WorldVentures Review – Dream Opportunity or Vacation Pyramid?

Thanks for stopping by to check out my WorldVentures review. I had been thinking of expanding my online business to include a travel website when I stumbled upon a few business opportunities related to travel. One of those was WorldVentures DreamTrips.

If you're not familiar with WorldVentures, they are a multi-level-marketing type business, which is not one I would personally build. But, it might be right for some, so I’ll go over what it is, what they do, how it works and of course whether or not it’s a scam or pyramid scheme.

Disclaimer:
Please note, I am not a member or an affiliate for WorldVentures DreamTrips. This review has been researched with information and/or testimonials that are available online in the public domain. Any recommendations and/or conclusions are strictly opinions and may not to apply to, or agree with, all persons or situations. See full disclaimer for more info

What is WorldVentures DreamTrip?

World Ventures is a direct selling company that sells discount travel memberships from travel and lifestyle booking agent Rovia. 

My first thought was that WorldVentures was simply an affiliate for Rovia, but it turns out they are more closely related. I'm not certain who owns who, but both companies share the same address in Plano Texas, and it's clear their interests are dependent on one another.

As a network marketing company, WorldVentures provides aspiring entrepreneurs an opportunity to become independent representatives and start their own home-based business with passive income potential.

Founded in 2005 by entrepreneur Wayne Nugent, they have more than 10 years of success selling vacation club memberships through their network of direct sellers.

And, they are not a small company. Nearing a billion dollars in sales, their growth in 2016 was more than $200 million. I don’t know about you, but it would be nice to have a piece of that 😀

But as I mentioned earlier, having gone down the MLM path before, it’s not my thing.

Is It A Scam or Pyramid Scheme?

It’s easier when something is a scam, and the decision to get involved is made for us. That’s not the case here. If World Ventures was a scam they would not have been in business since 2005. 

However, depending on where you live, this may not be entirely true. According to Wikipedia WorldVentures page the Norwegian Lottery has classified them as an illegal pyramid game. The Wikipedia article doesn't present WorldVentures in the best light… and you may not want it to be your only resource when making a decision.

Whatever your thoughts are on pyramid ‘type’ schemes, they are legal in many parts of world, provided they meet certain criteria. Having said that… whether or not that criteria is met, the structure is still pyramid like with uplines and downlines.

In the case of World Ventures, the way it works is that you get 4 people to join which qualifies you for a tier one bonus. In addition to getting 4 people, you need to achieve $1600 in downline (or team lineage) sales which earns you a $200 bonus.

The tier 2 bonus is a fixed $300 payment when you’re volume reaches $3200 or greater. Tier 3 is commission based, paying out between $432 up to $900 when your team lineage sales exceed $5400.

The Downsides of Multi-Level-Marketing

You may have experienced this before.

Have you ever had a friend or family member join a multi-level-marketing company? Then, find yourself avoiding that person because every time you get together, he or she tries to talk you into joining?

At the very least, they might be subtle about it by telling how great it's going… hoping that you'll show interest and ask questions.   

I built a small Amway business many years ago and I was that guy. In fact, I was even encouraged to leave my friends and family (who didn’t join) behind because they’d be holding me back.

‘Like crabs in a bucket'  they'd say.

Luckily, I’ve learned the importance and value of friends and family since then.

And, let me be clear. I am not saying these are the the extreme tactics that WorldVentures uses to motivate it's people. But from time to time I have had friends get involved in pyramid type businesses, and it’s the nature of multi-level-marketing to recruit aggressively.

You may get a few to join your downline, but you often drive people you care about away.

It's Not YOUR WorldVentures Business

Another problem with pyramid structured businesses is that the business is not yours. You are made to believe it’s your business, but if you think about it… you have no control over the product or the pricing, and if you decide to leave your entire organization belongs to the company, not to you.

And yet, you did all the work to build that network.

To be clear, this isn't specific to WorldVentures Dreamtrip. It applies to all MLM's.

Upon joining a network marketing company, you are required to sign a contract. This usually handcuffs you by dictates specific terms and conditions. The company isn’t doing anything wrong or unfair. They're just protecting their (and the company's) best interest which is what they should do.

But what is YOUR best interest?

World Ventures DreamTrip Products

There are two DreamTrip membership levels.

Gold – $249.98 plus $54.99 per month

Platinum – $399.98 plus $99.99 per month

Being a member does not mean free vacations.

What you get are exclusive travel deals (member prices) with access to things like dining and entertainment discounts, airport parking and limo service deals, trip specific upgrades, excursions and reward programs.

So, if you're a frequent traveler, this may be something worth considering. However, if traveling is something you only do once every year or two, you might not find the value.

At $99.00 per month for the Platinum membership you’re paying $1200 per year… for products and services you may never use.

The difference between the Gold and Platinum memberships is that Platinum offers 7-day advance booking, access to exclusive DreamTrip experiences as well as upgrades such as resort credits, lift tickets etc. You also get to use 50% more of your trip points and…

…this I have a problem with… the Platinum membership comes with Emergency Evacuation Services.

Does that mean you're screwed if you're a just Gold member? Is your life is in serious danger because Emergency Evacuations are only provided to those who can afford to pay $99.99/month instead of $54.99/month?

What else could it mean? If they provided that service to all members, it wouldn't be listed as an exclusive benefit to Platinum members only.

I'm not going to get into an ethical or political conversation here, so I’ll just leave that here for you to decide. Is it right, or at the very least… good company PR to leave those with less money behind in an emergency situation? 

