Brooke Flinn
Columbus,#2UPDATE Employee
Thu, August 27, 2015
I read a comment on here that states ACN has an unsustainable business model. It stated it was a scam and has been prosecuted for being a pyramid scheme. That made me chuckle a bit and made it obvious that the writer of that particular comment did not know the company at all.
ACN has been in existance since 1993 and has only grown because it is not a scheme or scam. It is a customer aquistion company. They have been featured in many reputable business publications (Wall Street Journal for instances) over the years as a fast growing company and one of the top 100 multi-level marketing companies in the US.
They have been brought up on charges of being a pyramid scam; however, to the best of my knowledge, have proven time and time again that they are a customer aquisition company and not a pyramid scam. The $500 a new person joining ACN pays does not go to the person that brought them in. The only way someone in ACN makes any money is if they personal bring in customers or they help their team bring in customers. No customers, no money.
For people who are looking for real information about ACN because they want to see if it is an oportunity for them, I suggest you stop searching Google to see random videos and posts by people who didn't succeed and instead shift your research to reputable business resources. You can find real information about ACN from experts in business in The Wall Street Journal, Furtune, Inc Magazine, Forbs...the list goes on.
I aslo suggest you ask yourself these questions: Would you expect to start work at a new company, in an entry level position, and immediately be promoted to Senior Vice President? (No? Thought not. That takes a lot of hard work.) Are you willing to put in the time and effort it takes to actually build your own business through both customer aquisition, and yes, building a team of other business owners? (No? Then save your money because ACN is work if you want to be successful.)
I have been a Independant Business Owner with ACN for over a year and I have only made about $12. Why is that? Because I have not done what I need to do to make any money. I have not put in the effort required. It's not because the ACN business model failed me. It's because I failed to follow the business model. But you know what? I still renewed with them because I have seen the system work. I have seen it change lives! Now I have to actually put the effort in if I want it to change mine.
Curious
Old Bridge,#3Consumer Comment
Fri, May 16, 2014
Lady, I wish I could file a rip off report against you. You stole 20 minutes of my time with your rant and I will never get it back and the headache you gave me can only be cured by a bottle of wine. I really was hoping for a constructive report from you, but realized I was reading the manifest of a lunatic. You cried the entire ride home? Who's the one blowing smoke here? How many cats do you have?
pumpkin_eater
Orlando,#4Consumer Comment
Sun, February 23, 2014
For all you folks considering joining ACN, please dont do it. At the least, you stand to lose $500, at the most, your friends, family, your job and all your savings. The average person in montana who joined ACN as an IBO lost $15000.
A few days ago, I was suckered into attending an ACN meeting and narrowly escaped with my $500 still intact. The "businees opportunity" is quite simple and enticing when you look at it from afar. But on closer examination, it's quite obvious that this is just another type of MLM pyramid scheme similar to the likes of Amway and Quixtar.
You, the IBO, are the customer. The product they are selling is quite simply the $500 sign-up fee, the $150 annual fee, the $40 monthly fee and the fees your pay for all those conferences. You are bringing other IBO's (customers) in who will also pay most, if not all of those same fees. None of you will make money enough to even break even.
In Canada, ACN is required to disclose the “average” income of ACN sales reps. The ACN Canadian website reports the average of just the “active” reps to be only $9 a week. That’s exponentially less than the cost of joining and actively participating.
You have been warned. If you have an intelligence whatsoever, please read other reports on ripoffreport and even a simple google search for the company's financials will give you all you need to make an informed decision.
Here is some objective information from eHow about ACN's financials:
A 2008 legal document released by Montana's State Office of the Auditor indicates that the average ACN rep earns less than the $499 fee required to join ACN. In 2008, 91 citizens of Montana paid a total of $61,741 in joining fees to ACN. Only two of these individuals earned more than $500 in income, with one earning $700 and the other earning $696 for the year. These 91 ACN reps earned a combined total of $783 in 2008 in commissions, with all remaining earnings tied to referring other reps.
