Following is a listing of some of the materials I've read in the course of my reasearch on Amway. Only some of them are referenced in the articles on this web site…I hope to add more of them as time permits. Some of these materials I found on my own, many were sent to me by others, who have my thanks.
In addition to the materials listed are the thousands of emails and forum/newsgroup messages I've read over the years from current and former distributors.
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- Amway: The Cult of Free Enterprise by Steven Butterfield, published by South End Press, ISBN #0-89608-253-9 (paperback). This is probably the best overall analysis of how Amway works that I've yet come across. This one is still in print, so any bookstore should be able to order it.
- Fake It Til You Make It: Inside Amway by Phil Kerns, published by Victory Press, ISBN #0-9609908-0-1. The first "expose" of Amway, as far as I know, and credited by Forbes with creating a great deal of negative publicity for Amway. This one is out of print, but there are a number of copies floating around in the library system…your local library may be able to locate one for you and get in via inter-library loan. [It's interesting to note that Butterfield and Kerns seem to be ideological opposites, yet both come to many of the same conclusions about Amway]
- Charismastic Capitalism: Direct Selling Organizations in America by Nicole Woolsey Biggart, published by the University of Chicago Press, ISBN #0-226-04786-5. The author is a professor of management and sociology at the University of California at Davis, and this book is a look at MLM from that perspective. It does not discuss whether or not MLM is a good business to become involved in; instead it discusses how MLM evolved, why MLM companies operate the way they do, and why people are attracted to MLM.
- Dangerous Persuaders by Louise Samways, published by Penguin Books Australia, Ltd., ISBN #0-14-02553-1. This one is about cult groups and mind control in general, and Amway is mentioned as an example of such. I had to get this one from Australia, since it's not published in the U.S.
- Spiritual Warefare: the politics of the Christian Right by Sara Diamond, published by South End Press, ISBN #0-89608-361-6. Describes some of the extreme right-wing Christian groups that Rich Devos has been involved with and/or supported.
- Ordinary Men, Extraordinary Heros by Dexter Yager, published by Internet Services Corporation, ISBN #0-8423-4593-0. In which Yager tells us how the man is the God-appointed head of the family, and other really original stuff.
- Promises to Keep, by Charles Paul Conn published by Berkley, ISBN #0-425- 09856-7. One of several books on Amway written by Amway's foremost apologist. Chock full of misinformation and flawed logic.
- Combatting Cult Mind Control, by Steven Hassan published by Park Street Press, ISBN #0-89281-311-3. Very readable and informative book by a former cult member turned "deprogrammer." Highly recommended.
- Cults in Our Midst, by Margaret Singer published by Jossey-Bass, ISBN #0-7879-0266-7. Singer is probably one of the foremost authorities in the world on cultism and mind control. Highly recommended.
- Fales Profits: Seeking Financial and Spiritual Deliverance in Multi-Level Marketing and Pyramid Schemes, by Robert L. Fitzpatrick and Joyce K. Reynolds published by Herald Press, ISBN #0-9648795-1-4. By far the best book on MLM I've read so far. Has a good chapter on Amway.
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- Organizational Deviance in the Direct Selling Industry: A Case Study of the Amway Corporation by Carol Juth-Gavasso, Ph.d. (sociology), 1985, published by University Microfilms International, 1-800-521-0600, #1416. A scholarly and well-documented discussion of the various illegal and unethical activities of Amway Corp. and some of the distributor groups, written by an expert in corporate criminology. A real eye-opener. Customs fraud, tax evasion, all sorts of goodies.
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- Complaint filed in State of Wisconsin vs Amway, 1982, case #589806, Wisconsin State Attorney General's office, (608) 266-1740. This is the only case I know of in which earnings data was collected from the actual tax returns of a large number of Awmay distributors. The state found that the average NET yearly income (after all expenses) of all Direct Distributors in that state was minus $918. Yes, that's a loss of $918.
- Lengthy depositions taken in above case. (Haven't read through all of it these.)
- Complaint and Final Order in Federal Trade Commission vs Amway, 1979, docket # 9023, FTC Public Reference Branch, (202) 326-2222. In which the FTC decided that Amway was not an illegal pyramid scheme, due in large part to the existance AND ENFORCEMENT of Amway's "10-customer" rule, which is largely ignored today. The FTC also found that Amway was guilty of illegal misrepresentation of income and price fixing.
- Compliance Commitment by Amway Corporation, Jay Van Andel and Richard De Vos, 1986, Federal Trade Comission, docket #9023. As a result of the 1979 case, the FTC ordered Amway to stop misrepresenting distributor incomes. When the FTC found in 1986 that Amway was still not complying with this order, Amway was fined $100,000 and ordered to publish actual earnings data in the Amway Sales and Marketing Plan (otherwise known as the SA-4400), and to require that every prospect be given a copy of this information.
- Complaint in class action lawsuit, Hanrahan et al vs. Dexter Yager, Bill Britt and Amway, 1994, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, civil action #94-4615. (Due to the high volume of requests for copies of this information, the court is no longer taking requests for copies. The entire text of the complaint can be found in the "Britt/Yager Lawsuit" article on this web page.)
