Comments on: Major Lawsuit Filed Against YTB Yourtravelbiz.com – Are Members Fleeing?

By: noel c robertson

noel c robertson — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 20:08:16 +0000

I join YTB some time ago and I’m having a problem in getting my money back. I look at the internet to find out that YTB has been sue across a county. I;m located in Prince George Cty. and I need to speak with an attorney to resolve this matter. The person who got me involved will not answer my question. Her name is Ms. V. Lambert.703-357-0829 and her web-site is http://www.strive2travel.com. strive2travel@gmail.com.
Do you know it there a class action suit in Maryland. Please e-mail at ncrobertson58@gmail.com I was looking fro some part-time income, but no one will help me. I got a Promotion to Travel on a free vacation, but it never happen. I miss my daughter wedding in the Island because of there promise.

By: Reality Check

Reality Check — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 00:34:52 +0000

I love reading the rationlizations (i.e. Many businesses fail, fortune 500 companies are pyramids because those at the top make more money, etc.)…ha ha.. Of course the owner and those at the top make more money – duh…..Of course many businesses fail – duh.

What this is about is the fact that YTB violates the 70% rule and I read the lawsuit word for word and it is all true… As with all MLM’s the product or service is incidental….of the millons of dollars generated by YTB, it all comes from a) the initial set up fees, b) recurring monthly charges, and c) the sale of marketing materials……the actual “product” makes up virtually none of the revenues (I think it accounted for like 14%). So, 86% of the money generated (i.e. giving the appearance of YTB making money) comes from and is supplied by the VERY PEOPLE who are supposedly looking to make some extra part-time income or those trying to “get rich.” That money is then transferred to the few at the top……That my friends is the gist of the suit…not that many companies fail or that those at the top of fortune 500 companies make more than entry level employees – focusing on that demonstrates a lack of understanding of the basis to the lawsuit…..or is simply a rationalization…..people, stay away from MLM

By: Mention

Mention — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 18:33:35 +0000

Here is what people DO NOT realize. YTB means well. who hurts YTB is the very same people thats in YTB , or the MODEL of YTB. The LAW states that they CANNOT make 50% or more from recruiting and they must make 50% or MORE from products. unfortunately YTB make upwards of 80+% from recruiting and less than 20% from Travel. This means that the average person should make more than $500 in commission from travel not from rercruiting to make it LEGAL. I hope that clear up WHY they are being sued and yes I am a part of YTB.

By: Miss Mo

Miss Mo — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 18:01:19 +0000

Has anyone tried to look at YTB a little closer? I mean, really!! RTAs buy-in for $500.00 to sell “TRAVEL”, that is one side of the business. There’s also another side of the business where you sell the “TRAVEL WEBSITES” and make commissions, this side of the business is free, meaning there is no out of pocket cost. YTB will provide you with your own personalize Marketing website, marketing tools and training at no cost, TELL ME, HOW IS THAT A SCAM??
Geeze! come on now, it’s elementary folks.
My husband and I had been in the business for 5 months, sold about a dollar short of $50,000 in travel. I knew nothing about MLM before I got into this business. Now those people that are claiming that YTB lied to them about making money and that they can become financially independent with this company, try to interview them and ask them this one question……..”From the very day you Joined YTB, how much work have you done?” …..In any type of business, ask any business owners out there. If you start your own business and just sit on your behind and do nothing, you think you’ll make any profit? Lazy people shouldn’t start their own home business because all they do is sit on the couch, watch TV, and get fat. Then 2 months later, they start complaining, and suing others because they did not make any money. What a joke.
As far as the Ca. Lawsuit is concerned…This all I can say…..Bill Gates was sued, more than a thousand times, Travelocity, Expedia, got sued quite a few times too. When a company is doing great, growing fast, they get attention, they attract other companies, they pose as threat to their competitions. So people will start to look for things, no matter how ridiculous they are, and accuse other good companies of doing illegal things.
Oh, by the way, i was at that Convention in St. Louis. No one twisted our arms to attend that Convention, and the training provided to us was not about how to scam people, it’s how to sell travel, travel , travel, and how to build our business.
I’ve seen the heart of the company. Coach Tomer, Scott, and Kim are good people. How come everytime a person wants to do good things for others, they almost always seemed to get attacked? Hmmmm…if people are jelous, why don’t they try to do something productive to better their lives. Maybe, create a goal for their families instead of wasting their time trying to destroy others.

By: J Whitner

J Whitner — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 12:52:09 +0000

I’m not sure if you guys understand the lawsuit fully. Maybe you did not read the actual brief…….

YTB lost their IATAN number. A serious travel industry credential. They continued to sell “travel agent” services and websites for $499. The travel agent website is just a Tavelocity website that I could use for free. YTB does not have a legit product. In order to have a legal MLM you have to have a product. YTB has no product.

That is what the lawsuit is about. YTB boasted travel agent discounts, which tey did not have, tax advantages, and inflated salaries that without passing out an income diclosure document.

MLM is MLM. What YTB was doing was illegal practices.

