We did this about 30 years ago for about 6-8 years. I am not a sales person, and I don't think either of us were really go getters enough to succeed in the business. It was a good company then, and probably still is. I really liked the products, also. Our "up line" were all about 1 1/2 hours away from us, which didn't help with encouragement or product delivery. I don't know how the discounts work now. I don't remember that we had to have a separate address to send them to. I think we could just purchase them at our price.

If she is pushing you to become a distributer, and you are even slightly interested, ask her to set up a meeting with her and someone up line from her, so it can all be explained to you. This does not obligate you to join. You still have the option to say no.

Tami

Amway is a pyramid thing. You sell their products, get others to work for you and you make money from what they sell. I have had friends try to get me in this many years ago. I was so annoyed because they would not tell me ahead of time what it was they wanted to talk to me about and then really put the pressure on me. I was not interested. it was presented to me as a "get rich quick" scheme.

Same experience as Tami. It is a good way to purchase the products, but the pressure to recruit IS strong.

Been approached several times. Was not and still am not interested in a pyramid scheme. Irked me to be invited over (thinking I was a guest) only to find out I was being recruited.

Our neighbors sold it 30 years ago. I decided I preferred all the products I had been using before trying Amway, and I was horribly allergic to their detergent.

Quitting anaesthesia to sell Amway fulltime? That sounds very risky to me.

I tried it years ago. Honestly, no one wants to buy the products. And how much laundry detergent, etc. can you use? Do you really want to recruit friends, family? It's just a headache. I would not recommend it.

Amway, Pampered Chef, Mary Kay - they're all MLM deals that make me suspicious of any of their salespeople. You can get any of that stuff - or similar - online if you don't want to bother going to a store. Better deals, also, and you don't risk alienating your friends and family.

Ditto to what Hounds said - I *hate* being invited to a party at someone's house only to find out that I've been tricked into attending a sales pitch in disguise.

I cannot imagine anyone would quite a career that sounds like a high paying job to sell Amway? She must really be easily brain washed.

OTOH, I'd like to find someone near me to buy some LOC but apparently there isn't much demand of Amway in Ohio because I can't find a soul selling it here!

BTDT on the being invited over and thinking I was a guest...RUDE! So Freakin' RUDE!

'She is really pushing me to get involved'.

Yes, that's how she will make money. That's the idea of a pyramid scheme. Once you get involved, it won't be good enough for you to only buy products for yourself. You'll be pushed equally hard, or harder, to sell. And to get other people involved in selling.

I had a friend who tried to push me into it several years ago. Yes, as others have said, she invited me and others over for the evening on the pretense of 'getting together'. It turned out to be a sales pitch. It was obnoxious.

She's a former friend.

I once knew a person who was highly involved in the Amway pyramid scheme. He ended up losing his very high responsibility and very high paying job because he was pushing his employees to become involved in Amway.

My recommendation is to stay away from it and do not get involved with it.

Never actually sold it, a "salesperson" gave us a box of Amway products to try....turns out he didn't even ask if we liked the products, just could we invite people over for a presentation of sorts....We didn't like the pressure vibe, he came and got his products back, he couldn't believe we were passing up such a great opportunity.

"She is really pushing me to get involved."

Because she will earn commission on everything you sell. It benefits her to bring others in under her.

"From what I understand, I can be my own customer and buy the products at a discount as long as I have a second address to ship to, which I do."

But in order to remain an Amway dealer and get the discounts, you will have to maintain a specific sales level. That is, if you are only selling to yourself, you are going to have to buy hundreds of dollars worth of products every month (or quarter, depending on how they do it), in order to maintain your dealer status. If you don't maintain it, you won't be able to buy at a discount any longer.

Amway makes some great products, but I don't think the brand, as a whole, is as popular now as it was years ago. There are many other natural products on the market these days.

If you dont feel comfortable pressuring friends and family, this is not the career for you.

I knew I would get the answer I was looking for from you folks, I appreciate it! I didn't feel comfortable and I don't really need a lot of "products" nowadays since the kids are gone. She did give me some samples, and I really liked some water enhancers so went on Amazon and could buy them there for a way better price than on the website. So I bought some, but I won't tell her. There are a lot of amway products on Amazon.

As far as this person quitting anesthesia, it does seem risky to me also but her husband is a very high powered guy who makes a LOT of money. Funny thing, another friend from anesthesia tried to get DH interested in another company, called Arbonne, which sounds like the exact same type of company that amway is. They sell the same types of products-nutritional supplements, beauty products, etc. He also says he's quitting anesthesia soon to pursue this venture. Hmmmm...

I just feel like a company such as Amway has outlived its usefulness. Back in the day when products were not so plentiful, I could see how people would buy things. But now, we have stores chuck full of any sort of product our little hearts can desire so who needs to buy Amway really anyway...though I do like LOC...HEEHEEHEE! There is probably a mainstream product that would work just the same, I just haven't yet used it.

I'm surprised the MLM type companies are still going. Back when I was a little kid my grandma sold Avon. I went with her and we saw ladies in the afternoon. I remember her little kit of sample lipsticks, perfumes etc.