Vacation Prices

As far as trip prices go, you can only access that information if you are a member. And, it’s difficult to determine the overall value your membership provides because it’s not possible to compare exact packages side by side. Going to different travel brokers, you may find a more expensive trip, but with a longer stay, or some other perks such as free meals that you’re not getting with your World Ventures package. Therefore, I can’t comment on the pricing advantages of being a member.

WorldVentures Compensation Plan

The compensation plan is somewhat complex. I found the following video when doing research on World Ventures, and although it explains the payout structures… I have to admit, it's a little “wordy” and to me, looks like a skit from Saturday Night Live.

The production value is good, it's just that MLM compensation plans have a tendency to become over-complicated.

So, I’m not endorsing this video, but for informational purposes, it explains the WorldVentures compensation structure.

What I Like About WorldVentures

• World Ventures offers a unique product in the multi-level-marketing space so you won’t be up against the same competition as you would be if you promoting something like cosmetics or weight loss for example.
• People are passionate about travel and if you’re a frequent flyer, you can tap into this passion while enjoying the membership yourself.
• It’s a product with broad appeal across many demographics.

What I Don’t Like

• Membership benefits are hard to quantify and with a little shopping around, you may be able to find similar deals just as good and possibly better.
• It’s multi-level-marketing and if you don’t like recruiting people or having your friends and family avoid you for this reason… as a business opportunity, it’s a non-starter. You would definitely be more comfortable building an online business (as described earlier) that does not involve recruiting, or even talking to people.
• The business is not yours. All of your hard work ultimately belongs to them if you decide you don’t want to do it anymore or if you leave for any reason at all.

Where Do You Go From Here

Something else we didn’t talk about, is the terrible success rate of MLM’s. 99% of people who get involved do not make money.

In my opinion, there are two reasons.

First, it's not a business that most people enjoy building. Just like a diet that makes you miserable, eventually you'll give up on it if the effort is painful.

Second, people often ignore the reality… being a successful network marketer requires a unique personality. You also need a specific ‘sales' skillset (which can be learned), and an uncommon ability to handle rejection over and over (which isn't so easy to learn).

Quite often, unique circumstances, like being hooked into a group of people such as your community, church, business or sports league plays a factor.

Before the internet came along, multi-level-marketing was a great way for an individual to start a home based business.

Today however, with the opportunities we have online there are better options in my opinion. Ones that don’t involve recruiting of any kind, or being locked into a pyramid that's more like a job than a business.

If you want a home based business that YOU own and earn true passive income from, click here to follow the exact strategy that I use.

Thanks for checking out my WorldVentures review and if you've had experience with them, or you are a DreamTrip member… please share your own review, comments and opinions below. 

Also, if you found this review useful or think it may be helpful for others, please share 😀

Cheers,
Jay

A Real Home-Based Business

As I mentioned earlier, one of the challenges with MLM's is that they are NOT your business. Certainly, some will disagree with me on this, but I’ll use an example of someone who actually does own their own business.  

Let’s say Katie owns her own small network of websites, each earning between $500 – $1000 per month. If she has six of these websites making money through a combination of advertising and affiliate marketing, she will be earning a modest $3000-$6000 per month.

Nothing crazy, just enough to live comfortably.

If you’re not sure what affiliate marketing is or how it works, check out my number one recommended program which shows you step-by-step (for FREE) how to start an online business.

Unlike an MLM or pyramid type business with central decision makers, Katie can do anything she wants with her business. If something changes, she has full control as to how her business adapts.

In the case of an MLM business, if for any reason you want out or you disagree with the company and quit (or have your membership canceled), your business is effectively finished. You can't take the organization you built with you. You can't simply swap in a new product line or service that better serves your customer.

You're effectively working for the “company”, abiding by their policies, rules and regulations.

Now, that's fine because MLM's do have their benefits. They have a built in support system, done-for-you marketing and for all intents and purposes… they are often sold as a “business-in-a-box”.

For some people, that's the perfect opportunity. But it can also be more like a job than a home based business.

Getting back to the example of Katie with her small network of websites, she is in full control. If she’s not happy with one of the products she sells because the supplier changed something that lowered the quality, raised the prices or made it hard work with (reduced the warranty terms for example), she doesn’t have to work with that vendor anymore.

1. Katie still has 5 other websites that are making money in this example, and…
2. She diversifies, so even the website she is making changes to is still generating income as well. None of her sites become dependent on any single person, product or company. 
3. Working with a new product and vendor is as simple as setting up an account and changing a few links, which can be done in a few hours without any stress. On the other hand, finding a new product and vendor if you’re involved with a network marketing company would mean leaving and starting somewhere else from scratch.
4. Her business is hers and no one can take it away. MLM contracts can enable the company to kick you out if you break their rules… which could be anything from the exact phrasing you use when marketing to the geographical area you’re targeting. Katie's however, runs her business however she sees fit.

In my opinion, what it means to own your own business is not what a network marketing company provides. It's like becoming a contractor with one single client who holds all the cards.  Again, that's fine for a lot of people. Something like World Venture Dreamtrips might be the perfect opportunity.

For others it might not be. You might not like recruiting, or even talking to anyone you don't want to. You might not have any interest in home parties or explaining to your friends and family what you do.

If you're an introvert, you may prefer to sit on your deck, by a lake perhaps… with your laptop and a coffee… quietly working away on your own online business.

And these are not secret strategies, or special skills that take years to develop. They can be learned using free online resources that are available to anyone.