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So, today my girlfriend got a job at a company called Vector Marketing. If you don't know what they do (I didn't), here is the wikipedia page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vector_Marketing
Summary:
Vector Marketing is the domestic sales arm of Alcas Corporation, the Olean, New York-based company that manufactures Cutco products.
Salespeople, many of them college students and recent high school graduates[1] market Cutco products (mainly kitchen knives) to customers, especially their friends and family members[2] via one-on-one demonstrations, and (infrequently) through fairs & shows.[3] Vector builds its force through advertising via newspapers, Craigslist, direct marketing, MySpace, Facebook, word-of-mouth, posted advertisements, unsolicited mass text messages, and letters sent to students and recent graduates. Their fliers advertising "student work" are a common sight on many college campuses in the United States and Canada.
She was quite excited to get this job for the summer, since it pays about 16 dollars per 'appointment'. Apparently her job is to interview customers about their needs in order to sell them the correct product, which is what an 'appointment' consists of. Things were looking good, that is, until a mutual friend of ours sent us this site: http://www.spamlaws.com/vector-marketing-scam
+ Show Spoiler [what it says] +Vector Marketing Scam
You surf the net in search for a job, any job that will help you pay off your student loans and accommodate your busy student routine. You come across a job ad that offers $15 to $16 an hour to act as a sales representative to sell Cutco cutlery. Sounds pretty easy, right? You worked at a retail store once and know how to deal with customers. Eager, you continue to read the job ad, looking for the perks. And perks, there are. You can be own your boss! Make your own schedules, budgets, and meeting times. You call and send in your resume, thinking you may not get the job, because it sounds too good to be true. But, despite your doubts, you receive a call praising your resume, and a job offer.
Delighted, you follow up the offer. You get hired as an independent contractor, and are given a list of strict rules to whom you can sell to and how to demonstrate their product. To receive your demonstration kit you need to purchase it or least pay $145 dollars. You must also pay to attend training sessions to polish your sale techniques. A small price to pay, for a job that will help you pay off you're loans, right? No!
In reality, after paying for your kit and training you barely make more than $3 a day… It's nothing but a scam!
The infamous company behind this scam that targets students nationwide is the U.S.based company Vector Marketing. This company takes advantage of the fact, that it encourages contractors to sell to their relatives. Relatives who'll feel obliged to buy the cutlery, mostly their infamous knives.
How's this a scam? The scam lies in the fact, they ask you to pay before you can start earning. Ever wonder, what kind of company charges for training and demonstration kits?
Vector Marketing List of Offenses
In past, the company admitted to fraud in settlements with the Australian Consumer and Competition Commission (1999), Wisconsin Consumer Protection Dept (1994), and Arizona Attorney General (1992). In 1992, 940 Wisconsin Vector Marketing recruits were surveyed and the survey found nearly half of the recruits earned no pay or lost money while working for Vector.
Recently the co-founder of SAVE (Students Against Vector Exploitation) a group formed by students to fight the Vector Marketing scam, won a case with the New York Department of Labor, proving that Vector violated the independent contractor- client relationship, making her an employee. This breach of contract required Vector to compensate for her training.
To join the fight against the Vector Marketing Scam you can click here.
Amendment: We have received some letters from salespeople from Vector Marketing who have said they have made great money working with this company and that the above surveys and complaints are fraudulent. One letter even stated that upon returning the start-up kit, he received a full refund and another woman claimed she earned over $2000 working with Vector Marketing.
We can only report to you the facts as we uncover them. You now have two sides to the story. It is up to you, our readers, to decide for yourself.
A quick google turns up many hits for 'vector marketing scam' Naturally, this has her worried. After sifting through the information provided us by the internet, we really couldn't decide what to believe. There were some positive testimonies mixed in as well.
I am coming to you, teamliquid, for help. If you have had experience with Vector Marketing please tell us about it. Thanks!
  
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I've heard of them before and went to one of their presentations. Once I realized I was basically being asked to be a door-to-door knife salesmen, I walked out.
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then send out invitations to join them via mail en masse, that alone should tell you something about the company.
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lol i got one of those things in the mail, i felt special until i saw this thread.
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I don't really know much about them but I was under the impression they're shady. My sister was going to interview with them last year and I talked her out of it.
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It's an obvious scam. Seriously, use your head.
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Got a letter from them as well. It was full of jargon and it was not clear on what they were hiring for/selling. l already heard they sell knives door to door so I didn't take a second look.
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A few people from my high school did this over the summer. You're a fucking salesman and the product is shit and you will end up selling it only to people you know because they feel bad. In the end you'll wish you were working at McDonalds
edit : I didn't read the spoilers or wiki.
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I got one too, threw it away after realizing it was some broad, sent in mass vague letter from some marketing company that probably sucks and uses naive students.
Don't bother with them.
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Here's a brief summary of why anyone who does this is not thinking clearly:
You're buying really expensive low quality knives. So that you can sell them. And then you're giving 90% of the profits back to who you bought them from.
Why not buy your knives without a contract and resell them yourself? Get a bunch of cheap knives about the same quality, and mark them up a huge amount and try selling them. Except that won't work because now no one feels bad for you since you're just trying to rip people off (what Vector is doing).
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Canada7170 Posts
I did this last summer.
The pay is fine, and I still use the product now lol (best fucking knives ever). The managers can be pushy, but it's okay.
Sounds very scammy/pyramid scheme like/false, but I'll assure you that it's legitimate.
However, be forewarned that the pay isn't as consistent as they like to convince you it is.
Also, if you're Asian, GOOD LUCK because it's way too difficult to sell to bother.
Everyone who speaks basic English and applies gets the job. In the end, don't take any shit from anyone, and you'll be fine.
Tell your girlfriend to continue searching for a job, but hey, I met people my age at divisional meetings that did fairly well selling it, it's just a matter of who you know initially to get your feet wet. PM me if you want to know anything else, because I have a lot to say on the matter, having worked for Vector for around 3 months over last summer.
EDIT: lol shit I'm going to get flamed so hard for this. Bracing myself.
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Sydney2287 Posts
There was a thread about this a couple of years ago, I doubt much has changed. Try reading through some of the experiences here.
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my friend was going to do this, but we eventually talked him out of it (after he went to the first interview)
you have to provide your own transportation, and really, after counting travel time and the fact that you're only working for an hour at a time and gas money and stuff, you'll be making less than minimum wage.
me and my friends ended up deciding it wasn't an outright scam, more of a way to circumvent minimum wage (unpaid training, etc)
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wow, I got an ad for this in the mail, but ignored it when i found out wut id be doing. Then a while ago my friend found a job, and I asked him where. And I literally just found out it was vector before seeing this thread lol
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scam or not.. this job is NOT WORTH DOING. there's no way you can sell their knives to enough people to make a profit/living. one of my friend did this and was only able to successfully sell it to one person, his older brother.
just think about it.. who will buy knives from a stranger? and cmon.. how many friends and family members are in need of new knives(that costs $50+)?
