Saturday, May 12, 2012

Market America - Threat or Menace?

Market America? Market Artifice is here.
MA Where's the Seal? is here.

In my previous blog posts, I wrote about the MA breathtaking mark-ups, and that much of what they sell are nostrums. I also wrote MA is a pyramid scheme, that they are getting away with.










When someone becomes a new distributor, which MA cynically calls "UnFranchise owners," they have to recruit at least six more people, in order to get commissions on what that new distributor foists on the public.

But wait - there's more! New distributors are required to attend "training sessions," so they learn the proper way to present MA's "unique products which are not carried in stores." Those sessions cost between $200 - $300, and the new distributor has to attend a certain number of them, "so they can move up in the organization." Distributors are also required to attend a certain number of sales conventions, in places like Miami, San Antonio, and Greensboro. There is a charge of ~$395 to attend, plus the cost of transportation, hotel room and meals. MA doesn't pay for anything - those schmucks distributors are independent contractors, after all.

MA distributors sign an agreement that they will not sell any products on eBay. First, MA does not want anything sold at less than their retail price, and there is not an opportunity to turn a customer into a distributor in the pyramid.  Distributors are warned of dire legal action if they sell anything on eBay, and don't forget MA has a legal team which will make the 10 plagues look like an inconvenience.

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