that the work is different put of peoples comfort zone so it’s hard to be motivated. Yes it takes people a couple years or more to actually get somewhere. You do have to work to get it but the work is well worth it

    • My sis was in it once, wasted all her time and in the end made little or nothing.
      She got back into it recently against everyones advice. It’s like a cult that turns you against your family so you don’t listen to them. Now she has no time for family, just scamming strangers and wasting her time away with unfullfilled dreams.
      The constant meetings are to keep you brainwashed. It’s all a scam and she knows it herself now as she tries to get others in “under her.” Hard to see her as a Christian anymore when she does this, and it’s sad to see all the time she loses when she could be raising her kids.
      I’ll never understand how she could be so stupid. I asked her why she got in it last time and she said of course money. Then I asked her what she got out of it and she replied defensivly “I met a lot of very interesting people!” I think that about says it all and if it didn’t work for my sis it won’t work for anyone.
      All the BS they tell you about how well this that and the other person did or is doing is all lies so they can get your money. 98% of all Quixtar products are sold ONLY to stupid Quixtar members themselves, yet they go around saying they own a business???
      Don’t give them a second of your time.

  86. Ask yourself this ONE question. Can you make a living JUST selling AMWAYs products ? Without the Pyramid downline building part of AMWAY. If not, then you need the side of AMWAY, that with out the Products used as a front, would instantly be declared a ILLEGAL PYRAMID SCHEME by every State and multiple Countries all over the world.
    Of-course AMWAYs a scam.

  87. I joined this business a 15 days ago andgot two guys below me.
    I saw sr ABO’s show greed to new joiners making more PV’s so that they can put new guy below him.
    I had found some guy from my frind circle and they put my friend below him. They try to lock ppl by saying a theory of expansion of width not depth. I am quiete surprised, I have found a reliable resource it should come directly below me not someone they found. They also illustrated it as they want everyone to get money. The concept looked with hypothetical. If someone really wants to make money they must find their prospects themselves. And listening to CD is good and motivating but its hypnotising. It my exp person lost the touch of reality chasing their dream. 4basic and 9 core the britt system. One of the important thing they say use all products…I am not sure on this. Why anyone will use product if they he do not need. The most revenue generates from new joiners. and ABo has to abide by the system and committed to it. I feel lack of transperancy in this. another thing coming to functions and other meetings. If you really want to sacrifice your personal and social life then it make sense. It is quiete difficult to make money until and unlss you are focussed and have proper road map. Agree all dreams can’t be fulfilled but with the levl of trust amway gained in society very difficult to reach the gaol. This job is challenging but there are so many other options where money can made with respect. This business runs in new joiners and as long as they are in system uplines have the cream. Its just a trial and error business, new ppl come and go and avergae money flows. If they are in very well if they are out …new guy is available…this how things movs on….this what i understood….

  88. Has anyone saved on phone bills and insurance like they say you do?
    Is it easy enough to get a refund within the first 90 days?
    I felt pressured by my friend to join.

    • Yes sir. In North America, most big corporations (ATT, Bank of America, Home Depot..among many others) are Amway partners and offer benefits (discounts/rewards points ) to Amway’s IBO’s. I became an Amway IBO by 10/31/2013 and in less than 24 hours I received a 19% discount in my monthly bill.

      Amway offers a legit business model. The factor is the level of “education/knowledge” that your sponsor might have. Attend different meetings and choose your upline/sponsor.

  89. I wonder why Amway doesn’t write on their product packages’ that the product made from organic stock? Coffee, pasta, olive oil – I didn’t find any word it is organic…

  90. I am not a fan of the Amway system, and I would not go as far as calling it a scam. The biggest thing for me is the dishonest way that people trying to recruit you into it go about it, always giving it fancy names to differentiate and the constant bull**** about a Ferrari and a mansion etc etc. And people who recruit not taking no for an answer: one fellow had to get a restraining order on a recruiter as he followed him everywhere, with the white board under his arm. I can pick recruiters a mile off: They approach you and have what I call the Amway smile, the glazed over eyes, fake friendliness: supposedly making mega dollars but driving ten year old cars and working meagre day jobs. The people at the top of the tree make all the money, the ones at the bottom just feed them and constantly turnover to new people, they know this and count on it.

    • I did join at one stage, just to use the products. I kept getting pressure from my `sponsor’ to get more people in, to the point he annoyed me so much I physically ejected him from my house. That’s whats a lot of them do: alienate people.