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Canada7170 Posts
I sold roughly $10-12k in 2-3 months last year. And I was improving as I went. Your friend may not be a good salesman, that's all. As to whether people buy the product, or what would motivate them to buy, realize that nobody is parting with their money out of pity, as I told them straight up that I'm paid just to be there. Hell, some people still call me back to say that they need some more products from me.
This job is not for everyone.
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Baa?21243 Posts
Don't do it, simple as that.
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On May 30 2009 15:33 mikeymoo wrote:
I sold roughly $10-12k in 2-3 months last year. And I was improving as I went. Your friend may not be a good salesman, that's all. As to whether people buy the product, or what would motivate them to buy, realize that nobody is parting with their money out of pity, as I told them straight up that I'm paid just to be there. Hell, some people still call me back to say that they need some more products from me.
This job is not for everyone.
I think you can do better selling other products if you can sell knives this well by just going person to person lol
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It's sounds basically like a pyramid scheme with nice presentation. I've seen some of these companies that circulate through college and high school campuses. Interview process was pretty easy right? Tell your friend to find an actual job. This is going to be a waste of time and dignity.
On May 30 2009 15:36 Shivaz wrote:Show nested quote +On May 30 2009 15:33 mikeymoo wrote:
I sold roughly $10-12k in 2-3 months last year. And I was improving as I went. Your friend may not be a good salesman, that's all. As to whether people buy the product, or what would motivate them to buy, realize that nobody is parting with their money out of pity, as I told them straight up that I'm paid just to be there. Hell, some people still call me back to say that they need some more products from me.
This job is not for everyone. I think you can do better selling other products if you can sell knives this well by just going person to person lol
Exactly this. For the same amount of effort, time, and money from your own pocket, you could be shooting up the ranks at an actual company where your future is worth something.
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T.O.P.
Hong Kong4685 Posts
I just know that I have Cutco knives at home because my cousin did this a long time ago. My parents couldn't refuse buying it.
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It's not an outright scam; it's just completely ridiculous and shady.
Don't do this. No one is going to buy knives from a door to door salesman...no one would buy ANYTHING from a door to door salesman nowadays.
You can make money off of this just like you can hypothetically make money off of a pyramid scheme. That's why companies like these aren't shut down immediately. At first glance, they're not outright ripoffs or perhaps even unethical. Once you take a closer look, though, you'll find that the principle behind what they're doing is veeeery suspect.
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I would call this a legal scam.
Only a few will come out with a good profit but most will only get little or be losing money.
As mentioned before, it depends on a person's motivation, personally, and luck.
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The webcomic Krakow had a pretty funny Scalar Marketing arc. If Vector is anything like what Krakow insinuated, I'd stay far away.
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I just interviewed with them last tuesday and got offered a position. I checked into it and asked all around about vector. I called them up yesterday and refused their offer.
It's not a "scam," per say, but just a big pyramid scheme. The knives aren't worth anything close to what people are selling them for, which is why you can get up to 30% as commission. Some people really do make the big bucks, and it is a "legitimately" run business. There are numerous complaints about the company and their ethics all over the US.
The reason they market to college students, specifically ones that have never had a job before, is because they don't have the red flags go off that people experienced with working do. The initial $145 is a deposit, though--you can get your money back if you choose not to keep the knives and you didn't resell them.
Basically, if you're a good salesmen you WILL make money in this job. Its morally dubious and all-over kinda seedy, though.
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ps fontong you live in the STL area? If you do then I interviewed with your gf if she came in on tuesday.
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LOL! This is such a pyramid scam like Usana. What is funny is that a guy was passing out papers of this on my high school graduation. I remember receiving my diploma and walking to the football bleachers to see my family and friends and some jackass in a gray collar shirt came out of no where and gave me an envelope and said "this will be a great summer and college job for you!".
I opened the envelope about a week later and I thought this would be a great job because of the whole "$15 an hour" in bold print. I researched on the net until I saw all the negative things about it. I even remembered about a year ago when I was looking for a job, my brother told me to stay away from Vector because they sell knives and I'm better off working at places like Wal-Mart.
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Thanks for the input everyone. Sounds like I should advise her not to do it.
On May 30 2009 17:14 KurtistheTurtle wrote:
ps fontong you live in the STL area? If you do then I interviewed with your gf if she came in on tuesday.
No, I'm in San Diego.
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The potential for profit is there. But Cutco's advertising is extremely misleading and ambiguous. Since it's an independent contract, Cutco is not obligated to pay you the minimum wage. How much you make depends on your performance. For every individual who makes a good chunk of money, there are ten others who barely break even after calculating transportation costs.
I don't recommend Vector Marketing for anyone. The only people who will succeed are aggressive hustlers and if you're one of those, there are other jobs that are more profitable and suitable for you.
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Woa I got to put a stop to all this bullshit people are saying. You people don't now anything. Vector is an amazing company. I worked with them on and off for over a year. I eventually sold over $8,000 in personal sales largely to people I didn't know.
This is and isn't a tough job. First, off it isn't door to door. You call people and ask if they're interested in doing an appointment. Secondly, you don't just call random people you call the friends of people you last did the demo for. Thirdly, those people recommended their friends and often call them just to ask permission if it is okay if you call. Word of mouth is the best form of advertising. People listen to their friends advise. You don't have to be pushy at all.
Now the thing is that this job requires discipline, and the willingness to generate your own business. I was a pretty shy computer nerd and by the time I finished I could sell your mom knives at about a 66% success rate. The hardest part is getting over your nerves and calling people and asking. That's it.
As for doing the demonstrations those are fun. You go over take out your kit and go over the knife details and start cutting up vegetables. Mom's love this stuff. Its soo easy to sell.
Now as for the quality of knives. They certainly do cost more than their materials if you hand made one but all of the knives of similar quality you can buy in stores are still more expensive. They're made from high carbon stainless steel. 440A is the type of steel if you want to know.
The one of the most important features for cutco isn't the knives themselves but the warranty. They call it the forever guarantee. Basically, whenever your knives need sharpening or break you can send them back to the factory and get it sharpened or replaced for free. You pay for shipping one way. They'll even replace something for half price if you break something through misuse/abuse ( though you don't have to mention how it broke if you don't want to)
Yeah so the pay is kind of rough at the beginning but when I finished I made 25% commission and when I sold consistently that was pretty good. It gets better too if you sell more. Its based on career sales so it doesn't go down every month to some base rate like some other direct sales companies I've heard about.
Anyway, the key to this job is a little bit of self discipline and the ability to talk to other people. Its really not too tough. The $9 an hour job I've got right now makes me want to try vector again. $13-16 dollars an appointment doesn't really matter much since your commission usually is way bigger btw.
