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December 31, 2003
Happy New Year!
By QBlog in
Hey folks. Happy New Year from the quixtarBLOG family!
Did you get that PIN level? ;o)
'Are They Selling Jesus With the Soap'
By QBlog in
Found an article from The Triad World about Quixtar, Christianity and the motivational organizations. The article, "Are They Selling Jesus With the Soap," primarily focuses on the Sunday morning Christian worship services offered at many of the motivational rallies.
Most people don’t want to get involved in anything like Amway or Quixtar; going door to door to sale and recruiting new distributors.Turns out The Triad World is a Christian newspaper, owned and run by the "largest Christian newspaper business in America, "World News Publishing. While the journalism in this article isn't quite New York Times caliber it makes for an interesting read nonetheless.But one of the aspects of the Amway/Quixtar business that most people don’t complain about is the overt Christian emphasis that is displayed at the rallies, events, and in the motivational material.
Some will tell about their Christian faith; how it changed their life, and that they view their Amway/Quixtar business as their ministry for God.The reporter, Nathan Ray Thomas, contacted Quixtar public relations and asked if Quixtar was "blurring the lines between Christianity and retails sales."
“Yes and no,” according to Robin Luymens, Manager of Public Relations for Quixtar. IBO (Independent Business Owner) Rallies are held and financed by top IBO’s: Crown Ambassadors (the top), Crowns (next down), Triple Diamond, and so on. “Quixtar doesn’t sponsor any conferences,” he said.Thomas even got a quote from Robert FitzPatrick:“We try to separate Christianity as much as possible from Quixtar,’ but he cautioned, “[Quixtar] doesn’t necessarily know every detail of what [the IBO’s] are doing. When people call in to complain, we get back to the IBO.”
When the pilgrims arrived here, he explained, they not only had religious freedom, but economic freedom as well. Fitzpatrick said that along with the freedom, the virtues of responsibility, honesty, and charity went hand-in-hand with free enterprise.The article ends with a quote from a woman who has a somewhat negative view of Christians as well as MLM businesses:“But now, the MLM’s have taken away the responsibility aspect,” and all that is left is the money-and God.
Dean thinks the wedding of Christianity and MLM’s promotional pitches cannot all be laid at the promoter’s feet.Anyway, go read the article. Is it great journalism? No. But it's a good read and provides a bit of insight into the "Christian perspective."“The reason Christians are so attracted to these things is because they are selfish and greedy. The organizations are simply tapping into that greed.”
December 30, 2003
Prospecting Sucks!
By QBlog in
Prospecting Sucks is a Web site that sells a book of the same name (love the name). The site claims the book is packed with "Real World, Useful Strategies and Ideas! I'm no grammarian but isn't that a misplaced comma? I mean, is the site claiming the book is packed with Real World? I don't know. (UPDATE: It's grammatically correct but it seems to be poorly worded IMHO)
Anyway, the author, Dan Kennedy, says he paid over $11,000 for the info in the book and ended up grossing over $7.1 million in the "last couple of years" because of the info. Yowza! The book costs $18.95 and includes Free Shipping. A bargain!
It's always fascinated me how many people who are NOT Quixtar IBOs are selling products to help Quixtar IBOs improve their business. I mean, if their info is THAT good and valuable then why not become an IBO and make millions by becoming a Diamond and teaching those methods to your downline? That type of residual income would certainly be more valuable than selling some book from a Web site... right?
December 29, 2003
Scott's rebuttal to 'The Facts About Quixtar'
By QBlog in
I've "restructured" Scott Larsen's excellent rebuttal to "The Facts About Quixtar" in an effort to improve the Web presentation of the content. Here is the end result:
Rebuttal to "The Facts About Quixtar".
Comments welcomed.
December 28, 2003
The Quixtar Porn Publisher?
By QBlog in
WARNING: The links in this post are to adult content. Consider yourself warned.
Discovered the self-proclaimed "Diary of a Porn Publisher" while searching Google this evening. The author claims to have a successful adult Web site business. What drew my attention to his blog was the mention of Quixtar in the December 2002 archives. In the post titled "My Day" he says:
I'm supposed to go to my son's tomorrow for a meeting with those Quixtar business people he wants me to get into business with. I spent all morning and part of the afternoon researching the business on the net. It turns out it's Amway. They've changed the name and come up with new terminology, but it's still the same product line and the MLM works the same. The main difference is that you order product online and have it shipped directly to you instead of having a pickup at your direct distributor's house.Interesting.Now, I have nothing against Amway. Some people are making a good living at it. But, statistically, one in ten thousand Amway distributors (called IBO's in the new Quixtar terminology) reach the level of income I currently get from my adult website business. Can I make money from this? It really depends on whether or not they can support an internet-oriented sales market. I can't sell it in the traditional manner because I don't know anyone personally anymore.
