Younique: 14 facts you should know before joining [Review]

Virtual parties on social media…

Cosmetics on par with CoverGirl…

Payment within 3 hours of making a sale…

This isn’t your mom’s beauty MLM. It’s a new (and definitely more modern) way to approach network marketing.

Younique is a trendy cosmetics MLM with clever branding and marketing strategies. The 1950s are calling and they want their Tupperware parties back, right?

Telling companies they HAVE to embrace the digital revolution if they want to stay competitive is old news, but they don’t always listen. Younique, on the other hand, hasn’t just embraced it — they’ve made sweet, sweet love to it.

FAQ

1. What does Younique sell? Younique sells makeup, skincare, and fragrances to support their mission of building women’s self-esteem and validating their inner and outer beauty.

2. What are Younique’s most popular products? Younique Moodstruct 3D Fiber Lashes lash enhancer could be considered their flagship product. It was the first beauty product that went big. Other big sellers include Touch Mineral liquid foundation, Moodstruck Splash liquid lipstick, and Moodstruck Epic mascara.

3. How much does it cost to join Younique? You’ll pay $99 to become a Younique distributor.

4. Is Younique a scam? No, it’s a legit company selling real products.

5. What is Younique’s BBB rating? A+

6. How long has Younique been in business? Since 2012

7. What is Younique’s revenue? $400 million

8. How many Younique distributors are there? 1.19 million

9. What lawsuits have been filed? In 2017, a class-action lawsuit was filed against Younique for promoting their Moodstruck 3D Fiber Lashes as “natural” and containing “100% Natural Green Tea Fibers” when it contains unnatural ingredients and no green tea leaves at all. [1]  In 2017, Younique sued Maelle Beauty and forced it to shut down for 5 months. Its founder was a former employee of Younique. [2, 3] In 2016, Luci Bags LLC sued Younique for violated trade dress, basically recreating Luci Bags and claiming they were created by Younique. [4] In 2018, the case was dismissed. [5] Also in 2016, Younique Products disputed with Mark M. Youssef over the trademark of Younique. [6]

10. Comparable companies: Avon, Mary Kay, Rodan + Fields

So should you get involved?

Product-wise this company might be legit, but if you’re just interested in the business opportunity, there are better options out there…

Click here for my #1 recommendation

Either way, here are 14 facts you should know before joining Younique.

#14. They were kind of an overnight success

Younique hit the ground running and reached their goal of 999 presenters within 9 months of launching. [7]

Then, in 2015 they were named one of Utah’s “emerging elite” companies [8], and co-founder Melanie Huscroft claimed Younique was the “fastest-growing company in the nation” (exaggeration?) after they exceeded $53 million in sales in the month of November alone [9].

Now they have over a million Presenters (distributors). [10]

This still doesn’t touch Younique’s cosmetics competitors — MLM giants like Mary Kay, who has 3.5 million distributors; Nerium, one of the fastest growing skincare MLMs; and Avon, the world’s largest direct seller with $5.7 billion in annual revenue. But it’s pretty impressive for a company that’s still learning how to walk.

#13. Beauty mogul Coty now owns a majority stake

In 2017, Coty Inc. acquired 60% of Younique for $600 million in cash. The company is still led by brother-and-sister founders Derek Maxfield and Melanie Huscroft, who own the remaining 40%. [11]

Coty is one of the biggest players in the global beauty scene, with more than 70 brands in their portfolio, including CoverGirl, Clairol, OPI, and premium fragrance and skincare labels Calvin Klein and Marc Jacobs.

#12. They’re operating globally

When Younique launched in the UK in 2014, they signed on their first 1,000 presenters in under 30 minutes flat. [12]

They’re now operating around the world: U.S., Canada, Australia, the UK, New Zealand, Mexico, Germany, France, Spain, and Hong Kong.

#11. Naturally based products

Consumers are increasingly skeptical about chemically-based products, and Younique’s products are “inspired” by nature.

Their makeup isn’t chemical-free, but it’s marketed toward the naturally-inclined and free of harmful fillers. [13] They claim their newest set of Moodstruck Addiction palettes are formulated without any gluten, parabens, PABA, BPA, or latex.

Also, they don’t do animal testing. [14]

#10. A Generous Sign-On Kit

It costs a one-time fee of $99 to become a Younique presenter, which is pretty standard if not a little high. But presenters don’t have to turn around and buy inventory, and they get $225 worth of product, including the mascara that won them a cult-following and still sells 16,000 units a day. [15]

• 1 Moodstruck 3D Fiber Lashes+
• 1 Moodstruck Addiction Shadow Palette (palette will vary)
• Angled Shadow / Sponge Brush
• Beachfront Self-Tanning Body Lotion
• Splurge Cream Shadow in Elegant
• Cream Shadow Brush
• Shine Eye Makeup Remover Cloths
• Skin Care Sampler
• Foundation Sampler
• Bronzer Sampler
• Pigment Sampler
• Blush Sampler
• Lip Gloss Sampler (Set of 10)
• Lip Stain Sampler (Set of 7)
• Shade Stick
• White Charm
• Black Oval Presenter Case

#9. Super simple compensation plan

Younique’s compensation plan is one of the simplest in the industry.

Statuses are colored, you start at white and work your way up to black, gaining additional commission and perks with each bump.

The first chart explains the requirements for each status, and the second lays out the compensation for each status. While a 20-30% commission rate is nothing special, (Mary Kay offers 50%), the royalties folks with higher statuses can make off their recruitees means there’s definitely potential to make money.

#8. You have to recruit to make good money

This is a big negative. It’s the reason a lot of MLMs get called pyramid schemes and spam — they rely on recruitment over product sales.

While Younique definitely focuses on product sales, it’s true that you’re not going to make a fortune off commission alone.

Without recruiting, even if you sold $10,000 worth of product, you’d only make $2,401 after the cost of your starter kit. If you sell that much every month (not easy), you’re bringing in an annual salary of only $30,000 before taxes.

#7. Instant commission payments

Getting paid faster doesn’t mean you’re making more – or does it? To millennials, instant payment is a deal maker. Nearly two-thirds of millennials say being paid immediately helps their finances and a quarter actually prefer quicker payments to a pay raise. [16]

Through Younique’s PayQuicker system, commissions are deposited into Presenter accounts either instantly or within 3 hours of sales. Presenters are even given their own Younique branded debit card so they don’t have to wait for the money to transfer to their bank accounts.

#6. They have a strong message

You know what else millennials love? Working for a cause they believe in. [17]

The message behind Younique promises to “uplift, empower, and validate women” in an industry full of impossible beauty standards. Younique even uses regular people, their own Presenters, rather than professional models to show off new looks in their catalogs.

#5. Sales support a good cause

Younique puts their money where their mouth is when it comes to their mission.