Oh yeah for those that sell well you often get offered assistant manager positions and eventually they will even sponsor you to open up your own office in other towns. This company kicks ass but you've got to be self starter basically. I quit because of other positions I got offered in my future field of work (which sadly ended recently)
Edit: Wow I just took a look at that spamlaws link. Its so biased. You don't have to buy your basic kit. You have to put down a deposit, a check which they will hold, and if you want to you can buy it. You can get it back if you bring the kit back to the office. There are additional kits with specialty knives which you can buy.
gah I sound totally overzealous but man so much misinformation in this thread.
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I get their stupid letter every year. I throw it away every year.
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I saw the knives myself and the ones I saw are very good o_O One could make a mark on a peach without using any force, and i've seen their scissors cut through pennies.
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I applied for Vector marketing two weeks ago when looking for work on job posting sites. I thought the name "vector marketing" sounded stupid and it seemed really suspicious how they didn't say what kind of work it was. If you google "vector marketing scam" you'll find plenty of pages. Even if some are inaccurate, the sheer number of them is enough to turn anyone away.
After I decided, "fuck it, I'm not gonna bother with this". They kept sending me emails (at least 3) notifying me about an interview (real workplaces just send you one if they're still hiring). They called me twice and when I asked what they did, I only got a vague answer along the lines of selling stuff to customers.
On May 30 2009 19:35 Hath wrote: blah blah blah vector is great blah blah
I might just be a bit skeptical, but I think it's possible vector has people googling "vector marketing scam" and basically spreading BS about how it isn't a scam. Don't insult people's intelligence by trying to convince them you made $8000 selling knives.
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On May 30 2009 19:35 Hath wrote:+ Show Spoiler +Woa I got to put a stop to all this bullshit people are saying. You people don't now anything. Vector is an amazing company. I worked with them on and off for over a year. I eventually sold over $8,000 in personal sales largely to people I didn't know.
This is and isn't a tough job. First, off it isn't door to door. You call people and ask if they're interested in doing an appointment. Secondly, you don't just call random people you call the friends of people you last did the demo for. Thirdly, those people recommended their friends and often call them just to ask permission if it is okay if you call. Word of mouth is the best form of advertising. People listen to their friends advise. You don't have to be pushy at all.
Now the thing is that this job requires discipline, and the willingness to generate your own business. I was a pretty shy computer nerd and by the time I finished I could sell your mom knives at about a 66% success rate. The hardest part is getting over your nerves and calling people and asking. That's it.
As for doing the demonstrations those are fun. You go over take out your kit and go over the knife details and start cutting up vegetables. Mom's love this stuff. Its soo easy to sell.
Now as for the quality of knives. They certainly do cost more than their materials if you hand made one but all of the knives of similar quality you can buy in stores are still more expensive. They're made from high carbon stainless steel. 440A is the type of steel if you want to know.
The one of the most important features for cutco isn't the knives themselves but the warranty. They call it the forever guarantee. Basically, whenever your knives need sharpening or break you can send them back to the factory and get it sharpened or replaced for free. You pay for shipping one way. They'll even replace something for half price if you break something through misuse/abuse ( though you don't have to mention how it broke if you don't want to)
Yeah so the pay is kind of rough at the beginning but when I finished I made 25% commission and when I sold consistently that was pretty good. It gets better too if you sell more. Its based on career sales so it doesn't go down every month to some base rate like some other direct sales companies I've heard about.
Anyway, the key to this job is a little bit of self discipline and the ability to talk to other people. Its really not too tough. The $9 an hour job I've got right now makes me want to try vector again. $13-16 dollars an appointment doesn't really matter much since your commission usually is way bigger btw.
Oh yeah for those that sell well you often get offered assistant manager positions and eventually they will even sponsor you to open up your own office in other towns. This company kicks ass but you've got to be self starter basically. I quit because of other positions I got offered in my future field of work (which sadly ended recently)
Edit: Wow I just took a look at that spamlaws link. Its so biased. You don't have to buy your basic kit. You have to put down a deposit, a check which they will hold, and if you want to you can buy it. You can get it back if you bring the kit back to the office. There are additional kits with specialty knives which you can buy. gah I sound totally overzealous but man so much misinformation in this thread.
LOL. So one positive experience completely negates dozens of negative experiences people have had with the company?
You actually sound like one of the guys who was trying to convince me to do this.
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On May 31 2009 01:37 Mickey wrote:Show nested quote +On May 30 2009 19:35 Hath wrote:+ Show Spoiler +Woa I got to put a stop to all this bullshit people are saying. You people don't now anything. Vector is an amazing company. I worked with them on and off for over a year. I eventually sold over $8,000 in personal sales largely to people I didn't know.
This is and isn't a tough job. First, off it isn't door to door. You call people and ask if they're interested in doing an appointment. Secondly, you don't just call random people you call the friends of people you last did the demo for. Thirdly, those people recommended their friends and often call them just to ask permission if it is okay if you call. Word of mouth is the best form of advertising. People listen to their friends advise. You don't have to be pushy at all.
Now the thing is that this job requires discipline, and the willingness to generate your own business. I was a pretty shy computer nerd and by the time I finished I could sell your mom knives at about a 66% success rate. The hardest part is getting over your nerves and calling people and asking. That's it.
As for doing the demonstrations those are fun. You go over take out your kit and go over the knife details and start cutting up vegetables. Mom's love this stuff. Its soo easy to sell.
Now as for the quality of knives. They certainly do cost more than their materials if you hand made one but all of the knives of similar quality you can buy in stores are still more expensive. They're made from high carbon stainless steel. 440A is the type of steel if you want to know.
The one of the most important features for cutco isn't the knives themselves but the warranty. They call it the forever guarantee. Basically, whenever your knives need sharpening or break you can send them back to the factory and get it sharpened or replaced for free. You pay for shipping one way. They'll even replace something for half price if you break something through misuse/abuse ( though you don't have to mention how it broke if you don't want to)
Yeah so the pay is kind of rough at the beginning but when I finished I made 25% commission and when I sold consistently that was pretty good. It gets better too if you sell more. Its based on career sales so it doesn't go down every month to some base rate like some other direct sales companies I've heard about.
Anyway, the key to this job is a little bit of self discipline and the ability to talk to other people. Its really not too tough. The $9 an hour job I've got right now makes me want to try vector again. $13-16 dollars an appointment doesn't really matter much since your commission usually is way bigger btw.
Oh yeah for those that sell well you often get offered assistant manager positions and eventually they will even sponsor you to open up your own office in other towns. This company kicks ass but you've got to be self starter basically. I quit because of other positions I got offered in my future field of work (which sadly ended recently)
Edit: Wow I just took a look at that spamlaws link. Its so biased. You don't have to buy your basic kit. You have to put down a deposit, a check which they will hold, and if you want to you can buy it. You can get it back if you bring the kit back to the office. There are additional kits with specialty knives which you can buy. gah I sound totally overzealous but man so much misinformation in this thread. LOL. So one positive experience completely negates dozens of negative experiences people have had with the company? You actually sound like one of the guys who was trying to convince me to do this.