December 27, 2003
Motor Vaders
By QBlog in
I recently shared a few observations about "tools and training" within the Quixtar system. The main thing I pointed out was that it seems most of the costs for "tools and training" are for personal or group motivation (more than 50%). Is this good? Is this normal? Do other non-MLM businesses put this much emphasis on motivation? That's for you to decide.
My follow-up to those observations is a close look at the specific motivational techniques used by the Quixtar systems. I'm generalizing but there appear to be three distinct methods used to motivate system IBOs:
1. Pep Rally - The use of tapes, a few books and seminars/conferences to inspire and "pump-up" the IBO.
2. Rewards - Giving bonuses, achieving PIN levels, actual checks from Quixtar, trips, visits with Quixtar VIPs, etc.
3. Mentoring - One-on-one encouragement, teaching, tips, socializing with uplines.
I know I've probably omitted some methods but I think you get the idea. Yes, there are some Quixtar systems that do not use all of these methods but most employ some combination of the three.
Compare To Non-MLM Business
I don't have any statistics to back me up but it seems that the majority of non-MLM businesses put an emphasis on the "Rewards" method and a varying amount of emphasis on the "Pep Rally" method with the "Mentoring" method being almost completely absent.
This is important to think about because it's the "Mentoring" method that made Quixtar so appealing to my wife (and me as well) and many others starting out in the business. There is tremendous value in having someone with experience act as a friend, mentor and partner while beginning a new business. And the best part about the "Mentoring" method is that it's free (except for the time commitment) for all parties involved.
Motivational Method Costs
While discussing costs we should now examine the "price" of the other two motivational methods. The first method mentioned, "Pep Rally," has a very specific cost. The tapes, books, conferences, etc. all cost the IBO. View it as a business investment, business expense or whatever, the fact remains that the IBO is paying for this particular method of motivation. I'm not debating whether this is good, bad or indifferent but merely pointing out a reality.
The cost of the "Rewards" method is borne by the Quixtar system or Quixtar itself. Bonuses, vacation trips, PIN levels, etc. are all given to the IBO as a direct result of specific achievements. However, since the cost of this type motivation is tied directly to performance it is somewhat mitigated in the same way that bonuses are given to successful salesmen. More sales equal more profit for the company and ultimately more money available to return as a method of motivation.
Conclusion
When I step back and look at motivation within the Quixtar systems it seems that the "Pep Rally" method is the most expensive and the least effective form of motivation. This is just my observation. Maybe someone has some empirical data to the contrary? It just seemed to me that the "Pep Rally" method, which is the most costly for the IBO, is emphasized much more than the other two methods.
As always, these are just my perceptions. Make of them what you will.
Page one
By QBlog in
Google. Page one. See.
December 26, 2003
Would Jesus Do Quixtar?
By QBlog in
I stumbled across some Amazon.com book reviews from a guy named "chain-breaker." Among the reviews was a brief mention of Dexter Yager's book Dynamic People Skills. The review reads:
When a man claims to be a "Christian" yet spends nearly every waking minute of his day engaged in thinking of projects that will provide new ways to make "more money"; this is surely a contradiction of terms and values. But the words of another, I feel, will most adequately describe this book's author...and his motives:Interesting."The man who professes to be a Christian must not expect God's (holy) angels to keep him if he goes in the way of worldliness. There are hundreds, and I fear thousands, of church members who say that they are the people of God, yet they appear to live entirely to the world. Their great aim is moneymaking and personal aggrandizement, just as much as it is the aim of altogether ungodly men. The kingdom of Christ, the needs of His church, the wants of perishing souls have a very slender place in their hearts; they live wholly for themselves, only they try to conceal it under the plea of providing for their families. '...seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.'" (Charles Haddon Spurgeon)
I've often wondered how devout Christians perceive Quixtar as it relates to the Bible. Some Christians, like "chain-breaker," are adamantly opposed to the "philosophy of wealth" espoused by people like Dexter Yager. Others believe quite differently. Indeed, Quixtar in the U.S. is often perceived as a "Christian organization" and many groups view their path to success as a type of ministry. I know many great Christians who are Quixtar IBOs, but still I wonder if the culture of this business (at least in many groups within the U.S.) is something Jesus would endorse. I guess what I'm really asking is "Would Jesus Do Quixtar?"
