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The following posts have been reprinted in their entirety from posts e-mailed by readers of this website, except that headers, names and locations have been removed. These posts express the opinions and experiences of their authors, and this site publisher makes no representations about them in any way whatsoever. Re: Equinox Part I hello...i read your web site with a great deal of interest because a friend of mine has been suckered into buying into "Manager" for 5k...what you report is sooooo true because i heard it ALL from her first befoe i read your posting...so, i have only one concern here because my suspicions grew... you wrote: "I've heard that some ranks are handed out in exchange for sexual favors, but I cannot confirm it myself. I don't doubt it one bit though." my instincts tell me that i should not doubt this too...since she has "burned all her bridges" before falling into this TRAP, she was moved away from her city to some remote place called Green Bay, WI, by her account...this is where she'd spend 2 mo. for "training" and she "overheard" a collegue telling another that she might go to meet Gouldd at his birthday party in April!!!...mind you, this girl has been "had" by these people (mentally) because they dangled the biggest carrot ever in front of her...but...... but, she don't have no MONEY esp. after ditching two decent real jobs!...so, she tried to take out loan from me for 5k (denied) and i don't think she has been able to muster any real money (she stopped calling afte denial)...she could not sell anything here either (she tried her best)...but, because of youth etc., she does have some assets called good looks that will attract many... if she uses her physical atributes to find success, she'll be "used up" too fast and too soon...how far can she climb with these assets before the hell breaks loose?...as always, sexual things usually never come to surface for the very nature of the beast...but, lets get real...if sex gets brought into such money matters, eventually things get so bad that i believe that these crooked people are smart enough to know that it is not the best thing to do where money is involved...they are "professionals" from what i hear...a sheep such as this one, by virtue of being so desperate, may yield but eventually turn her into a scorned sheep (the crooks know this too well, i believe)...so, the net result is that sexual favors in such a GREEDY organization would be considered a "no no" by the mere fact that a "director" might loose it all!!!!!!....tell me if my logic is nonsense........ Part II hello there... thank you sooooo much for your prompt response...believe in me, i will never offer any money which i know will go to a corrupt cause...i was referring to my belief that a good business and sex never can mix to make it a durable business...but i guess th MLMs are a very unique species and i have a hunch that weaker individuals are attracted towards it...but again, i'm a biologist and therefore believe that these individuals have found their survival instincts to work best in the "jungle" so to speak...but, under the moral code etc. that we live under, i still think that sex and biz don't mix or else hell would break loose...i found that my friend already has broken up with her other half and as far as i can tell, she is being seduced by what is known as IMD (International Marketing Director aka I AM DONE)...she has been moved to Green Bay, WI to help such an IMD or its like because he needs help while his wife is pregnant, she told me...and she needs more training.....i dropped her a note since she has not called so i hope she will call and keep the line of communication open here.....thanks again..... Part III hello there...i finally got done reading Spellbound in one "breath" so to speak...mr. styler is quite articulate, intelligent etc. etc...i think that the events that he writes about, he seems to be credible...when my friend approached me for a 5k loan, the same exact things occurred so it was so interesting to read this from one of the top guys!...i recommend the book for any MLMer who is in the industry, not just the Equinox people...and it was so funny to read about the lifestyle mr. styler lived (his own choosing, of course!)...i guess one may give the benefit of doubt to even the most crooked...but, he has been such a power-freak that i'm concerned about my "sheep" friend...if hes so out of control as to makes ms. helmsley look like a girl scout, he cannot "build" goodwill...the craziest part of this whole thing is that my "sheep" friend is naive and attractive and is ecstatic about meeting this psychotic (psychotic builds castles, neurotic lives in them)...i wish mr. styler success and am truely sorry to learn how he was treated...theres no excuse for abuse that one reads about in this book......

Reliv openly pays their upline biggies for training seminars, etc. USANA has several training systems, but each line of sponsorship shares across the board with others. The cost is a pittance compared with Yager AMO. I did find and download most of the Probandt website for my wife to look at. I plan to visit the Internet Services Website (ICCA) to look at theri tape duplication business.