But all the people with negative experiences didn't work for the company apparently, while the two people who actually did work for it were the ones posting positive experiences.
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I'm not too fond of this company but one of my good friends is really in to it and makes around 1000 dollars in commission per week
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On May 30 2009 15:16 mikeymoo wrote:
I did this last summer.
The pay is fine, and I still use the product now lol (best fucking knives ever). The managers can be pushy, but it's okay.
Sounds very scammy/pyramid scheme like/false, but I'll assure you that it's legitimate.
However, be forewarned that the pay isn't as consistent as they like to convince you it is.
Also, if you're Asian, GOOD LUCK because it's way too difficult to sell to bother.
Everyone who speaks basic English and applies gets the job. In the end, don't take any shit from anyone, and you'll be fine.
Tell your girlfriend to continue searching for a job, but hey, I met people my age at divisional meetings that did fairly well selling it, it's just a matter of who you know initially to get your feet wet. PM me if you want to know anything else, because I have a lot to say on the matter, having worked for Vector for around 3 months over last summer.
EDIT: lol shit I'm going to get flamed so hard for this. Bracing myself.
You could have made so much more money if you'd just done it yourself though o.o
When I say scam, I mean they're not being fair. I don't mean they're exactly tricking you. They say what they're going to do, and they focus on people who don't realise it's a bad deal (young teens).
I mean... It's like Poetry.com. Technically, they do make a book and sell it. But it's not exactly quality or being sold in bookstores other than their own online thing.
It's just like... You could do so much better without this company. If you can sell crap people don't need, that's great. You're just wasting your talent with Vector.
On May 31 2009 01:48 Fontong wrote:Show nested quote +On May 31 2009 01:37 Mickey wrote:On May 30 2009 19:35 Hath wrote:+ Show Spoiler +Woa I got to put a stop to all this bullshit people are saying. You people don't now anything. Vector is an amazing company. I worked with them on and off for over a year. I eventually sold over $8,000 in personal sales largely to people I didn't know.
This is and isn't a tough job. First, off it isn't door to door. You call people and ask if they're interested in doing an appointment. Secondly, you don't just call random people you call the friends of people you last did the demo for. Thirdly, those people recommended their friends and often call them just to ask permission if it is okay if you call. Word of mouth is the best form of advertising. People listen to their friends advise. You don't have to be pushy at all.
Now the thing is that this job requires discipline, and the willingness to generate your own business. I was a pretty shy computer nerd and by the time I finished I could sell your mom knives at about a 66% success rate. The hardest part is getting over your nerves and calling people and asking. That's it.
As for doing the demonstrations those are fun. You go over take out your kit and go over the knife details and start cutting up vegetables. Mom's love this stuff. Its soo easy to sell.
Now as for the quality of knives. They certainly do cost more than their materials if you hand made one but all of the knives of similar quality you can buy in stores are still more expensive. They're made from high carbon stainless steel. 440A is the type of steel if you want to know.
The one of the most important features for cutco isn't the knives themselves but the warranty. They call it the forever guarantee. Basically, whenever your knives need sharpening or break you can send them back to the factory and get it sharpened or replaced for free. You pay for shipping one way. They'll even replace something for half price if you break something through misuse/abuse ( though you don't have to mention how it broke if you don't want to)
Yeah so the pay is kind of rough at the beginning but when I finished I made 25% commission and when I sold consistently that was pretty good. It gets better too if you sell more. Its based on career sales so it doesn't go down every month to some base rate like some other direct sales companies I've heard about.
Anyway, the key to this job is a little bit of self discipline and the ability to talk to other people. Its really not too tough. The $9 an hour job I've got right now makes me want to try vector again. $13-16 dollars an appointment doesn't really matter much since your commission usually is way bigger btw.
Oh yeah for those that sell well you often get offered assistant manager positions and eventually they will even sponsor you to open up your own office in other towns. This company kicks ass but you've got to be self starter basically. I quit because of other positions I got offered in my future field of work (which sadly ended recently)
Edit: Wow I just took a look at that spamlaws link. Its so biased. You don't have to buy your basic kit. You have to put down a deposit, a check which they will hold, and if you want to you can buy it. You can get it back if you bring the kit back to the office. There are additional kits with specialty knives which you can buy. gah I sound totally overzealous but man so much misinformation in this thread. LOL. So one positive experience completely negates dozens of negative experiences people have had with the company? You actually sound like one of the guys who was trying to convince me to do this. But all the people with negative experiences didn't work for the company apparently, while the two people who actually did work for it were the ones posting positive experiences.
I didn't, but my brother did and it's exactly as we're all saying. Typically people end up just selling to their friends and family and then give up because it's not really a good wage for the amount of work and pay. I also have experience with the knives because my brother sold them to my mum too (HOW PRODUCTIVE!) and I hate using them whenever I'm there.
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On May 30 2009 19:35 Hath wrote:
Words words words words.
I'm glad you signed up to a StarCraft forum just to tell us this.
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Saying 'I sold $8000 of knives' =/= making $8000 selling knives.
Vector isn't really an outright scam so much as its just very difficult to succeed in selling their products. They assume you make ~$300 worth of sales per successful sale and sell to 6/10 customers you meet, which i think is ridiculous. And that you get approx. 20+ new customers every week.
By this model you would indeed make a bunch of money, but what will happen to 95% of people is that after selling to close family and friends (all above 25, btw) they run out of customers and quit.
My opinion: take job, rent knives, call in a bunch of your family friends to testify to fake appointments and make 1 weeks worth of money. Then leave.
PS: I went to their interview a few days ago out of curiosity - then left 
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Canada7170 Posts
On May 31 2009 01:59 Chef wrote:Show nested quote +On May 30 2009 15:16 mikeymoo wrote:
I did this last summer.
The pay is fine, and I still use the product now lol (best fucking knives ever). The managers can be pushy, but it's okay.
Sounds very scammy/pyramid scheme like/false, but I'll assure you that it's legitimate.
However, be forewarned that the pay isn't as consistent as they like to convince you it is.
Also, if you're Asian, GOOD LUCK because it's way too difficult to sell to bother.
Everyone who speaks basic English and applies gets the job. In the end, don't take any shit from anyone, and you'll be fine.
Tell your girlfriend to continue searching for a job, but hey, I met people my age at divisional meetings that did fairly well selling it, it's just a matter of who you know initially to get your feet wet. PM me if you want to know anything else, because I have a lot to say on the matter, having worked for Vector for around 3 months over last summer.
EDIT: lol shit I'm going to get flamed so hard for this. Bracing myself. You could have made so much more money if you'd just done it yourself though o.o When I say scam, I mean they're not being fair. I don't mean they're exactly tricking you. They say what they're going to do, and they focus on people who don't realise it's a bad deal (young teens).
Well there's no other outlet that makes it this easy to sell any sort of product, not specifically door to door (you deal with internal contacts, and the whole thing is pretty smooth, really. You don't go door to door and ask "hey want to buy some knives"). It really is a trick, everything said from the managers or whatever beats around the bush so fast it will make your head spin.