Now of course, we have everything at our fingertips, and every store sells products that were once exclusive.

Amway, Avon, Tupperware, Primerica, ACN (internet, phone and cable), Pampered Chef, Mary Kay, Tahitian Noni, Goji Juice, Watkins, there are so many. Their line that they are cheaper because they get rid of the middle man is absolutely false. All of the salespeople have to get paid, and the price is expensive, to compensate them.

I had an instant adverse reaction to seeing the company name here, reinforced after skimming the Wickipedia article on it.

It's a pyramid scheme, probably protected by the company officials' huge donations to the GOP. China banned the company for years, following riots; now permits it but doesn't allow any government workers to participate. A "Dateline" expose showed it to be a stridently Christian Conservative company, selling as many 'inspirational tapes' as products. Clincher: The story said the average employee made $1400/yr. (2004).

I like this as much as I like Scientology.

Run away! Run away!

I have very very different political beliefs from those of the Amway company. Besides it being a pyramid scheme, which I won't support, I will never participate in adding to the wealth of those I so strongly disagree with.

We had friends years ago who were Amway converts. When we moved out of a house we were renting, we borrowed their carpet cleaner to clean the living room carpets, and they also included half a bottle of Amway carpet shampoo.
As it worked out, we ran out of the Amway shampoo about halfway through the room, so I went to the local supermarket and bought a bottle of the stuff they supplied with their rental carpet shampooers.
The second half of the living room carpet was so much noticeably cleaner than the Amway half, we had to redo the first bit.

I have been hit on by so many of these wheelers and dealers...it makes me so mad! I've been bushwacked a time or two, as well. "Come on over for dinner! "

I had a secretary who had two married daughters who were heavily into Tupperware, Avon, and some kind of cutsie knickknacky junk. I and the other people in the department felt pressured to place orders. As the only other female, she really put the guilt trip on me.

Have never purchased anything from any such company.

I do like the Watkins vanilla and Fuller's hairbrushes. Maybe I'll look online for a new hairbrush! LOL

My grandfather sold Watkins as a sideline from his little farm in RI. He made his rounds with a horse and buggy.

I see "Amway" and instantly think of pushy, very annoying people. I wouldn't buy their products, even if they worked twice as well, and cost half as much as products I could buy elsewhere, just on principle.

I am with jeaninwa - actually I hate all MLM schemes. I call Amway the "A" line - my letter also for Alitalia.

We knew someone who tried to get us involved a few years ago. We did go to one of the introductory meetings. The others are right when they describe the people involved as pushy. That was our experience also. The Amway people seem especially pushy. I've had people ask if I wanted to sell for some other companies. Once I said no, that was the end of it. The Amway guy kept trying even after we said no. Amway made these huge promises of how you could quit your day job & become rich selling Amway. While there may be a very few people that achieve that, most don't. The ones who really make the money are those who are able to recruit people to work under them. That is especially true in a company like Amway that's been around for so long. I do know several people who sell Mary Kay & Pampered Chef & make some extra money to help out every month. Of all the people I know who sell for various companies, I don't know anyone who has actually been able to replace their job income with sales from something like this.

There is usually a monthly minimum sales volume that must be maintained. It's in the fine print of the contract. If you are only going to use these products personally & won't be selling to friends/family, you will likely end up paying a lot for these items. There are plenty of alternatives to Amway products.

This post was edited by kittiemom on Sun, Nov 3, 13 at 13:03

I'd be a terrible sales person. I wouldn't be able to sell quarters for a nickel. Went to a meeting for Amway almost 45 years ago. We knew a guy who really was getting rich from it back then, but it wasn't anything we were interested in.

It's funny - years ago I was asked to buy laundry soap from someone selling Amway - or was it Shaklee? Anyway, the reason given for why I should buy the stuff was so that I wouldn't have to go to the store - I could have it delivered "right to my door"! Wheee. I have to go to the store anyway, don't I? It is really not a problem to swing down the cleaning products aisle and pick up what I need, when I need it. Much simpler than contacting a pushy sales person to buy "laundry soap". Then I'd get it delivered for free, along with another salespitch. So stupid.

Pampered Chef - for a while most of the women in the church groups I was involved with were giving PC parties. They always said that I could go just for the fun and food - I wouldn't be expected to buy anything. Yeah, right. And frankly, I don't give a crap about the chance to buy a spatula with a "lifetime warranty". If the one I have ever wears out (big if), I can buy another one without breaking the bank, the way I would if I bought a special PC spatula. Funny thing - the woman who was the PC rep for our area quit that work and went to work as a cook at a daycare! It seemed that despite all of the parties she gave, she was able to make more as a cook...

(Sorry for venting. But this thread really stirs up my ire about pushy salespeople for MLM schemes).

Oh, Marilyn--quarters for a nickel! That's funny.

I know how miserable those "parties" can be. Went to one for clothing several years, only attending to be polite to a co-worker. I was so uncomfrotable at the party, all the clothing was too expensive. Never again will I attend any kind of party like that.