Thanks again!

Thanks,

For others who might be interested in this information, the kit purchase is covered under Amway's 100% money back guarantee. They are supposed to refund your money in full upon proof that you ordered and paid for a kit within the past year. Sometimes they will go beyond that time frame. I would suggest that you not waste your time trying to get a refund from you upline: instead, go directly to Distributor (or IBO) Relations at Amway in Ada, MI.

I haven't written for a while.My Husband is in Atlanta at a "function" and whenever he has anything going with Amway I have a need to visit your MLM Suvivors Homepage. Are there any stats on how many distributors actually "buy" their pin levels? Everyone claims to have these large downlines and every time I ever went to anopen meeting there was never anyone new there! I am beginning to think it happens quite often. My husband is a good salesman and he is getting nowhere.

I am actually glad he is getting nowhere. After they all get over Quixtar and nothings happens he has agreed to reevaluate the business. Not soon enough for me.

Thanks for listening.

Good Morning,

Thank you for your helpful page. I would like to ask three questions.

1. When a new mlm company forms and begins to sign-up distributors, are the distributors who sign-up first registered directly to the company without any upline per se? How is it handled at the outset? [Depends on the company.]

2. If a company who has chosen to market through distributors has direct inquiries for sales, does the company sell directly or is it referred to distributors? Are there any regulations for this? [No regulations that I'm aware of: it depends on the company. Sometimes a company will have a distributor force, but will handle direct inquiries internally, thus subverting the distributors. Sometimes not.]

3. Can employees of the mlm company be distributors? Is it a legal matter? [No, it's not a legal matter. But it would generally be perceived as a conflict of interest.]

I would appreciate any information on the above.

Kindest regards,

To whom it may concern,

There was a recent David Letterman show with Bill Gates as the guest and he was asked what's new and exciting and he said "Quixtar". Also, I believe that Ken Macdonald was referring to the Porn sites when he said "Bad Guy" sites. There are certainly some ignorant people involved as Amway Representatives, but I also know some that are on the level, like Network 21, they read like a who's who as business partners. And while you're at it why don't you check out the legal cases against GM or DOW Chem, we buy their products everyday and probably paid too much for them, get a clue every business has it's shortcomings. How about we check out you and your little internet site and any businesses you own.

Thank you

Thanks again for all the info. We are returning still-wrapped tapes and other BSM's, as well as the opened ones from October 1998 until present (180 days). We intend to continue with the distributorship because there are some products we like and believe we can selll at retail. In the meantime, we are looking seriouly at USANA, which seems to have the benefits of a much lower-cost system in place ($1.75 per tape, not $6, for example), including use of the Internet, plus a truly modern set of scientifically-based products (no magnets). Distributors are not asked to be a non-paid sales force for a system owned & operated by other distributors. The comp plan seems to pay out better as well, and earlier. I got a legal opinion which was favorable. The use of the net makes saturation in any given  area much less likely. The narrower product line makes it more likely in the long run, however. Also, there seem to be no "mind-control" tactics (we WERE bothered by that). There is as much emphasis (or more) on the products and their benefits as on the business benefits. Usana is going international (already in four other countries) by adding 29 countries in the next 6 years. They are one of the few to publish both company and distributor incomes. The average income is not much different than Amway's, but it appears that lower group volumes do get paid better. Also, you do NOT get a commission for products you use personally.

All in all, the AMO controlling mindset tends to actually DECREASE the market for distributors/customers, in my opinion (based on early personal experience in talking with folks about what they did not like about their own Amway businesses).

I told you I would keep you posted, so this is the first installment.

Take care and God bless.

Help,

Can anyone tell me if International Teamworks Inc. which sells Long Distance Phone and Internet Service,sales plan which is MLM is viable or legal???