Yes, most of their income comes from people to join, sell to their parents, and quit. It's part of their marketing scheme, but the people that do well are the ones that keep at it, because it's seriously very hard work. So if your girlfriend, Fontong, is looking for an easy job that pays 16-19/appt. without much work, tell her to look elsewhere. If she's up for a challenge, she should try her hand at it- it really changes your character and is an overall positive experience, no matter what the result is (if you quit, it just means you have a lower tolerance of bullshit).
Again, just don't take shit from your managers and don't be afraid to talk back, because a lot of them aren't very qualified. If you have moral problem with asking certain questions to your clients, then don't follow their script, simple as that. Sales is always a difficult area to work in.
So by Chef's definition of scam, yes it is. But if you can rise above that and realize it's a bad deal for most people, and also understand that you want to have what it takes to succeed in this job, then you will do well.
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Canada7170 Posts
On May 31 2009 03:57 Equaoh wrote:Saying 'I sold $8000 of knives' =/= making $8000 selling knives. Vector isn't really an outright scam so much as its just very difficult to succeed in selling their products. They assume you make ~$300 worth of sales per successful sale and sell to 6/10 customers you meet, which i think is ridiculous. And that you get approx. 20+ new customers every week. By this model you would indeed make a bunch of money, but what will happen to 95% of people is that after selling to close family and friends (all above 25, btw) they run out of customers and quit. My opinion: take job, rent knives, call in a bunch of your family friends to testify to fake appointments and make 1 weeks worth of money. Then leave. PS: I went to their interview a few days ago out of curiosity - then left
A lot of their stats come from an average of a minority of people who do very well, and a majority of people like you. I had an 80% closing ratio, with $350 average per sale. You get WAY more than 20 customers a week if you keep it up.
Concerning the rental kit, I'd keep the knives after you quit, they give you a ridiculous discount and you'll eventually want a good set of knives lol.
My opinion: I have no problem with taking the job, lying, and eventually quitting. You need to make the judgment call very early as to whether you have the motivation to do well or not. Otherwise, you will fester in the office making calls (which you don't get paid for), getting 5 appointments a week, not making any sales, and hating your 'job'.
PS: I made around the same as a stable cashier/retail job in the same amount of time. I'm not trying to advocate that you'll be making shittons of money from this job. It's just different. The commission scale is based on career sales. If I go back this summer, I will make the same commission as I did last year. But the experience was far better than anything I would have gotten at the local store, and I'm happy with that. I have some leftover propaganda that explains the managerial system that they gave me last year, if anyone is interested lol
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Ok so if she is already going to be busy during the summer with schoolwork, and in addition to that does not have a car then she should definitely not take this job right?
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Canada7170 Posts
On May 31 2009 05:52 Fontong wrote:
Ok so if she is already going to be busy during the summer with schoolwork, and in addition to that does not have a car then she should definitely not take this job right?
I've heard miracle stories where people pull this off, but they're rare and usually they come from rich families (which implies connections to people who will actually just plop down a grand on knives without much convincing).
You can treat it as a hobby, but definitely not a stable source of income. Lacking transport makes things pretty difficult unless you're really good at getting referrals to specific neighbourhoods. And that requires a specific skill set that she most like doesn't have (although she can learn).
What's her motivation for getting a job? The Vector training is unpaid and takes a really long time, and is probably something she won't want to deal with.
So although I'm a huge advocate of taking the job, it's not in her best interests, just from the people I met that were trying to do the same thing last year. None of them had what I would consider "success".
You can do what the guy mentioned before me, and call up a bunch of relatives/friends and schedule fake interviews, but they definitely call and spot check when you come in with 0% closing ratios over like 20 people. Things like that don't happen, ever. They also ask things like "what colour knives did you like best" or "are you currently employed", just to make sure that you did a proper presentation for people that at least had a chance of making a purchase.
tl;dr? The answer is a fairly resounding "no". I just wanted to clear up a lot of confusion regarding the job for the doubters.
EDIT: To be clear, 95% of the job applicants end up exactly as people in this thread end up. It's just when someone tells me that it can't possibly work or w/e that I start to get annoyed, since it worked for me. I don't want to come off as overzealous, but I feel like the company did a lot for me, and I want to get the word out that it can work.
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For some reason, this reminds me of some scenes from Napoleon Dynamite.
EDIT: To be clear, 95% of the job applicants end up exactly as people in this thread end up. It's just when someone tells me that it can't possibly work or w/e that I start to get annoyed, since it worked for me. I don't want to come off as overzealous, but I feel like the company did a lot for me, and I want to get the word out that it can work.
gah I sound totally overzealous but man so much misinformation in this thread.
You and hath have very similar views.
Also, most people would say the chances of it working out isn't high rather than dismissing it as an outright rip off.
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Okay so just to clarify. I did not sign up just to counter this thread. (Ironically I signed up months and months ago after months of lurking when I saw someone bad mouthing Supreme commander. I play supreme commander competitively so I care about that.)
I follow pro starcraft and watch all of the events MSL, OSL, GOM, and some of the foreign tourneys. I don't play starcraft much but I enjoy watching it. I don't usually feel like I have much to contribute to most starcraft discussions because I don't play it competitively.
I also did vector and I did okay. I said that I did it for about a year. It was a very positive experience that I enjoyed and learned a lot from. That being said I realize its not for everyone. You need to have discipline and some balls to have actually work for your work. It does have a high turnover. I think from my training class only 3 still did it 6 months later.
Realistically, Vector is an awesome opportunity for those that want to take it. If you put in the effort they will reward you very well. Its not a scam but it is an unusual job. I recommend giving it a try if you have another stable job and some free time.
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Essentially the company wants you to sell to your natural market. Natural market, being friends and family, leverage your relationship to force them to buy from you. The good salesmen can move beyond the natural market and sell to aquantiances. Companies that employ multi-level marketing or similar programs only want to take a new applicant's natural market and then leave them to burn. There is minimal training given to the employee (or employee pays for training/certification) to reduce costs. Other companies that follow this structure are life insurance companies as well as "financial services" companies that sell insurance products.
If you have the talent to be a salesmen, then go for it. However, I can tell you that 99% of the population do not have the talent. Therefore, once a salesman's natural market has been sucked dry, the company will hang the employee to dry. The next steps for the sales person is to recruit other sales people that still have their natural market.
These kinds of jobs are last resort and should not be considered by anyone in college or have a real internship. Even a job at Best Buy will improve sales skills 100x than something like this. Your girlfriend should not waste her time during the summer if she has other things that need to be done.
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On May 30 2009 19:35 Hath wrote:
Woa I got to put a stop to all this bullshit people are saying. You people don't now anything. Vector is an amazing company. I worked with them on and off for over a year. I eventually sold over $8,000 in personal sales largely to people I didn't know.
