Duplication Works - Sort Of

Much is made of the concept of duplication in MLM and recently I have read several statements on both sides whether it is an actual and viable concept.

I believe that duplication, as a MLM business concept, does work and in fact, is working but not for Joe Lunchbucket MLMer. I further submit that duplication is not the process of the "how-to" education for the average networker but almost exclusively for the benefit of those that hold the reins of the education or training system.

By far, the largest concentration of such systems operate under the protective umbrella affiliated with Alticor/Amway/Quixtar, who have refined it with perfection to a near science.

At first glance, when I read a recent post on quixtarblog titled "Platinum Index 2004", the performance data shows an outrageously high failure rate among IBOs with a little more than one-third of IBOs even sponsoring 1 new person before quitting. Is duplication working here? Yes.

You may ask, "How can duplication be working if so many people join and quit without sponsoring?" Fair question, if the goal is actually to create a business network. Then you could reason that it is a failed concept. But, is that really the intent from the standpoint of the various AQMOs? The folks at Alticor are trying to move products and these numbers don't bode well for them. However, the income stream for the AQMOs is derived from the "value" of their education system of books, tapes, and seminars.

Does the high rate of "failure" alarm these AQMOs? I doubt it since they tend to adopt a sneering reaction to those that leave the business as "losers" or "quitters". Funny, they certainly didn't have an issue cashing the checks of those that were dedicated followers of their "proven" system. If most leave, they continue to get people to "plug into the system" and the lost revenue continues. No muss, no fuss.

And for those that, after having learned through their own experience, this training system was actually weighted against their own best interests and values; these outspoken critics are reviled and labeled as part of some conspiracy to attack "core American principles". Give me a break.
No one would criticize a buyer who was angered by the Used Car salesman that sold them a lemon but yet, there are some folks within these AQMOs that want to portray anyone critical of their Quixtar business as people with fundamental character flaws. I believe there is a righteous rage that wells up in people, particularly after they have been screwed. I would never deny that right.

In the words of Peter Finch in the movie "Network":

"I'm mad as hell, and I'm not gonna take it anymore."

There. Now duplicate that!