Better Way Designs (or Better Way Imports) is a company that imports and distributes handmade accessories, beauty, skincare, and apparel products among others…
The company allows you to participate in its MLM compensation plan, meaning that you can make an income through distributing its products to retail customers as an independent distributor or as they call it a “Freedom Fighter” as well as for recruiting other people as Freedom Fighters who will distribute the company’s products themselves…
This raises a few questions…
- Is Better Way Designs a legit MLM company or a scam?
- Are its products worth it?
- Does its compensation plan offer the potential for you to achieve your financial goals?
- Or is it just another pyramid scheme like the ones who leave those who join them hundreds of dollars poorer after having wasted hundreds of hours of their time?
In this Better Way Designs review, you’ll discover everything you need to know to make an informed decision about whether this company is worth your time, attention, and money or not, such as
- What Better Way Designs is
- How Better Way Designs works
- The company’s background and owners
- How much it costs to join
- Its compensation plan
- If it’s a pyramid scheme or not
- The products it offers
- Pros and cons
- and much more
Let’s get cracking!
Better Way Designs Overview
Name: Better Way Designs or Better Way Imports
Owners: Unknown
Price: $199 (One-time payment) + $12.99 per month
Official Website: betterwaydesigns.org
Suggested? NO!
Increase your chances of reaching success in multi-level marketing by following a dedicated MLM course.
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- Product Returns & Exchanges
- Replicated Website
- Established Company
- Handmade Products
- Unclear Compensation Plan
- MLM Business Model
- Expensive Products
- Poor Training
Before I move on to the actual Better Way Designs MLM review, I want to reveal to you some general MLM statistics that will probably SHOCK you to your very core.
10 Shocking MLM Statistics
- According to FTC, 99% of all MLM participants lose money
- The chances of profiting by running your own small business are 38% more than by joining an MLM
- The profitability rate of running an online business is 10% - 20% higher than the profitability rate of joining an MLM
- The odds of winning from a single spin of the wheel in a game of roulette in Las Vegas could be as much as 300 times higher than actually profiting in an MLM
- According to AARP Foundation, 47% of MLM participants lose money and 27% make no money whatsoever
- Among the 26% who actually earn a profit, 53% of them earn less than $5000 a year
- 39% of MLM participants quit because pitching crappy products and services to friends and family jeopardized their relationships
- At least 50% of MLM reps quit within 1 year after joining an MLM and 95% quit within 10 years
- 75% of those who have joined and left an MLM state that they would never join another MLM in their life
- A 2018 poll of 1049 MLM reps across various companies found that most of them make less than 70 cents an hour, 20% of them never made a sale, 60% of them had earned less than $500 in sales over the past five years, and 32% of them acquired credit card debt to finance their MLM involvement
…until you’ve taken a good look at these shocking MLM statistics.
What is Better Way Designs About?
As mentioned earlier, Better Way Designs is a company that imports and distributes handmade accessories, beauty, skincare, and apparel products among others…
The company was founded before 2004 under the name Better Way Imports which changed to Better Way Designs somewhere around 2018.
Unfortunately, there’s not that much information about the company’s owners online but we know that it’s located at 201 W.Washington Ave. #100, Zeeland, Michigan 49464 USA.
The company’s motto is “Do Good. Do Well.”
Its mission is “To bring dignity and hope to those who have become victims to the sex trafficking industry through the purchasing and reselling of products made by those who have been freed through the vessel of Freedom Parties, to connect the “us” with the “them” in order to create a “we” while emphasizing dignity rather than charity”.
You can find a lot more about Better Way Designs, its mission, products, policies, etc on its official website.
Watch the short video below to figure out how Better way Designs works.
Better Way Designs' Products and Prices
Better Way Designs’ products are imported from several manufacturers around the world and are all handmade.
The company imports and distributes hundreds of different products so for the sake of keeping this short I am not going to list down every single one of them separately.
Some of the products you can purchase through Better Way Designs are
- Serums
- Cleansers
- Necklaces
- Bracelets
- Bags
- Leather Wallets
- Knits
- etc
Most of the products are somewhat expensive ranging from $20 to more than $300 each.
So, How Can I Become a Better Way Designs Freedom Fighter?
You can sign up as a Freedom Fighter through the company’s official website or through the website of another Freedom Fighter.