...
hurf blurf
So what you;re saying is that you've been marketing knives like a mad crazy zombie? <- (classic shill post)
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I WAS showing knives. I work at a research institute now but it was an important job to me.
It pisses me off, basically if you walked into a room and found a bunch of people talking shit about starcraft which mostly wasn't true and hadn't ever actually played the game then you might try to straighten their shit out.
On May 31 2009 11:53 itzme_petey wrote:
Natural market, being friends and family, leverage your relationship to force them to buy from you.
The good salesmen can move beyond the natural market and sell to aquantiances.
Companies that employ multi-level marketing or similar programs only want to take a new applicant's natural market and then leave them to burn. There is minimal training given to the employee (or employee pays for training/certification) to reduce costs.
If you have the talent to be a salesmen, then go for it. However, I can tell you that 99% of the population do not have the talent. Therefore, once a salesman's natural market has been sucked dry, the company will hang the employee to dry.
These kinds of jobs are last resort and should not be considered by anyone in college or have a real internship. Even a job at Best Buy will improve sales skills 100x than something like this..
A lot of people do stop at their natural market. Being a good salesman for cutco only requires reading a script. That's about all I had to do. It really isn't that hard not too much talent required.
Minimal training? You get extensive training with vector. 3 days, then additional advanced training meetings, regular weekly meetings, quarterly divisional meetings, etc. They do everything they can to help you do well, its in their interest. As for the natural market its really not that hard to get past. You just need to work a little on your people skills. I mentioned that I was a shy computer nerd already. It helped me get past that a bit. Outgoing people have an even easier time.
You really think working at best buy improves sales skills? lol. I doubt that. People come to you to buy stuff they want. I went to people and had them buy stuff they didn't know they wanted.
Really I think the majority of people who fail at vector are scrubs. They didn't put the effort in and complain, not realizing it was their fault they failed.
I'm a little aggravated but most people at vector are really positive and cool people.
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On May 31 2009 01:37 Mickey wrote:Show nested quote +On May 30 2009 19:35 Hath wrote:+ Show Spoiler +Woa I got to put a stop to all this bullshit people are saying. You people don't now anything. Vector is an amazing company. I worked with them on and off for over a year. I eventually sold over $8,000 in personal sales largely to people I didn't know.
This is and isn't a tough job. First, off it isn't door to door. You call people and ask if they're interested in doing an appointment. Secondly, you don't just call random people you call the friends of people you last did the demo for. Thirdly, those people recommended their friends and often call them just to ask permission if it is okay if you call. Word of mouth is the best form of advertising. People listen to their friends advise. You don't have to be pushy at all.
Now the thing is that this job requires discipline, and the willingness to generate your own business. I was a pretty shy computer nerd and by the time I finished I could sell your mom knives at about a 66% success rate. The hardest part is getting over your nerves and calling people and asking. That's it.
As for doing the demonstrations those are fun. You go over take out your kit and go over the knife details and start cutting up vegetables. Mom's love this stuff. Its soo easy to sell.
Now as for the quality of knives. They certainly do cost more than their materials if you hand made one but all of the knives of similar quality you can buy in stores are still more expensive. They're made from high carbon stainless steel. 440A is the type of steel if you want to know.
The one of the most important features for cutco isn't the knives themselves but the warranty. They call it the forever guarantee. Basically, whenever your knives need sharpening or break you can send them back to the factory and get it sharpened or replaced for free. You pay for shipping one way. They'll even replace something for half price if you break something through misuse/abuse ( though you don't have to mention how it broke if you don't want to)
Yeah so the pay is kind of rough at the beginning but when I finished I made 25% commission and when I sold consistently that was pretty good. It gets better too if you sell more. Its based on career sales so it doesn't go down every month to some base rate like some other direct sales companies I've heard about.
Anyway, the key to this job is a little bit of self discipline and the ability to talk to other people. Its really not too tough. The $9 an hour job I've got right now makes me want to try vector again. $13-16 dollars an appointment doesn't really matter much since your commission usually is way bigger btw.
Oh yeah for those that sell well you often get offered assistant manager positions and eventually they will even sponsor you to open up your own office in other towns. This company kicks ass but you've got to be self starter basically. I quit because of other positions I got offered in my future field of work (which sadly ended recently)
Edit: Wow I just took a look at that spamlaws link. Its so biased. You don't have to buy your basic kit. You have to put down a deposit, a check which they will hold, and if you want to you can buy it. You can get it back if you bring the kit back to the office. There are additional kits with specialty knives which you can buy. gah I sound totally overzealous but man so much misinformation in this thread. LOL. So one positive experience completely negates dozens of negative experiences people have had with the company? You actually sound like one of the guys who was trying to convince me to do this.
Valid point, but as people have clearly explained it wasn't WORTH going into. Also, a lot of people explained they had family members get into the job, and realize it was a sham.
As far as the two guys defending this company like it's their baby's mother. All I have to say is that I'm glad that you guys succeeded in your so called "job".
However, a Pyramid scheme needs your so called "success stories" in order to pitch their product to begin with. A pyramid scheme with 100% fail ratio won't last long, and certainly won't last nearly as long with 80% success ratio. How can you guys honestly try to convince people this isn't a sham when one of you guys clearly stated that 95% of people who go through this futile act won't make a decent amount of money to counter their hard work and time put into it.
Also, calling people who didn't didn't succeed at Vector "scrubs" doesn't really do anything for your argument. So basically your calling most people scrubs? I'm sorry, we don't all have the traits of great salesmanship like you do man. Stop pitching this like your life depends on it.
PS: How can you compare people bad mouthing Vector to Starcraft?,lol. SC has popular praise and a cult fan base.
edit: referring to mikeymoo and hath
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This is retard tell her to quit here job asap there are much better jobs availible. I went to their recruitment session once it is completely phony. They MAKE YOU BUY THEIR KNIFE so right away they scam away your money and you're pressured to sell it.
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omfg *facepalm*
Its not a scam and it isn't a pyramid scheme. Cutco are the brand of knives they sell. They have been around since the 1950s and have over 14 million customers annually (so cutco is actually more popular than starcraft if you want to look at it that way hence my comparison). They're one of the top selling brands of cutlery. As has been addressed at least once you do NOT need to buy the knives to work for vector. You can borrow them so you can do demonstrations with them. People like to test things out before they them. You aren't pressured into sell anything since you don't have to take the job and you don't have to pressure anyone to buy it. The product is good and people like it.
Just to clarify when you "sell knives" to people all you do is make an order. Unlike other direct sales companies and real pyramid schemes you do not buy the knives for the customer (like avon, nuskin, amway/quixnet). You don't try to enlist the customer to sell more knives to other people. You get paid commission for what you sell to customers that's it. The only way you could actually lose money doing cutco is if your transportation costs are crazy high and you didn't sell enough to make it worth it. You don't have to spend your money on anything else to sell cutco.