Younique products were partially created in order to fund the Younique Foundation charity. The cause is personal for co-founder Melanie Huscroft, who says “Our goal was to build a company that would become so successful that it could ultimately fund a foundation for women who were sexually abused.” [18]

The charity raised $1.2 million in 2017, and half of it was spent on healing services [19]

#4. You never have to buy inventory

That’s right, no minimum order requirements.

The largest taxi company in the world owns no taxis (Uber), the most popular media owner creates no content (Facebook), the most valuable retailer has no inventory (Alibaba), and the largest accommodation provider owns no real estate (Airbnb). [20] Digital disruption has arrived, and Younique gets it.

Products are shipped to customers directly from your Younique site, so your sales are done 100% digitally.

This also means…

#3. No more home parties

Who actually wants to be the hostess with the mostess? Setting up, catering to guests, cleaning up afterward — no thanks.

And let’s be real. If younger folks are forgoing actual parties in favor of staying in and watching Netflix, they’re not going to come out in droves for a “party” where there’s no keg and someone’s selling them something.

Younique Presenters never host a single home party. Instead, they create and host virtual parties via social media platforms like Facebook.

#2. Social media masters…or obnoxious spammers?

Relying on social media for marketing is a double-edged sword.

It’s easier, and if you know your way around social media and internet marketing, you can really leverage it.

That being said, people are (understandably) fed up with seeing their Facebook and Instagram feeds littered with sales pitches and “party” invites from friends trying to sell to them. And many Younique distributors are guilty of this.

#1. Younique is TRENDY

The cosmetics industry is tough. Avon is literally older than your grandma who wears it.

Younique may be the new kid on the block, but they’re going for Prom Queen.

Younique’s battle strategy is clear: target younger markets. Well, at the rate the company has been trending, they may have them cornered.

Could Younique be the future of direct cosmetics sales? We’ll see.

Recap

While Younique may be a great company and the trends indicate they won’t be losing popularity anytime soon, they’re still MLM and the industry has flaws. Not saying it would be impossible to make money, but your time could be better spent.

Look, I’ve been involved with network marketing for over ten years so I know what to look for when you consider a new opportunity.

After reviewing 200+ business opportunities and systems out there, here is the one I would recommend:

Click here for my #1 recommendation

from MLM Companies

Zinzino: 17 unsettling things you need to consider [Review]

In most cases, things that come from Sweden seem more trustworthy, not less.

But there are always exceptions.

Zinzino is a health and wellness network marketing company that offers nutritional supplements like fish oil, along with a “product circle” aiming to create balanced health.

Sounds great, right?

Curing the world of all its ailments, lengthening the human lifespan, and hitting a million customers in the next few years are just a few of their ambitions.

But can they be trusted to make all this magic happen? We’ll let you decide.

FAQ

1. What does Zinzino sell? Zinzino sells omega-3 nutrition, immune and brain, weight loss, and skin care products, including a Balance Test that measures the body’s fatty acid profile.

2. What are Zinzino’s most popular products? One of their flagship products is BalanceOil. It comes in capsules or liquid form, with or without a test-start kit. For weight control, their LeanShake is popular. They claim it can help you lose 5, 10, or 20 pounds, depending on the package your purchase.

3. How much does it cost to join Zinzino? You can start as a Partner for free, earning retail profits and bonuses for subscription sales without investing a dime. But you’ll probably be asked to invest up-front. Options may include $60 for the Training Kit, $219 for the Basic Body Kit, $649 for the Advanced Body Kit, or $949 for the Ultimate Body Kit. You’ll probably also be encouraged to register a Zinzino4Free Kit on AutoOrder. That will set you back anywhere from $44 to $109 a month.

4. Is Zinzino a scam? No, Zinzino is a publicly traded company selling real products. But you need to do due diligence before joining. There may be better options for improving your health and making some extra money.

5. What is Zinzino’s BBB rating? They aren’t listed by the BBB.

6. How long has Zinzino been in business? Since 2005

7. What is Zinzino’s revenue? 540.3 million Swedish Kroner (about 601.6 million USD)

8. How many Zinzino distributors are there? No numbers have been released online.

9. What lawsuits have been filed? In 2017, Truth in Advertising found misleading income claims among Zinzino’s marketing. [1]

10. Comparable companies: Young Living, Melaleuca, Kyani

Does this mean you should get involved?

Product-wise this company might be legit, but if you’re just interested in the business opportunity, there are better options out there…

Click here for my #1 recommendation

Either way, here’s 17 things you need to consider before joining Zinzino.

#17. Founded in 2005, expanded globally

They got off to a pretty sad start, to be honest. But when they introduced health products, they took off running and were named the growth business of 2011.

They just came to the U.S. in the fall of 2013, and at this point, the good old red-white-and-blue still only accounts for 4% of their sales. [2]

But they’re still just getting started.

In 2016, they started plans to explode geographically, with aggressive expansion into multiple new markets, including Germany (watch out, Vorwerk), Europe’s largest market for direct sales. [3]

#16. Sellers engage in lying

MLM distributors are not shy when it comes to fabricating their products, but Zinzino’s take it to a new level.

In Iceland, in 2015 the company had to send a warning to its sellers for making false health claims, such as that the oil fights ADHD, Asperger’s and dyslexia. [4]

#15. Warnings issued against the company

The false claims have gotten so bad that the Danish Consumer Council lawyers warn people to stay away from both Zinzino products and their recruitment.

They describe Zinzino’s practices as “on the edge of the law.” [5]

#14. Basically reselling marked-up products

Eventually, they made enough in revenue to buy Biolife, the manufacturer of the fish oil and test that they sell, but before that, customers could easily buy their oils directly from BioLife at a cheaper price. [6]

And still, customers can buy their coffee products (like Organo Gold) much cheaper directly from the manufacturer.

You buy their coffee in a subscription for 12 months, so you get new pods every month. It costs about $349 for the machine and initial order, then another $33/month after.

Purchasing through the manufacturer, the machine alone is $234. You can then order a month’s supply of pods for $26 rather than $33. [7]

Basically, new customers are paying a huge markup on product just to get the rights to resell Zinzino products in hopes of a future payoff.

#13. Health and wellness niche selling nutritional supplements

Zinzino sells both nutritional and coffee products. Their popular nutritional products include…

• LeanShake with various weight loss challenges (lose 5 pounds, 10 pounds, 20 pounds, etc)
• BalanceOIL various packages, wild fish oil + quality olive oil

Their coffee products are coffee machines and coffee pods. They still don’t offer coffee products in many of their countries, including the U.S. [8]

Overall, health products are about 75% of their sales while coffee is about 25%. [9]

#12. Their oil supposedly cures a dangerous imbalance all humans have

This is their major selling point.

Basically, we all have these omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids, but we don’t have enough, and we don’t have the proper balance between the two. This is the root, they claim, of many of our health problems. [10]

To prove that you have an imbalance of fatty acids, they even sell a (pricey) BalanceTest that, after sent back, will give you results of your omega-3 and omega-6 levels.

