« Nitro Distributing v. Alticor Oral Arguments | Main | QBlog's Farcical Help Desk - 51 »
May 25, 2006
Interview with a Former Client
By Xanadustc in Quixtar
For today, I figured that I would gather some thoughts from a friend of mine who was a regular customer when I was in Quixtar. We will call him Joe.
Xan: When did you first hear about Amway/Quixtar?
Joe: A long time ago, at least 1984. It was later that a friend of mine got involved, around 1988 I think.
Xan: Did he talk to you about Amway then?
Joe: No, we had pretty much gone our own ways, otherwise, I think he would have. He was involved with “Forum”, and he talked to me about that when we were still close. I did join the forum, so I was familiar with the brain-washing thing.
Xan: Was I only one who ever talked to you about Amway/Quixtar?
Joe: You were the first to mention “Quixtar”, otherwise, I was propositioned at least a dozen times.
Xan: Did you ever get involved?
Joe: Other than the purchase of products, no. I did go to a meeting with you to check it out. I heard stories from friends who had gone to meetings. No one really had anything good to say.
Xan: If you heard about these bad stories, why did you go to the meeting with me?
Joe: I had to satisfy my own curiosity rather than just go on hearsay.
Xan: What were your thoughts about the meeting?
Joe: There are so many, where to start? My assumption that it was a major form of mind control was validated: I saw that most of these people seemed to talk and act in almost identical manners. I was also disturbed to hear the God and Amway connection. I also grew weary of everyone asking me what I did for a living. I felt like getting a sign. I also thought it was very materialistic, particularly about the big estate a few people got to go look at. It was disturbing to see all the people salivating over cars, houses, pools, and other things. I am a recovering alcoholic for 15 years and really wanted a drink by the end of the night!
Xan: You bought products from me. What products?
Joe: You gave me a number of things to try: soaps, shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrush, coffee, energy drinks. It was energy drinks that I bought the most of.
Xan: How were the energy drinks price and quality compared to other energy drinks?
Joe: They were $0.30 more than others, but the quality was great with the grape and orange. I didn’t care for the tea.
Xan: How much did you buy in a month?
Joe: About $60 a month minimum.
Xan: What was it like having a friend who was a Quixtar devotee?
Joe: In a way, I felt forced to observe a fanatical devotion to something that was harmful.
Xan: What do you mean by harmful?
Joe: I knew these people got inside your head in a very big way, but realized I wasn’t the one who could get him out of it. Also, you wouldn’t have listened to me then. I do remember saying to you, “Seems a little bit fanatical”, and your reply was, “You have to fanatical when you own your own business.”
Xan: What was it like having a friend selling you products?
Joe: I didn’t like it at all. There were times when I hesitated knocking on your door because I figured it would end up costing me $30. There were also times I got the impression that was the only time you wanted to deal with me.
Xan: Any final thoughts?
Joe: I felt sorry for most of the people at the meeting because they were victims of a scam and they all appeared to be reaching; they viewed Quixtar as a financial life preserver to get out of their regular career. I also wonder how you can go through life viewing everyone you meet as a mark, a prospect. I was delighted when you left and if you recall, I said, “Welcome to the human race.”
Comments
Great post! Just the other day I bumped into one of my former members and told them we had gotten out of the business. He asked me if we could be friends again. At that moment I knew I had made the right decision.
I think you're friend gave a really good, balanced assessment of MLM's in general. I really like this interview because it's not biased, it's your friend and a former customer who even admitted that the products were pretty good, but it's the marketing approach; the way they seek out people trying to fill a personal void and turn them on their friends and family. I'm glad you're out. I bet you feel a lot more awake now ;)
Yep, it is like waking up from a dream, really. Everything I thought was true turned out to be fake. Everything I saw seems much clearer now.
Very Good Interview. I find it interesting that people are still looking to Am/Quix to either fix their problems or blame them for their problems.
Most times when I hear or read about people being predatory and selfish in Am/Quix the answer is to blame the Am/Quix and the AMOs. However, I find that the people involved in predatory and selfish acts didn’t magically manifest these traits by joining Am/Quix. If fact, most of them where this way prior and after their experience.
Isn’t it time that we face the fact that most people who join up are socially challenged and looking for a quick buck and the easy way out. When they find out that it doesn’t work for them because people can smell a phony miles away they don’t look at themselves and question their behavior, but only at the “business” and what it “made” them do.
Posted by: seharris | May 26, 2006 6:39 AM