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For anyone that doesn't already know, the longest, and most important article on
Cockeyed.com is the "Work at Home
Overload" story about Herbalife and their business model. Because that
story is so highly ranked, it finds its way in front of many web surfers seeking
information about herbalife or working from home.
I get hate mail, thank you letters, and stories about real people and their
attempt to build a small business with the Herbalife MLM model. These are the
Unsuccessful Stories.
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Rob,
Thanks so much for your website!! You must have heard this story a million times by now, but here's mine: I recently responded to a work from home ad in the online classifieds of my local paper. I went to their website, viewed their presentation. It was Global Online Systems. I thought their website was good, very persuasive and appealing. So I ordered the decision package. Had I known about your site, I would have know it was Herbalife.
Three years ago, I got suckered into Newest Way to Wealth. Got the $299 package - never made my money back (go figure!).
It has been a little over a week since the decision package arrived. Interestingly enough, they include an herbalife presentation on how to sponsor people on the CD rom. I thought maybe this time it could be different. I'm not very good at selling things (even though they tell you you don't have to be) and I hate putting pressure on people and dealing with objections, etc. I think the biggest point you made (for me anyway) is how saturated Herballife is online and offline. I'm so glad I found your website in time to save me from losing more money on this. I have a phone appointment with my "mentor" for the first time tomorrow morning. I'll be asking her for a refund.
Thanks again,
~Alicia
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-3/20/04---
Hello
My name is Peggy and I am one of the nuts that signed for Newest Way to Wealth. $5,000 and I have not made one cent. My sponsor will not take my calls, Herbalife would not take the products back. They said for me to call my sponsor. I tried selling my products on e-bay and got a hot letter from Herbalife to cease. they were going to take legal action against me as I was no longer a distributor. Im 64 years old living on social security. The $5,000 was put on a credit card. God help me. How could anyone be this stupid. Is there anything I can do to get some of my money back?
Thank you
Peggy W.
Faber, Va.
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3/26/04
Subject: Victim who worked very very hard in the Global Online System
Hi Rob
My name is Stanley and I have been in the Global Onine System (selling HERBALIFE products) for more than one year. I lost more than $7000 Canadian
in total following all their rules and attending all thier trainings. All my downlines lost on average $3000Canadian(of course, some of them are not
serious as I was). I met Debbie Stoltz, her husband Gerry, Martin Lyttek,
Shawn Dahl, Dwayne Norris and my coach Deborah Haskins personally. I don't know if I should call them "bad" people or not. But the reality was they
"had to" lie to everyone interested in the system and get them to pay.
Joining and working in the Global Online System was a completely nightmare to me. It was the biggest regret in my life. Here are the BIGS LIES that
you will hear in the Global Online Training.
Lie #1: Global Online System(GOS) is a business offering better opportunities for making large sums of money than all other
traditional business and professional models. If you don't make money, it's because you
complain too much and you are not serious.
Truth: For almost everyone who invests GOS turns out to be a losing financial proposition. I was losing money every single month in the
business (from Mar 2002- Mar 2003) working 10 hours per day, but I had to lie on the stage that I was making large sum of money.
Lie #2: Eventually all products will be sold by Global Online System, a new form of marketing. Retail stores, shopping malls, catalogues and most forms
of advertising will soon be rendered obsolete by MLM.
Truth: Most my downlines were forced to sell their Herbalife products through Ebay since their products simply didn't "move". Most GOS customers
quit buying the goods as soon as they quit seeking the "business opportunity." There is no brand loyalty.
These basic facts show that, as a marketing model, GOS is not replacing existing forms of marketing. It does not legitimately compete with other
marketing approaches at all. Rather, GOS represents a new investment scheme that uses the language of marketing and sales of products.
Lie #3: Global Online Sytem is a new way of life that offers happiness and fulfillment. It is a means to attain all the good things in life.
Truth: It was a miserable year for me and all my downlines. I told my coach Deborah that I was depressed since I had no more money in my bank. She told
me not to tell my downlines about it and suggested that I should ask my parents to borrow money.
Lie #4: You can do Global Online System in your SPARE time. As a business, it offers the greatest flexibility and personal freedom of time. A few hours
a week can earn a significant supplemental income and may grow to a very large income making other work unnecessary
Truth: THIS IS THE BIGGEST LIE!!! Working in GOS requires extraordinary time commitment as well as considerable personal wiliness, persistence and
deception. Beyond the sheer hard work and special aptitude required, the business model inherently consumes more areas of ones life and greater
segments of time. They say "work at the comfort of your home with your kids", but this is a BIG LIE! They encouraged me to go out there and do
pull tabs and posters every night during winter!
Lie #5. Global Online System is a positive, supportive new business that affirms the human spirit and personal freedom.
Truth: GOS materials reveal that much of the message is fear-driven and based upon deception about income potential. Solicitations frequently
include dire predictions about the impending collapse of other forms of distribution, the disintegration or insensitivity of corporate America and
Canada, and the lack of opportunity in other professions or services. Conventional professions, trades and business are routinely demeaned and
ridiculed for not offering 'unlimited income.' Employment is cast as wage enslavement for 'losers.' MLM is presented as the last best hope for many
people. This approach, in addition to being deceptive, frequently has a discouraging effect on people who otherwise would pursue their own unique
visions of success and happiness. A sound business opportunity does not have to base its worth on negative predictions and warnings.
Lie #6. Global Online System is the best option for owning your own business and attaining real economic independence.
Truth: GOS is NOT true self-employment. 'Owning' an MLM distributorship is an illusion. Participation requires rigid adherence to the 'duplication'
model, not independence and individuality. GOS distributors are NOT entrepreneurs but joiners in a complex hierarchical system over which they
have little control.
Bob, please help me spread this msg out. I am tired of seeing victims being blamed about not being serious enough.
-Stanley Cheng
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Hi Rob,
I almost got sucked into this company. Believe it or not, their website is listed as a link under "Monster.com" for home based businesses (a job search website). Go figure! As you said, their website said nothing about the product or business, just success stories. Before I purchased that "decision kit" for $39.95, I decided to do some research on Global Online Systems and thank God I found you.
May God continue to use you to spare people like me from making a commitment that we will later regret. I was once a Herbalife distributor years ago, and you are right, only a few ever succeed. Thanks again.
Lois
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4/29/04
Dear Rob,
I was sorry to read your web site too late before the damage was done.
Herbalife plus others left my family in ruins. We did not catch on until we were ten thousand dollars in credit card debt and now that I have lost my regular job with no hopes of finding another because I've become disabled we have no more money coming in. Let me be clear it was not all herbalife, we also tried Retire Quickly, and Pre-Paid Legal & MyEliven.com all these were fruitless endeavors and continued drain on our credit which two years ago was rated at 1A. Now we stand to lose everything including our home. We are in a bad place right now and it sickens me that companies like these can do this to people simply by leaving out the facts as you have shown them on your sites. There seems to be no re course unless you have money to fight back.these People pretend to be your friends, it's all a con that hurts people. I am sure that we are not the first. All I wanted to do is protect my family and give them security all I have done now is brought us ruin and heart ache.
sincerely,
Jim Felter
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