    • Thanks for your comments, John.

      Yes. I agree. I think the traditional multi-level business opportunity basically teaches you how to become a hustler. What kind of bugged me was that the whole notion of the business was “selling the dream” or idea of making lots of money.

      There really weren’t any other skills other than to become a really good salesman. Which is not a bad skill to have, but it’s definitely not for everyone.

      Also, you are not “free” like they like to pitch. You are a slave to the system and weekly meeting. Miss just one, and your downline falls apart.

    • Oh we have another pyramid idiot here. Your job is a perfect situation of everyone at the top making all the money and the people at the bottom feeding them it. In amway, someone at the bottom can make more than everyone above him. Its just based on who does the most work.

  91. Thank you so much for all your comments we have attended a few meetings and went to an open house today . It was funny for me to find this just as I was explaining these things to my husband . We will start next week but as I told him it will take a lot of work and lot of people skills. Another thing i told my husband is not only we must find 3 people who are willing to become business owners but also people who don’t mind to spend the big bucks in the products and that will all depend on your circle of friends . We will have too see and we will have to give it one chance 😉 but thanks for your honesty and clear explanation

  92. Hi,
    so one of my friends told me about how he was involved in a mentor ship program, and thought i could really benefit from it. So he set up a meeting with one of his “mentors”, I dont know exactly what he is in terms of “Ruby” or “Diamond” but he is pretty successful. I was really interested in the mentor ship, and i still really want to grow and develop my social and communication skills. I attended one of their “business seminars” last night and while i was sitting among-st all of these successful entrepreneurs, i couldn’t help but feel like i was in the middle of some sort of cult. But they threw a lot of numbers at us, and motivated everyone by telling them “You’re going to make at least $1,000 a month”.They also made me fantasies for a full day about how I am going to retire at age 30, just like a few people in that same room had done. I’m a full time university student, taking 7 courses, have volunteer commitments, and a part time job. Do you think I should join, just for the sake of gaining the skills, and to grow more as a person? Or should I just turn this whole thing down right now.
    I have another meeting with them tomorrow so any advice would be appreciated!
    Thanks

    • Hi Confused,

      I just joined with an Amway team. My story sounds very similar to yours and many I have read online. I’m at college, looking to gain experience and some extra cash. I’ve attended about ten meetings so far over video calling. Since i signed up a month ago, I’ve made one sell and have brought so things for myself. I’m not sure how i feel about all of it yet. One thing is for sure, the people in my team are full of energy and it tends to grow on you.

      Another thing I’d like to add to this comment. I’ve been studying Business management for the last three years and I’ve learned a few lessons. You can also apply these to the Amway business.

      – Keep track of how much you invest (time and money). It can be easy to lose track of how much you put into this business. It will help you to know if the return on investment is worth it if you have clear record of what you spend.

      -Never ruin your family connections with business ! My Amway team never asks me to involve my family. If your sponsor pressures you to involve those important to you, I wouldn’t join.

      – Something new with low risk can be a good thing regardless if it makes you a million dollars or just a few good pieces of advice.

      • Thank you! Love those pointers!

      • Hello fellow IBO, I just wanna springboard real quick off what you said about involving families. I signed up under my dad he believes firmly that family support is crucial to success in this business. When he brings in a new prospect he always encourages people to get their spouses or parents involved. Sometimes it works and we get new customers out of it, other times the family members discourage the prospect from joining. Now I see what my dad’s viewpoint is, he feels that in anything you do familial support is always important. Personnally I don’t agree, I feel like getting people to get their families involved, at least at the start anyway, is sort of a cheap shot because a supportive family would buy from you just to support you rather than because both you and the product have actual merit.

        I know it’s ironic I think that way considering the fact that I’m building this business under my parents, but it helps illustrate another point. Not every Amway IBO thinks the same way, it’s not the monocultured cult that critics make it out to be. Amway is filled with people from every background, race, ethnicity, age, and faith known to man (and a few possible known to aliens lol).

    • Thank you all for your comments and I am responding for confused. I have recruited individuals for 15 years. The bottom line in our economy is that we are all continuous learners. While college is not for everyone – it is the benchmark for baseline education and much of our employment. If you do not finish it today – you will either go back later or be ever at a disadvantage in the job market. Amway will still be there after you graduate.

