英文网址

http://www.amway.com/en/BusOpp/business-opportunity-or-pyramid-scheme-10082.aspx

这是安利公司的一篇文章（译者注）

Business Opportunity or Pyramid Scheme?

事业机会还是金字塔计划？

The Facts

现实

Some people confuse the Amway business opportunity with disreputable pyramid schemes. However, there are major differences, which have been officially recognized by the US Federal Trade Commission.

有一些人混淆了安利事业机会和名声不好的金字塔传销计划。可是，这儿有主要的差异：哪一个是被美国联邦贸易委员会官方承认的。

Multilevel or "network" marketing is a lawful and legitimate business method that uses a network of independent business owners to sell consumer products supplied by an established company. Business owners merchandise products to consumers, not in fixed retail stores, but through person-to-person relationships between business owner and customer. Business owners can also build and manage their own sales-force by recruiting, motivating, supplying and training others to sell those products. Compensation then includes a percentage of the sales of the business owner\'s entire sales group as well as earnings from their own sales to retail customers.

多层次销售或者“网络销售”是一种合法并且合理的经营方法，它是把确定公司提供的产品利用独立的商业伙伴网络来卖给消费者。商业伙伴向消费者推销产品，不是在固定的零售商店，而是通过商业伙伴和消费者的人对人关系。商业伙伴还可以构建和管理他们自己的销售队伍，发展、激励、提供培训给其他人来销售这些产品。因此，报酬就包括了商业伙伴的整个销售群的销售额的百分比以及他们自己的零售顾客销售额的盈利。

Pyramid schemes are illegal scams in which participants invest a large amount of money in exchange for the promise of receiving profits by recruiting additional participants to make a similar investment. Pyramid promoters sometimes try to make their schemes resemble multilevel marketing methods by introducing a product line. However, little or no effort is made to actually market the products to consumers. Instead, compensation is paid for recruiting.

金字塔计划是非法的骗局，其参与者投资了大量的金钱换得了一个许诺：你可以发展其他的参与者作出相似的投资来获取报酬。金字塔的发起者有时试着把他们的计划作得跟多层次直销方法很像：他们引入了产品概念。但是，他们几乎没有或者一点也不努力去向消费者实际销售产品。本质上，报酬由新成员支付。

The Amway Sales and Marketing Plan is based on retail sales to consumers, not empty "get rich quick" promises demanding that you hand over large sums of money. In fact, only a small fee is required to become an Amway business owner and that cost is refundable should you decide to leave the business for any reason. In 1979, the US Federal Trade Commission ruled that Amway is a legitimate business opportunity.

安利的销售和市场计划是基于消费者的零售销售额的。不是空洞的“快速致富”许诺：这个许诺要求你缴纳大量的金钱。实际上，成为安利的事业伙伴只需要你少量的费用，并且，一旦你不管用什么理由决定离开安利事业时这个费用是可以退还的。1979年，美国联邦贸易委员会裁决：安利是一个合法的事业机会。

Amway does not require its Business Owners to buy inventories of stock, and does not impose a minimum order value. While business owners can earn bonuses from sales made by people they recruit into the business, Amway does not pay bonuses for the mere act of sponsoring another person.

安利不需要它的事业伙伴购买成套产品，不利用最小的订单值。同时事业伙伴可以从他们发展的事业伙伴的销售额里赢得奖金，安利不为发展另一个人的单纯行为支付奖金。

The Amway Plan has been recognized and cited by federal and state courts as the example that multilevel marketing plans should follow.

安利计划已经被联邦和各州法庭公认和引用为多层次直销计划应该仿效的样板。