December 24, 2003
Mary Krissmess
By QBlog in
Merry Christmas.
I'm up late on Christmas Eve, reflecting on the past year. I thought back to last Christmas and the things that were happening with our family. My wife was still very active in Quixtar and making all those plans that good IBOs make at the end of the year. She planned out the conference trips for 2003, the people she would contact and the things she would do to get more organized in her business. One of the things that would help her organization was a Palm PDA and, unbeknownst to her, I got her one for Christmas.
Personally, I'm not real big on PDAs. They're great and fun and helpful... for about 3 months. Then they seem to start collecting dust more than addresses or to-do lists. So, before I bought the PDA, I grilled my wife on why she needed it, how she thought she would use it and how helpful it would be as opposed to a spiral notebook or something less expensive. She answered each questions with a legitimate and thoughtful response and I was satisfied knowing that she would really use the gizmo to improve her Quixtar business and get more organized.
Christmas Day came and she was genuinely excited to get the digital surprise. During the next few weeks I watched in amazement as she became more organized (and energized too?) and used her Palm daily, almost hourly. This was no toy for her, it was an essential tool for her business and I was thoroughly impressed. I began to change my mind about PDAs and even considered getting my own. In my mind, that PDA represented the change and progress I saw in my wife. I started shelving my skepticism of Quixtar and imagined my wife on stage as a Diamond who "made it" in spite of her doubting husband and his goofy questions.
And then suddenly, it all fell apart. We had trouble making the mortgage payment. Debt was spiraling out of control. Threats from our upline. Within about a month we were "out" of Quixtar and licking our wounds. I've explained the details here before so I won't recount them now. However, I will say that we are a much happier family today than we were last Christmas. We certainly still have our problems but life somehow seems better now, if less organized. And where is that organizer tonight, on this eve of Christmas? It sits next to the computer on its PDA charger. Collecting dust.
December 21, 2003
Just for fun!
By QBlog in
Type "Everything I say is a lie" into the Google.com homepage and hit the "I'm feeling lucky" button. Ha. See which site Google thinks is the best result for that phrase.
Quixtar and Training
By QBlog in
What is training? Many Quixtar advocates defend the cost of their "tools and training" by comparing it to the similar expenses of educational materials and training in traditional business. Company A spends $X each year for employees to learn a new task or stay "in the loop" about some industry-related topic so why should Quixtar IBOs be excluded from this cost and the related benefits? This makes perfect sense and I believe that everyone should work to improve their skills and their business but is it really a fair comparison? Well, let's investigate shall we?
Before we continue I think it's important to understand the Quixtar definition of "tools and training." Most people in Quixtar seem to believe that "tools and training" consists of the following:
Now, I'm no expert on this subject so I'm just relating my general observations but it seems to me that within Quixtar, an extraordinary amount of focus is placed on the Motivational aspect of "tools and training" while the other two items are almost ignored by comparison. If this is true, if the motivational aspect is emphasized at the expense of the other two then we should use that aspect of "tools and training" for our comparison, and not the more general and broader definition. What I'm doing is breaking out the different types of "training" to more accurately compare the Quixtar expenses with those in traditional business.
Now, I don't have a percentage (and there's probably no way to get one since each BSM organization is different) but it appears that the normal Quixtar IBO motivational expense comprises at least 50% of all "tools and training" costs. I base this estimate on my observations.* I feel that I'm being VERY generous towards Quixtar BSM organizations with this estimate but I'm open to adjusting the figure if shown data that contradicts my guess. Assuming that at least half of all Quixtar IBO "tools and training" expenditures goes towards motivational material we should compare that figure with traditional business. Does Company A devote half of all training costs to motivating its employees? Or, does the owner of Company B devote half of training costs to motivating himself? That is a much better way to compare Quixtar training with that of traditional business.
My experience says that most companies do NOT use half of their training budget for motivation. In fact, it seems that a company which requires that much motivation may have some fundamental problems. I don't know, maybe that's just me.
