Comment Number: 522418-09500
Received: 7/14/2006 4:46:12 PM
Organization: proalliance/Quixtar
Commenter: Nicole Levang
State: IA
Subject: Business Opportunity Rule
Title: Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
CFR Citation: 16 CFR Part 437
No Attachments

Comments:

I have been an Independent Business Owner (ibo) for about 4 years, but have really actively started to build, by contacting and registering people within the last year. I have had a wonderful experience in ordering and using the Quixtar products, the customer service they have given me, and the support I have had building a business. This business fits into your life. It allows you to gain back time that wouldn't have otherwise if you had to spend hours at a job, and also through the convenience of shopping from home. The people I have worked with are of the highest integrity, give all of the facts up front about the business as well as the time required to build it and earn income, and I have also always done that. I believe the attempt to put regulations on "get-rich-quick" schemes and illegal marketing/pyramid groups is a great act, however I believe the regulations that the FTC is attempting to put in place will greatly hinder the attempts of people who are building legitimate network marketing businesses. These regulations will slow down the process of registering new customers and independent business owners as well deterr new ibo's from becoming excited about building a business. The waiting period is something that will create a lot more repetitive work for people who are already very busy and become part of this business in order to free up time. It will be hindering in that you will meet with someone give them all of the information, which we are already giving them to date, and then have to come back and meet with them again to get the same thing done that could be done all in one meeting, which is give them the information and get them signed up so that they can begin building their business. I also don't think that references should have to be given out, as that violates the privacy of others, as well as puts your prospects which you have invested time, energy, and work into at risk for being prospected and contacted by another business owner. This would be another hinderance to which would be out of your control because not all people, involved in any business or operation are of high integrity. Also, both the waiting period and giving people of list of references would not be something that would make a new ibo excited about building a business, if they knew on top of contacting and meeting with people they also had to wait 7 days or the time and energy it would take to give all new prospects a list of people in order to register people. There would be no excitement to build a business. They would have to wait 7 days to show their family and friends the busienss opportunity as well as just to shop on the website. You shouldn't have to wait 7 days to make a decision to shop online. Having to disclose to someone you are talking to about how much you are making at the business is also an unfair requirement. There are different ways to build this business, and for someone who is building a lot of depth, they may not be making a lot of money yet, but they may have really great things happening in their business. Requiring them to tell someone how much they are making in the business without having to figure in time spent, number of years or months in the business, or just the at-face-value amount of money they are making when they may be working depth, is a very inconclusive expectation. I feel that the regulations the FTC is trying to impose will greatly hinder the ability to build this business with great momentum and the speed that we are able to now build it because of the economy today and the fact that people are looking for something different.