To complete the signup process, you’ll have to fill in a form with your personal information, as well as purchase an enrollment kit that costs a one-time payment of $199 plus a replicated website that costs $12.99 per month.
This enrollment kit contains several business marketing products such as
- 20 Catalogs
- 50 Order Forms
- 50 Invitation Post Cards
- 30 Trafficking Brochures
- 6 Hostess Packet Envelopes
- 10 Better Way Design Pens
- 1 Training Manual
To remain active as a Freedom Fighter and qualify for commissions, you must maintain $600 in net sales in a rolling quarter.
A rolling quarter is a 3-month period that includes the current month and the previous two months.
Net sales are sales after discounts and do not include tax and shipping/handling.
So, let’s start talking money, shall we?
Better Way Designs' Compensation Plan
Unfortunately, I couldn’t find Better Way Designs’ detailed compensation plan neither on the company’s website nor anywhere else online.
The closest thing I found is a Freedom Fighter Agreement Form.
According to that form, a Freedom Fighter can earn money with Better Way Designs in three ways.
First, as a Freedom Fighter, you can purchase Better Way Design’s products at discounted prices and then resell them to retail customers. The actual amount of those discounts is uncertain.
Secondly, you earn commissions when a customer purchases BWD’s products through your replicated website. The actual amount of commissions you earn per sale is uncertain as well.
And lastly, you can earn money by recruiting other people as Freedom Fighters. The compensation structure of your downline is also uncertain. It could be a binary, a uni-level, or some kind of matrix. It could include bonuses and higher commissions based on your rank advancement within the company.
No clue…
I am currently in touch with Better Way Designs’ support team to get my hands on the full compensation plan of the company. Once I do, I’ll come back and update this review.
If you want to find out more about Better Way Designs’ compensation plan yourself, you could contact the company’s support team at the email info@betterwaydesigns.org or the telephone number 616.648.0900
How Much Does It Cost to Become a Better Way Designs Freedom Fighter?
In order to become a Freedom Fighter you need to purchase an enrollment kit which costs a one-time fee of $199.
In addition to the enrollment kit, you will have to keep paying a $12.99 monthly website subscription fee to keep your replicated website up and running.
You can cancel your website subscription fee any time you want through your Freedom Fighter’s back office.
Please note that if you discontinue your website subscription, you will lose all access to your website as well as all the capabilities of placing orders through your Freedom Fighter’s back office.
So basically, despite the fact that you have the option to cancel your website, if you do so, you are screwed…
Is Better Way Designs a Pyramid Scheme?
Most of the time it’s very hard to distinguish between a legit MLM company and a pyramid scheme.
The video below will help you understand how to spot and avoid pyramid schemes in general.
The main difference between an MLM and a pyramid scheme is that MLMs give you the opportunity to earn commissions by selling actual products or services to other people in retail without having to recruit them while with a pyramid scheme the only way to earn money is by recruiting other people into the scheme.
Not all MLMs are legitimate. If the money you make through an MLM is based on your sales to the public, it may be a legitimate one. If the money you make is based on the number of people you recruit and your sales to them, it’s not legit. It’s a pyramid scheme. Pyramid schemes are illegal, and the vast majority of their participants lose money. – Federal Trade Commission
Since with Better Way Designs, you have the option to earn commissions by selling the company’s products to retail customers, I have to conclude that Better Way Designs is NOT a pyramid scheme.
Better Way Designs Pros
- Product Returns & Exchanges
- Replicated Website
- Established Company
- Handmade Products
1 • Product Returns & Exchanges
Better Way Designs offers a satisfaction guarantee on all its products. The company will unconditionally give a refund or make an exchange for an identical product within 45 days of its initial
purchase.
In addition, items may be replaced within 90 days of their initial purchase if received broken.
Products with money-back and satisfaction guarantees definitely sell easier than those who have none!
People just seem to feel more comfortable spending money on something for which they could get a refund or exchange anytime they want if they needed to.
In addition, research shows that money-back guarantees increase customers’ feelings of satisfaction with their purchase, making them more likely to make another purchase from the same seller.
This is all in your favor because more sales = more money for you!
2 • Replicated Website
Upon signing up as a Freedom Fighter, the company provides you a pre-made website (replica of betterwaydesigns.org) which people can visit and purchase Better Way Designs’ products online.
