Re: Oh rapture!!

> You fell for Borges-Lamont too, AND the merchant account?

> I fell for both of those (and a few others) -- but my seminar wasn't free
> (it cost a hair under $3,000 as I recall) and I didn't cancel the merchant
> account before it was too late (and it cost a *bundle* over the long
> haul).

Yep, I dodged the bullet by cancelling before I wrote the check. See, I had my wife as my sounding board. I told her about the business before I paid a dime. The merchant account just didn't add up.

> But my OH RAPTURE! has nothing to do with that.

> It excites me to hear that you, too, were apparently a "failure"
> with Borges Lamont??

> so to hear that someone so successful with K&B couldn't succeed with
> Borges Lamont just warms my cockles.

Slight difference. I was still selling for my first distributor, as I hadn't been introduced to K & B yet. Once I learned that the grass was not only greener on the other side of the fence, but the pasture was much larger, the grass more nutritious, and grew back faster, it didn't take long. After 9 1/2 years working with the wrong company, I doubled my income, selling the same products in the same market my first full year with K & B.

Part of the difference was the ability to "duplicate your success" a principle I had learned in my college business courses. K & B encourages the established dealers to recruit, sponsor, and train additional dealers. The over-ride compensation comes from K & B's share of the new dealer's volume, so every dealer has the same contract and commission schedule. Sponsoring is strictly optional, and doesn't impact your regular commissions.

I failed at 3 different MLMs, largely because I couldn't or wouldn't recruit the way they told me to. (Remember, "It's not AMWAY!!!"?

> I would love to hear some gory details.

I felt that Borges-Lamont would be a good product line to add to what I already was selling to 200+ businesses. I saved the daily faxes in clear sleeves in a 3-ring binder, updating the inventory, and showing these to select clients.

I did get several orders, and only bought products in advance on a couple offers. But, I discovered as you did, that the best items were often sold out before I placed my order.

I also quickly learned that the 5 Bonus offers each week were nothing more than leftovers of the inventory they had purchased, and hadn't managed to sell.

I learned that much of the less desired products were often available for 2 to 4 weeks or more, including the Raquel Welch cosmetic sets.

I was able to sell and recover most of the $495 "investment", but never earned any clear profits selling their merchandise.

Being so far from their warehouse (if the merchandise was actually on site), made the UPS shipments too expensive to justify on many of the products. If products appeared to have a good market, I'd order by the case to save on shipping, but only after I had a solid order for one or more.

I saw some of the BLC clearance items show up in two area auction houses. I doubt much if any profits came from those sales. I guess some flea marketers did better, unless 2 or more showed up with the same inventory the following weekend after delivery.

> Did your story pretty much match my story ?

Similar, but I don't have any inventory left, due to limiting advance purchases.

> I wonder what ever happened to those guys...

> They claimed to have been in business for 14 years at that time. I doubt
> they just went back under their rocks and stayed there. I would bet my
> last Cadbury egg they're out there someplace....

I think they used the same type big-box sales seminars to push other opportunities. Offering fax back support and more paid coaching, along with their less than stellar merchant accounts.

But, I see less and less of the direct mail and internet invitations to these bizopp seminars. I think too many people have caught on for that venue to be viable. Most have learned to leave the checkbook and credit cards at home. Maybe Scams 101 gets at least partial credit to informing the wanna-bees about these operations and the Big Red Flags in advance.

I don't recall you mentioning their hollow "Money Back Guarantee". It was ironclad. You couldn't get your money back without showing that you had followed 25 or more points, and prove that you had place several classified ads, gotten a business checking account, tax ID number, and other things that would cost $600 or more, plus hours of your time. Cheaper and easier to let them keep their money.

> Luv,

> MaaMaw

P.S. I didn't pay the $60 every month. The months I didn't pay, I could still order everything from previous inventory as well as the weekly "non-bonus" items. Everything in my folder was still available to sell, providing they had inventory.

P.P.S. I think the most successful dealers were brokers who could move a huge quantity without buying it or taking delivery. Like Don Alm, they would find a ready market, get them the best offers, take payment, and have the merchandise drop-shipped.

P.P.P.S. The only other advantage was for those who lived in the area and could drop in and pick up their products, avoiding the freight. I assume some of the "big dogs" were getting advance notice of the better offers. Have to keep them happy. Could BLC help it if the local shoppers saw the merchadise in the showroom before they had the chance to send us our email?

P.P.P.P.S. As I stated previously, this is one where learning by example is preferable to personal experience.