      No doubt you will learn many things from your involvement with Amway but a college degree is your first priority to yourself. If your Amway “mentor” is not supporting or promoting your educational efforts – find one that does.

  93. I joined Amway many years ago here in Australia only to discover after a long suffering attempt to succeed, I did research and found the only way to make big money through the Networks was in the Business Support Materials not with the Amway products, I was with Network 21 when I resigned I found Jim and Nancy Dornan were earning in excess of $1 million dollars per week, and he always gave a guarantee to his would be Diamonds they would make at least 1 million dollars a year, the Pyramid is in the BSB’s and even Rich Devos acknowledge this, but Amways hands were tied with the threat, that if they tried to stop this money earner, all the Networks would go elsewhere with other products, one exiled Diamond is now with Mona Vie, and promoting the exact same model.
    There is online a wealth of information on the scam perpetrated by the networks, you will also find thier Amway incomes, and Amway will give any inquiry the average income at all levels. Also available are all the legal actions taken against Amway.

    • You are exactly right. Most of the wealth does come from the tools.

      But to be fair, that’s business. That’s sales. Moving promotional/motivational material is a way to build your business, because the core of your success is people. Not so much the product. So you use these tools to get your little army of Amway distributors, movin’ and sellin’….even these educational tools.

      It’s a very controversial subject.

      It’s kind of like Tony Robbins. He makes his fortune doing these rallies/books/seminars. I personally think it’s fair game. You just have to realize this in the beginning and know what you are getting into.

  94. with any thing you do you have to make effort.. with owning any business you have to make the effort.. for example… walmart.. he didnt start out with super centers or sams. he started with one little store.. if he didnt put the effort and believe it would work we would have no walmart.. every business is a pyramid. here is a video that you may have not seen that will explain network marketing a little better.. but the admin pretty much cleared it up.. amway is a legit business opportunity but it is really tough.. but most things you want to do is tough especially owning your own business. they are other good legit network marketing business’s sisel international is a decent one.. i know someone personally was married to my aunt.. he used to be a stock broker. he has owned a few business’s he has been doing this for 3 years and doesnt do to bad.. amway is older and old way sisel is a newer company.. but just cause you hear bad things dont judge every business cause the fact of matter is where you work at now is a pyramid.

  95. Amway is definitely not a scam for sure. Amway works for people who make it workable for them thats what I believe. Yes it does require work, but to be honest everything requires work. If one is not willing to do any work, then nothing would be for them. If every human being would of been ambitious the business would of been easier to built. If some one tries to show the opportunity please do not scorn them or think they are trying to do something bad. Regardless the main concept is about redirecting anyones expenses. yes selling dies take a minor role. we should all be educative and just research ourselves because in the end we should all know the difference between facts and opinion.

  96. Im a new IBO, i think your experience depends on your upline and how you interact with them. Mine is completely straight up and that it is an opportunity not a garuntee. They make 250k a year and are always.upfront with how things are. Its ridiculous that some uplines say to recruit from your family. Mine told me that youd be lucky to involve a family member but most of your downline will be strangers. Also just use your products and soft sale it. Amways 6 month garunyee is the only money back like it. Nothing to lose if you do it properly

    • Thanks for your comments.

      Yes, it depends what system you are a part of. I was with Britt World Wide which has produced the most success stories in Amway, ever. They definitely taught to first contact A) close family & friends B) acquaintances C) strangers….

      I had a great upline and couldn’t have asked for better examples.

      Selling the products can be a very daunting task no matter which way you look at it. They are very expensive and honestly, in my opinion, I could find the same if not better at your local super market.

      You really, really have to pitch the benefits of Nutrilite, Artistry, and the over-priced household products.

      In other words, you’re going to need to find a customer base in the “green” or “organic” niche market.

      • I think that this is another misconception regarding the Amway opportunity. There are different business models out there from BWW to LTD. Both have completely different philosophies and most people don’t even understand because they are quick to make a judgment based off of other individuals who are nowhere in life where they want to be.

        I was super skeptical at first because I listened to people in my life who had no fruit on their tree that I wanted and because I knew of some of the older business models that were spoken of. The LTD business model powered by Amway has actually changed a lot since 2006 and it looks completely different and there are so many tools out there to help you that LTD provides.