When you inevitably have an imbalance, they claim their oils and shakes can help adjust and solve it. For many customers, this balance is improved after a few months, but…

#11. Not the best way to get fish oil

Studies have shown that we do need more fish oil, but getting it from actual fish is highly preferable. [11]

Basically, the EPA content in your blood increases a lot faster and more sustainably when you eat fish versus when you take supplements. [12]

#10. Premiere customer program

Commit to a 6-month subscription and you become a premier customer and get discounted product.

For example, the LeanShake lose 5 pounds challenge costs $249 for a one-month initial order, but it’s $108 a month if you subscribe

#9. Headquartered in Sweden

Most of their market is still in Europe, as you can see from this map. But they have offices and factories in both Norway and the US as well as plans for expansion.

#8. Decent revenue

While they’re no Coca-Cola, their revenue has increased to an impressive $601.6 million annually.

So, they’re making some money. But are their distributors?

#7. FREE to join

This is a big plus. Basically no risk for you, so why no?

There’s no fee to become an independent distributor and no purchase requirements, which almost never happens in MLM.

#6. Compensation plan

Distributors pocket the difference between wholesale and retail price.

They can earn anywhere from 10-50% profit depending on the product. That’s a huge difference, and it’s important to remember that most if not nearly all their distributors probably fall on the lower end when it comes to profit.

If you build a premier customer base (customers with monthly subscriptions), you can get 1-30% on their monthly orders. Again, huge range. 30% is great, while 1% is literal pennies on the dollar.

If you build a team of partners, you can get another 1-15% off their premier customer base. AGAIN, 1%? What?

You must be active to receive commission, which means ordering a minimum amount of product every month. So while it’s free to join, you really do have to spend money to get anything out of it.

#5. Revenue sharing program

They do a revenue sharing program too. In the range of 20-40 euros monthly (4-8 shares) in shares if you hit certain levels.

#4. Founded and run by controversial Norwegian businessman Finn Ørjan Sæle

This man built up Nature’s Own to be the largest networking company in Scandinavia.

Impressive, right?

Yeah, until it completely tanked in the mid-2000s due to “questions about the legality of their sales model”. [13]

#3. Return policy is kind of useless

They have a 90-day return policy, but you have to return the products unopened and unused, and there’s a 10% restocking fee.

Kinda defeats the purpose of a return policy. Usually, you’d try the product, figure out you don’t like it, and THEN ask for your money back.

But it is helpful for new distributors, as they can order a bunch of product, and if they decide to quit, (in theory) they send a written notice and return product they couldn’t sell.

#2. Publicly traded on NASDAQ through First North

They are a public company technically, but First North is an unregulated unofficial branch for smaller companies and “growth” companies. Trading started for Zinzino 2014. [14]

#1. Their valuation has decreased steadily

They peaked at the end of 2014 and have steadily declined since then. Their 1-year return is -17.43%. [15]

Things aren’t looking good.

Recap

Zinzino isn’t a bad company at all. If you like the products and have a market, go for it. But as far as a money making opportunity goes, your time could probably be better spent.

Look, I’ve been involved with network marketing for over ten years so I know what to look for when you consider a new opportunity.

After reviewing 200+ business opportunities and systems out there, here is the one I would recommend:

Click here for my #1 recommendation

from MLM Companies

Wealthy Affiliate: 14 important things to know before joining [Review]

We all want freedom…

Freedom of time, money, and stress.

Wealthy Affiliate provides a map for achieving it. But is it the right map? And does it really give you the freedom you’re looking for? Keep reading to find out.

Wealthy Affiliate is a network marketing company that offers training and tools to help members start a successful affiliate marketing business.

Imagine sitting back and watching the Benjamins roll in without ever having to recruit a single soul or hit up a single relative on social media.

Or even lifting a finger, for that matter.

That’s what Wealthy Affiliate promises, and they offer all this at a bargain price. Here are the details.

FAQ

1. What does Wealthy Affiliate sell? An entire system — tools, training, and supportive community — to help you build an affiliate business.

2. What are Wealthy Affiliate’s most popular products? Their affiliate bootcamp training shows you how to create an authority website within the various categories that Wealthy Affiliate offers services in. They provide hosting, a website, and other services. The goal? To turn complete newbies into successful affiliate marketers.

3. How much does it cost to join Wealthy Affiliate? To join the Premium membership and get 2x higher payout, you’ll pay $49 per month.

4. Is Wealthy Affiliate a scam? No, they’re a legit business offering a real product. But you need to do your due diligence before joining. Their methods may not be entirely ethical.

5. What is Wealthy Affiliate’s BBB rating? F

6. How long has Wealthy Affiliate been in business? Since 2005

7. What is Wealthy Affiliate’s revenue? No numbers have been shared online.

8. How many Wealthy Affiliate distributors are there? 1.5 million

9. What lawsuits have been filed? In 2015, Wealthy Affiliate was sued by MOBE for defamation. In 2016, MOBE filed a second lawsuit for calling MOBE a “fraud.” In 2017, MOBE removed this second claim. In 2018, the FTC shut down MOBE business operations, which validated Wealthy Affiliate’s defense. The case was dismissed. [1]

10. Comparable companies: ClickFunnels, Empowr

So should you get involved?

I’m not going to say it would be impossible to make money with Wealthy Affiliate, but there are certainly more sustainable options out there if passive income is what you’re after…

Product-wise this company might be legit, but if you’re just interested in the business opportunity, there are better options out there…

Click here for my #1 recommendation

Either way, here are 14 important things to know before joining Wealthy Affiliate.

#14. They’re somewhat established

While they haven’t been around for a century, they’ve been operating for a little over a decade, which is quite significant in MLM-years. They’ve also helped over 1 million customers, i.e. “budding entrepreneurs”, start their first online businesses.

#13. Never buy inventory again

It’s all digital! The future is here!

That’s right, no more buying inventory, storing boxes in your home, sending people off with product, or dealing with the U.S. Postal Service, EVER AGAIN. No more parties, no more auto-ships, and no more wondering if you’re going to even be able to cover the cost of your product.

That’s because Wealthy Affiliate is…

#12. Less an MLM, more an affiliate opportunity

The difference here is that Wealthy Affiliate is an educational community, through which you make money by learning how to create affiliate sites that can market any product you want. Although you do make money for referring new members, it’s an affiliate model in that you don’t have a (pyramid-shaped) downstream (the model that looks like a pyramid), and you’re not buying any inventory.

It doesn’t come close to any of the FTC’s “telltale signs of a pyramid scheme”. [2]

#11. Recruiting is not important

Their program for referring new members is a second thought, not highlighted on their website, and is not a main source of income like it is for so many MLMs. Many of their users report not even referring new members at all, but rather focusing on the community and building their sites.

As you can see on the “How Wealthy Affiliate Works” section, the four steps don’t even mention recruitment. [3]

#10. An internet marketing education at an affordable price

If you got a bachelor’s degree in the past 10 years, chances are you know how irrelevant it can be to things like getting a job or making good money…

NBD.