I acknowledge that many people don't succeed at vector but I think its for the same reason people never succeed at climbing a ranked ladder. Then people blame the game or in this case the company for not succeeding. Its not a fair assessment.
I'm defending it because it was an awesome experience for me and I don't think people should miss out on it just because some douche who hasn't even done it convince them not to because he has a false impression of what its like. Would you tell people to avoid starcraft because most people don't get beyond D rank? Wouldn't you agree that even though you might never be A rank that it is still a worthwhile experience?
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It only works for people with a specific mindset and drive. Most people don't have that and are extremely uncomfortable selling stuff (you have to be pushy and almost, rude... I worked in telemarketing and hated it).
I had a friend who succeeded at it, she made a lot of money doing it in the summer (including selling a ridiculously expensive pair of scissors to my parents- like $65 or so- but they are damn good scissors).
Thats the only reason I went in. Like everyone else, the first thing that struck me as totally bullshit was that basically everyone who came to the "group session" to be interviewed was offered a position, maybe like 1 person didn't make it.
I couldn't even make it through training though. As soon as they wanted the deposit for the knives I told them I'd have trouble getting the money then I didn't come back for the 3rd day of training. Especially since I would feel horrible pushing my family and my mom and dad's friends to buy my stuff out of pity.
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On May 31 2009 18:33 Hath wrote:
omfg *facepalm*
Its not a scam and it isn't a pyramid scheme. Cutco are the brand of knives they sell. They have been around since the 1950s and have over 14 million customers annually (so cutco is actually more popular than starcraft if you want to look at it that way hence my comparison). They're one of the top selling brands of cutlery. As has been addressed at least once you do NOT need to buy the knives to work for vector. You can borrow them so you can do demonstrations with them. People like to test things out before they them. You aren't pressured into sell anything since you don't have to take the job and you don't have to pressure anyone to buy it. The product is good and people like it.
Just to clarify when you "sell knives" to people all you do is make an order. Unlike other direct sales companies and real pyramid schemes you do not buy the knives for the customer (like avon, nuskin, amway/quixnet). You don't try to enlist the customer to sell more knives to other people. You get paid commission for what you sell to customers that's it. The only way you could actually lose money doing cutco is if your transportation costs are crazy high and you didn't sell enough to make it worth it. You don't have to spend your money on anything else to sell cutco.
I acknowledge that many people don't succeed at vector but I think its for the same reason people never succeed at climbing a ranked ladder. Then people blame the game or in this case the company for not succeeding. Its not a fair assessment.
I'm defending it because it was an awesome experience for me and I don't think people should miss out on it just because some douche who hasn't even done it convince them not to because he has a false impression of what its like. Would you tell people to avoid starcraft because most people don't get beyond D rank? Wouldn't you agree that even though you might never be A rank that it is still a worthwhile experience?
sc is different because even if you dont get beyond D rank, at least you're not wasting a lot of money. plus, it could be enjoyable to just play, even if it is "wasting time".
for this vector thing, you have to not only waste lots of time, but also money if you dont succeed.
and you'll also be feeling pretty shitty that you fell for a scam.
they're not the same.
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Okay so I just went into my Vector interview today and got a position, bla bla bla. I knew everything beforehand and how they're allegedly a "scam" or whatever. But what I really want to know is: do they actually refund the $144 deposit? I don't care about the shitty treatment and difficulty in making appointments; I can deal with it. As long as I can make some money, I'll be pretty content. I have a shitload of spare time right now even with a part-time job at CVS (they don't give me enough hours), and I'm really broke so I just need 2nd job. I actually think the idea of going into random acquaintances' homes and trying to communicate with them is kind of interesting, as it'll probably help me with communication and persuasion skills. Think it's still worth it for me?
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United States22883 Posts
On May 31 2009 14:29 Hath wrote:
You really think working at best buy improves sales skills? lol. I doubt that. People come to you to buy stuff they want. I went to people and had them buy stuff they didn't know they wanted.
This is actually an interesting point. I haven't done Vector and I would imagine it sucks if you don't have a car, but there are a lot of seemingly crappy jobs that improve your character by forcing you to be more engaging, even if the pay isn't great.
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On June 01 2009 12:58 29 fps wrote:Show nested quote +On May 31 2009 18:33 Hath wrote:
omfg *facepalm*
Its not a scam and it isn't a pyramid scheme. Cutco are the brand of knives they sell. They have been around since the 1950s and have over 14 million customers annually (so cutco is actually more popular than starcraft if you want to look at it that way hence my comparison). They're one of the top selling brands of cutlery. As has been addressed at least once you do NOT need to buy the knives to work for vector. You can borrow them so you can do demonstrations with them. People like to test things out before they them. You aren't pressured into sell anything since you don't have to take the job and you don't have to pressure anyone to buy it. The product is good and people like it.
Just to clarify when you "sell knives" to people all you do is make an order. Unlike other direct sales companies and real pyramid schemes you do not buy the knives for the customer (like avon, nuskin, amway/quixnet). You don't try to enlist the customer to sell more knives to other people. You get paid commission for what you sell to customers that's it. The only way you could actually lose money doing cutco is if your transportation costs are crazy high and you didn't sell enough to make it worth it. You don't have to spend your money on anything else to sell cutco.
I acknowledge that many people don't succeed at vector but I think its for the same reason people never succeed at climbing a ranked ladder. Then people blame the game or in this case the company for not succeeding. Its not a fair assessment.
I'm defending it because it was an awesome experience for me and I don't think people should miss out on it just because some douche who hasn't even done it convince them not to because he has a false impression of what its like. Would you tell people to avoid starcraft because most people don't get beyond D rank? Wouldn't you agree that even though you might never be A rank that it is still a worthwhile experience?
sc is different because even if you dont get beyond D rank, at least you're not wasting a lot of money. plus, it could be enjoyable to just play, even if it is "wasting time". for this vector thing, you have to not only waste lots of time, but also money if you dont succeed. and you'll also be feeling pretty shitty that you fell for a scam. they're not the same.
In a lot of situations, time is money. I'm not here to bash, but especially if you're in education and not doing well as a result of playing sc excessively, you're wasting money (if you are not earning any profits from competitive sc that is). plus, hath's experience has sounded quite enjoyable as well.
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is this a scam?
http://www.prosperingfromhome.com/
sent a message of interest and got this
+ Show Spoiler +Hello Nam I just received your request for information from our Prospering From Home website. Thank you for your interest! I am excited to set a time to meet with you. I will be contacting you in the next 24 to 48 hours to gain a better understanding of what it may mean to you to work from home. There is no time better than the present to start a home-based business. Did you know that a new home-based business opens up every three seconds here in the United States? Why not you? You could be earning income from home with our proven turn-key automated system. I look forward to connecting with you soon and to helping you succeed from home! Thank you again for your interest. Sincerely, Barbara Vroman PHR 517-227-0369 bavro@aol.com http://www.ProsperingFromHome.net/bavro This email was sent to you on 2009-6-9 as a permission-based subscriber of: Response Magic, 10 Washburn Drive, Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, N2R 1S2 To be removed from this list, please click here or copy and paste the following link into your browser: http://www.responsemagic18.com/uns.php?u=23966146&m=1&l=2&e=HeavOnEarth.NTran@gmail.com
got an email for a free training presentation, so i figure why not?