        But with anything there will be pros and cons. That is life which btw you can fund a negative if you are looking for it. Negativity is easy to come by AND A GREAT EXCUSE TO KEEP YOU FROM YOUR DREAMS. And if I am honest regarding the product prices, they are extremely competitive and that goes from Artistry (1 of the top 5 skincare lines in the World next to Estee Lauder and Clinique)(which p.s. can save you as much as $100-that is competitive) to Xs (an actual healthy energy drink that competes with Red Bull in Japan and is healthy!!!!). I will admit though, if you are a little on the heavy side 190lb and above, an 8 oz energy drink with 4900% DV B12, will not effect you the same as a smaller person that goes for anything you consume. I can go on and on about the products such as Double X and LOC products. To say that they are not competitive means that you did not take advantage of the tools that actually break ALL OF THE PRODUCTS PRICES DOWN FOR IBOs.

        So with that, I have been in the business for over a year and
        ….1 SCAMS ARE ILLEGAL and when there was a case against Amway and they claimed that Amway was a scam-they lost against Amway and nothing was proven. Again, people hear one thing out of someone’s mouth and they cry wolf-research people and not google research!

        2-Because one person fails that does not mean that you will fail and PS failure is a part of success just study Andrew Carnegie and Henry Ford. Consistency and determination is so important and turns your failures into successes! What if you would have stayed with the organization like so many others who are now millionaires and helping Dads come home to be with their families as opposed to trading hours for dollars at a JOB. Sorry but I don’t want what the masses have.

        3-No opportunity is for everyone. If I love real estate and want to devote 100% to that than Amway is probably not for me. If you are looking to be a part of a team of others who are chasing dreams together, making mistakes, laughing at those mistakes and not giving up because of someone else’ opinion or bad choices, want to be mentored by other successful people, and are an accountable person than check it out and go to a meeting.

        What do you have to lose?

        Anyway, I just don’t want other people to make the mistake that I made years ago when I could have taken advantage of the opportunity and saved myself from the debt that accompanied doing what everyone else suggested I do. I listened to the masses and found out that what they had was nothing I wanted. And that is what makes me so passionate about the LTD powered by Amway system. I am in charge of my future and I am a much better person than I use to be because of the awesome business plan and mentorship.

        • Lol, no energy drink is healthy. Since when did taurine and adding 600 percent vitamin b not to mention all the artificial sweeteners healthy?. Have u even had an energy drink from asia…probably not. Nevertheless, the drinks do what was intended ,a momentary high that happens to be legal. Yay.

      • These products are not at all expensive you are just looking at the price number you are not equating what it is, a ‘dish drops’ dish soap will cost 8 to an ibo around 15+ retail you look at that and say its expensive but then forget to realize that bottle can last over half a year, I know ive been in it over a year and only recently purchased the third one ove had to use for personal consumption. Also, the double X is the number one multivitamin in the world also the only vitamin with phytonutrients, it is the absolute most complete vitamin on this planet and at no supermarket could you find a comparison and its only 53 to an ibo and with its strength will last 2 months, not expensive. As an ibo there are a very very small amount of products that can really be considered expensive accounting for quality. As for this 99.9% ridiculousness from an earlier comment, thats absolutely not true. ANYONE can make it big in this business whether it takes the average 2-5 years for diamond or it takes longer at 10 15 years even which is not 100% dedication you must stop to ask yourself is a life of doing the samething every day for 40 years better than 15 years of working to be able to retire and do what you wish? Persevere dont quit and keep giving plans and you’ll make it no doubt about it. This is the absolute best opportunity on the planet at this mmoment, and with the expense of helping thousands of people why wouldnt someone? and in the year 2013 Amway generated 11.8B in revenue, therr are companies that are worth hundreds of billions of dollars yet this “small” private company has paid more bonuses than any other company or entity in the history of the planet. The people who arent doing this business simply dont understand, they claim they do but if they truly did like the ambitious ibos of the globe, they’d know that this is no joke. Forbes and the federal trade commission predict Amway will be the number one company in the world. Bill gates, robert kiyosaki, Donald Trump and many other very succesful people personally say if they lost EVERYTHING they would join Network Marketinf, and who else but the best 😉 Look up absolutely anything I said and know it be true. Keep it classy and I hope your internet home business flourishes.

  97. Can you make any money doing just retail by taking internet / phone orders and shipping UPS?

    I think there are people out there that liked the product but not the IBOs and if you just gave them a link / flyer and promised never to recruit them they might buy.

    First is that type of business model allowed?
    can up still get your products from your upline without having to build stock?