Good thing that degree was super cheap, right?

Too bad these degrees cost upwards of $60,000 nowadays and often take decades to pay off. [4]

Wealthy Affiliate is an education program that actually teaches you something both useful in today’s world and potentially lucrative — internet marketing. They train you to build affiliate marketing sites.

While it’s not always quite as easy as they advertise in their 4-step “choose an interest, build a website, attract visitors, earn revenue” slogan, it’s totally possible to earn money this way. Any earning while you learn is the smart way to go about education.

#9. Affordable memberships

It’s also wildly more affordable not only compared to university courses, but compared to other online digital marketing programs as well.

For example, General Assembly, a popular online education platform, offers a course that costs a whopping $3,950 for a 10-week course that meets 20 times for a total of 40 hours of in-class education. [5]

Meanwhile, a premium membership with Wealthy Affiliate costs $49 per month [6], and you get access to 24/7 support and education. You could hold a membership for over a year and a half at the cost of a two and a half month course.

#8. Free to start

Wealthy Affilliate even offers a free trial period.

That being said, you really need to bump yourself up to premium to get anything useful out of this membership. The free trial includes limited help and some beginner training, but the information is really only new to people who know literally nothing about internet marketing. [7]

#7. Lots more included in the premium membership

Alternatively, once you upgrade to premium, the subscription includes unlimited help and 1-on-1 coaching, 50 websites, private messaging, all phases of bootcamp training program (7 instead of 1), unlimited use of their keyword research tool, 2x payout on affiliate program, website feedback and analysis, and greater access to the Wealthy Affiliate community.

#6. The online community is the best part

One big reason sitting in a classroom for hours on end discussing the Grapes of Wrath has little effect on your future income or career success is because it involves no networking.

Networking, folks, is to career success as cake is to a fat kid. It’s elemental. [8]

Aside from the educational element, the ability to network with and learn from a massive global community of 800,000 business-minded users from over 195 countries is the main product they provide, and truth be told, it’s priceless. [9] Where else can you get that? (Please don’t say GAZ, no offense)

Plus, this is a field that changes constantly. You can take a class, but the things you learn might not be relevant a year, or even 6 months from now when Google slaps the web with another update like Penguin and Panda or the next Mark Zuckerberg unveils a brand new social media platform.

With Wealthy Affiliate, you have constant updates. On average, it takes one minute for a user to start getting answers when they post a question.

The program also offers 750+ training updates and 155 system improvements per year. [10]

#5. Affiliate compensation is a perk

If you are on a premium account, for every free account with a domain you sign up, you get $1. For every referral who upgrades to premium, you get $22.50 monthly, and for every upgrade to an annual package, you get $175 annually. On average, 1/8 of users convert to a premium subscription, which is pretty good. [11]

As you can see, it’s not the bulk of your income. But it’s a nice little perk, especially considering all you have to do is get people to click the link on your site. And if Wealthy Affiliate’s lessons really teach you how to generate traffic, this could bring in some nice side money. Apparently, they pay out a total of $1 million a year in commissions.

#4. Spam is explicitly banned

They’re very serious about this, and some users have even had their sites deleted for it, so be warned. [12]

That being said, it’s mostly a good thing. If they weren’t very strict on spam, the community would quickly get stuffed full of it and become useless.

#3. You don’t need experience

They’ve had people ages 8-97 use their program to build a website. The average time to build a website with them? 34 seconds flat. [13]

#2. If it’s so easy, can you really make good money?

Here’s the hiccup in the plan.

Online business is not easy. Not only is there a huge learning curve, you’ll have to be willing to dedicate hours upon hours of your time to learning and reading before you can even get a decent site running. And affiliate marketing is highly competitive. Many niches are already over-saturated. [14]

While it’s true that some people get rich off affiliate sites, you could probably find more money in your couch cushions than a lot of affiliate sites rake in on a monthly basis.

#1. Affiliate marketing can be learned for free

While the community is super helpful, and lessons speed things up, affiliate marketing is definitely something you can teach yourself with the wealth of information that’s available online.

Recap

Wealthy Affiliate helps you start your own affiliate marketing website, a pretty great skill to have in this digital age.

But there are other training courses out there that don’t focus so much on the recruiting.

Look, I’ve been involved with network marketing for over ten years so I know what to look for when you consider a new opportunity.

After reviewing 200+ business opportunities and systems out there, here is the one I would recommend:

Click here for my #1 recommendation

from MLM Companies

Xyngular: 11 truths you need to hear [Review]

If you want to lose weight and lose it fast…

Xyngular is probably on your radar.

Xyngular is another health and wellness MLM based in Utah. Shocking, right?

But they’ve been going through some crazy growth spurts recently, shooting them up to the top of the crop when it comes to Utah businesses.

Are they are good company to get involved with? We’ll let you decide.

FAQ

1. What does Xyngular sell? Xyngular sells weight-loss and nutritional supplements that combat today’s most common health concerns. They’re designed to energize you, slim you down, or simply maintain overall wellness.

2. What are Xyngular’s most popular products? Two of their popular product are the Lean shake, a meal replacement that controls appetite, and the Global Blend, an antioxidant and immunity drink for daily health. Xyngular also offers systems, product packs that target precise health goals. The Ultimate system transforms your health. Ignite is supposed to help you shift habits, burn fat, and boost energy. The Core system helps you control hunger and lose weight.

3. How much does it cost to join Xyngular? You’ll pay $14.95 to join, plus a starter and transformation kit, which ranges in price from $199 to $549.

4. Is Xyngular a scam? No, they’re a recognized company in the health industry. They rank #2062 in the Inc. 5000 and have been named among Inc. Best Workplaces in 2017 and 2018. They’ve been selected as a Utah Business Best Companies to Work For in 2017 and a 2018 Best Places to Work in Direct Selling from Direct Selling News.

5. What is Xyngular’s BBB rating? A+

6. How long has Xyngular been in business? Since 2009

7. What is Xyngular’s revenue? $103 million.

8. How many Xyngular distributors are there? Global Ventures Partners, Xyngular’s parent company, has 50,000 distributors.

9. What lawsuits have been filed? In 2017, Xyngular was called out by the Environmental Research Center for having lead and lead compounds in some of their products. They settled for $90,000. [1] In 2011, Xyngular was sent a demand letter by Marc Schenkel, a master distributor who worked at Xyngular from the company’s inception. He alleged misappropriate of corporate assets, corporate waste, self-dealing, and usurpation of corporate opportunities. In 2012, Xyngular sued Schenkel for corporate waste and misappropriation of corporate resources. The court ruled in favor of Xyngular, and Schenkel appealed. In 2018, the ruling was affirmed. [2] In 2013, Xyngular sued Innutra for misappropriating trade secret product formulations and using them in Innutra’s products. They also alleged Innutra intentionally interfered with contracts between Xyngular and their distributors. [3]

10. Comparable companies: Forever Living, Total Life Changes, Zurvita

People dig the products. Does this you should get involved?