* My observations of Quixtar Training: Timely industry-related information was almost non-existent. My wife was in QBiz, which seems similar to many other BSM organizations, but there may be other groups that publish trade magazines or require subscriptions to costly news services or clubs. I just never saw this. I also saw very little skills training or work to enhance existing skills. There was a lot of emphasis on showing the plan but very little practical instruction about how to do that beyond free tips from the upline. I work in an industry that regularly holds conferences with workshops, hands-on instruction sessions and practical instruction from industry leaders. This may exist in Quixtar BSM organizations, but I saw little evidence that it does.
December 18, 2003
Passport Response
By QBlog in
My post yesterday about Passport generated a response in the comments that I would like to address. Here is the response from mlmblog:
1. Passport is a privately held company meaning it can pick and choose what information they release.And here is my response:I don't think that Passport is concerned with what the critics would say about any of these numbers. But bear with me for a second. If you are in a poker match with a number of other companies in the industry, why would you show them your hand?
2. Passport makes no income claims. There is no 2-5 year buy from yourself to $250,000 plan. Passport says that if you sell X you make X. It is a drastically different compensation and business plan.
mlmblog,I completely agree. Passport is a privately held company and one of the benefits of such companies is that they can choose what information to release to the public. However, private companies should recognize that there may be (not a certainty) consequences in the form of negative public perception when certain information is kept private. This is a reality that I did not create. Companies that fail to recognize this reality and plan for it are being naive in my opinion.
Now, I also understand your poker analogy but I think we should analyze it closely. You make the logical assumption that showing "your hand" equates to a competitive disadvantage. If this is true then fully disclosing information (showing all the cards in one's hand) puts a company at the most disadvantage while keeping all information (hiding all the cards) provides the most advantage. In this scenario those private companies that are most secretive and hidden from public scrutiny would achieve the most competitive advantage and therefore have little incentive to disclose ANY information to anyone, ever (except the info required by the government for tax and legal reasons).
But if you're still with me, you see how this logic breaks down because it omits a very important factor in this equation. That factor (or one of possibly several) is public perception. As a company becomes less forthcoming with information, it's possible that the public becomes more suspicious of its actions. This is why the poker analogy doesn't hold.
I view this issue from a public relations perspective. One of the first rules of good public relations is honesty. Not simply truthfulness but complete honesty, within reason. A seasoned PR expert understands the importance of going "above and beyond" what is required to establish trust and a sense of integrity with the public. This begs the question: were my inquiries unreasonable? Maybe they were. They were the same questions I've asked of Quixtar from the beginning and probably the same questions I'll ask of any MLM-like business in the future. Sometimes I get specific answers, other times I don't.
Finally, I think that's great that Passport doesn't make any outrageous income claims. However, the fact that they don't make any claims does not change the reality of public perception. If Quixtar suddenly and miraculously ceased promoting income levels and bonus numbers would specific questions about the business be immediately pointless? Maybe to many but not to me. I, and at least a few others, want answers regardless of the claims or non-claims of an MLM-style company. To ignore this reality is to deceive one's self.
December 17, 2003
Let's see some Passport Numbers
By QBlog in
I posted an open question to Passport Associates on the quixtarBLOG Forum last month and I just posted the response. I admit, my interest in Passport is not all that great so I haven't really taken much time to investigate the business like I have with Quixtar. Maybe my questions are stupid? Maybe they're naive? Maybe I shouldn't have ever asked them? I don't know. I do know that I've been disappointed with the responses. I expected more from Passport and just got less.
December 16, 2003
My friend
By QBlog in
I just talked to a music writer Web-friend of mine in Atlanta (he's also a blogger). Turns out, he was in Amway for a while and his little brother is in Quixtar right now. I asked him his impression of the business and he said that he thought it was a good way for people to make money. He explained that he got out because he didn't like the way he had to "leverage his existing friendships" to get a downline and he just basically lost interest as life presented other opportunities.
Apparently he was also friends with James Nealis (an Amway triple diamond according to him) and saw the proof that Amway (and then Quixtar) works if you work it.
He's never blogged about Quixtar (to my knowledge) but I think his perception of Quixtar is very important to share here. My friend is a professional writer at an alternative music magazine. He's a Web geek (like me), blogger (like me) and someone who understands the youth culture (whatever that means). He also has a positive perception of Quixtar, has seen it work for family and friends and believes that it's a great business opportunity for certain people (even though he's chosen to pursue other challenges for now).
Talking with my friend about Quixtar, however briefly, reminded me that there are other perceptions of the business besides those of the "blind loyalists" or "bitter losers." It's good to talk.
Does Quixtar work?