    If so then I think it’s g business of numbers trying to establish retail Customers. Ex flyers yields x buyers – no territory boundaries, provide good service, and people that liked the products would continue to use them knowing that I am not going to show up at their house and try to recruit them.

    I assume that model is being used by IBOs

    comments?

    Thanks

    • your honesty is well appreciated. I actually just signed up with Amway hoping to make additional income. I was told that they will help me build my business I hope it’s true because I just spent 160.00 to sign up.

      • Hi Linda. could be a very smart move for you. Generally it is the most misunderstood business in the world but is rightly described as the best opportunity. You have to grasp the idea that it is your own business and although very little money needed to get it going and at no risk anyway, imagine that if you owned a shop your presence be needed every day This new business of yours is a part time business not a spare time one so its best to have a close look at where you can use about 15 hours a week or more if you can and decide to use that time on your business every week. You can only make money two ways. By selling products at retail for instant cash, and I emphasis cash no credit to anyone would ring people to join with you for income that will come later.
        IBOs that go on the system o books cds and go to the functions, their businesses grow and they make money ,people that don’t use the ‘system don’t make any money. If you’re tight on cash I’m sure your upline will lend you stuff but is very important that you get the information even if it might not make much sense at the time, it will later on.
        It is not a get rich quick thingo it takes time although my own upline who was working 90 + hours a week 7 days a week went silver ,$4000+ a month in 87 days so can be done. Personally I tell my new people to not to expect any money or not much money for about 6 months but the it can surprise you what can happen if you learn what you should be doing to do it right after all it is a 2 to 5 year plan and remember at no risk. suggest do whatever you can to get to 15% ASAP and then it’s all self funded anyways
        All the best to you and work hard for a couple years and then take the rest of your LIFE OFF, Wowii.
        Nick

      • I am an independent business owner with Amway, and couldn’t be more thrilled. My up-lines are OUTSTANDING!!! I got in mostly for the health and nutrition because I am not well. The more I get to know the products the happier I am. I have to say that the money I have spent has been worth it because my up-lines have not only been great business coaches, but AWESOME life coaches as well. Sometimes when your struggling with life you need a few positive and encouraging words. They have changed my life. I wasn’t misled at all about Amway, I know that I will get out of it just as much as I want to put in. I know that if I work this business as hard as I’ve worked for other people my entire life, I will do well. I wish you all the best in your future no matter where it leads you, and I hope you have great up-lines.

  98. So glad to find something about this online relatively recent. I live out here in Japan and a Japanese friend talked to me about Amway Japan. I had heard about this business model from family and definitely had my doubts about MLM. Some of the products I do have an interest as the Japanese equivalents don’t quite meet expectations. Thanks for your insight.

  99. Yeah…I should focus on my studies first. It would be nice to expand my social/people skills, but as of now I think Ill just join the group once I have some free time in the future…I just hope they’ll understand my “studies first” choice…

    Thanks for the advice Vince! 🙂

  100. Hey Vince,
    I just got invited by a close friend to join an Amway seminar earlier this day and I ended up registering myself (not yet fully) figuring that this may be a good source of extra income. But Im still unsure…

    After reading your post I reveled on the fact that yeah, Amway might not be in a scam as others say (I did my reaserch) and that I am aware that Im a good people person and I think I have enough social skills to get through this whole program…

    BUT is it worth the time spent? More specifically: is it okay/advisable for a college student (esp one taking a medicinal course) to go along with this kind of business program? I know Im gonna be more busy with major classes next year so I might not have the time…please reply ASAP!

    • Hey Sillyani.

      I would happy to give you my honest opinion.

      Building an Amway business is definitely something not easy. It is possible, but very few people have become successful in this business and wealthy living the financially free life. Which is all good and gravy.

      I remember I met quite a few Diamonds (high-level achievers) in Amway who were in the medical field including general practitioners, surgeons, scientists, etc. and you know what? Most of them built an Amway business AFTER they were successful in their profession. Do you know why? Because they were looking for something “greater” in life such as being your own boss, creating residual wealth and income, and living a free life style. They realized they wanted a more financially-free type of lifestyle where they could call their own shots and never have to depend on a job for income.

      In other words, the ultimate goal of building an Amway business is to make enough to quit your job and live the “good life”. Very few actually get to this level. Literally something like 0.0001% out of the millions and millions of Amway IBO’s.