Product-wise this company might be legit, but if you’re just interested in the business opportunity, there are better options out there…

Click here for my #1 recommendation

Either way, here’s 11 truths you need to hear about Xyngular.

#11. Young but mighty

They just started in 2009, so they’re right at the 10-year mark. But they’ve already hit over 103 million in annual revenue, and they were named one of the fastest growing companies in Utah FOUR years in a row by Utah Business Magazine. Currently, they’re #47 among Utah’s Fast 50. [4]

#10. Lots more awards…

• Their product Shine Hormone Optimizer was a finalist for the 2016 SupplySide Editor’s Choice Awards at Informa Exhibitions [5]
• Shine Hormone Optimizer shortlisted for innovation and market impact in women’s health [6]
• Made the Inc 5,000 list in 2016, 2017, and 2018 [7]
• Record-breaking growth in the past 24 months

To name a few…

#9. They have $1 million+ earners

8 of their distributors have made over a million, as of 2016. That’s not a huge number, but it’s good for how new Xyngular was. [8]

#8. Wellness and weight loss products

Their various products serve to help customers with…

• Weight loss
• Energy
• Overall wellness
• Daily nutrition

Their flagship product, Xyng capsules, are supposed to help customers with fat loss, energy, appetite control, and mood improvement.

Other weight loss products include a protein shake, a yam-based fiber that keeps you full, a valerian root supplement that helps control stress and sleep, and a garlic-based detox supplement.

#7. Products cost a pretty penny

Wellness and nutrition MLMs are notorious for having inflated prices (like Sisel, Isagenix, or Jeunesse), but Xyngular wins the day in that regard.

One bottle of their Cheat+ supplement, with 60 capsules, costs $60, and you’re supposed to take 6 a day. So this $60 bottle lasts you 10 days. That’s $210 PER MONTH. For one part of their weight loss program.

Their full-on 8-day weight loss starter program, the Ignite Kit, is $419. FOR 8 DAYS.

You could probably hire a personal trainer and actually save money at that rate.

#6. Based on naturally-sourced ingredients

Xyng contains green tea extract, 5-HTP (increases serotonin), and yohimbe (boosts circulation).

It’s basically a source of energy and mood improvement. Think coffee without the jitters.

Now, the benefits of 5-HTP haven’t been totally proven,  and taking it regularly might actually have negative side effects if not taken properly. [9]

#5. Short-term rapid weight loss is NOT healthy

Their 8-day weight loss program that costs as much as a 4K LED TV only includes three actual meals over the course of 8 whole days. Most days you’re consuming 500-800 calories, and anything under 1,000 is unhealthy and considered starvation mode for your body. [10]

Basically, the only time you should be restricting your diet that much is out of necessity and under extreme medical supervision. [11]

This also sounds like the mother of all yo-yo diets. To get back to a normal caloric intake you’d be almost doubling your calories, meaning the chances of the weight staying off are slim (pun intended).

#4. But the market is huge and it’s working

But people want their weight loss easy, and they want it now. You can tell them a diet is unhealthy ‘till you’re blue in the face, but if it’s going to make them look hotter for their high school reunion, they’ll probably take the risk.

So, if you’re wanting to sell for Xyngular, what you really need to ask yourself is this: do you need to personally believe in your product to sell it? Can you sell a product that might have health risks?

Even in the shady realm of MLM, almost any salesperson will tell you that you need to be genuinely enthusiastic about your product to sell it.

#3. Headed by Mark Walker

This guy has lead two other successful MLMs—Nuskin and Xango.

He was the Vice President of International Operations at Xango where he got them to hit $500 million in annual sales. He also did the same at Nuskin. There’s a good chance he can do it a third time.

#2. Compensation plan with good rewards for high-ranking distributors

Distributors purchase product at wholesale and sell it at retail for a pretty standard profit margin.

In addition, you get a $24 bonus every time a new member purchases a case for their first monthly order. You earn $100 if you order 120 PV and enroll 4 people in your first 30 days.

Residual income is pretty high – 42% on repeat volume sales down to 8 levels. You also get 12% in corporate sales pools, travel rewards, and executive bonuses if you’re a higher-ranking distributor.

#1. Easy advancement

Luckily, it’s pretty easy to advance. There are no structural qualifications for leaders to move up, which is pretty rare in MLM-world.

Recap

Xyngular is a fairly young and growing MLM that has shown some great potential.

While it is still a little early to determine how well they’ll do against the industry giants, they’re off to a great start.

Still, I’ve been involved with network marketing for over ten years so I know what to look for when you consider a new opportunity, and Xyngular has some red flags.

After reviewing 200+ business opportunities and systems out there, here is the one I would recommend:

Click here for my #1 recommendation

from MLM Companies

World Global Network: 12 amazing facts you need to know [Review]

In a world of smartphones, smart cars, and smart refrigerators, why don’t we have smart health and wellness products too?

That’s exactly what World Global Network wants to know.

They claim that technology can help you live longer and healthier.

And to back it up, they’re creating wearable technology that gives you actionable information about your health.

Is it any wonder World Global Network is one of the hottest MLMs today?

I should know, since I have written over 200 network marketing reviews on this blog, and this page gets the most attention.

FAQ

1. What does World Global Network sell? Personalized health and wellness planning that’s constantly improved, updated, and optimized for you to become the best you can be. They do this with wearable devices that collect and process biometrics, vital signs, and other health-related data.

2. What are World Global Network’s most popular products? WGN’s HELO line of products is their primary offering. These products allow them to gather vital data about a person’s health to give them a customized wellness plan. This information is used in their SmartLife Solution, which is one of their most popular products. It comes with a Smartband (like a smartwatch) that you wear on your wrist to record your vitals in real time…a DNA kit to generate a full report on your health and wellness…and an actionable 30-day plan tailored to your needs. You also get a custom-made supplement pack that targets your health needs.

3. How much does it cost to join World Global Network? To join, you’ll need to buy one of two starter packs: the Builder Pack ($1,499) or the Personal Pack ($359). You also be asked to add several options, so be prepared to spend an additional $25 to $799.

4. Is World Global Network a scam? No, it’s a legit company with real products. They’re the distribution partner for World Technology Corp. But buyer beware! They’re going through financial difficulties, and it’s impacting their ability to deliver products and make refunds. The number of complaints against WGN makes you think twice about doing business with them.

5. What is World Global Network’s BBB rating? F

6. How long has World Global Network been in business? Since 2014

7. What is World Global Network’s revenue? Their revenue is $2 million. But in 2017, World Technology Corp (the parent company) reported a net loss of $1,130,747. [1]

8. How many World Global Network distributors are there? No numbers have been shared online.

9. What lawsuits have been filed? No lawsuits are listed online.

10. Comparable companies: LifeVantage, 4Life

So should you get involved with WGN?

