SMC - EMC - Specialty Merchandise Corp - E Merchant Club - Mmerce Ripped off by SMC the merchant club with the spokesperson by Tom Bosley Simi Valley California

Wendy, you know what seems really odd? That you attack everyone's points but then issue this disclaimer:

> And no Im not an SMC spokesperson or employee Im just a single mom trying
> to make a bit of extra money to help with my expenses".

Really? Because you sure sound like a shill for SMC!!! For your benefit, let me pick your response apart point by point -- you need the friendly advice. For starters, if you're a single mom in need of help with expenses, how have the spare $5000+ it takes to get started with this company?

> If SMC was such a widespread rip off then why arent there complaints from all
> over the country

Um, there are... The AGs in California, Arizona, Texas, Maryland, and New York among others have received complaints about this company. Furthermore, a cursory glance of the national BBB page shows 1,190 complaints received against SMC in the last 36 months.

> they also assign you a business coach who when they first contact you try and
> talk you into upgrading your business but leaves it alone when you make it clear
> you will not be upgrading at this time

And how do you think the business coach gets paid... not by how well you do but by how many extra services they can sell you. The merchandise doesn't make the parent org squat... this is well documented in respected business journals in everything from MLMs, to psuedo-MLMs, to at home business; the profit in the parent org comes from how much they can directly sell to you -- why do you think SMC is interested in growing "THEIR" business with you? Because they're nice guys? Please!

> The 40% profit margin between what you pay SMC and what you charge a
> customer leaves ample room for any discounts you may wish to offer as
> incentives. Furthermore, SMC has been around for 10 years at least because I
> remember sending off for info about 10 years ago, at that time I decided not to go
> with it because I didn't really have the money or the time.

Wendy, you're making my head spin with this one. First, 40% profit margin across the board... that doesn't exist in the real world; and you certainly won't see that in this economy with your buying power. Second, if you didn't have the money to give them 10 years ago, then why in the heck are you going to give them more money when you're a "just a single mom trying to make a bit of extra money to help with my expenses"????? You're not spending money to make money in your business... you're spending money to make SMC richer!!!

> Also, my kit came with a fraud warning from SMC that there are a few companys
> who are fraudulently claiming to be affilited with SMC and who are fraudulently
> doing business as SMC or SMC affilited. Some of the names I see having been
> involved in this scam have come up a few times in these rip off reports, this
> indicates to me that maybe some of the companies these California based ripofees
> have delt with were fraudulent companies claiming to be SMC. Especially if they
> solicited people by way of the internet or phone, as SMC has never sent me
> multiple emails nor have I recieved any sales calls from them. A few noted
> companies involved in this scam are Ecommerce-Business-Services, Ecommerce
> Business solutions, Future Ranking, 15-day-free-trial-websites, Custom Built Online
> Stores, ecomreview, Innovative Marketing Solutions
> Inventory Source, SMC Internet Store, SMCebiz.

Ummm... how do you know the fraud warning just isn't there as a slick marketing ploy or to make your kit look "official"? BTW, a few of those companies mentioned in your rant and SMC are ultimately the same company... ha ha ha, you've pointed out that SMC is a fraud through your own argument -- priceless.

> Also, as far as the web site goes, maybe its not the best, but what do you expect
> to get with 30.00 a month? You get what you pay for. The only difference from my
> free website (meaning it was built for free but of course Im responsible for paying
> a monthly web hosting fee, as space on the internet for ones own website is
> NEVER free)

That's a bunch of baloney. $30/month is 50% - 67% more than what you should be paying. Also, ISPs who host commercial accounts have deals where you can pay flat fees per year, depending on bandwidth used, for cheaper too. You really have to shop around and consider the space you need or the traffic your site is going to generate (probably not more than a gig or two per month) before you make blanket statements about getting what one pays for!!!

> And being as I am a consumer that has invested in MANY home businesses over
> the years, all of which failed to live up to what they claimed

So I guess what you're saying is that you have expert experience at repeatedly getting ripped off by home business promotions over the years but for some reason, and after all this time, your experience tells you SMC is different?! WTF?

I hope this one pans out for you... just don't be so desperate for success that you become a sock-puppet for SMC. There's people who have worked for SMC at the call center in Arizona that have posted here and if half of what they say is true, you're going to get taken for a ride again.

It seems kind of odd that the majority of the complaints about SMC I have read recently, especially the more recent ones happen to come from one area and one area only, California. If SMC was such a widespread rip off then why arent there complaints from all over the country? I myself just recently joined SMC through the tv advertisement, and while I have not made any money yet, I havent really had the time or resources to do what Id like to do. I have not recieved any unauthorized charges to my Visa debit card nor did the sales associate I spoke to trick me in any way, he listened to my questions and explained the terms and conditions clearly. SMC not only sends you some supplies, catalogues, order forms and such, but they also send you a very thourough book on the different ways you can work this business. Catalogue Dist, Home parties, Fund Raising ETC. They also assign you a business coach who when they first contact you try and talk you into upgrading your business but leaves it alone when you make it clear you will not be upgrading at this time, I didnt much like that high pressure sales tactic, but its the only thing Ive disliked so far. After making clear I would not upgrade my business coach did answer any questions I had and also gave me a few useful tips about things I could do to increase business. As far as pricing of the items go, I find the prices reasonable even at retail value and comparable to similar items in my area and similar candle items and such that you see sold at home parties. And you dont have to charge retail if you dont want to. The 40% profit margin between what you pay SMC and what you charge a customer leaves ample room for any discounts you may wish to offer as incentives. Furthermore, SMC has been around for 10 years at least because I remember sending off for info about 10 years ago, at that time I decided not to go with it because I didnt really have the money or the time. Ive also been seeing infomercials on SMC for over 10 years. If they were infact a rip of then I doubt theyed be around for as long as they have. Also, my kit came with a fraud warning from SMC that there are a few companys who are fraudulently claiming to be affilited with SMC and who are fraudulently doing business as SMC or SMC affilited. Some of the names I see having been involved in this scam have come up a few times in these rip off reports, this indicates to me that maybe some of the companies these California based ripofees have delt with were fraudulent companies claiming to be SMC. Especially if they solicited people by way of the internet or phone, as SMC has never sent me multiple emails nor have I recieved any sales calls from them. A few noted companies involved in this scam are Ecommerce-Business-Services, Ecommerce Business solutions, Future Ranking, 15-day-free-trial-websites, Custom Built Online Stores, ecomreview, Innovative Marketing Solutions, Inventory Source, SMC Internet Store, SMCebiz. And many more, feel free to contact me if youd like to know the whole list of names. They even have a website where you can file fraud alerts and also one where you can view their lawsuits against a few of these companies. Also, as far as the web site goes, maybe its not the best, but what do you expect to get with 30.00 a month? You get what you pay for. The only difference from my free website (meaning it was built for free but of course Im responsible for paying a monthly web hosting fee, as space on the internet for ones own website is NEVER free) Ive decided not to invest in bigger, more expensive "packages" untill I see some profit from my investment. Maybe Ill make money, maybe not but you never know unless you try. And being as I am a consumer that has invested in MANY home businesses over the years, all of which failed to live up to what they claimed, SMC seems to be the most honest one Ive delt with so far. As everyone knows, it takes money to make money, large sums of money dont come free. Either you invest years in a college education, or money into a buisiness to enable you to get money, its just a fact of life. And no Im not an SMC spokesperson or employee Im just a single mom trying to make a bit of extra money to help with my expenses. Godd Bless and Good Luck!