Competition for IBO's?

Uh-oh..... Here comes Amazon.

Looks like a company with a good reputation has decided to sell more than 10,000 non-perishable items online.

All this is very preliminary to me, as I have yet to fully investigate the prices yet, but for the most part from what I've seen, they kick the crap out of Quixtar's prices.

I have dial up internet, and therefore, it's quite time consuming to compare Amazon prices to Quixtar's, but I believe I will do it. It would also make for an interesting weekly post, with a more positive look than the Dingbat of the Month I had been contemplating.

The problems I forsee thus far for IBO's is these two key points:

- Amazon is actually selling well known name brands. No need to get knock offs, or change your favorite brand to buy online.

- At first glance, the prices seem better than Quixtar's. I haven't seen shipping costs or anything yet.

Check it out.

How this will affect Quixtar? I dunno. I see it as a negative for their "business" simply because Amazon is a well known name already with none of the negative stigma to the extent Quixtar does.

They have brand names and what appear to be superior prices. If I was going to start buying stuff like this on line, I know what company I'd choose, simply based on the products offered, prices, and reputation. There's also apparantly no need to "sign up". You just order online.

What do you think?

I'm wondering where the motivational CD's and tapes are. How does Amazon expect to move a product if there's no motivation to do so?

A Little Off Topic...

Just curious, what is your favorite Episode of the Twilight Zone? I have about half of the series on DVD, and am working at getting them all.

Right now, my favorite episodes are "The Rip Van Winkle Caper" and "The Monsters are Due on Maple Street"

"The Rip Van Winkle Caper" is cool becaue it deals with immortality. Who wouldn't want to see how civilization progresses over a hundred years?

"The Monsters Are Due On Maple Street" is just a great cynical look at human nature. I'm sure that back in those years with the thoughts of nuclear war ever prevalent, this sort of thing could have actually happened.

If you can't remember the name of the episode, then try refreshing your memory here

I love this series. Yes, it can be a bit corny, but you get a chance to see some actors with a lot less miles on them when they were in episodes of the Twilight Zone. Also, it's really interesting to see how movies today seem to have evolved from episodes of the Twilight Zone. Can you name any? Maybe I will in another post.

Rod Serling lived and died before I was born, but he is on my very short list of persons dead or alive that I'd like to meet. I'm not the writer type, but most of the episodes he wrote really appeal to me for some reason. I really like the fact that most of the stories have an underlying moral theme. Neat-O.

In any event, I'm curious to see what episodes you like and why.

Seriously, even if you hate me, fill me in. I really am curious about this.

Consider it a personal favour that I'll owe you.

Quixtar Is Like...

Quixtar is like going on a good bender.

It might feel good while you're doing it, and you won't understand why people are laughing at you. You will be defensive and not listen to reason.

Then you wake up, feel stupid, feel hung over, have less money, and understand what an ass you acted like.

I just thought of that. I thought I'd share it.

Not A Numbers Guy

One thing that I really admire about some of the critics out there is their ability to actually crunch the numbers when it involves Quixtar/Amway.

Don't get me wrong, it's not that I can't do the math. I just don't want to do the math. Not my thing, not my cup of tea, it's a bunch of jive turkey that I don't want to do, nor sit down and dissect.

I guess I'm just not built to be an accountant type guy, who can absorb himself in a bunch of numbers, and patiently sift through the variables to come up with a response to why Quixtar really does suck.

Nor can anybody use math to prove a point with me, as it relates to Amway/Quixtar. I think any of the people who have read my posts over the past couple of years at Quixtar Blog will have a pretty good idea what my beefs with Amway/Quixtar are.

In case you're new.............

- Products are uncompetitive price wise

- 4% shipping (yes, I know you pay for shipping built into the price of stuff at the stores)

- Products are not on your doorstep within 2 days. Let's face it, it doesn't happen that way.

- The fact that the upline makes most of their money from motivation is not disclosed

- The proper way to do Quixtar is to do Quixtar and nothing else, according to the "leaders"

- Shallow materialistic circus performances involving money to keep people motivated

- Hypocritical in-fighting amongst the "leaders" If this was such a great life building vehicle, why can't the "leaders" in Quixtar all get along?

- Approaching people in malls and stores to see if they want to build a business with you? Are you serious? Do you really expect to be taken seriously by anybody?

- No crosslining. You know what? You should be able to talk to whomever you want. You're a grown up business owner! You are intelligent enough to understand this business, and therefore, you are probably intelligent enough to know who you want to talk to, right? Let's just call it what it is OK? It's information control, pure and simple. When people say crap like, "If you want what I have then you have to do what I do" they are gently controlling you!

- The fact that nobody is really making any money. In case you don't believe that click here.

So there you have it, I've probably missed a few points, but it's a helluva start.

So the numbers don't interest me. Really. You can write me an email showing how you can go to 652 PV by only spending $187.03 of your own money and by having a strong group 3 wide and 2 deep each. If they spend $341.67 every 6 weeks, and you take a PV promotion on Amway asprins and ass-wipe, then sell 2 cases of XS to a relative on the 4th week, you got it made in the shade.

Good for you, but I don't care. If you told me that, I'd say GREAT! I would say I believe you because I am not about to do the math. Why? Because it's a waste of time to me.

High prices are high prices. Inconvenient and a pain in the ass to order are just that. Picking up a bunch of stuff at your upline's house you paid for 5 or 6 days ago is stupid.

So is buying motivation from a bunch of shysters.

At the end of the day, your business still sucks.