Thanks,

I like your myths and the answers that follow. You, of course are correct in your assertions. I've yet to look at your guest book, but I'm sure that there are those dupes who claim they're about to make "double diamond" or whatever. I think the reason they're so vitriolic is that they're really too embarrassed to admit that they've been "hoodwinked", lied to, etc. and even worse, bought into the lie. In all honesty, if one needs to make extra money, they're usually better off taking a part time job at Randall's Grocery, Kroger, Starbuck's or waiting tables at the local TGI Friday's. Not only that, you get to keep your friends. Lastly, I've read the book "The Millionaire Next Door" and, if memory serves, none of the subjects interviewed were MLMers. I'm also a big fan of the t.v. show "Small Business 2000" (http://wwwlsb2000.com ) and so far, none of the interviewees are people who've made it big in Amway or any other MLM. Take care.

It sounds like you had a really hellacious time learning about what goes on behind the scenes. One question, why stay 10 years around people and an organization of which you don't approve.

Second, Who delegated you to hand down judgements on business ethics. I worked with several Billion dollar companies and sat in on their board meetings, and the disregard for "average" human lifestyle would astound you. It works like this, I walk into a hair salon if I don't like the way they cut it, I go else where. This is Independent ownership and I ultimately run my own ship if I'm to have any sizeable business. I never stated that network 21 is full of honest, trustworthy people, It is full of people, which is what they are and they make mistakes and are ignorant. Each person makes his own choice as to what action and response is taken. I am not here to defend the human race. Also, My business is not public knowledge whether it's auditing your family or developing a business partner in Poland.

Here's a hint at how much I do have access to and some of the info may be surprising:

I run open meetings weekly in 2 states. I was invited on the last 2 Diamond trips and I have weekly dinners with 2 crowns. I was part of the committee that supported Dick DeVos as Senator of the state of Michigan, he chose to run the Amway Corp., now it's Spencer Abraham.

Tax people tally numbers all day, It's all they do. I know where my money comes from and that is the only person I have to answer for. What some crooked Diamond does to a thousand people in another country, much less another state, is of no concern to me. He does not represent my business and I have no intent on defending his.

There are profits accumulated from tape and book sales, but surely you aren't implying that these sales are illegal, we wouldn't want people to learn anything and think they had to pay for it. Get a clue, I've sat on 4 boards where we looked at professors at universities who sold their books and continued to promote them even though the material had since gone out of date, and this is still legal. It seems that you have spent alot of effort to host a site that defames a company name, why not the individual, you obviously have not chose to attack Rich and Jay or any particular person, maybe the deep pockets scare you.

All a very good effort, but will never accumulate to much more than heresay, at least that's the way it reads legally. There were 144, thousand applicants registered this March, 3 times the amount 1 year ago in March, most with knowledge of Amway's involvement. I suggest you read the "Rule of war" book, "as long as your goal is to win the battle, you'll never win the war." Put simply the DeVos & Van Andel Families are now part of the "club" and will be protected forever. Multiplied by infinity and taken to the depths of forever, you still have only a fraction of what I'm talking about.

How much do you really know: I regularly visit and vacation at Sea Island & Jeckyl Island,

Have you been there? Only the "2%" of the wealthy have homes there.

Who met there and what took place there in 1913?

Who sold Peter Island to the DeVos family?

These answers are more than you want to know about wealth and accumulating it, and the conversion of people to create it. Most people do not know, I suspect you do not either. They are the makers of everything and DeVos and VanAndel are part of the club.

Amway as we know it will cease to exist in less than a decade, so you see you're chasing a ghost.

Please, play your best hand when you come to this table!

Best Regards,

Look on the net at www.forbes.com, (I think), then do a limited search in their website for "Amway". Those were 1997 numbers, I believe.

I don't think we are MLM junkies at this point, by the way. We were in the "big A" once before, in the late 70's, and tried Olde Worlde (which went belly up, due to some bad mangement decsions) in the early 80's. We actually were not looking for another one just now, but on the anti-MLM pages, I noticed some references to some things to look for and to look OUT for in MLM companies. There were links to some pages that indicated which ones seemed to be "better bets". those that were recommended all share some commonality with conventional business and say so. Most of these also promise solid success with commitment and application of hard work, and have products that are marketable at retail. USANA was at the top of three different lists, and looks like something we can actually do. In Amway, which did not make the top list, retailing is REALLY de-emphasized (in practice, not in design), but we were never told building it would be easy. I think none of these is easy to build, and in the good ones, it will be a lifelong process, like any good business would be. Oh, I have asked tons of questions that I should have asked before jumping into Amway again.

