OT...SCAMMERS, WATCH OUT FOR THESE GUYS!!!
Guru
Posts: 3,127
Hello all. I just wanted to let you know of something that just recently happend in my life. I recently quit my job to go to another company that showered me with promises and many other things and then I found this....
Cydcor
and this which is the same company...
DS Max
So, if you know of anyone who has applied or been called by these people, well by their subsiduiaries (sorry I think I butchered that word), please tell them to run away. I was there for 2 days only and luckily I got out of there with only shelling out $600 for a new suit. Please take the time to read because there are a lot of aliases for these companies. THIS IS VERY SERIOUS!!! I am one of the lucky ones! Thanks everyone.
Guru
Cydcor
and this which is the same company...
DS Max
So, if you know of anyone who has applied or been called by these people, well by their subsiduiaries (sorry I think I butchered that word), please tell them to run away. I was there for 2 days only and luckily I got out of there with only shelling out $600 for a new suit. Please take the time to read because there are a lot of aliases for these companies. THIS IS VERY SERIOUS!!! I am one of the lucky ones! Thanks everyone.
Guru
0
Comments
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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DS-Max ("Direct Sales to the Maximum"), or more precisely D S Max USA Inc [1] and its affiliates, is a direct sales company that originally specialized in selling discount/overstock/damaged merchandise directly to the public, and later expanded to include sales of discount coupons, telecommunications contracts like AT&T, credit card processing services and other sales packages on behalf of more service based industries.
Contents [hide]
1 Company Headlines
2 Division of DS-MAX, 2003
3 Offices and Distributors
4 Affiliated companies
5 Complaints about DS-Max companies
6 External Links
[edit] Company Headlines
Started in Toronto, Ontario ,Canada in the late 1970's by Murray Reinhardt who began selling goods directly to the public, it later expanded to become an extremely large organization, with thousands of affiliated offices and a presence in numerous countries. Murray Reinhardt recruited fellow Canadians Larry Tenebaum and Avie Roth to join the organization at the very genesis of what would become DS-Max worldwide. These three men are known as "The Big Three" in DS-Max folklore. Today, Larry Tenebaum is the most powerful man in the DS-Max network. He oversees all operations over every division. Mr. Tenebaum is also the CEO of ThreeSixty Sourcing which sources Asian based product suppliers. Avie Roth oversees all of Cydcor. Murray Reinhardt is retired from the business but does occasionally show up at DS-Max conventions to deliver high spirited motivational speeches.
As of October 2006, with provisions to allow corporate letterhead, signage, corporate name to change, etc., the Innovage Parties being Innovage Inc.(U.S.A.), DS-MAX Canada Inc., and DS-MAX International Inc. shall and do transfer to Nu-Life Inc., of Toronto, Ontario Canada, all of their rights, title and interests anywhere in the world in any trade mark, trade name, corporate name or domain name which includes the term DS-MAX.
[edit] Division of DS-MAX, 2003
In 2003 DS-Max divided into three main braches. The products division (Clearance) became Innovage.The advertising division became Granton Marketing, which has just recently been renamed The Smart Circle International. The communication division became Cydcor. These three divisions are still under the DS-Max / Innovage umbrella but this connection is not promoted and even avoided if possible when discussing the structure of the business with new distributors.
[edit] Offices and Distributors
DS-Max claims to have more than 15,000 offices around the world and more than 2.2 million independent distributors. The company also boasts a presence in more than 40 countries and a net worth of 75 Billion US Dollars. However, because the company is privately held and represents a loose confederation of independent offices there is no reliable way to verify these estimates.
The name DS-Max is often used to refer to the whole distribution system that includes DS-Max USA Inc., its affiliated suppliers and independent offices. Each affiliated sales office is an independent and incorporated business. This legal separation between the DS-Max supplying organizations and each individual office insulates DS-Max from any legal or financial liability should something happen within an individual office. Because all sales offices are independently owned and operated each individual distributor and manager/owner reaps the rewards of and is both financially and legally responsible for his own business. The majority of all distributors work as independent contractors and thus are not paid a salary, receive no health benefits and are responsible for paying their own taxes.
The DS-Max system runs similarly to network marketing businesses but with several key differences:
1) Sales representatives (distributors) generally work full-time (often six days, 60 hours or more a week), relying on their sales for their primary source of income, rather than a slow transition from part-time to full-time.
2) The individual owner assumes the cost and advertises for new distributors and finds a mentor for them, rather than the distributor absorbing the cost of recruiting.
3) Distributors receive the products on consignment rather than paying for them up front and there is no fee for becoming a distributor.
The business only grows when new distributors are added. While DS-Max as a whole has grown quite large through the years the vast majority of distributors and managers have not achieved the high level of success that was promoted to them during the initial recruitment process. In the 20 plus years of operation the DS-Max business model has generated some tremendous success for a small group of Vice-Presidents, or as they are referred to now, National Consultants, but the question of how many have found success in DS-Max compared to the number who have attempted to achieve success can only be answered by analyzing accurate and detailed records of these organizations and their affiliates. This type of public financial disclosure is almost impossible to obtain because each individual office is privately owned and thus they are not required to disclose this information.
All participants begin as canvassing salespeople (door to door, both residential and commercial) and must work to build their organizations by adding more sales people to achieve higher sales goals.
[edit] Affiliated companies
Affiliated companies include Grupo B&F, IPG Imports, The Cobra Group and Happy Valet Dry cleaners among others. Innovage and Smart Circle International are participating members in the Direct Selling Association and as such are bound by the organization's code of ethics. However, the fact that each sales office is an independent incorporation and is only legally bound to the parent company through distribution contracts, makes the implementation of these strict guidelines on ethical conduct difficult to enforce.