When someone who visits your replicated website purchases one or more BWD products through it, you pocket a percentage of the total amount of money paid by that customer.
In addition, if someone signs up as a Freedom Fighter through your replicated website you become their sponsor and they become part of your 1st level of recruits.
If marketed the right way, this website could help you maximize your customers, commissions, and recruits.
If your business is not on the internet, then your business will be out of business – Bill Gates
3 • Established Company
Better Way Designs has been operating for more than 15 years.
A company that has been up and running for that long probably offers products that are high-quality and in high demand which means that you won’t have a very hard time finding potential buyers.
Companies that operate for so many years are considered well-established, with a loyal clientele and high reputation, something that makes them unlikely to shut down any time soon.
4 • Handmade Products
Handmade products are very popular nowadays…
In fact, the handmade crafts industry is worth over $44 billion in the US alone and is still booming year after year.
Most people are willing to pay a lot of money for handmade products that match their taste because they are of high-quality, 100% unique, creative, and are created out of ones love for their craft.
Better Way Designs Cons
- Unclear Compensation Plan
- MLM Business Model
- Expensive Products
- Poor Training
1 • Unclear Compensation Plan
After searching around for hours, I still haven’t managed to locate a fully detailed compensation plan of Better Way Designs anywhere online.
All legit MLMs MUST have a full compensation plan easily accessible on their main website so this isn’t such a good sign for me.
Let me tell you that I would never sign an agreement as an independent contractor of an MLM company if I didn’t know EXACTLY how they are going to compensate me for my sales and recruitments and neither should you.
2 • MLM Business Model
As mentioned earlier, I am not fond of the MLM business model in general for many reasons…
First of all, the failure rates of MLM participants are awfully low (74% – 99% to be more exact).
Secondly, I hate selling…
And thirdly, I’ve heard so many stories of people losing all their friends, family, and money due to the pushy and sleazy practices they were being taught by their “mentors” that I have become repulsed by the MLM business model in general.
It’s just not worth the trouble in my mind…
3 • Expensive Products
Unfortunately, Better Way Designs’ products are very expensive.
I mean, I’d never spend $80 on a wallet, $60 on a set of marble earrings, and $300+ on a blanket.
However, I guess that all handmade items are more expensive than products that are mass-produced, and there will always be people who are willing to pay a lot of money to obtain some of them…
4 • Poor Training
The only training that you’ll get as a Freedom Fighter is through one training manual that is contained within your enrollment kit.
One of the most common reasons that so many people fail to make a profit in MLM ventures is the lack of proper training and let me assure you that a small training manual is definitely not enough to help you achieve your financial goals.
Expecting to make any serious money by reading a training manual would be like expecting to become a doctor by reading 2-3 books.
After searching around on YouTube, I didn’t manage to find any training videos uploaded by other Freedom Fighters either.
Usually, the independent consultants of other MLMs publish training videos on YouTube in order to maximize their sales and recruits.
The lack of training by other Freedom Fighters on YouTube concerns me a lot because it kinda shows me that the company might be deserted and inactive…
Is Better Way Designs Suggested?
I wouldn’t join Better Way Designs for three simple reasons.
- There’s no detailed compensation plan of the company anywhere online
- The company seems inactive
- It’s an MLM
Personally, I am not at all fond of the MLM business model in general…
- The success rate of MLM reps is awfully low
- They are way too volatile and unstable
- You need to invest a ton of money, time, and energy until you manage to make a profit (if you ever actually make a profit)
- And most of them focus on recruiting people instead of actually providing an actual valuable and beneficial product/service
Plus, in order to make money with the MLM business model, you’ll have to turn into a sleazy salesperson and I really hate selling as much as I hate being sold to.
18 Responses
I agree with Kimberly. I went to a BWS party recently, and the products seemed mediocre to poor in quality, and some of them were downright ugly. All of the cloth items felt grimy and dirty to the touch and smelled funny. You would never buy this stuff if it hadn’t been made by a sex trafficking victim, yet they charge high-end prices.
I feel like it’s all just a way for bored, well-off women to feel like they’re helping people. Their consultants even call themselves “freedom fighters.” It’s nice that the women making the products have an alternative to sex work, but making ugly knickknacks in a sweatshop that rich westerners only buy and sell to feel good about themselves is hardly what I would call dignified.
