Amway, David Steadson, and the 50 Year Argument (did you get your Google Alert David?)
One of the things that the lunatic fringe defending Amway seems to do is harp on the fact that Amway has been around for 50 years so it's gotta be good.
Being in business for 50 years has been done by lots of companies big and small. Bottom line is, you need to have a reason for people to want to do business with you, and being around for 50 years isn't necessarily a good reason. You need to have something compelling people to want to do business with you.
How does this translate in the Amway business?
In North America, the Amway name has been dragged through the ditch plus is the subject of relentless ridicule in many circles. In my humble and informed opinion, this is because Amway was complicit to a number of abuses going on with unjustifiably high prices, as well as the motivational tools business which Amway did (and I personally think continues to do) nothing about.
Amway may be a good business across the Atlantic. I have no experience with it there. All I know is that the practices seem very familiar, and it didn't end well in North America for Amway. Furthermore, I believe Amway is continuing to decline on this continent, which is why they are investing so heavily overseas, hoping against hope that their reputation won't precede them.
That's why they've drastically changed their mantra about paying advertising money to their distributors. I can't watch a football game without seeing an Amway commercial! Anyone who I've seen respond to the commercials laughs because they think Amway is "a scam".
Point is, after 50 years, it's not much more than a running joke in North America among the vast majority of the populace.
In my opinion, it's going to take less than 5 years to have that same rep in the east.
50 years in business won't stop the truth from coming out. Moving your problems to other countries won't help either.
Fix the problem, or you'll run out of quitters sooner than later.
Being in business for 50 years has been done by lots of companies big and small. Bottom line is, you need to have a reason for people to want to do business with you, and being around for 50 years isn't necessarily a good reason. You need to have something compelling people to want to do business with you.
How does this translate in the Amway business?
In North America, the Amway name has been dragged through the ditch plus is the subject of relentless ridicule in many circles. In my humble and informed opinion, this is because Amway was complicit to a number of abuses going on with unjustifiably high prices, as well as the motivational tools business which Amway did (and I personally think continues to do) nothing about.
Amway may be a good business across the Atlantic. I have no experience with it there. All I know is that the practices seem very familiar, and it didn't end well in North America for Amway. Furthermore, I believe Amway is continuing to decline on this continent, which is why they are investing so heavily overseas, hoping against hope that their reputation won't precede them.
That's why they've drastically changed their mantra about paying advertising money to their distributors. I can't watch a football game without seeing an Amway commercial! Anyone who I've seen respond to the commercials laughs because they think Amway is "a scam".
Point is, after 50 years, it's not much more than a running joke in North America among the vast majority of the populace.
In my opinion, it's going to take less than 5 years to have that same rep in the east.
50 years in business won't stop the truth from coming out. Moving your problems to other countries won't help either.
Fix the problem, or you'll run out of quitters sooner than later.
posted by rocket at 10:56 AM
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