- Report: #683772
Complaint Review: "S.M.G." SMG Marketing - Anaheim California
Reported By:
HonestlyCA -
Anaheim, California, Virgin Islands (US)
Submitted:
Updated:
-
Author Not Confirmed
Why?
"S.M.G." SMG Marketing
1045 N. Armando, Unit G, Anaheim CA 92806 Anaheim, 92806 California, United States of America
Phone:
714-630-4900
Web:
Categories:
Business Rating:
(0)
Tell us has your experience with this business or person been good?
"S.M.G." SMG Marketing Scentura Creations, Onyx Distribution, O.C.M.G. "Fragrance Distribution" completely false, pyramid scam. Anaheim, California
I answered an ad on Craig's list by calling the office. I was immediately added to their interviews and was very skeptical. I came in to an interview in which they had two people at a time. "Curtis Culpeppper" had 2 posters on his wall. Some old faded cheap poster of Blumenfeld and also a Dodge Muscle Car calendar. The interview was short and had close to zero actual subject matter. He also answered 2 phone calls during the interview (seemed unprofessional) and also said "s**t I'm popular today." His assistant "Amanda Capirchio" is very loud and energetic, seemingly fake. Kerry Brunson was mentioned as the Divisional manager...interesting it wasn't regional. I was excited to make the second round interviews....which turned out to be taking notes in a room of about 40 people. The notes primarily focused on money rather than actual skills or what you would be doing. You are told you will be paid by "transactions" rather than daily, hourly or by selling the product. We came to learn during our first day of training that the product is designer perfume knock-offs. to answer any questions regarding family/friends discounts. He made sure to indicate that you do not have to spend money to work at this organization but never really gets into how you will be trained. the Training is said to be 60-90 days at the end of which Leases can be negotiated depending on where you would like to have your own office located. Supposedly, they will get you an apartment, set you up and help you re-locate at your decision. He takes time to ensure you will not be required to. The "dress code" is mentioned as a smile and notebook. Business casual is apparently jeans and polo's....flip flops etc. as many of the other "recruits" had rather low levels of business grade attire.
We were given a sheet today which had the Fax number mistyped, whiteout with a letter written over it and we were told we could sell the merchandise at a discounted price of "$19.95" instead of "$30.00" If you type the product line name of "Observe'L'essence" which means know your scent in french into a search engine, you will find it at the same price with free S/H from multiple merchants online. The product lien is just cheap knock off perfumes. Curtis and Amanda Will try to convince you that the retail bottles are all mark up and that they are exactly the same....The handout for the contest is very low-budget print. I scratched off some of the Whiteout to find "O.C." under the "S" which was written on the whiteout. That was also the logo written on the offices glass where they are located. The office is plain white and has slightly higher than Ikea quality furniture. You can tell no significant amount of money has been invested in the office despite them acting like the fiber board being nailed to the wall (which they said was sound board). I will be including scans of the sheet as well as a completed typed copy of my notes so that you can identify exactly what I saw, was taught and learned.
5 Updates & Rebuttals
Anonymous
Littleton,Colorado,
U.S.A.
Uh oh, another recruiter
#2Consumer Comment
Tue, September 25, 2012
The comment above must be from a recruiter. The most I ever got involved was going to the interview to know how shady it is. As soon as they laid out there business model, I know they were affiliated with Scentura, even though they went under a different DBA.
As soon as I asked, "You wouldn't by chance be affiliated with Scentura?" I got hurried out the door so I couldn't make any of the upcomers weary of the scam. Once he brought me to my car, he saw I came in a decent vehicle and asked me for work once I talked about my sales background. Oh the Irony.
The top sales markets still are Real Estate, Automobiles and Oil. That's why I am licensed in all 3. I learned to be successful in those fields, you don't need to be the cliche pushy salesman, but a person with an absurd amount of knowledge on the field, who treats everyone like their a good relative.
DON'T SELL PERFUME unless in a retail chain.
JessInSD
United States of AmericaSolid Opportunity
#3Consumer Comment
Thu, September 20, 2012
I know several people who have become quite successful with this business. Most them people were relatively uneducated and had little business experience. And more importantly, none of them had a dime to their name when they started.
It's not exactly "Corporate America," but it's a fun business, and it just works. If you're someone who is short on experience or education, and willing to work hard and deal with rejection, this is a solid opportunity with a proven business model. Once you open your doors, $2000-3000 a week is realistic. Just because it's different than the normal clock-in, clock-out 9 to 5, doesn't mean it's not a good opportunity. It just requires a shift in mentality from paid-per-time to paid-per-RESULTS.
candi
United States of AmericaGood Idea
#4UPDATE EX-employee responds
Wed, January 26, 2011
What a good idea, to post your notes. I have 6months worth of notes, all saying the same things over and over again (more or less). I will get started on that, since I think my notes are still in a folder at my mom's house somewhere.
I don't think it's a lack of research that keeps people walking through their doors, as I did some poking around myself. They prey on the naive and those who feel as though they have no other options (a coupleof the people in our officewere convicted felons). Or the just plain greedy, who have no problem lying to people about the product and the job position they post in newspapers and craigslist.
Report Attachments
Jason K
Sacramento,California,
United States of America
This has been going on for many, many years
#5Consumer Comment
Tue, January 18, 2011
A lot of times, when you see salespeople selling purfume in parking lots or door to door, this is the kind of company behind what they are selling. I have never purchased the fragrances myself, but I came close one time. It is a one hundred percent commission job and you must sell a lot of these bottles to make descent money. It's good you didn't take the job. Good luck.
Anonymous
Littleton,Colorado,
U.S.A.
well
#6Consumer Comment
Tue, January 18, 2011
This scam was sitting on the front page of this very website for years and has 100+ news reports on it. If people are still falling for it, then that shows a lack of research of future employers. An interview is not just an interview to show that someone is a viable candidate, but also that the employer is worth the time of day.