I’m not saying you won’t make any money with them, but if you’re looking for sustainable income, there are much better options out there…

Product-wise this company might be legit, but if you’re just interested in the business opportunity, there are better options out there…

Click here for my #1 recommendation

Either way, here are 12 interesting facts about World Global Network you need to know.

#12. Very new

World Global Network [written WOR(l)D Global Network] has only been around for a few years. Although, it’s more like double that in MLM-years.

#11. Truly a global network

Despite being so new, they’re everywhere.

Headquartered in the UK, they also have offices in Miami, Moscow, Dubai, London, Singapore, and Dublin, and they operate in over 100 countries.

#10. Unique product market

For MLMs that is. They used to traffic in cellular devices, which is pretty much unheard of in network marketing. Basically, World Global Network users were sticking it to the man by creating their own, privately owned communication network, thereby kind of deregulating telecommunications.

Apparently, that didn’t work for them, though, because in 2014, they partnered with World Technology Corp to distribute wearable health devices through direct sales. This puts them squarely in the health and wellness market, where they’re trying to differentiate themselves with technology that lets them biohack your health.

#9. Innovative product

Unlike many MLMs who have products that are questionable or repetitive at best and downright non-existent at worst, theirs is clear-cut, useful, and pretty innovative.

Their technology, or product, is a wristband that can read your vitals and biometrics to make personalized wellness recommendations possible.

While other companies claim to do biohacking or to use technology to improve your health, World Global Network really does.

#8. They have radiation chips

The technology we use for, well, everything emits radiation that’s harmful to our bodies.

World Global Network sells a small chip, called BioZen, that reduces the harmful effects of static and extremely low-frequency magnetic fields.

 

BioZen Plus is a Class 1 Medical Device in Europe. It’s the only technology in the world that expands e-smog protection to a biological level. They do this by positively changing the low-frequency electromagnetic fields that are formed.

#7. Wearable technology

Wearable technology is a huge buzzword that’s been gaining a lot of traction the past few years and is predicted to become a huge part of our lives.

WGN has entered this market with the HELO, a wristband that monitors your health and predicts disease. Basically a super-Fitbit.

#6. Now using brand new tech from Toshiba

The HELO wristband uses new technology developed by Toshiba that integrates Bluetooth, a new heavy duty processor, and flash memory into one tiny package.

Soooo….what does that actually mean?

Well, in the HELO, it means that it collects data and detects changes with extremely high precision and then uses to Bluetooth feature to relay the information, in detail, to your smartphone. [2]

#5. Offers genetic testing

World Global Network offers home DNA tests and DNA testing for medical and wellness professionals who want to offer genetically customized diets and exercises.

The Xfinity Lab’s Tests profile and analyze the variations that make your genome unique. It reveals the diets and exercises that are best for you, the nutrients you’re deficient in, and food sensitivities that can impact wellness.

In this case, knowledge really is power.

With this type of technology available, there’s no need to follow generic advice about your health? Customized health, fitness, and nutrition plans help you know you’re working towards your health goals.

#4. Top talent working with them

Basically a bunch of tech and business all-stars. Think Chicago Bulls in 1996.

They’ve got the inventor of Socialmatic, a Polaroid camera, a top 20 Top Direct Selling CEO (ranked right below the CEO of Mary Kay), and the top-selling CEO in the world in 2014. [3, 4]

#3. Award-winning compensation plan

They’ve got a pretty unique model for compensation, and it seems to be working well.

In fact, it was actually ranked as number 10 in the Best MLM Compensation Plan Poll for 2014. [5]

Basically, you own a little piece of the network, so every time a user connects to it, you’re helping them generate revenue, which they then share with you.

The exact amount you make is a little vague. According to their website, it “depends on the number of micro-cells installed worldwide and the time each user spends on the network.” But when you install microcells, you get a MINIMUM of 30% a year of the value invested in your personal microcell.

#2. Top 100 MLM company

In 2015, only a couple years after starting up, they’d already been listed as one of the top 100 MLM companies in the world. What have you done in two years? [6]

#1. Expensive start-up cost

Starting up with this company isn’t cheap, but you do get a lot more than some pamphlets and a protein shake (no offense, ViSalus or Isagenix).

For the HELO healthband, they have two start-up packs. $349 gets you started with your own HELO healthband and $1,149 gets you HELO healthbands for the whole family.

For the phones, they’ve got a “lite” start-up package for $199.99, and a “suite” start-up package for $349. You get a phone with this. Of course, you need the bigger one to make money, as is usually the case.

Recap

World Global Network is no doubt one of the hottest tech MLMs right now with a pretty cool concept.

They have an interesting compensation plan with opportunities to make some good side money if you get people on board. You probably won’t get rich, but if you are set on MLM, this wouldn’t be a bad one to try.

Still, I’ve been involved with network marketing for over ten years so I know what to look for when you consider a new opportunity, and this is far from the best one.

After reviewing 200+ business opportunities and systems out there, here is the one I would recommend:

Click here for my #1 recommendation

from MLM Companies

Zurvita: 15 things you should hear before you join [Review]

If you’re looking for wellness products that give you a new zest for life, you’re going to like Zurvita.

Zurvita is a popular health and wellness MLM that offers nutritional supplements like protein shakes and energy drinks.

Yep, the go-to wellness products.

This company is kind of like the people’s MLM—on the surface. With only four products and a simple business model, the company has really grown in recent years.

They win a lot of awards and recognition for employee and distributor satisfaction. Their people love them.

So are they right for you? We’ll let you decide.

FAQ

1. What does Zurvita sell? Zurvita sells nutritional products designed to enhance your zeal for life.

2. What are Zurvita’s most popular products? Zeal is their top product: an energy and focus drink that’s packed with 50 functional superfoods, vitamins, and minerals. Also popular is their protein powder made with rice bran to support a busy and active life.

3. How much does it cost to join Zurvita? To become a Zurvita consultant, you’ll pay a $35 enrollment fee. You’ll then need to buy a Starter Pak, which ranges from $274.95 to $549.95. That covers Year 1. To remain active, you’ll be charged an annual renewal fee of $25, due on the anniversary date of your acceptance as a consultant.

4. Is Zurvita a scam? No. Zurvita is a real business with real products.

5. What is Zurvita’s BBB rating? A+

6. How long has Zurvita been in business? Since 2008

7. What is Zurvita’s revenue? $94 million

8. How many Zurvita distributors are there? 28,286

9. What lawsuits have been filed? In 2017, Truth in Advertising called out Zurvita for making misleading income claims. Most instances have been corrected. [1]

10. Comparable companies: Trevo, LifeVantage

So should you get involved with Zurvita?

I’m not saying you can’t make any money with them, but there are certainly better options out there for sustainable passive income…

Click here for my #1 recommendation

Either way, here are 15 things you should hear about Zurvita before you join.

#15. Originally founded as a tech MLM

Way back in 2008 (a lifetime in MLM-years), Zurvita sold business services like cell phones and tech support (like WGN).

