brgoden
North Plainfield,#2General Comment
Tue, September 29, 2015
I'll notice that every positive response from an employee does NOT contradict the fact that the job they claim as 'Management' is really a door-to-door salesman position, whether or not there is slim and hardwon opportunity for advancement. This company represents themselves as supplying two kinds of jobs, a managment position and a receptionist position. But the receptionist job is rarely filled, just dangled as a way to draw you into hocking their knock off and self-admittedly substandard perfume on a street corner for your supper. The only way this does not qualify as a 'traditional' pyramid scheme is because they do not ask you to pay for your startup costs. That does not mean that you will be any better off for this enterprise, as they take a heavy percentage of whatever you do manage to sell. They offer you a base pay plan, if you prefer not to be completely commission based, but I have read on other comments here that some have never recieved their weekly checks.
The bottom line is that if a job is offered, and you are called into interview for that position, (speaking of the reception position here), that position should actually exist. If a job advertises as a management position and turns out to be a door-to-door salesman position with completely commission based pay, then you have misrepresented yourself and this is a SCAM.
AROD13
miami,#3Consumer Comment
Mon, July 09, 2012
Its not a question of there being a "successful business model" or anything about training. None of the counter comments address the main complaint. People are not happy because they were not told from the beginning what the "job" or "training" entails.
From very beginning people should be told:
A) You will be selling knock off perfume
B) There is no salary. Earnings are 100 % commission
C) You will be selling to people on the street.
D) Opening an "office" requires you to find people who want to do A, B , and C
Take care of the later and Scentura Creations and friends can clear up all of the "confusion" and "negativity". I am sure it would also be alot harder to find people so sell the product. Sunshine is the best disinfectant.
AndyRod2906
Fort Worth TX,#4Consumer Comment
Wed, June 27, 2012
It's a simple business:
(a) Take the product to the field, see a lot of people, pay for the merchandise after its sold.
(b) Show other people how to sell
(c) Learn the office and administration procedures
(d) Open your own office
There's no guarantee of success, because they can't guarantee that you'll do the business the right way.
But it's a proven formula, it has worked for 37 years, and a lot of people over the years have walked into the interview just like you did, given it a shot, and are now successful and passing along the opportunity.
You'll never be asked for a dime, and training is free. How is that a scam?
Jmartin1216
United States of America#5Consumer Comment
Thu, June 21, 2012
Phoenix Management is for real. For every person on here saying it's BS, there's someone else out there taking advantage of the opportunity.
The training program is awesome, it's a proven business model, and it's way more fun than any company I've ever worked with.
I don't understand how people can call this a scam - when do they ever ask you for any money? You just work hard in training, and once you're done, you get a chance to run your own deal!
Where else do you find something like that?
Mariann
Clark,#6General Comment
Tue, June 12, 2012
I went for my 1:00 appointment today and all seemed fine, till I filled out a short one page application. Usually an application is several pages. Never asked about my background at other jobs, names of other jobs, positions I had, salary, nothing. Yes it did ask if I had transportation and what kind. Pretty much what you said Amber. After filling out the 2 minute application, I waited oh about 10 minutes. Then in runs Donny with his lunch, sneakers, jeans and plaid shirt.
I waited another 10 some minutes, and the three of us went inside together. He's still dressed the same, not very professional. He said he was running behind schedule and wanted to see us three together. I just sat there thinking this isn't a normal interview. After he spoke fast, he then spoke to each of us separately while we were all sitting together. He suggested for me to take the management position because it makes more money than the receptionist position which I've been for 37 years and $10-$11 is a lot less than what I'm used to being paid as a receptionist.
Ok I don't mind doing the management job for $30,000 a year at $575 a week as he broke it up. He said he'll make up his mind and call us around 5-5:30 this evening, well it's 6:13 so I guess I'm not in. Maybe he didn't like the expression on my face. My expression was more like concern and curious and suspicious about the whole thing.