      It’s going to take A LOT of hard work. You’ve basically got to “show the plan” at least 5x’s per week for 2-5 yrs to ever even get close to reaching Diamond. Oh, and by the way, it’s going to take 100% commitment meaning never missing a meeting, function, or convention plus all the expenses $$$$. It basically has to become your entire life.

      In my opinion, I would put your education 1st before anything for now. Sure. Go ahead. Join Amway. Try it out. Go to some meetings. Go to the rallies. Whatever. It won’t hurt. In fact, if it weren’t for Amway, I wouldn’t have developed the mindset and entrepreneurial skills I have now that I learned there, which allowed me to become an Internet businessman today.

      Anyone can do Amway. But it’s not for everyone.

      Hope I was a help! 🙂
      -Vince

      • I was wondering how I would go about getting a refund after joining?
        They said 90 day money back.

        • They will not refund you. I just quit few weeks ago and no refund.

          • Hey Toni. I’m planning on quitting too. If we want to quit the business, are we supposed to send back the start-up kit we got initially to the company? Or what is the procedure?

          • Hey Jean and Tony,

            I just had a guy who decided Amway wasn’t for him on my team. I told him that he can get his refund and he did. You keep everything you were given you don’t have to give anything back. As for you Tony I am confused on why Amway did not give you a refund. They have given everyone that I know quit a refund. I don’t know how to help with your situation. Maybe give a call to customer service if you haven’t already. I can ask my sponsor to see if he would know why you didn’t get refunded and if there is a way you still can. I hope this helps.

    • HI buddy.. I am in a similar situation. I was invited to join by a “friend” and blindly signed up. I’ve spent money on products and seminars and for the first week I was extremely motivated. BUT for the past two weeks, after thinking about Amway, and analysing the prices and methods of recruiting and presenting, I hate myself for making a decision to be a part of this. I’m in my second year of chemical engineering and I now feel that it is better if I work hard and earn a salary instead of trying to build assets. The most troubling thing is that I want to leave but I am too afraid that it will destroy the relationship I have built with my recruiter. (It’s been difficult for me to connect with others for years and I’ve finally made a good friend, so I don’t know what to do, and it’s eating me up on the inside!!)

  101. Hey Denyella. Thanks for the feedback.

    First off, I am NOT in Amway nor an Ambot as you can see in the article I clearly state I am a “former Independent business owner” of Amway.

    Unbiased means I am neither for or against. Just because I am not 100% against doesn’t deem it a biased opinion. The fact of the matter is, Amway has been around for 50+ years and many, many people have become successful through the company. I can’t take that away from them.

    Is it hard? Yes. That’s because the way you earn money revolves around MLM which basically means recruiting people to sell product and recruit more as well. This is very very difficult and the truth is, 99.99% of the people do not have what it takes, and I’ll admit, including me. Any decent businessperson who knows what they’re talking about would attest that network marketing is a viable form of business and Amway is a reputable company. I can’t take that away from them either.

    They own the Orlando Magic, Amway Center, and other sport teams, and donate 10’s of millions to charity annually.

    The problem is, people promote the business opportunity and “sell the dream” as their ticket to easy riches, lavish lifestyles, and financial freedom all at a “part time effort” and just working with Amway. It is not that easy. Not even close. You have to be 100% committed and gain all the skills necessary to become a dynamic leader, people-person, and have tremendous charisma along side with an insane work ethic. This can take years and years to happen.

    Chances are you won’t make it. Neither will your husband, sister, or whomever. That’s the reality.

    I have found better avenues to develop a full-time income from home and is why I left. I know many people scream “pyramid scheme!” when they hear about Amway because the people at the “top” make all the money, but that’s not really true. You have to understand the compensation plan and then things will make sense.

    -Vince

    • i actually respect your comment, and here’s why, you clearly stated that “you” do not have what it takes to build amway. This is what people need to say instead of negatively downing it.

      • GREAT COMMENT.. Its all up to you and your team.. Work hard, show the plan, sell the product.. get paid… Amway. Not that hard.. but it still is work. NOT A GET RICH SCHEME.. it takes time to build a profitable business… but were can you build a business with out being chained to 4 walls.

      • This is the best and truest comment I have read on here!

    • hey man what are you currently doing now??? and also great article appreciate your honesty!!