By QBlog in
I got an email today that very bluntly asks "Does Quixtar work?" I get such emails all the time but I thought in this case I'd ask you, dear readers, to compose an equally direct and blunt response for this inquiry.
So, what's your answer? Does Quixtar work?
December 14, 2003
Comments from my wife
By QBlog in
I realize that most people who visit this blog don't read the archives. I also realize that even those few who do read the archives aren't aware that there are actually two sets of archives. The reason there are two sets of archives is because the original version of this blog used a different commenting system and I didn't want all the old comments to disappear into the Web abyss. Inquisitive readers can access the old comments by clicking on the "Comment Archives" dates on the left of the Main blog page, right below the current blog archives.
I know, I know, this is all very confusing. I'm sorry. It's the reality of my shortsightedness when I created this blog in the first place. I didn't put much effort into it because I really didn't have many expectations. As the blog has grown, I've decided to invest more time into it an make improvements and that's why I ditched the old "third-party" commenting system and chose something more dynamic and customizable. Make sense? Good.
Now, the point of all this was just to say that since so many of you folks don't read those old archives you are all probably unaware of some of my history and the history of this blog. For instance, did you know that my wife participated in this blog for a short period of time? Yes, it's true. My IBO wife and her immediate upline posted comments on this blog for a few weeks. To see how it all began just read Meet the Mrs. from Feb. 16 of this year. To find her comments you'll need to just read all the comments after that date (sorry, no easy way around it). Maybe I'll gather them all together and compile a "Collection of My Wife's Comments" some day? I dunno. We'll see.
Anyway, one final note. If you do read those old comments you probably don't want to post any of your own comments on them. They are old and will eventually be removed from the site completely. If you want to comment on something you read it would probably be best to make that comment as a response to this post. Besides, you will have better chance of getting your comment read by posting here. Enjoy.
Amway, Thailand and the cost of living
By QBlog in
There is impressive Amway growth in Thailand. According to an article from The Nation, Amway sales have risen 42% and there are twice as many new Diamonds this year compared to the last fiscal year.
Amway (Thailand)'s sales grew by 42 percent in the past fiscal year, one of the best performances among the US direct-marketing company's worldwide partners.The article goes on to report the fabulous growth of Amway and mentions how many have qualified as Platinum.The local arm of the skincare and healthcare product company saw 87 distributors, or Amway Business Owners (ABOs), enter the "Diamond" and higher ranks - double the figure for the previous fiscal year.
About 2,800 distributors have qualified as Platinum, giving them monthly income of Bt25,000 - similar to the average salary earned by middle managers in other businesses.Then I began to wonder exactly how much Bt (Baht) 25,000 is in U.S. dollars. So I pulled up this currency conversion page and discovered that it's roughly $633. Well, that doesn't seem like much compared to the perceived income earnings of American Platinums. But, there is that whole "cost of living" thing so maybe $633 is really a boat-load of money in Thailand? Well, let's take a look.
According to one analysis the cost of living in Thailand is very similar to other Western countries when certain amenities are demanded. However, reading the report it seems that many items (such as phone and utilities) are much cheaper than the U.S. So, I turned to this comparison chart and apparently Bangkok ranks 125 in the world, below Winston Salem, NC and above Ottawa, Canada.
And finally, the AUA Language Center provides a brief synopsis of "Living in Thailand" and states that "the cost of living in Bangkok can be very low when compared to living in major metro areas in the US or Europe."
So, why do I bring all this up? Well, my nature is to investigate things and I just wanted to see how the Thailand Platinums compared to their American counterparts. Do they make more? Less? The same? I've not seen a definitive figure attached to American Platinums but most seem to claim an income between $2,000 - $5,000. So, how exactly do the two compare or is it even fair to make this comparison? I'll let you decide.
Quixtar and sales tax
By QBlog in
This morning I purchased an expensive Christmas present from Amazon.com. I live in a state that has a sales tax yet I was not required to pay a sales tax on my purchase. Why? Well, since Amazon.com is not in my state, they are not required to charge a sales tax. This means that I (with free shipping) can spend several hundred bucks at Amazon.com and spend less than I would going to a local retailer to make that same purchase.
What does all this have to do with Quixtar? Well, I'm not exactly sure. I honestly can't remember if we paid sales tax on Quixtar purchases. I found one report that indicates MLM businesses like Quixtar do collect sales tax on purchases but I can't seem to find anything at Quixtar.com to verify this information. The point is that I saved roughly $30 by shopping at Amazon.com vs. a local retailer. And I'm not comparing Amazon.com to Quixtar because I realize that PV/BV introduce a unique dynamic into the equation but what I am doing is bringing up the sales tax issue as it relates to Quixtar purchases.