Who knows. Anyways, the management position requires 6 weeks of training, ok no problem but, you don't get the job till you're trained? Usually you're hired and the company trains you on the job. Then who pays for the training, us or the company? I didn't get the job, but I'm just still curious! I had some friends check it out and they said this whole thing sounds like a scam. They've done some deep research for me. I'll make sure I'll spread the word around.
C
Dayton,#7UPDATE Employee
Wed, January 11, 2012
I personally find it amusing that a Scentura manager just had the nerve to say they "weren't going to lie to anyone"- is that not what you are paid to do?
I am only rebutting this so that people know the scam is still going on, and they have recently posted all over Craigslist and Monster. While I was there in my first group interview (everything was similar to what the original poster said, so I won't bug you by repeating it all) Donny explained that he had 8-10 management positions left. When I went home I saw the ad on Craigslist again, still looking for "18-25 sharp individuals" who like to have fun at work and work in a noisy atmosphere. I thought it was fishy, so I began to search. Lo and behold, I found all these scam reports.
All Donny could say to defend himself was that "people could succeed" at the job and that I was "bringing negativity". When I asked him why he didn't explain it to us honestly, he had nothing to say. My words were "If its a fine job that someone may succeed at, why are you not telling us the truth about it?" He had nothing. He's clearly used to people protesting and picketing his location and gets them off the premises quickly.
Basically, what they'll do is bring you in, have you sell crappy knock off perfume to your family (you're led to believe that's the only selling you have to do) and then he will send you to peddle more knockoff perfume in different locations (some of which having 'no soliciting' signs). Most people never open a warehouse, because you need to sell something like 300 units in order to do so. You may mark down the price of the product in order to move it, but then you wind up losing money.
It's best not to waste your time with this one. I feel bad for the people who are drawn in, as the location is sort of off the beaten path (middlesex, the town, not the county) and gas is expensive (especially when you are unemployed, which is essentially what you will be, even while working there).
My question is this- how has he made it there for as long as he has? I agree with Amber and her "Only in America" comment. He will back himself up with his Better Business Bureau rating (an A+), but if you actually look at the BBB website, it's a pay to play game (all businesses have to pay) and "Phoenix Management" has no actual customers, since they are giving their products to individuals to sell. If you attempt to post an employment complaint, BBB re-directs you to nowhere (they have no website for that) and apologizes. Hence how he was able to keep his A+.
What a disheartening experience. Let this be a lesson to always check a place before you go in there by googling the name of the company followed by "scam?". The unfortunate part is all the people who are here know that already and all the rest are probably still selling cheap knockoff perfume trying to make ends meet. Very sad situation indeed.
Jim
San Jose,#8UPDATE Employee
Wed, January 31, 2007
Amber, You claimed that you read information for hours on the company. You probably have realized that most of the people reporting to ripoffreport.com are just other people who went through an interviewing process similar to yours. These people didn't even go through any sort of training. They just saw another person that was skeptical and just took their word for it instead of seeing it for themselves. This business can be lucrative to anyone who's will to work harder than most but also has what's called "growth mind set." I'm not going to lie to you. This is not for everyone but to callously refer to all people who are in this business as uneducated is insulting. If you were so skeptical from the beginning why did you show up? Not every business is run the same way. You have never ran a successful business so it's impossible for you to say what should happen. Most business people are tough. Look at Donald Trump. People used to think McDonald's franchise was a scam. Now they're the most lucrative fast food chain in the world. Back then "franchises" was the new thing in business and many were skeptical. Now Network Marketing companies are the new thing. Most people become successful and achieve financial independence by working for themselves with no money down in this type of business all because someone like Larry Hahn will invest himself. It's not too good to be true because they told during 2nd interview that this was going to be the toughest time of your life if you start. That is true. But the rewards are far better than you would believe. That beats any job you can get where they treat like a number instead of a human. There are bigger companies out there with far more complaints than this company. Now I would leave my name but since I know that people believe anything they see on the internet I don't want my name involved. Funny how people used to believe everything they saw on TV. Now everyone doesn't believe much on TV anymore. Same thing will happen to the internet. Sincerely, One of Scentura's Branch Managers.