But they basically just hit it and quit it, quickly rebranding to the more popular health and wellness industry. However, with every MLM and their mother selling protein and weight loss solutions, competition is no walk in the park.

#14. Very rocky start

It’s good they got out when they did, though.

When they started out, they were losing $300k per year. Basically just burning mortgages-worth of cash.

#13. Partnered with BusinessOpportunity.com for recruitment

In June of 2018, Zurvita partnered with BusinessOpportunity.com to leverage its strong web presence to help recruit distributors. [2] That should help more people learn about Zurvita, which could help them grow.

#12. Only four products

They’re the four you see everywhere in this industry.

Zeal for Life: This is their all-in-one blend of nutrients and supplements. They boost energy and help with weight maintenance, coming in five flavors. Three are vegan.

Zurvita Protein: termed a “nutritional powerhouse”, their protein powder has 26 essential vitamins and minerals and comes in two flavors.

Zurvita Burn: this is a fat burner for people who want to lose weight quick (aka everyone).

Zurvita Cleanse: this is an herbal probiotic cleanse.

Weight Management program: of course they have one. It combines the Zurvita Burn and Zurvita Cleanse with motivational and educational materials.

#11. Nutritional principles

Their products might be typical, but they are based on sound, healthy, research-driven principles of nutrition, which isn’t quite so typical. Their formulas differ from popular competitors like Isagenix, providing them with a unique edge in such a cutthroat market.

In addition to being completely healthy, their products are also gluten-free, vegan, and kosher. They aren’t certified organic, but they’re naturally-sourced. [3]

#10. Iffy refund policy

They have a 30-day money back guarantee they offer customers, and it sounds legit.

But the customers return product to the Independent Consultants for their money back. If the ICs then want to return the product to Zurvita for their money back, they have to “contact Customer Service.”

A good rule of thumb here: if you have to contact customer service and no further guarantees are given, you’re probably not getting your money back. [4]

#9. Not FDA approved

There’s really no certification or approval from government bodies to prove this product works.

There has been a study conducted by a Canadian clinical research firm, and they found that 2 Zeal products per day does help with mood, energy, and activity levels. That’s a lot more proof than most MLMs can give. [5]

#8. No proof of weight loss or management

While the clinical study proves the juice can help with mood and energy, there is no proof behind the weight loss claims.

And their weight loss program is the one product that doesn’t offer a money back guarantee.

#7. Spokesperson you can trust

Zurvita products now have a face: Peter Nielsen. [6] He’s the new Zurvita Challenge Coach, and he’s a pretty well-known personal training.

He was named Trainer of the Year by Self Magazine AND Muscle and Fitness Magazine. He’s also the spokesperson for the Chron’s and Colitis Foundation and has authored several books.

#6. Named one of the best places to work in direct selling

Direct Selling News named them as one of the 7 best places to work in direct selling for 2016, 2017, and 2018.

This is great news. It means not only are they performing well, but their distributors enjoy working for them and feel highly engaged and supported.

#5. Traditional values

In addition to being very family-focused in their marketing (“Zurvita is about families helping other families.”), they’re built on the following three founding principles:

1. Honor & glorify God
2. Develop humble leadership
3. Create a company where people can win at every level [7]

For some distributors, this can be really rewarding and helpful.

For those who don’t necessarily fall under the same belief system, it can be alienating.

#4. You can’t really do anything without buying a Starter Pak

It costs $35 to enroll, but you really have to buy a Starter Pak to, well, get started.

These range from $274.95-$549.95. That’s a huge start-up cost.

#3. Compensation structure

You get paid through:

• Daily retail sales
• Weekly builders bonuses
• All-star bonus
• Team bonus
• Rank bonus
• Residual overrides

Their compensation plan isn’t example simple—or they wouldn’t need a 25 page PDF to explain it. [8]

Commission from regular purchases is 20%, (you get some one-time bonuses of around $50 if your customer signs up for certain monthly packages), which isn’t a ton. If you sign up 3 preferred customers in a month your next month’s Wellness Pak Cannister is free.

Weekly builders bonuses range from $50-100 when you sponsor new consultants who buy certain starting packages. Other special bonuses occur within the first 30 days to get consultants wanting more.

Overrides are earnings on your downline, up to 8 levels, you earn 5% in overrides, as well as additional bonuses at certain levels. You can unlock infinity overrides at higher levels.

Commission on sales isn’t good. But, the fact that you can unlock infinity overrides is great, if you can get there.

#2. Recruitment important

20% is very low for commission on sales. And moving up in rank relies almost entirely on your team’s sales rather than personal sales.

Obviously, you have to recruit to make good money.

#1. Most consultants are not making much

This is par for the course for MLMs. Usually, only a select few are making not only good money but enough money to live off full time.

The large majority are on their second rank, Managing Consultant (60%), making an average of $361 PER YEAR. Another 23% are on their first rank, business consultant, making $134 PER YEAR on commission.

Depending on what kind of inventory they’ve purchased, they may not even be paying back their sign on investment. This means that only 1 out of every 5 Zurvita consultants are even paying off the sign on investment, let alone making an income.

Nearly ¼ consultants weren’t even eligible to earn ANY commission.

The only people making a livable income are the highest two categories, Presidential Directors (making about $24k, still not much) and Ambassadors (making about $136k on average, good, but nothing astounding). These last two still equate to less than 1% of the company.

As of July 2015, there were 50 people in total making an above average income with Zurvita. [9]

This is pretty bleak, honestly, even for an MLM.

Recap

While they may have great products, the income opportunity with Zurvita is challenging. You are competing up against billion dollar health companies that dominate certain spaces in the health industry.

Not saying it would be impossible to make money, but there are better options out there if money is what you are looking for.

Look, I’ve been involved with network marketing for over ten years so I know what to look for when you consider a new opportunity.

After reviewing 200+ business opportunities and systems out there, here is the one I would recommend:

Click here for my #1 recommendation

from MLM Companies

World Ventures: 14 disturbing details you should know [Review]

If you love to travel, you’ll be tempted by World Ventures.

World Ventures is a network marketing company that focuses on world travel.

Between travel blogs, travel vlogs, and travelogues, the digital age has ushered in hordes of wannabe world travelers. It’s pretty easy to get people excited about travel.

World Ventures picked a good (albeit competitive) market to be in. They’re the guys posing in pictures holding signs that read ‘You Should Be Here’ as they travel the world.

Should you get involved? Keep reading to find out.

FAQ

1. What does World Ventures sell? World Venture sells travel services and membership of discount vacation clubs.

2. What are World Ventures’s most popular products? People are drawn to World Ventures because they want to travel the world, so the most popular products are trips.