UPDATED: With information provided by David Robinson.
Does Quixtar charge sales tax? Quixtar, like other MLMs, collects sales tax, for purchases for the Independent contractor status of each rep.
If so, why? A rep can choose to file in their area and pay sales tax directly to their state, but most find it more convienent to let Quixtar collect and pay to the respective states. As Quixtar's status is one of a supplier for the reps, they do not constitute an online retailer as Amazon does.
Does charging sales tax put Quixtar at a competitive disadvantage with other online retailers?
December 11, 2003
Quixtar is creepy?
By QBlog in
According to this Live Journal user, Quixtar is creepy. How creepy? Well, just listen to this quote:
Quixtar gives me the creeps. Like real creeps, like Ayn Rand kind of creeps... or big giant hairy spider walking towards me to lay eggs in my nostrils and I'm tied down and can't get away... that kind of feeling.Yowza. That's some serious creepiness.
Now, I know you're asking, "What's a Live Journal user?" Well, good friend Dwighty explains that Live Journal is "a community of collected journals authored by people all over the world." So, Live Journal is a lot like blogging. Actually, from all appearances, Live Journal is blogging. But, whether you call it a blog or a Live Journal post or your aunt Sally, someone is definitely creeped out by Quixtar. I should also note that, to date, all the comments are somewhat negative too.
NOTE: Post updated for accuracy
Curiouser and Curiouser
By QBlog in
Spotted on the Web: The Non-Believer Memory Hole!
"If you've have a minute, you've got sixty seconds!"
December 10, 2003
The critical Web site myth?
By QBlog in
The Myth?
"There are Web sites critical of every large, successful corporation in America."
The above statement is similar to many given by Quixtar apologists attempting to refute criticisms of The Business. The idea behind it seems to be that an inevitable result of business success in America is the emergence of Web sites criticizing the corporation. Therefore, since such Web annoyances are simply a cost of business success, the information contained on such sites should largely be ignored.
The genius of such a statement is that it makes two somewhat believable assumptions that work to defuse the criticism:
1. Such Web sites are the products of bitter, jealous types who envy large, successful corporations.Without addressing the obvious logical fallacies of the statement I want to focus on the two primary assumptions. The first one is a question of motives and is entirely subjective. I can't know a person's motivation for criticizing any corporation so it's pointless to try.
2. Since there are critical sites about every large corporation we can't possibly believe them all. If we did then we'd believe that every American corporation is an evil, wicked scourge on our society.
However, the second one is not subjective. In fact, it can be measured and verified. Because the number of critical Web sites is a matter of record I decided to test the accuracy of the second assumption.
The Research
The point of my research was to determine if there really are Web sites critical of every large, successful corporation in America. For my research I decided to focus on four large, high-profile corporations that share some characteristics with Quixtar. I chose: Wal-Mart, Avon, Proctor & Gamble and Amazon.com.
I decided to use Google as my search tool. Since the Web is virtually infinite I then had to determine a way to narrow my search down to something manageable, and finite. I came up with a set of rules for my searches that, while not scientific, would at least be fairly and equally applied to each corporation.
The RULES:
1. Search Google with the name of the business as the only key word.
2. Scan only the first five pages of results (with approximately 10 results per page).*
3. Choose the most relevant (critical) sites within those 5 results pages. These sites had to either be totally focused on the related company or have a significant portion of the larger site focused on the company. So, a brief mention of the company in some blog would be excluded.
4. If I found no critical sites within the five results pages I would then add the following words to the company name in the search string: "anti," "sucks" and "hate."
* The reason for the second rule is similar to the ancient question about a tree falling in the woods. If a Web site exists on the Web, but doesn't get listed in search engine results then does it really exist? For this situation I believe that such a restriction is extremely relevant. Many people casually searching the Web for information about a company won't search past 5, 10, 20 or 30 result pages. Also, because of the way Google bestows "page rank" on a Web site one can be fairly certain that the most relevant Web sites will be listed in the first few results pages.
The Results
Below I list the results with only minimal comment. I include links to the related sites. The searches were conducted over the past few days and it's possible that the results have changed during that time. I should also point out that I used Google.com and not a country specific version of the search engine like Google.ca. Also, since Amazon is also a very popular river and rain forrest I added the three additional key words to the search string even though the single company name did yield some results.