Thanks again for your help. My "old" upline is just now responding (after 2 days of silence-checking upline?) to my note that (1) we are not going to participate fully in the system any more, and (2) according to BSMAA, we are requesting refunds for materials we are returning from the last 180 days and some from before that are unopened...The first question from our sponsors (email)was : "what did we do to cause this reaction"?

Do I need to be careful of what my answers are to these questions (on email)? I still consider most of my upline to be friends,to varying degrees, but I do not want to be involved in a legal firefight over something I said in my "reasons for backing away from the system". I have written an email, i n response, but have not sent it. In it I outline my problem with system money, and give some examples of possible function profit, without mentioning any individuals. It is not like I have a huge business, but $500 worth of refund is $500, and would be significant for our sponsors, as well, even though they are "4000's" in the "business". Maybe I shouldn't WRITE anything at this point. Any advice you feel comfortable in giving?

By the way, I have not brought you or your name into this, nor will I.

Regards,

Hello,

I have been searching your web site (http://members.tripod.com/~nomorescams/survivor1.htm) and a few others. Let me say first, that I am an Amway distributor again, for the third time. We chose this for two reasons. I can't beat the price for Life Insurance, and there are some products that I hate to do without. That does not mean I buy them all, only what I use.

I had personal experience with Don Wilson, and for that reason, chose this time not to go into the Yager line at all. We finally found a distributor several states away not affiliated with them at all. I do not go to functions, nor do I do meetings. Right now, I am a buyer. That's it plain and simple.

Now, having said that, I must put in my two cents worth. America is a great country. (not as great as it used to be, but still blessed for the moment). Because we allow free speech and free enterprise the propensity for some to do wrong is great. I just got fired from a corporation, not because I was not performing, but because I don't fit that "corporate" mold. Meaning, I don't play the game. There is just as much dishonesty inside public corporations.

The reality is, that people are people and they all have their failings. We should be careful at pointing fingers, especially when people can't or won't take responsibility for either their actions or the actions of the others. I still think Amway is a great concept. I still believe it produces a great product line. And I also understand, that you can't please all of the people all of the time.

I will be forever grateful for some of the teaching that my exposure to this concept produced. I have been acquainted with Amway for over 20 years. I never built the business to a significant level, but that was my fault, no one else's. I did have concerns about certain practices coming out of the upline, but that was not coming out of Amway directly. Everything I read, refuted those practices. So, now I am just a wholesale customer (that's what I call myself). It's great, I get online, order my products and it's here at my door in a few days. I have no illusions. But then, I am also more mature.

The Don Wilson's in this world will reap what they sow. What he did to my family was wrong. But there is no point in attacking him or any of the others. MLM works for a lot of people. But, not for everybody. It's like anything else, it requires a lot of sweat and equity to build. This is no different from any other business though. Where people miss understanding is that they think MLM is different. It isn't. The startup costs are significantly lower than any "traditional" business with a storefront, but the reality is, you'll have to invest some to make some. So, for that reason, it makes it possible for anyone to succeed. However, as a business owner (yes I have one, and another in the works), I realize that making money immediately is unrealistic. I think that those who get into MLM tend to be blind to that fact.

I'll keep reading. It won't change my mind, but I like to be informed. I can read between the lines and look for the heart attitude of what is written. That is where the truth is. I believe that Rich and Jay and their families are in the same league with people like Bill Gates...who is always the target of pot shots. Probably not because he did anything wrong, but because he had a dream, and didn't see the warnings along the way. He believed in the "goodness" of man. Unfortunately, man is far from good and Mr. Gates is paying the price for his dream in our distorted justice system (oops, not justice, legal system, justice is almost nonexistent today).