3. How much does it cost to join World Ventures? You’ll fork over $199 to join, then pay a monthly fee to stay active.

4. Is World Ventures a scam? No, it’s a legitimate company. They’ve been listed #1 in the list of Top U.S. Mid-Market Companies, #2 in the $100 Million Growth Club, and #12 in the top 20 U.S. Companies. The real question is whether you can make any money as a distributor. According to the BBB, complaints allege that World Ventures exaggerates the savings realized by their product and fails to give refunds for canceled services. They also report that only 20% of distributors earn a commision, with the median commission being just $200. [1] We’re also hearing reports of unpaid commissions to top earners (see Lawsuits below).

5. What is World Ventures’s BBB rating? C+

6. How long has World Ventures been in business? Since 2005

7. What is World Ventures’s revenue? $926.6 million

8. How many World Ventures distributors are there? 421,532

9. What lawsuits have been filed? In 2018, World Ventures was banned from operating in Norway. [2] In 2018, World Ventures sued Carlos Rogers for breach of contract and stealing trade secrets. [2] In 2018, distributors sued World Ventures for unpaid commissions. [3, 4] In 2017, a class-action lawsuit accused them of operating a pyramid scheme. [5] They sued Abboud Barakat for stealing confidential information about customers, suppliers, and marketing and sales strategies—and starting a new MLM, MaVie. [6]

10. Comparable companies: USANA, Motor Club of America

So should you get involved?

Product-wise this company might be legit, but if you’re just interested in the business opportunity, there are better options out there…

Click here for my #1 recommendation

Either way, here are 14 intriguing details about World Ventures you should know.

#14. Skyrocket growth

These guys are defying the laws of gravity. They’ve been named amongst Inc.’s 5,000 fastest-growing private companies not once, but twice. They also partnered recently with a prestigious networking group called Success North Dallas. [7]

#13. Give back to the community

In addition to regular travel, World Ventures offers voluntourism. VolunTourism is basically when a group of people go on vacation not just to sit around on a beach sipping mojitos, but also to give back to the community they visit.

 

We are partnering w/ @TourismCares to help preserve the beauty of our N. Parks! Which NP have you seen the most beautiful sunrise/sunset? pic.twitter.com/I8yahgRzC5

— WorldVentures (@WorldVentures) September 20, 2016

Members of the South African branch of World Ventures came together recently to give back to their own local communities. [8]

They also have their own foundation that aims to create positive change for children around the world by supporting sustainable programs that support their health, happiness, safety, and development. [9]

#12. Not the most effective way to help others

All of this sounds as sweet as pie and cute as a newborn baby until you do some research on voluntourism. There’s a lot of evidence that it’s not actually that beneficial to local communities, and can even do more harm than good. [10]

Especially given the luxury rates of most of these volunteer trips, the money could definitely be spent more effectively if the goal is to help others and affect change.

#11. Luxury product

Travel is a luxury good rather than a necessity. But this actually isn’t as much of a drawback as it might sound.

Luxury goods come with fat price tags, and if you can find people who can fork over the dinero, fat price tags come with generous commission checks (see: Motor Club of America).

#10. Product is a membership

What reps are selling is club membership rather than a tangible product. The benefit of this membership is access to their proprietary travel portal that includes discounted travel packages and a fantastic travel booking engine, Rovia, that claims to have lower prices than popular travel search engines.

There are three different membership levels that range from standard to luxury.

#9. Huge start-up costs plus a monthly fee

The initial costs for starting up with World Ventures range from $199.99 for the basic package to $999.99 for the luxury subscription, which is insanely high, considering that most network marketers fail to make that much in profit after an entire year.

On top of that, a monthly membership fee from $20.99-99.99 is also required.

#8. Product value is unclear

Whether or not they really have a valuable product is unclear, at best. All they’re selling is access to a travel booking and search portal, which is already available for free through websites like Kayak, Orbitz, and Priceline.

The idea is that you’re getting a better deal through their site, and it’s easier to use. But how good are these deals? Is saving $20 on a flight and being able to use a prettier website really worth forking over close to $100 every month?

#7. Compensation plan

The compensation plan offers some potential to make money fast and some pretty good bonuses on top of that if you can manage to make sales.

Representatives can score a $100 bonus by selling 3 higher end trips in 28 days, and then another $150 for selling another 3. There are also $50 and $75 bonuses for selling lower end trips.

If you sponsor enough customers to elevate your status, you get your monthly fee waived, and/or 8$ commission on their sales.

That being said, representatives don’t start earning commission on their downlines until they’ve hit Senior Representative status, which happens after they have 30 x 2 downlines.

#6. There’s an additional fee

You’re not actually eligible to earn any money at all unless you’re “active,” and to be active you have to pay your monthly RBS (Representative Business System) fee on time. The fee covers things like training programs, website maintenance, and marketing tools. New representatives pay a one-time fee of $99.95…and that’s in addition to the start-up costs I already mentioned.

To be honest, it’s a little ridiculous to pay two monthly fees, especially when the start-up costs are so high.

#5. Smart marketing angle for recruitment

World Ventures doesn’t target your traditional MLM markets – stay at home moms looking for extra income, disgruntled middle-aged corporate employees, and the like.

They target the new wave of younger folk who want to travel the world, teasing budding “digital nomads” with the prospect of making money online while they travel. Their taglines say things like “work less…vacation more” and “work from anywhere!”, and there’s a gigantic market of people who fit this demographic right now that can offer some good money if you know how to tap it.

#4. Complex and restrictive compensation rules

I only grazed the tip of the compensation plan, in part because it’s filled with weird and complicated rules and regulations that would take too long to detail. For example, you have to recruit 30 representatives below you before you even start earning commission. [11] That’s a lot of hustling.

For this reason, most people don’t actually make it to the point where they start getting paid a single penny. Kind of sounds like GWT, right?

#3. Terrible earnings reports

Most MLMs don’t provide much in earnings for the vast majority of their representatives, but World Ventures is pretty bad, even for network marketing.

According to their income disclosure one year, 73.7% of their reps fail to earn a single dime.

Think you have what it takes to be the 1%? Well, if you do, it’ll be a little anticlimactic. Only .1% of their reps even earn an annual income above the poverty level. The average rep? $325 a year. That doesn’t even pay for the start-up costs. [12]

#2. Training isn’t free

Not only do you have to pay a monthly fee for your training materials, but you’ll also be encouraged to attend a host of training events and conferences that can cost you hundreds of dollars. You also have to pay yet another monthly fee of $30 to use the mailing system in order to receive your marketing materials.

You can try to make money with World Ventures, but it sounds like they’re just going to nickel and dime you instead. [13]

#1. Smartcard tech for distributors

Money2020 is a smart card they’ll release soon that will allow their club members to load credit cards, loyalty cards, and IDs and use the cards as payment and proof of loyalty worldwide.

Recap

The idea seems great, I mean who doesn’t want to get paid to travel?

But when you look into World Ventures a little deeper, it seems that actually getting paid is a little harder than it seems.

Look, I’ve been involved with network marketing for over ten years so I know what to look for when you consider a new opportunity.

After reviewing 200+ business opportunities and systems out there, here is the one I would recommend:

Click here for my #1 recommendation

from MLM Companies