1. Wal-Mart
2. Avon - NO RESULTS
4. Amazon.com
5. Quixtar
Conclusion
Well, obviously I didn't find any sites critical of Avon. I don't really know why and maybe if I used different search criteria I would have found many Avon-critical sites. Who knows? The real question is whether this proves or disproves the second assumption. I'll let you answer that question for yourself.
I do have a few observations about this little experience. First let me say that I had no idea what I would find when I began this exercise. As I was reading through some of the critical sites I did so with an open mind and had a profound awareness (profound for me anyway).
I realized that while I didn't care about the "causes" on the sites I thought that maybe there was some truth to what these people are saying. Maybe Wal-Mart should change some of its methods. Maybe P&G has polluted some rivers and unnecessarily tests on animals. Maybe Amazon.com should drop its one-click shopping patent (ok, I admit that I'm actually against Amazon on this one). Why should I discount that information? Aren't I a better consumer when I'm an informed consumer?
One final observation is that it seems that Quixtar has a disproportionate number of critical Web sites contrasted with the other corporations. Wal-Mart and P&G have many, many times the market cap of Quixtar yet there seems to be fewer sites criticizing their business. This is purely perception. There could be many other factors influencing this perception. Google can be a funny creature sometimes so we don't really know why Quixtar gets more critical results than the others. I'm open to explanations.
Your opinions
I'd love to hear your opinions about this little experiment. Where am I right? Where am I wrong? Where am I completely insane? Click the comments link below to say your piece.
December 8, 2003
More from the BlogWorld
By QBlog in
As a follow-up to my recent post about blogs and Quixtar I'll share what I discovered today after a bit of Googling.
My Discovery: Bloggers are talking about Quixtar.
Because of my affinity for blogs I constantly search the Web for bloggers that mention or discuss Quixtar. Until recently those searches have yielded few results but, for whatever reason, I'm now finding Quixtar mentioned on MANY blogs. And, it should not surprise anyone that most of blogs have a somewhat negative view of Quixtar. This is a trend I've noticed before.
The most interesting blog-find today comes from a guy named Matthew Gifford. His Blog Post about Quixtar dates back to August, 2002. It's short, concise and negative. The really fascinating thing about this blog post is that there are 48 (to date) comments posted by folks discussing the merits of Quixtar and most of these comments were made since July of this year.
I'm not exactly sure what this means but my guess is that Google didn't pick up this blog entry until July, 2003 and that's when people searching for Quixtar info started noticing it and posting comments. Another thing that this indicates to me is that maybe Google is just now spidering the blogs with lower page ranks. Maybe that explains the sudden burst of Quixtar blog discussions? Could be. Many of the blogs I have found recently are older posts and maybe only recently got noticed by the search engines.
Whatever the reason, my question still remains. Why do folks on the Web have an overwhelmingly negative impression of Quixtar? It's not such an easy question to answer. Keep in mind that most of the people blogging about Quixtar DON'T visit sites like this and DON'T spend hours a week reading and researching Quixtar. I don't have an answer but maybe you do?
You remember Teresa don't you?
By QBlog in
Do you remember Teresa Uriarte? She was an IBO who ran a Quixtar site that was in violation of Quixtar rules. Well, here's what she's now saying about Quixtar and her site:
There is nothing on my Quixtar site, I dropped Quixtar, when i ended up having people under me and never got paid for their sales, I know of others whom claim it's happened to them too. Quixtar is a rip off. And, when I did have their site up, I didnt know it wasnt allowed to have my own website. That rule sucks, so to hell with Quixtar I got my own reliable business now.Guess her Quixtar experience wasn't what she expected.
December 6, 2003
Books and Tapes
By QBlog in
I was cleaning out the garage today and realized that we had an 80 pound cardboard box full of books, tapes and various Quixtar-related materials.
No, I didn't weigh it but it was pretty heavy for a cardboard box. Oh, and the Gap bag is NOT full of Gap clothes. It's full of Quixtar stuff.
December 4, 2003
Principles before personalities
By QBlog in
I've been actively seeking information and opinions about Quixtar for a little more than a year. During that time I've discovered a "community" of folks also seeking the truth about Quixtar. This community is commonly referred to as the "anti-Quixtar" community (though I dislike that label) and, like most communities, is comprised of a diverse blend of personalities.
However, much to my dismay, I've also discovered that within this mixed up community exists an element of bitterness and animosity that behaves like a parasite, feeding off of the community -- always taking, never giving.