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- Behind Closed Doors at the CNP, Church & State, 6/96
- False Patriots: The Threat of Anti-Govt. Extremists, Southern Poverty Law Center, 1996
- Amway The Yager Way, Charlotte Observer, 3/19/95
- Yager Motivational Tapes Reel in Cash, Charlotte Observer, 3/20/95
- Yager Puts Money Behind His Politics, 3/21/95
- Hidden Persuaders, Time Out (UK publication) 6/22/94
- Cleaning Up, Forbes 3/25/85
- The Power Of Positive Inspiration, Forbes 12/9/91
- Soap and Hope in Tokyo, Forbes 9/3/1990
- Selling Soap And Politics, Maclean's 4/11/83
- Do You Know These Godfathers?, Mother Jones Feb./March 1981
- Ruthless Capitalists Need Not Apply, Canadian Business, July 1993
- Amway Scandal Costs Administrator Her Job, Rocky Mountain News, 11/93
- Did Avon's Digging For Amway Skeleton's Scuttle Takeover Bid?, Wall St. Journal 5/25/89
- Avon Shuns Aquisition Overtures and In Avon And Amway, A Culture Clash, Washington Post 5/4/89
- Amway's Pullout Hits Avon Stock, Arlington Heights Daily Herald, 5/19/89
- Avon Slams the Door on Amway Buyout Bid, Chicago Tribune, 5/18/89
- Proctor & Gamble Sued two Amway Corp. distributors, Wall St. Journal 8/1/90
- South Koreans Charge, Release Amway Agents, Wall St. Journal, date unknown
- UCD official recruits her staff for Amway, Rocky Mountain News, 10/20/93
- Paying the Piper, Milwaukee Sentinal, date unknown
- GOP Sets Record for 'Soft Money', Wisconsin State Journal, 1/11/95
- The Gospel According To Amway, Sunday Punch, 1/4/87
- Amway: Giving God 'The Business', and Ambushed, (or) How to Sell a Dream, Mennonite Brethren Herald, 9/14/79
- 'God Doesn't Want You To Be Poor': Amway Stars Lead Cheering at Rally, Detroit Free Press, 10/26/82
- They Worked Hard But Lost Money, And Almost Each Other, Detroit Free Press, 10/24/82
- Motivation Has a Price at Amway, Detroit Free Press, 10/26/82
- Some Are Lured by a Shaky Shelter, Detrout Free Press, 10/25/82
- Lure of Tax Shelter Draws Some to Amway: IRS finds cheating; company disavows pitch, Detroit Free Press, 10/25/82
- A Few Get Rich With Amway, But Many Just Get Frustrated, Detroit Free Press, 10/24/82
- Amway: Who Shares The Dream, Detroit Free Press, 10/24/82
- Direct Marketer Amway Gets on an Environmental Soapbox, Chicago Tribune, 8/20/90
- Hungarians Seeking to Find a New Way Find Instead Amway, Wall St. Journal, date unknown
- When Amway Opportunity Knocks, New York Times, 5/31/81
- Amway Seeks to Buff Tarnished Image, Arlington Heights Daily Herald, 6/17/8?
- Housing Director to Resign: Amway sales upset staff and board, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 10/29/86
- TV Prober Gives Talk at Amway, The Detroit News, 10/14/83
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- Vendors File Class Action Suit Against Amway, The Legal Intelligencer, 8/2/94
- Amway Faces Class Action, Time Out 8/10/94
- 5 Sue…, Philadelphia Enquirer 8/3/94
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- Amway Cracks - And Pays, Maclean's 11/21/83
- Extradition And The Amway Case, Maclean's 9/19/83
- Amway Fined $25 Million In Canadian Fraud, Christianity Today 12/16/83
- Amway, Canada Reach Settlement In Customs Dispute, Wall St. Journal 9/25/89
- How Amway's Hawaiian Connection Worked, Detroit Free Press 8/30/82
- Canada Seeks $130 Million In Fines and Taxes from Amway, Christianity Today 10/5/84
- Border Trouble, Time magazine 11/29/82
- Amway Executives Ignore Canada Summons in Fraud Case, Chicago Tribune, 11/30/82
- Amway Denies Defrauding Canada, Chicago Tribune, 11/18/82
- Amway's Canada Unit Drops Appeal, Eases Way for Customs Case, Wall St. Journal, date unknown
- Amway And Canada--the judge's report, The Reformed Journal, 9/84
- Giving Ethics the Business, Journal of Business Ethics, ? 1988
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- Dish Drops liquid dish soap, 2/96
- Crystal Bright, 10/95
- SA8 Concentrate (powder & liquid), 2/95
- Zoom Concentrate, 9/93
- Clear Trak vacuum cleaner, 2/93
- Water treatment system E-9225, 2/93
- Crystal Bright dishwasher detergent, 2/92
- Dish Drops liquid dish soap, 9/91
- Magic Foam carpet cleaner, 1/91
- Rug & Upholstery Shampoo, 1/91
- E-9320 carbon water filter, 1/90
- Aerosol oven cleaner, 3/87
- Buff-up furniture polish, 1/86
- Amgard E8496 burglar alarm, 10/84
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- Sales and Marketing Plan (SA4400), 1986, 1991-1995
- Amway Business Compendium, 1996
- Wholesale Price List, 3/93, 9/94, 9/95
- Amway recruiting materials: Opportunity pamphlet, Trends pamphlet, Take Charge of Your Future brochure
- Also some non-Amway recruiting materials produced by the Internet and World Wide Diamonds groups.
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- Broadcast version of 60 Minutes segment on Amway
- Yager version of 60 Minutes
- American Journal segment on Amway
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- Mind Control Groups, Australian National Radio, 10/26/94