I think if people really want to help they should donate to a nonprofit rather than joining an MLM.
Hey Emily, you do make a couple of good points. I agree that leveraging donations would be so much less questionable.
Stay safe,
Harry
Hello, I am happy I found this site!
I am confused is Harry a nickname to Harry?!
Now I’m doubting you! 🙂 What am I missing?!?!
Hey Lucy, I’m happy to have you here!
Thanks a lot for pointing that out.
Harry is indeed a nickname to Harry as written in a weird combination of Greek and English letters.
I used to go by Harry but recently decided to shift to Harry as it’s more recognizable on an international level.
I’m going to fully replace every “Harry” instance on my website with “Harry” shortly.
I hope this answers your question!
Harry
I am a Freedom Fighter with Better Way Designs. I have been with this company for 3 years. It is an amazing company to work with. I did want to address a few things:
1. We are heavily focused on the relational model of direct sales, if anyone communicated with me, I can very quickly and easily share the compensation plan of our products. The home office will also gladly share information if you just reach out.
2. You mentioned lack of training and that just is not the case, the company hosts 3 conferences per year and those leading teams (I am a director of a growing team) are responsible for training up people who start off with the company. The last thing any Freedom Fighter wants is for someone to make a relatively large start-up cost (which I will address next) and flounder. We are raising empowered women working to empower women. We want teams that thrive because we are an ethical business and the better we do, the more we support our 20 Freedom business partners around the world that are hiring women out of the sex trade, providing child care, health care, counseling, job skill training, a safe work environment, and a livable, dignified wage. Based on supply and demand, the more products we sell, the more we require from our global suppliers, and therefore, the more women they can take on to support!
3. The start-up kit is not actually that expensive when you actually take a look at what it contains: $500 worth of product, $50 worth of catalogs, brochures, invite cards, order forms, etc. That is an incredible discount!
4. The prices are not actually ridiculously high. They are a quality product and ethically made. If you are paying little, it is costing someone somewhere. So much of what is out there is made on the backs of slaves. Look up our certifications, we are a part of the Fair Trade Federation (requiring supply chain transparency and everyone along the supply chain being paid a fair, livable wage and a safe work environment) and a certified B Corporation (really look up this third party accreditation-it is not easily obtained and only businesses that are doing good and balancing purpose and profit can be certified). Those are not easily obtained and they require continuing ethical business practices and transparency. These third-party organizations scrutinize the businesses to validate that they are a company that is for good. When people are being paid fairly to make products, you should expect them to cost a little more to you.
5. Better Way Designs is a small company but rapidly growing. We are not at all an inactive company, just a lot smaller than the Direct Selling “Giants”. I was not a “seller” before I was moved by the mission and started. This kind of business is not for everyone and takes discipline and organization but as a Freedom Fighter, my commission (25–33% of product sales) has helped me pay off student debt, helped pay for a family vacation, and is going to replace my other “regular job” as a pharmacist-and gladly. I have so much joy in my job as a Freedom Fighter. If you have any additional questions, reach out to the home office and ask.
*Better Way was founded as a brick-and-mortar store in Zeeland, MI. They changed to the DS model back in 2012 because they wanted to make a bigger impact and by “taking the shop to you” they are able to do that. The party model works for the type of impact we want to make!
Hey Jessica, thanks a lot for taking the time to put together such an informative comment.
I’m sure that it’ll help many of those who’re looking to become Freedom Fighters make a much more informed decision about whether they should join Better Way Designs or not.
I wish you all the best with your endeavors,
Harry
Dear Harry, assuming you wrote this article I’m sharing a few thoughts with you. I’ve attended a Better Way home party and have ordered products which were exactly as advertised.
It appears to me that you’ve interwoven your fact-finding on pyramid schemes alongside info on Better Way Designs with the intent to cast doubt on a company that’s operated honorably for 15 years. It doesn’t seem like you’ve bought the products yourself or attended a home party To formulate an educated opinion.
Additionally, you seem to be missing the point that buying inexpensive products isn’t the point of those of us who support the mission of Better Way Designs. We are buying the products to assist trafficked victims on a path to a better life.
Also, anyone in business understands that a company-owned website is just that. If you leave the company, the website belongs to them.
Really felt as though you are manipulating readers toward a poor opinion of this company and its unwarranted.
Hey Kathy, thanks a lot for your input!