Anyway, thanks for hearing me out (assuming you read this far). I'll keep reading. But remember, we reap what we sow. And if you stick your head up above the crowd for whatever reason, you will be scrutinized. That's the nature of the beast. That doesn't mean that you should not rise above, it just means be aware and be prepared.

Hi.

I read your site with interest. I would like to know if there are people from anywhere in Canada and U.S. who had problems with Primerica, which is a good example of multi-level marketing. My wife is involved with Primerica for almost two years. They convinced her that she could make big money with them. In fact, she doesn't make enough money to cover up her expenses. I have to compensate for the difference. This lasted long enough. I'm looking for help, looking for people that could give me trustable information about that company.

I am from Quebec. I'm sorry for my English but I think that this text is understandable.

Regards.

I found your site among all the hype about Quixtar "Amway". Just what I was looking for to avoid being hooked in by a ? friend. I greatly appreciate the enlightenment! :-)

Before I start, I wanna make sure that I understand the essence of your position: Amway is mainly a good company, but it's the "system" that motivates your efforts. Is that a fair characterization? I hope so.

As far as the system goes, I don't understand how people get "suckered" into it. Examples:

- At one of his functions, Bill Britt said from stage that once you go direct, there's a lot money built in to the system. He said that when you do this, it gets info about self-image, motivation, trends, success stories, etc., to everyone possible in the same exact form, without confusion as the info gets passed downline. Whether or not you agree that this a legit reason doesn't matter for this point. I'm NOT saying it's unimportant, just not for the point I'm making, which is simply that the fact that there's money in the system is talked about in front of thousands of people each weekend, so how do people later say they were "suckered" into it?

- At another of his functions, he said that if your just coming to the functions, buying tapes, buying books, without using the knowledge in the materials to help new people get into your business and help them grow, then you're wasting your money and should turn excess stuff back in. So once again, how is anyone "suckered" into buying the stuff over and over again, when the supposed "evil" kingpin at the top says it's stupid to keep doing it if you're not making money?

- My upline Diamond told us as his most recent pickup meeting that if you've been in longer than six months and haven't done anything (i.e. showed the plan 3-5 nights a week, contacted at least a person a day, converted to personal use, sold to customers), he would take you OFF the tape and book program unless you told him you wanted to stay on it. His reason: he didn't want people wasting hard-earned money on info they weren't using.

I've got numerous friends throughout the Britt organization who say they've heard similar stuff from their upline (wanted to be sure I wasn't alone here).

What's also interesting from your site is your discussion of Quixtar, the new e-commerce business being set up by the founders of Amway. It's just about completely off-base. I noticed that it was posted just a couple of weeks ago, so it's a shame that it is so wrong, because you had all of the info available. Some points for your consideration:

"Can existing Amway distributors participate? Can they participate by paying an extra fee? If they want to be Quixtar distributors, do they have to quit their current Amway distributorship? Nobody knows."

Yes, Amway distributors can participate. In fact, if you choose to do so, you can get into Amway now, and automatically become a Quixtar distributor on 1 Sep, once it launches. If you're an Amway distributor prior to launch, there's no additional fee to become a Quixtar distributor. As far as quitting Amway to start Quixtar, that's the BEST part about being in Amway now. Whatever network you already have in place on Sep 1 will roll over to Quixtar (you don't have to start from scratch). You say that "nobody knows." Don't confuse the fact that YOU don't know with ignorance on everyone's part, because these points are discussed over and over again by our upline leadership and on the latest "evil" tapes put out by the system and the company.

"What will the entry fee be? Nobody knows."

Our latest info is that the price of the current Amway kit is about $180 depending on your tax, shipping & handling, etc., and the fee to become a Quixtar distributor will be the same. If this info changes, I'll be sure to let you know. Again, you say that "nobody knows." Don't confuse the fact that YOU don't know with ignorance on everyone's part, because these points are discussed over and over again by our upline leadership and on the latest "evil" tapes put out by the system and the company.