+ Show Spoiler +Hello Nam, It was a pleasure speaking with you! Below you will find the instructions to join us for our scheduled Business Overview at: Wednesday, June 17th, 2009 3:00 pm - Central Standard (CST) I will be contacting you after the Business Presentation to answer any questions you might have. Please reply to this e-mail to verify that you have received the log-in instructions. If you are unable to attend this appointment, please contact me so we may release your reserved spot and reschedule @ 517-227-0369. The webcast will last approximately 45 minutes. We request that you arrive 10-15 minutes early to the webcast, to ensure that you have no difficulties logging in. Prior to our appointment, please feel free to go to the office entry page and test your computer to see if you can access our office without any technical difficulties. It is a good idea to clean your cookies and temporary internet files in first. (Instructions BELOW) Also you must enter into the site through Internet Explorer. You may have to disable your pop up blocker. To join the Business Webcast, click link below: www.TeamsUnlimited.com/webcast.htm1. Click on Enter Room #2 2. Enter your name as G - Nam Tran - TX;(G = Guest) 3. Type the Password: welcomehome, and press login. 4. It will download a Java player automatically 5. You will be launched into the office site within seconds. 6. Watch for the Active X download (tan line across top of screen) if you're not running the current version. You will see a Text Chat Area and a screen to view the visual webcast. You can communicate privately with me by pulling my name down from the dropdown box in the Text Chat Area, next to the smiley face. If you experience difficulty hearing the webcast, please let me know immediately and we will come up with Plan "B" to make sure you can both hear and see. If you experience any technical difficulty, you can contact me or refer to the link below for some easy tech solutions to successfully launch you into online web conference room. http://thedreamteamonline.com/ivocalize/ivocal.htmCleaning Cookies 1. OPEN Internet Explorer 2. Tools 3. Internet Options (General Tab) 4. Temporary Internet Files 5. Delete Cookies and Delete Files (Use both actions) 6. CLICK OK AND CLOSE "A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step" ***************Lao Tzu*************** Barbara Vroman PHR bavro@aol.com 517-227-0369 http://www.prosperingfromhone.net/bavro
she also called my house phone o_oll
and of course google
http://www.google.com/#hl=en&safe=off&q=prospering from home scam&aq=f&oq=&aqi=&fp=RSigrpzoeQc
-shrug-
thoughts?
Actually, the presentation is going right now.
Company is called... Revenue Sharing at Melaleuca?
Ah, there it is.
15 dollar payment to start.
And, some kind of 200$ dollar thing to start a business?
http://www.google.com/#hl=en&q=Melaleuca scam&aq=f&oq=&aqi=&fp=RSigrpzoeQc
that turns up a lot more results O_O
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bump.
Ehm, ^above post, unless someone else confirms that this is NOT a scam- I'm not pursuing this further.
Good waste of an hour on that presentation though.
Oh well. guess I'll just man up and take that job at the construction site.
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Braavos36375 Posts
There's different levels of scam. It's not a scam in the technical sense because its not like they force you to pay and then deceive you about what you're getting. It's a "scam" in the sense that this is not a long term job for 99% of the people that enter it, because they are basically using you to sell knives to your friends and family. Don't get me wrong, they are good knives, but unless you are one of the very few with legit sales talent (you could probably make more somewhere else if you are this good anyway) then you will just burn out after a short period and not make very much at all.
Just look at the guy who said it was good for him, he's the very minority of opinions, and he's not even with the company anymore after only one year. That should really tell you something about how good it is.
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It's a bullshit job. Legitimate jobs don't make you pay for the goods. Fuck that.
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my first roommate did this and he got friggin rich =.=
it all depends on how good of a salesmen you are. Their knives are pretty legit so you aren't necessarily selling crap product (more like unnecessary ones IMO), though this might have changed ever since he stopped working for them.
It's definitely not for some1 like me but ur gf might be a seller, who noes.
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On June 18 2009 05:56 Hot_Bid wrote:
There's different levels of scam. It's not a scam in the technical sense because its not like they force you to pay and then deceive you about what you're getting. It's a "scam" in the sense that this is not a long term job for 99% of the people that enter it, because they are basically using you to sell knives to your friends and family. Don't get me wrong, they are good knives, but unless you are one of the very few with legit sales talent (you could probably make more somewhere else if you are this good anyway) then you will just burn out after a short period and not make very much at all.
Just look at the guy who said it was good for him, he's the very minority of opinions, and he's not even with the company anymore after only one year. That should really tell you something about how good it is.
This. It isn't a scam, it's just a stupid investment that probably won't bring returns. If your girlfriend HAS in fact been asked to invest her own money in this, I would certianly decline.
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So I just thought of something. What's to prevent you from offering like $5 or something to anyone who will set up an appointment with you to listen to a demo? You still maybe like ~$9-10 profit, even if you don't actually end up selling something. You'd get a lot of appointments this way right?
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Canada7170 Posts
I got a PM with some questions. In my office, the knives were refundable. 100%. It's just that management tries to talk you into staying, obviously. Just don't put up with their shit and get them to refund the knives if you need to. I kept them b/c I use them. Also, I think management gets $10 or something for every kit they give out that isn't refunded. And everyone but the division manager makes shit for money so idk maybe it means a lot to them. I did some math from the leftover propaganda I have, and the top sellers make way more than management does, in most cases.
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so... I've decided to start looking up all of these things, because I'm working there now, and have had like 5 people say they didn't want to me to show them the stuff, because they'd heard it was a scam...
It costs about $145 to get the sample kit, which is 70% off, because you need it to sell stuff... and if you feel like it, you can return it for a full refund. I know a kid who just returned his stuff, after about a week, because he decided to get a different job. My manager made fun of him a little when she heard about it, but he did get a full refund. Now, my manager is kind of pushy and tries to make me sell more than I really want to, so I basically just stop picking up her calls, whenever I don't feel like working. That being said, I've been working for about 3 weeks, and I've talked to about 50 people who have owned the knives. The only person who has used them and doesn't like them is my mom... which is kind of sad really. Everyone else seems to love the knives, and they are really high quality.
Anyways, I've made about $1500, and I'm about to get like a $700 paycheck (we get paid per week). Of course, they hire like 200 people in my office every week during the summer, and there's only about 100 people working... so, most people quit really quickly, either after they get the sample kit, or when they hear they'll need to put a deposit down for a sample kit. Course, I really am only working here because I couldn't find a job anywhere else, that would let me take like 4 weeks off over the summer.
Also, everyone who stays is pretty good at talking, because they're salespeople, so they're pretty amusing to be around.
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EPT
