Amway
Door-to-door empire
Amway is a multi-level marketing company selling health, beauty, and home products through independent distributors.
Founded in 1959, it became synonymous with direct sales business models where participants earn commissions on their own sales and recruit others to sell below them.
The name often carries skeptical connotations: My cousin tried to get me into Amway.
Critics characterize such structures as pyramid schemes; defenders call them legitimate entrepreneurship.
Fraud through endless recruitment
- FTCCommerce regulatory agency
- lawsuitCivil court proceeding
- scamDishonest money-making scheme
- criticismJudgment of faults
settlement · deception · ethics · regulation · investigation · attrition rate · class action · business practices
Tiered distribution business model
- network marketingSales through personal recruitment
- direct salesSelling straight to consumers
- distributorEntity channeling goods downstream
- multilevel marketingSales through tiered recruitment
corporation · multinational · business model · entrepreneurship · home-based business · compensation plan · downline · upline
Complexion maintenance regimen
- cosmeticsSkin-applied beauty substances
- supplementsExtra nutritional intake
- vitaminsEssential organic nutrients
- shampooLiquid hair cleanser
conditioner · moisturizer · cleanser · toothpaste · soap · lotion · household cleaners · energy drinks
pyramid scheme
Fraud through endless recruitment
criticism · settlement · deception · ethics · regulation · investigation · attrition rate · class action · business practices · skepticism
MLM
Tiered distribution business model
- network marketingSales through personal recruitment
- direct salesSelling straight to consumers
- distributorEntity channeling goods downstream
multilevel marketing · corporation · multinational · business model · entrepreneurship · home-based business · compensation plan · downline · upline · recruitment
skincare
Complexion maintenance regimen
- cosmeticsSkin-applied beauty substances
- supplementsExtra nutritional intake
- vitaminsEssential organic nutrients
shampoo · conditioner · moisturizer · cleanser · toothpaste · soap · lotion · household cleaners · energy drinks · protein powder
- Michigan CompaniesFord, General Motors, GM, Chrysler, Kellogg's
- MLMdownline, upline, pyramid scheme, MLM, network marketing
AmwayWalmart
Largest global retailer
department store · Amazon · Costco · e-commerce · supermarket
AmwayPatagonia
South America's southern tip
Procter & Gamble · Costco · Johnson & Johnson · REI · Unilever
Amwayunion job
Position with collective representation
steady paycheck · civil service · government job · guaranteed income · wage labor