In 2009, 312 people in Montana paid more than $230,000 in fees to ACN. These 312 people combined earned a total of $16,615 for the year, with just $900 of this amount paid as commission for sales. The rest of this income came from referrals.
Based on this information, the state of Montana filed a temporary cease and desist against ACN within the state in 2008. These filings accuse ACN of functioning as an illegal pyramid scheme.
Read more: ehow.com/info_8731646_average-yearly-income-acn-rep.html#ixzz2j8D6NcdA
Mr. Positive
Mesa,#5Consumer Comment
Sat, February 15, 2014
Kind of a long Dictation! Maybe a job at the Newspaper
Move On, you'll find something nice.
Henry Ford said: If you think you can't or you think you can't Your probably right.
Patriot67
Roseburg,#6UPDATE Employee
Thu, October 10, 2013
I have been with ACN since February, and I love this company. The people involved have done nothing but give so much for my success, and I am forever grateful. Those on my team are successful people already - business owners, pharmacists, doctors, realtors, teachers, Marines - hardworking people!! This is not to say that you can't be like me - a homemaker, but that's what I find so appealing is that now that my children are growing up, the untapped potential inside of me is being given a chance to shine. I am having excellent growth, and am so excited for the future provided for me by ACN.
Just to hit a few points of your report - in ACN, you definitely need to acquire customers, not just sign people up to join the business. For some this takes time, for others, this can be done in a few hours. You definitely will want to get business partners as this is the key to residual income (income that you receive based on the work of those on your team). You don't want just anyone - no negative or lazy people. But even if you only signed up 20 services and got two business partners that did the same, you will eventually have an awesome addition to your income! Who could complain about that?
To expect to get a personal meeting with Donald Trump just because you connected with your neighbor that just joined ACN is reaching a little, isn't it? ACN does do A LOT for charity - they are major donors to Ronald McDonald House in Charlotte, for one.
As far as feeling that you have met unpleasant people in ACN, I guess you could meet unpleasant people everywhere. Ask anyone with a traditional job if they have had to work with unpleasant people, and I'm sure they could name off quite a few. That's a part of life, but what's nice with ACN, is that you can definitely work more with people that you mesh well with. My feeling is that you have filed such a long report criticizing ACN that it does come across as though you went into the situation already disgruntled. Why be angry that the leaders had nice suits? Why be angry that some of the people at the meetings were newcomers? Perhaps they want to attend the meetings to insure their success.
I am thrilled to have the opportunity to better my family's financial situation, and I want to help others do the same. There are a lot of people in our area that are struggling so much - it is heartbreaking. ACN is a way to break that cycle of poverty. I have seen it with my own eyes. Thank you.
R. Michael Gonzalez
Florida,#7Consumer Comment
Thu, March 14, 2013
Wow, I'll never get the 15 minutes back it took to read your life's story.
I'm glad Michael Crowder, already responded.
At first I though this was going to be one of those rare actual legitimate complaints, because they do exist, no company is perfect. But after reading further I soon realized you just a nut.
I soon started to notice once you started with all the religious talk, I knew exactly where it was going, just usually most can do it in less than 10,000 words. I though I could write long posts in here you beat me by a mile. Then it came the ACN IS A CULT theory, wow where are the original thinkers in the world, oh yea their off making money for themselves.
It the same old usual, how ACN is a religious cult, as you try to pull in peoples beliefs to convince them with bible references. THE EVIL MONEY GRABBERS and CULT FOLLOWERS, it's laughable. I like your touch of how your a great networking master and only out to take your precious time to help the needy. Well ACN actually writes checks to the needy, so we don't need your help.
Thanks for noticing the $5,000 suits, nice touch, trying to use their success against them, since you can't deny their success. So they must be GREEDY CULT LEADERS, instead of successful businessmen.
Once again I'll just past the rest of what I usually post to these, ridiculous complaints.
I have written so many long and detailed responses to all of these baseless claims by ANONYMOUS sources, that It's nauseating, so I'll just keep them simple.