I’m sorry but you seem to be missing the point here…
The purpose of this Better Way Designs review is to provide information regarding the company’s MLM “opportunity” not whether or not its products are exactly as advertised or not.
In addition, within my review, I clearly state that Better Way Designs is NOT a pyramid scheme. Forgive me but no matter how hard I try, I fail to understand how this statement could confuse someone into thinking that Better Way Designs is a pyramid scheme (unless they really want to).
I never made any claims regarding the quality of Better Way’s products… I merely commented on their prices. I don’t need to buy Better Way’s handbag or serum to know that it’s more expensive than handbags/serums sold by other companies.
Also, I’ve never commented on Better Way’s home parties so once more I fail to understand how my opinion about them can be uneducated since it doesn’t even exist.
Furthermore, you claim that “anyone in business understands that a company-owned website is just that and if you leave the company, the website belongs to them”.
My statement regarding a Freedom Fighter losing access to their replicated website refers to discontinuing their website subscription, not leaving the company.
Lastly, if my intention was to cast doubt on Better Way Designs and manipulate readers towards a poor opinion of the company as you mention, I wouldn’t have created an entire section that outlines the exact process of signing up as a Freedom Fighter.
FYI, I absolutely support the cause of Better Way Designs…
Having said all that, it appears to me that your bias towards Better Way Designs has completely distorted your perception of reality as within your comment you’re basically “accusing” me of happenings, statements, and opinions that have never actually taken place.
You’re literally seeing ghosts!
All the best,
Harry
Thank you for the information!
I was invited to one of their parties recently and although it seems like a cool idea I could not get past the idea that this corporation is further exploiting these women.
Regardless if they get *some* help from it, if a corp is making a million and giving these ladies some thousands then they too are absolutely further exploiting and taking advantage of them and their life experiences.
The idea makes me kinda sick.
Wanted to find out how much money actually goes back to them or a non-profit but it is very unclear.
Hey Kimberly, I completely get what you’re saying here…
Taking into account the fact that BWD hasn’t even published an income disclosure statement, I find it nearly impossible to get your hands on that information you’re seeking.
Nonetheless, if you do, please share your findings with us, will you?
All the best,
Harry
Hello Harry, I must say that this article is very helpful and informative. Personally, I don’t like any type of MLM or pyramid schemes so I will definitely avoid this.
If it was a little cheaper I might give it a try but it is a little bit expensive for my pocket. I think I will give a try Project 24, it seems more promising.
Let me know if you have any questions or need any help regarding Project 24 Danijel.
I’ll be happy to help you out.
My best regards,
Harry
I have a friend who was thinking about Better Way Designs and I had never heard of it. So I went to research and found your post. You bring up many good points but my biggest eye-opener is number #1 the prices are very high.
But I went to the website and found that most of the products have very limited descriptions. For example, I looked at coffee. It was $39 but there was no description or size! Just my first impression of the site is a turn-off. I don’t feel like I trust this company. I will let my friend know that this is an MLM and forward her your review.
You have a very good point, Wendy!
Their site is well-designed but it definitely lacks information. I mean, it doesn’t even have a compensation plan available for those who want to become Freedom Fighters to read.
Send your friend over this review and let her decide 🙂
Harry
Your info diagram is quite shocking and a good enough reason not to get sucked into the MLM industry in general.
Better Way Designs looks to be reputable and all and running for a great cause, but the products, in my opinion, are highly overpriced and thus would be difficult to sell to people in general, especially when they can get those same products in a store for half the price.
I wonder why the price to join is so high at $199? It is giving me the impression that they are just looking to make money out of recruits as they know that their products don’t sell that well. What do you think?
Maybe that’s indeed their game… Not a few MLMs do exactly what you mentioned.
What amazed me is that I couldn’t easily locate other Freedom Fighters… They don’t seem to run websites, YouTube channels, etc
It’s really weird and a sign that the company doesn’t really have that many independent contractors after all…
Harry
Great review of Better Way Designs and great insights on MLMs in general.
I am a proud member of Wealthy Affiliate like you and I would love to vouch that it’s one of the best ways to create a full-time living online.
Wealthy Affiliate helped me build and grow my business and now I am making quite a lot of money with it.
Thank you for vouching for my suggestion, AJ!
I will befriend you within the platform then 😉
Harry