1995, Amway, an American fast-moving consumer goods, including nutrition (Nutrilite), personal care, household goods and cosmetics, began to be traded in Chinese mainland in the form of "pyramid selling". At that time, we called this model MLM. In 2002, the state passed the Direct Selling Law, which gave Amway a legal coat and wiped out its competitors, so Amway changed from an underground organization to a semi-underground organization and spread among cities in China. . . .

From March 13 to March 17, 2007, I attended the intensive training organized by Amway in a small town in the south of China. Three days before the training, I was brainwashed 24 hours a day, and I couldn't bear it. The helplessness of being forced and bound makes me only hope to escape as soon as possible; But two days later, I began to look at and think from the perspective of a bystander, so I got rid of the pain and felt funny.

These six days of "training" made me basically understand the purpose and core of Amway: selling products; Bring someone in.

Of course, Amway is not so straightforward, and both have obscure and beautiful synonyms: sharing; Inspire.

As for Amway, is it direct selling or pyramid selling? To be sure, the operating mode of all Amway institutions in Chinese mainland conforms to the four characteristics of pyramid schemes:

1, very well organized, cult training meeting.

Amway is divided into many teams in Chinese mainland, and each team was founded by senior figures of Amway. Different teams have their own rules and regulations, which are complicated and lengthy. Amway's teaching form is also underground, arranged in other people's homes or rented classrooms, with a fixed cycle; The most obvious thing is that there are fixed "code words", "slogans" and "actions" when there are many activities within the team.

2. With the appearance of "commodity" form, the price of commodities is inflated under the organization of props.

3. Fabricate "myth" and repeatedly "brainwash".

In view of the current people's eagerness to get rich, especially the people at the bottom of society, fabricate all kinds of unrealistic and exaggerated "myths" to get rich; However, this "myth" fabrication model often has a set of strict formulas. Through a lot of repeated indoctrination, we can achieve the "brainwashing" effect of "three lies make the truth", and then let those who have not joined join, and let those who have joined join again.

4. Develop offline and introduce joining.

This is the remarkable feature of MLM organization, and it is also the fundamental difference from direct selling. MLM is multi-level, with online and offline. The most typical composition is three layers. On-line is the MLM organizer, and then the offline is developed by absorbing people. Amway's model is a typical multi-level pyramid model, and developing offline is the only way for Amway people to get rich.