| Comment Number: | 522418-09381 |
| Received: | 7/14/2006 1:21:55 PM |
| Organization: | Market America |
| Commenter: | Pat Minehan |
| State: | PA |
| Subject: | Business Opportunity Rule |
| Title: | Notice of Proposed Rulemaking |
| CFR Citation: | 16 CFR Part 437 |
| No Attachments |
Comments:
My understanding of what is being proposed is as follows: Require all prospective sellers to be provided with a disclosure document. This document must include information including (but not limited to): a. The distributor’s identification information; b. Legal actions involving deceptive practices or other matters filed against the distributor and/or Market America in the last 10 years; c. Whether or not earnings claims are made; d. The number of distributors who have canceled their agreement with the company within two years; e. A list of the 10 closest current or past distributors to the prospective distributor, with personal information so that prospective distributors may contact these references. Require that the disclosure document discussed above be given at least seven days before any potential distributor signs a contract or makes any form of payment. Gentlemen/ladies -- There is good and bad in every industry. Market America is an ethical company and I am proud to be associated with it. Please, take action against the companies about whom complaints are received. Go after the corporate teams -- do not complicate the day to day operations of legitimate, hardworking distributors while taking away their privacy (a and e, above). Re the 7-day waiting period before an adult would be able to act on their decision to work with a particular company -- in most cases, this decision involves an investment of several hundred to several thousand dollars. Why not require a 7-day waiting period before the purchase of a $30,000 car? Or of a $15,000 timeshare unit that has a lifetime commitment? Why not have U.S. government involvement in all our decisions? I investigated Market America thoroughly before I became a distributor. Bottom line -- adults make choices; adults take responsibility for their actions. Responsible adults do not need the government’s involvement in their decisions re business opportunities.