"How about the compensation plan? Nobody knows"

The current plan will be the Quixtar plan. This may change as well, but that is a current answer to your question. Again, you say that "nobody knows." Don't confuse the fact that YOU don't know with ignorance on everyone's part, because these points are discussed over and over again by our upline leadership and on the latest "evil" tapes put out by the system and the company.

"Now, if Quixtar isn't Amway, why are the distributor rules being created by the Amway Distributor's Association Board?"

Sounds smart to me. What are they supposed to do, bring in a bunch of people off the street to come up with distributor policies? It's comforting to me that they are using the experience of the past that they have access to build on for the future company. It's a networking company, so why shouldn't they mold their policies for networking using what worked for them in the past. Analogy: if the owners of Coca-Cola (I know it's a public company, but humor me) decide to start up a totally new business because soft drink business trends are changing, wouldn't they base at least some of the rules for the distributors of the new company on the successful experience of the old company? And who would they use to make those decisions? Probably a board like ours.

"And at home in North America, numbers of distributors -- and therefore sales -- have plummeted. In the third quarter of 1998, Amway began layoffs in the US. Desperately searching for new markets, Amway has decided to expand onto the internet."

So, they needed to change, and they did. So what. And it isn't desperation, unless the ENTIRE economy is desperate (read the news lately? -- most major companies are online or racing to get there). It's a simple recognition that the internet is where the future of business is.

"I believe, based on past performance and my knowledge of the internet, that Amway will see a temporary increase in sales as its enrollments become engorged with new distributors looking to get rich quick on the internet."

And just a few months ago, the VP at Merrill Lynch responsible for technology stock trading (Jonathan Cohen) made a decision (based on past performance and his knowledge of the internet) that Merrill Lynch wouldn't waste time investing in internet stocks because e-commerce was a temporary fad. OOOOOOOPPPPPPPSSSS!!! Think about what you're saying here: people are shopping online at a remarkable growth rate. What do they get out of it? Saving time and maybe some money. You actually believe that by setting up a virtual mall that will offer Amway products (as 8% of the total offering, by the way, so this is WAY more than just "Amway online"), as well as car buying, medical, financial, legal, travel, non-perishable groceries, major appliances, and THOUSANDS of items from Fortune level companies, AND GIVING PEOPLE A CHANCE TO MAKE MONEY WHEN OTHERS SHOP ONLINE, is a passing fad? Just what is your knowledge of the internet, specifically projected growth in consumer e-commerce?

"One of the few rules Amway is -- so far -- insistent upon, is that distributor websites must be password protected. Thus, if you are a distributor and you invite someone to shop in your online store, you have to provide them not only with a URL, but with a password -- which they must be willing to use! This puts an immediate obstacle in the way of anyone who might be interested in your products, since open sites are the norm on the internet, and ease of access is king."

This statement shows that, unfortunately, you really have no idea how Quixtar will work, or how Amway is approaching the prelaunch phase. Until 9/1/99, Amway has said that distributor prelaunch websites must be protected by a password. Such websites exist for prospects to go online and learn how the Quixtar business model will work. Password-protecting the website ensures that only personally invited people can check out the opportunity, WHICH IS THE WAY AMWAY HAS DONE IT FOR YEARS!! These websites will NOT be the path into Quixtar. The virtual mall (www.quixtar.com) will be an open site that ANY surfer can stumble onto, or be directed to via word-of-mouth advertising.

"Only 18% of all Amway products sold in the US today are actually sold to consumers, (2) so the potential pool of shoppers at your website is extremely limited. Will having the products available on the internet increase those numbers? I find it highly unlikely. So who will shop on Quixtar? The same people who shop with distributors now -- distributors! If you join Quixtar expecting the world to beat a path to your URL, you will be sadly disappointed"

More misinformation (I thought only evil MLMers did that).

- First of all, like I said before, Amway products will represent about 8% of Quixtar's product line. So to focus this point on Amway products is disingenuous. What about the other 92%? You should wait to find out what companies will be with us before you hang your hat on this point.

