Skip to main content.
Religion News Blog is a non-profit service providing academics, religion professionals and other researchers with religion & cult news
ReligionNewsBlog

Religion news articles about religious cults, sects, world religions, and related issues

Navigation:
A Random Image
Amway:

Quixtar disputes TV report

The Grand Rapids Press, USA
May 8, 2004
Rob Kirkbride
www.mlive.com

ReligionNewsBlog.com • Item 7184 • Posted: Saturday May 8, 2004  

  • Google Bookmarks
  • Google Reader
  • Gmail
  • Yahoo Mail
  • Twitter
  • StumbleUpon
  • Reddit
  • Digg
  • Delicious
  • Blogger Post
  • Evernote
  • Facebook
  • Share/Bookmark
Click here... More articles on this topic: Amway

Quixtar rejected Dateline NBC’s assertion that it runs a “scam” where few get rich and many lose money buying high-priced business support materials such as motivational cassettes and videos.

The direct-selling branch of Alticor Inc. said in a prepared statement that “we may not be perfect, but we do a lot of things right, including our commitment to consumer protection.”

“Dateline got it wrong,” said Quixtar Managing Director Ken McDonald. “After a year of investigative reporting, Dateline’s story on Quixtar boiled down to the complaints of three independent business owners and ignored the hundreds of thousands of IBOs powered by Quixtar who are achieving their goals.”

McDonald said Quixtar rules prohibit statements misrepresenting the possible income. And he added all support materials are “voluntary, optional and covered by satisfaction guarantees.”

He said most people get involved to make a little extra income, not attain great wealth.

“Quixtar offers an opportunity, not a guarantee,” McDonald said.

Friday night’s Dateline segment showed hidden camera video of boisterous seminars and recruitment meetings.

The show also noted a federal lawsuit between Alticor and a group of former independent business owners — Quixtar’s name for its network of distributors.

The former dealers claim Quixtar allowed a handful of its distributor network to develop a separate business selling “tools” and “functions” — motivational material such as tapes, books and seminars designed to boost individual businesses.

This business support materials trade became so big that high-level distributors, described in the lawsuit as “kingpins,” developed BSM businesses that brought in millions of dollars more than their Quixtar business.

The lawsuit alleges that Quixtar helped these distributors monopolize the BSM business, cutting others out of potential profits. It also said Amway and its distributors misrepresent the true earnings potential of being an IBO because top earners are reliant on BSM income, which most IBOs are not eligible to collect.

The “kingpins,” with Quixtar’s help, also required their “downline” network to buy their materials and attend their functions or risk being blackballed from the “pyramid,” the lawsuit alleges.

By backing and helping to propagate such a system, the plaintiffs allege Amway/Alticor/Quixtar violated anti-trust rules, and conspired to misrepresent the Amway business opportunity, according to the lawsuit.

The plaintiffs also allege Amway illegally conspired to boycott groups that don’t fall in line with the “kingpins” and illegally created arrangements where BSMs became required products for low-level distributors who wished to maintain good standing.

Bo Short, who appeared on the news program, is a former Quixtar dealer who set up a rival direct marketing company.

The report said the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Internal Revenue Service were “looking into two top (Quixtar) distributors.”

- Press reporter Chris Knape contributed to this report.

  • Google Bookmarks
  • Google Reader
  • Gmail
  • Yahoo Mail
  • Twitter
  • StumbleUpon
  • Reddit
  • Digg
  • Delicious
  • Blogger Post
  • Evernote
  • Facebook
  • Share/Bookmark


What You Can Do From Here

Read More Articles On These Topics
more cult news articlemore religion news Categories: Amway
more religion news aboutmore Religion News Blog articles about
Share, Blog About, Bookmark, or Email This Article
Subscribe
Follow Religion News Blog on Twitter


Read Another Article
Find Related Information
cult research search enginecountercult information Use our custom search engines to find additional research resources on religions and cults
Find Related Books


Most Popular Today


Share This Article

To share this page simply copy and paste one of these URL's:





Counter Cult Search

Search for information about (religious) cults, cult-like organizations, -- as well as paranormal-, New Age, and pseudoscientific claims -- across 260+ websites, blogs and forums dedicated to cult research, spiritual abuse, ex-cult counseling & support.


Note: results are listed on another domain -- CounterCultSearch.com -- from which you can easily return here.


Apologetics Search

Search for apologetics articles, books, videos, and other research resources across 135 Christian apologetics websites and blogs.


Note: results are listed on another domain -- ApologeticsSearch.com -- from which you can easily return here.

About Religion News Blog
Religion News Blog (RNB), published by Apologetics Index, highlights news items and other resources on world religions, cults, religious sects, alternative religions and related issues. RNB's non-profit news clipping service is used by - among others - Christian apologists, countercult professionals, anticult organizations, cult experts, teachers, religion professionals, reporters and other researchers.

Home
Latest Headlines
RSS news feed [?]
Headlines by Email
News Trackers
Free content for your site
About RNB
Privacy Policy
Contact RNB
Link to RNB
Advertise on RNB
Apologetics Index
Cult FAQ
Apologetics Search Engine
CounterCult Search Engine