  102. My sister & niece have just been recruited & have been told they have to start recruiting there family & extended family because they will be cruising the Caribbean next year & we will be envious & wonder why they never shared this success with them. What a horrible thing to manipulate people in that way, I would not be envious of my sisters success in any area. Plus the people at the recent meeting were bragging about the fact they make so much money that they buy $700, take them to their personal Taylor & just ask them to design something around the buttons. I am mortified at such an arrogant comment & personally would be suspicious of a person that sprouted such irresponsible dribble from their mouths. Now I have to work out how to get my sister to back of. She is wanting to recruit my husband for his own good & his larg family but I know my husband of 30 years and he will get upset when he says NO and she will keep trying because Amway are force encouraging her to do so for his own good, this in turn will force my husbands head to explode and tell her off, then I will have no contact with her, then this could force her to decide to move back over seas because we are not supportive.
    The implications of a pyramid scene & we all know it is which is why they employ the tactics in the first place, can be so far reaching to families because that is who they target because family are the most likely to say yes to you out of loyalty or guilt. Your review is biased, that can be seen in the fact you come to there protection but mildly reprimand. I’m thinking you are an ambot.

    • Pyramid?!!…Your jobs are pyramids, you can never make as much as your bosses. You guys better open your eyes and listen carefully before you guys miss the boat.

      • I agree. I personally haven’t join amway, but I know about multi level marketing.
        Is the future of my family. And I don’t plan to leave it. I love multi level marketing.

        • People are what makes this business hard not the business itself. Unfortunately we all encounter people who are dishonest. In some cases its because of the situation that they find themselves in, other times they are who they are. Those people are what gives this business a bad name and it takes a group like mine to show them the light at the end of the tunnel. To be honest with you I love to speak with people who have gone through a bad experience with this business because 90% of the times they say “damn that makes a lot of sense.” I’ve herd from “I used to stock merchandise to an IBO saying that their down lines having to pay $50 a month if they don’t buy something that month when Amway doesn’t require you to do that. Incredible but true. The reason for me writing all this is to say on behalf of all Amway IBO’s around the world who are honest like i am, I am sorry

          • I’m glad to see a comment from someone who knows what there talking about.. my parents are in amway and are at the sapphire level about to go emerald and they’re doing great for themselves.. I personally know diamonds in this business that started broke.. I love the business it’s not only about money but about building a better quality of life, about improving your character. I don’t see how that’s so frowned upon. It has completely transformed our family for the better.. my entire family at one point signed up, all gave up and they’re worse off now while my parents stuck in and are now seeing results.. This business isn’t for losers, if you can’t handle the work don’t turn around and blame the business.. The strong survive the weak fell along the way the cowards never even showed up.. There’s a cost to every business, if buying these products and recruiting people will make me free then that’s the price I will pay.. don’t complain about the price you’re not forced to buy anything continue buying at the stores down the street which won’t recompensate you. But if you’d take responsibility for your business you’d realize that this is an investment for your future!! I feel very sorry for those of you who gave up on the future and dreams of your families.. I thank my mother for having guts enough to hang in there because thanks to this business we now live financially free..
            I know many of you will trash talk me but hey the truth hurts..

        • O claro a way es lo mejor en cuanto a multinivel es refieroe es un pionero in compare ion hay con otros.

          • It’s interesting to me how some people who are “selling the dream” seem to talk down or even frown upon the people who choose not to . If you say it’s not for everyone then why shame the people that don’t choose it? Everyone views life differently. There are ACTUALLY people in this world who are content with a minimal amount of money or the lavish life. Who’s to say they aren’t happy? I have a friend who is in amway and after talking to her about how my job is a pyramid and how she needs people like me to work for her who don’t choose amway , basically finishing off the conversation with her thinking I’m an unmotivated low life. Which I’m not btw. I have a good job and I’m happy . While She lost her job, barely has income, is getting unemployment but yet bashes the system when she is taking from it. I don’t get it. While on top of that pushes the products on me in a desperate way saying that she needs the money. That life doesn’t sound dreamy to me, just stressful ! If amway worKS for you, by all means , do it.. but don’t patronize people or make them feel like less of a person because of their personal decision. Keep it moving.. If you are all about positivity, I’m sure you’ll do just fine without those certain people. Best of luck to you all!

      • YES!!! thank you finally some people that understand the future and where this world is going. all you negative people need to open your eyes because one day technology will take over your jobs and you will be running to someone you know that is in the amway business.