I suppose I shouldn't be discouraged, such parasites exist within almost every online community. But still, I guess I'd hoped that the people seeking to expose Quixtar truths would be able to put principles before personalities and work together for a change. I'm probably doomed to a life of naiveté.
December 3, 2003
Quixtar Track2
By QBlog in
Anyone know what Quixtar Track2 was or is? Stumbled across the site and got curious.
December 2, 2003
Everything I say is a lie. I am lying.
By QBlog in
WARNING: This is a Web site. According to many Quixtar IBOs the information, opinions and perceptions contained on these pages should not be trusted. Why all the distrust? Well, simply because this is a Web site.
Rumor has it, some IBOs believe that nothing on the Web is true or worth reading (except Quixtar.com of course) because "any crank can build a Web site." With that said, I present to you some comments submitted by alert quixtarBLOG reader Bryan from WWDB:
Zig Ziglar did a study of Quixtar and showed that they produce more 6 figure income people than any other company. Also they are number two in producing millionaires, behind Microsoft. I know there are so many IBO's that make it sound to good but it takes work that is why 5% make money and 95% don't make too much or any at all. Go to a meeting and if they say it doesn't take work you must not be in WWDB.Huh?
This reminds me of the "I, Mudd" episode from the original Star Trek series where Kirk tells Norman the android that everything Harry Mudd says is a lie and then Harry tells Norman that he is lying. Norman, caught in a logical loop, short circuits and the gang is freed!
Real Men don't do Quixtar
By QBlog in
Real Men don't do Quixtar.
Real Men don't sell soap, cosmetics or water purifiers.
Real Men don't spend an entire weekend listening to some shmuck in a cheap suit ramble on about "dreambuilding" and buying from "Me-Mart." Real Men watch football and baseball and NASCAR every weekend.
Real Men don't care about vitamins or energy drinks. Real Men eat rare steak, drink cold beer and smoke fat cigars.
Real Men don't listen to "motivational tapes" in their cars. Hell, Real Men don't drive cars. They drive TRUCKS. And when they drive those trucks they listen to Lynyrd Skynyrd or Bruce Springsteen, not some guy name Dexter or Orrin.
The only Diamond a Real Man cares about is the one on the baseball field.
Real Men don't trust a man who can't explain what he does for a living during the half-time of a football game. Real Men really don't trust a man who has to explain it during a "special meeting" with a whiteboard, brochures and an hour on a Thursday night.
Real Men think Quixtar is a woman's business dressed up in a man's suit.
Real Men don't do Quixtar.
December 1, 2003
Dateline Reality
By QBlog in
Since we learned of the planned Dateline NBC show about Quixtar many have made predictions about how that show will impact Quixtar. Here's a sort of sampling of those predictions:
1. Quixtar, as we know it, will cease to exist by the end of 2004.There may be other predictions that I've missed and some of the ones mentioned are simplified versions of what I've read elsewhere. Yet I think this pretty much sums up what a lot of folks believe about the potential impact of the show.2. The Dateline story will open the floodgates of negative publicity for Quixtar.
3. With the media attention focused on Quixtar we can expect new (and probably damning) information to be uncovered.
4. The uninformed masses will get the message and understand that Quixtar is a "bad business opportunity."
5. The show will have a much more detrimental impact on Quixtar today than the 60 Minutes (Soap and Hope) story had on Amway in the early '80s.
I don't have a crystal ball. I've heard and read information that seems to indicate at least some of the predictions may come true but I'm still skeptical. Why am I so skeptical? Well, frankly that's a LOT of stuff to expect from a single show. When was the last time a television show, even a hidden camera investigative type show, had a major impact on a large business or organization? Excluding the health and safety scare programs (Hanta Virus, Exploding fuel tanks, Alar, etc.) I can't think of any show that has impacted a business in the way that the predictions seem to indicate. If you can think of some, please let me know.
I do believe that regardless of the show's impact on Quixtar, it will provide some details and credibility to those who seek to expose perceived Quixtar wrongs. People that have been running "anti-Quixtar" sites for years will suddenly have mainstream media backing up many of their claims. Maybe that alone will impact Quixtar more than I realize.
I'm not saying that the above predictions are wrong. Predictions are just that, predictions. We will have to wait and see what happens. All I'm saying is that maybe this show won't have the type of impact that some believe and that folks who are hanging their hopes on the story should maybe reconsider. We'll see what happens when (if) the show finally airs.