[edit] Complaints about DS-Max companies
One of the most common complaints about DS-Max affiliated companies is in their recruiting and advertising practices. Often the position is advertised as an "entry level management position", and claims to operate in any number of glamorous, competitive, high profile, industries ranging from pro sports and entertainment to 4 star restaurants and world travel, when in reality the position is that of a door-to-door salesperson who peddles pizza coupons, discount baseball tickets, 5 dollar umbrellas, designer knock-off hand bags, and travel alarm clocks, none of which the applicant will actually discover until they are out "in the field" with a distributor on their "second interview."
A common interviewing formula used by the independent sales offices consists of:
1. A very short first round interview conducted in the office of the manager. Typically in this interview the manager will briefly outline the structure of the business to the potential new distributor. A typical DS-Max manager will interview anywhere from 10 to 30 people a day so this first interview is usually short on detail and any prolonged question and answer sessions are avoided if possible.
2. A full day "second interview" in the sales field where the potential distributor shadows a current distributor while they attempt to sell their products or services door-to-door. This full day interview is an attempt to show the potential distributor how a typical day in the field works. This full day interview, like the first interview is purposefully vague on details and most questions are not answered fully or more difficult questions get passed on to the manager/owner to handle during the final interview. This is known within DS-MAX circles as the "Day of Observation" or the "Day of O".
3. A "final interview" takes place in the manager's office when the potential distributor returns after a full day in the field. If the applicant has any problems or objections, the manager may attempt to overturn them. If the potential distributor needs some clarification in order to understand the "big picture" of this business opportunity the manager will attempt to explain the business beyond just selling products door-to-door. The goal of every manager is to encourage the interviewee to start full time the very next day.
[edit] External Links
The Rip Off Report
DS-MAX The Aftermath
Innovage
Cydcor
The Smart Circle International
ThreeSixty Sourcing
Happy Valet Dry Cleaners
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DS-MAX"
Gee, great!
I would not be surprised if a ton of unwanted, oversized, malfunctoning, damaged or out of warranty merchandise is auctioned-off on sites like ebay, as "first rate, top of the line" goods.
rd
edit: I cannot remember the last time a "door to door" salesperson rang our bell? Thank goodness!
Quicksilver Messenger Service - Smokestack Lightning (Live) 1968
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<< <i>I cannot remember the last time a "door to door" salesperson rang our bell? Thank goodness! >>
Last summer 2 guys stopped by the firehouse trying to sell us meat from the back of their truck...who the he**would buy meat from the back of a truck from 2 strangers??
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Yea, they tell you you'll be operating in pro sports, and then you're handing out discount baseball tickets door-to-door, probably for some team late in the baseball season, out of the pennant race.
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<< <i>One of the most common complaints about DS-Max affiliated companies is in their recruiting and advertising practices. Often the position is advertised as an "entry level management position", and claims to operate in any number of glamorous, competitive, high profile, industries ranging from pro sports and entertainment to 4 star restaurants and world travel, when in reality the position is that of a door-to-door salesperson who peddles pizza coupons, discount baseball tickets, 5 dollar umbrellas, designer knock-off hand bags, and travel alarm clocks, none of which the applicant will actually discover until they are out "in the field" with a distributor on their "second interview."
Yea, they tell you you'll be operating in pro sports, and then you're handing out discount baseball tickets door-to-door, probably for some team late in the baseball season, out of the pennant race.
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sounds like they are selling all the junk you find on a NYC street corner! i wonder if they stock these "salesman" in NYC too....
Door-to-door selling now is basically obsolete because of the internet and the ease of shopping with Amazon and other internet sellers delivering products to your door. And of course people find these types of "bargains" on ebay.
I wouldn't be surprised on that "second interview" if the "manager" takes the applicants into a neighborhood whereby he knows the people, so the people are already receptive and friendly to the manager - so the applicant starts thinking this is "easy" - sort of a con.
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Folks who have B&M stores and offices still get visited each day.
Every teenager should try working for one of these outfits as a
summer learning-experience. Knocking doors - for a few bucks an
hour - teaches young folks the importance of a college education.
Most DSM recruits have lost hope or are desperate. Better results
can still be obtained by buying a bunch of collectibles on EBAY and
roving state-to-state from small show to small show.
Note to GURU: Look into what kind of regulations must be met in your
area to open a tiny pawn shop. If you could get some family members
to go in with you, there is a great chance that you could make a VERY
nice living. The supply of folks who need cash will ALWAYS be endless.
True. But the phrase "door-to-door" selling basically implies attempting to sell to people at their residences with no prior contact or appointment. "Outside sales" ads in newspapers basically refers to selling commercial and industrial accounts, and can mean "cold calling" on commercial and industrial accounts, and can also mean selling to residences, but normally trying to sell to residents only by prior contact and an appointment.
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to people at their residences with no prior contact or appointment."
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DSM - and their HUNDREDS of affiliated companies - make all/most of their
cold calls on businesses. They sell to the office workers and to the managers/owners.
Many experienced DSM workers have huge territories, and call on the
same customers/victims month-after-month. The stuff they peddle is
not worthless; it is just stuff that one would not ordinarily think of
buying without someone making a personal offer.
Sellers can make money with DSM, but it is VERY hard work. The
job requires folks who have a "con attitude" and do not get their
feelings hurt by almost constant rejection. It is a game of collecting
"nos," and waiting for the huge number of cold calls to bring in
the probabilty of X% "yes" responses.
It is REALLY hard work. I often buy stuff from the guys, if I can use it.
BTW - the most important attribute for a successful sales career - is persistence.
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