- Your "potential pool" point shows you are still using an old paradigm of thinking. The potential pool of Quixtar customers isn't just those friends and relatives within driving distance that you can deliver products to. Rather, it's anyone you know, period. Quixtar will take care of the delivery and the paperwork. You just get the check. So my old military friends, for example, who are all over the country are now viable customers for me. And they will shop at Quixtar because a) they shop online already; b) they know me, so there's a name and a face to Quixtar, not just a click and a drag. The pool has become an ocean.

- Distributors will shop at Quixtar. What a shock. BUT in your statement is a rebuttal of your earlier statement. What do I mean? Simple. For the first time in Amway's history, starter kits are on backorder. So there are more distributors than ever before, all excited about shopping online. So, if there are more distributors, and they're shopping online, and the product line will be several times bigger than before, then by definition, the numbers will increase. There's your answer.

- You're absolutely correct: the world will not beat a path to the website. That's what Bill Britt just told us on an "evil" tape, and that's what my Diamond told us last night. This is still gonna be a face-to-face business. The point of sale will simply be at a computer. That means I have to work to establish a customer base, as well as help those in my group do the same thing. In other words, I have to WORK!!

"I believe Amway Corp. is also trying to overwhelm its web-based critics like myself in the deluge of Quixtar hype. Some distributor leaders are apparently admitting at functions that Amway is "out to get" the web critics, especially Sidney Schwartz. Having thousands of new distributor sites will certainly make it more difficult to find sites like this one in the search engines."

Don't flatter yourself too much. The power of the idea is overwhelming you, not Amway. Think about it: Microsoft, IBM, Fry Multimedia, and tDah! are our technology partners for developing the Quixtar site. Think they'd risk their reputations on hair-brained hype? Companies are at war over e-commerce, so people are hearing about it, and for the first time, they have a chance to participate in an economic shift instead of watching from the sidelines. And most of the prelaunch websites will go away once Quixtar launches, so that's a weak point as well.

"I have believed for several years that Amway would be forced to establish its own ISP for two reasons: to establish another source of "residual" income, and to -- surreptitiously or openly -- block sites like this one from distributors' browsers. It will be interesting to see which "bad guy" sites Big Brother Amway sees fit to block."

- So they want to make money from an ISP. SO WHAT? I think it's cool -- I go online, but now I'll be able to save money on it and make money if others do it too. What's the problem with that?

- Don't try to run with the Big Brother Amway line too far -- it's lame. Because of a little thing called the Constitution, Amway can't censor you. They can sue if they want, but they can't come up with an ISP and just block sites at will. If they try to outside of the law, I'll counter-sue with you. Fair deal? C'mon, you know good and well what the "bad-guy" sites are: pornography, hate mongers, violence, language, etc. Family-friendly ISPs have been around for a while now. You shouldn't be surprised that Amway, given the Christian foundations so many of your writers complain about, is offering such a service. It's just good business to offer a type of ISP people want and a way to benefit financially from it.

I look forward to your reply. I have found this to be enjoyable.

[For my responses to this letter, please visit "What Are Distributors Saying About Quixtar"]

Hello
I am from Romania and I was work in MLM, in a new one! Lost all money, all friends and allmost my family.They was wery unfairs and I call them in trial.Unfortunately the trial progress is too slow (1,5 years).I need encouragement to not give up.It is wery hard to me to formulate in english but I will write all my story anyhow in the future E-mails, if you are interested.
Bye for now !

This Omegatrend MLM from Australia, now in Malaysia has a tremendous response. It is not actually direct selling but direct buying kind of MLM. I am getting interested to become a member but after I read your article I am confused. Can you please give me your comments regarding this OMEGATREND. This will give me a better insight about the business. THANK YOU.

Re: AUS Mirror

This is to tell you that I have put up aus mirror site in Japan. site location is as below, AUS mirror http://www1.neweb.ne.jp/wa/hanbai/aus/ sorry I am not good at English, but I just cannot stand still doing nothing on Aus close down.

I will keep above mirror site as long as I can. So please tell the world that aus file will never die.

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This page updated May-29-99