      • You got it.. right on the biggest Pyramid scheme is a job.. worker bees all working for a set amount of money while the Boss make the fortune! All the while stuck in a 7-5 day to day humbug. Living for the weekend!

      • I fully agree 1000 percent! Every job we work serves the owners and the team he deems worthy of better salaries. Sucks going to work with a vehicle riddled with problems and bossman drives in his new corvette. The pawns will always have to work harder for less. Thats the way of the system. Voluntary slavery.

  103. A really great video with great explanation. Couldn’t have explained it any better! Unfortunately I was approached by a few ambots in a meeting today, Very deceptive, but I’m not turning myself in. I’m done googling for now!

    • Lol! “Ambots”. That’s funny. Yeah Amway definitely is not for everyone. It’s really hard. I had about 30 in my downline and honestly only about 2 were active. It’s just really hard to make it in the MLM industry and they make seem like it’s not!

      • +1
        An awesome description `Ambot’s’ unfortunately thats how the majority I have met come across i.e. glazed over eyes, fake smile, obvious rehearsed speeches. I am presently making my fortune in the car business.

      • The article outline key information. One should know when it comes to home based business, the best way to be very successful is by joining a strong network which is not easy.
        One must ask the question what kind of product to market and what the success rate. Among all the network companies, Solavei offer its member the best value due to the fact it is about mobile services. There no fee to join and no inventory.

  104. There is no doubt that amway is a scam, read the following article for details,

    themadeconom.blogspo.in/2013/06/amway-most-intelligent-scam-ever.html

    • Hi Skt. Appreciate the feedback. There has always been much controversy in the MLM industry in general, not just with Amway. As much as I dislike MLM, I have to admit, Amway moves real, tangible product, and when you look and study the compensation plan closely, people towards the “bottom” can be more profitable than someone at the “top” if they have a higher number of differentials (teams spread in width), which is why the court probably granted Mr. Pinckney bail after all. The issue is that 99.9% of people fail in the MLM industry. This raises a lot of red flags, complaints, and skepticism amongst the general public. The leaders in the industry paint an “easy riches” picture to the rest of the 99.9% motivating them to keep buying product and motivational tools and to keep the dream “alive”, knowing most will never make it. It’s a people/team-building type of business, and people are the hardest beings to deal with. Ever. I truly don’t believe Amway is an official scam. How could it be if they own the Orlando Magic and sponsor top athletes from around the world? It’s just really really really hard to make it big.

    • Great information however, there is something in addition distributors should be informed on which I would like to give additional input. I don’t think it would be a good idea that network marketers ever pay for any lead system when there is a great free option for this.

    • Money is not to be made in Amway. Only tax breaks are possible because it’s a “home business” . Wonder if everyone would buy the minimum amount of products, would you make any $$ ?

    • There is no doubt that you don’t know what you’re talking about.. amway is legit for those who are willing to pay the price for their liberty. People join expecting it be easy. People can make 1000 excuses for why they won’t remain or begin a business in amway. People look to blame others for their own failures and look for comfort on websites like these for reassurance of their decision.. it’s really sad to see so many of you spending all this time on these websites bashing amways name when instead you could be building the future you desire to have.. everyone of you could make in this business if you so choose to, but that will never happen as long as you’re not willing to get out of your comfort zone.. I love this business, I’m about to join for myself and am prepared for the obstacles, because I know my dreams are worth the price.. don’t talk about what you don’t know, please.. This business has already proven successful, it’s just a matter of whether your going to take proper advantage of this opportunity.. it’s you’re decision..

      • I joined Amway with my boyfriend and we’re having a blast! We are so excited to be given this opportunity. It’s going to be a lot of hardwork, but knowing that the reward is being able to LIVE my life is all the motivation I need. No work and all the time in the wotld to continue growing your team. The cherry on top is you get to help others become successful too! t’s all about climbing the mountain together! We will be Diamonds. Building orur team in Mississippi! You’ve got to commit.

      • Where are you now, Willy? It’d be interesting to hear THAT response…!

    • It’s not a scam but the people in it are out for their own good. They didn’t mention hat I would be paying a MONTHLY fee to LTD. No wonder why my credit card KEEPS going up. And they also told me if I do minimum PV I would get my money back for signing up. All it did was put me in more debt. Not to mention, the people at my meetings were like a little cult. Really weird stuff. The products aren’t bad, just everything else about it.

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