If you want to know the truth about this just go to - ACNIBO: Read The Facts - and read the article. It will only take a few minutes and you will understand the facts, not just opinions of 100s of ANONYMOUS complainers, who claim to know the truth, but wont reveal who they actually are.
There is no point in defending ACN from people who just want to believe how bad it is, they will seek what they want to believe, if you're one of them, dont bother reading the article you might have to change your mind.
R. Michael Gonzalez ACN IBO #02637585
Read the complete article explaining the FACTS not ANONYMOUS opinions
BRIAN RONALD
Manitoba,#8General Comment
Thu, December 06, 2012
ACN is a well known Get Rich Recruitment Scheme. Just because a company resells existing services at a premium, does not mean they aren't a scam. Technically, MLM is legal is most places, however, ACN has been prosecuted various times for operating a pyramid scheme. Anyone with grade 7 math can determine ACN to be unsustainable using a flawed business model. The end result is a Get Rich Recruitment Pyramid. SCAM.
Michael Crowder
United States of America#9REBUTTAL Individual responds
Thu, November 15, 2012
First of all, my name is Michael Crowder. Not Anonymous. I read this "Ripoff Report" which, quite honestly, I found very humorous and completely inaccurate. But its also anonymous as 99% of the "free speech" on the internet is.
I debated on whether to respond or just let it go on the pile with all the other misinformation out there regarding ACN. So I decided, for once, I would respond.
My goal is not to defend ACN as its 20 years old, has tens of thousands of success stories, an A rating with the Better Business Bureau and has literally changed the future of my family in so many ways. Since I got started with ACN in 2009, I'm a better husband, better Dad and a better business man. The personal development has been second to none and oh by the way, I've made a great living. My job is to make sure that someone who ISN'T in ACN and obviously has VERY LITTLE accurate information, doesn't steal the opportunity from those people who can be blessed by it.
Its easy to write a blog, without a last name, or a name at all. Much easier than it is to go to work and make ACN a reality. So here's some accurate information for those of you who are interested:
First of all, ACN is a customer acquisition company. We don't get paid for recruiting. Meaning, we make NOT 1 DIME when someone is recruited. In exchange for the $499 (paid to ACN), ACN provides the new business owners (NOT EMPLOYEE) with an asset - their own distributorship, which includes their online virtual business/storefront where they market essential services from cell phones, TV to gas & electricity. etc.
As with any business, the new business owner has to do something to make money; they have to actually WORK, and then they make money. In ACN, as with any business, you get paid for the work that you do. I personally believe after 3 years in this incredible company, there's NO WAY to fail, except to do nothing. Meaning, you can literally acquire 13 home phone customers and get 10% residual income for the life of those customers. That's without ever introducing anyone to ACN.
I owned my own companies in and around Charlotte, NC for 16 years. I had much success and I also experienced failure. Both were my fault. :) When I saw ACN, I realized I could rebuild my business career but this time with residual income. I loved the fact that this business didn't cost me hundreds of thousands of dollars to get started as my other companies had. For $499 I was in business for myself, but not by myself. I had no overhead, no inventory, no employees, and I was partnered with 20 YEAR OLD company that Donald Trump and NBC deemed worthy to fill 2 hours on the Celebrity Apprentice in 2009 & 2011 and oh by the way, my earning potential was limitless.
I also loved the fact that ACN is counter-cyclical business, its thrives in a bad economy. Why? In short, all we do is help people save money and help people make money. Its really that simple. But, you still have to take the time to learn how.
With all that said, 3 years later, ACN was the BEST business decision of my career, and it cost me $499. Its amazing how fast you can go from idiot to genius.
BUT, let me be VERY clear - ACN is NOT for everyone. Obviously. Its designed to give hope and opportunity to the masses, but you have to make a decision to have success. Success DOES NOT happen on its on, in ACN or anywhere else. Its my job to help those who want it to build an asset for their families. My job is not to convince those who don't.
My job is NOT to defend ACN. My job is to offer common sense, because today, for many, its the least common of senses. The good news and the bad news is this: for $499 everyone can own their own business. Some should, and some should not.