By: David G

David G — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 04:31:52 +0000

listen I can not that their are absolute idiots out their that think any MLM is a “pyramid Scheme” Listen any time any one wants to start a business it takes money “an investment.” you now I read what is written by nothing but losers on here that make ridiculous accusations againts YTB and its founders. The best form of advertising is word of mouth. THAT IS UN-DEBATABLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. YOU ASK ANY MILLIONAIR IN THIS COUNTRY AND ASK THEM IF THEY GOT THEIR WEALTH BY WORKING A 9-5 THEY WILL ALL SAY NO AND LAUGH IN YOUR FACE AND TELL YOU TO GO GET EDUCATED. ANY TIME YOU PAY TO BE INVOLVED IN A BUSINESS THAT GIVES YOU ACCESS TO BE A TRAVEL AGENT AND I REMIND YOU IDIOTS THAT YTB HAS WORLD RENOWNED VENDORS THAT HAVE PARTERNED UP WITH THEM SUCH AS HYATT..DISNEY…HILTION..ROYAL CARRIBEAN. DO YOU IDIOTS THINK FOR ONE SECOND THAT A BILLION DOLLAR COMPANY WOULD ALLOW A “PYRAMID” C0MPANY TO SELL THEIR PRODUCT BECAUSE THE ANSWER IS NO. IF YOU PEOPLE EVEN KNEW WHAT IT TOOK TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN THIS COUNTRY. YOU MAKE MONEY IN YTB SELLING TRAVEL THAT ANYONE CAN BOOK OFF OF THEIR BOOKING SIGHT AND THEY BRING IN RECRUITS BECAUSE IT IS A NO BRAINER. ANY FORM OF BUSINESS THAT IS MLM IS NOT A “PYRAMID” IF THEIR ISA FREAKING PRODUCT THAT IS SOLD TO ANY CONSUMER THAT CHOOSES TO BUY FROM THAT SIGHT. FURTHERMORE FOR YOU STUPID NO FACT HAVING IDIOTS THOSE SAME CONSUMERS GO TO THOSE RENOWNED VENDORS THAT ARE WITHYTB GO TO THOSE ACTUAL PLACES ITS CALLED VACATION. SEE WHEN THEIR IS A PRODUCT THAT CAN BE SOLD AND USED BY A CONSUMER IS NOT A PYRAMID ACCORDING TO ANY LAWYER OR JUDGE THAT HAS A IQ OF 1 WOULD TELL YOU LOSERS THIS. LISTEN I AM NOT HERE TO DEFEND YTB. I AM HERE TO INFORM YOU THAT HAS APERSON WHO OWNES STRIP MALLS AND SUBWAYS RESTURANTS LIKE MY SELF AND MY FAMILY IT IS PATHETIC TO SEE WHAT PEOPLE WITH NO EDUCATION OF THAT PARTICULAR BUSINESS WILL SAY AND DO. IT IS THOSE SAME PEOPLE WHO ALWAYS CRY AND SAY THAT PATHETIC EXCUSE FORBEING BROKE”THE RICH STAY RICH AND THE BROKE STAY BROKE” IT IS THOSE PEOPLE WHO HAVE NO CLUE WHAT IT TAKES TO BHUILD A BUSINESS BECAUSE THEY ARE TO BUSY WORKING FOR A DEPARTMENT STORE OR FAST FOOD PLACE OR HOTEL OR GANITORIAL SERVICE TI ACKNOLWEDGE THAT. WHICH IS SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY ARE COMFORTABLE WITH BEING WORTH $400.00 A WEEK AFTER TAXES AND HAVE NO DRIVE OR DETIRMINATION TO BE SUCCESSFUL BY BUILDING A BUSINESS WEATHER IT BE MLM OR OPERATING A LEMONADE STAND OR RUNNING ANY BUSINESS. YTB IS FAR FROM A PYRAMID SCHEME AND BEILIEVE ME WHEN I SAY THIS NO ONE HAS A CASE AGAINST YTB. WHERE THEIR IS A PRODUCT TO BE SOLD OR BOUGHT YOU NOW HAVE A BUSINESS AND BELIEVE ME THE MOST EDUCATION ANY ONE SHOULD EVER NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT IS A PRE-SCHOOL LEVEL EDUCATION TAKE CARE YOU DILUSIONAL PEOPLE

By: ML

ML — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 01:40:35 +0000

Have you ever heard of a company, that has never had a bad word spoken about them?
Let me use an example of one company that you all know about and have heard about.

Before I tell you the name of this company let me ask you a questions.

Would you invest or buy stock in a company that has:

Been sued so many times, can’t be counted.

Thousand if not millions of unhappy customers around the world.

If you were to ask 8 out of 10 people about this company they will tell you that they
have had a numerous bad experience with their product at least on a daily basis.

More bad press then any company has ever had in history.

In trouble with the department of Justice and local state agency for anti-trust in the past years.

If you search Google and search for their name + lawsuit your will find 26,900 websites about this company.

In trouble with the FTC numerous times.

Paid millions of dollars in fines of the years.

Numerous class-action lawsuit currently in supreme courts.

History of releasing bad products, before they have been tested properly.
Oh, by the way I should also tell you that this company has over 80% of the market share in their category.

Their stock price has been up and down over the years.

Have also lost millions of customers over the years.
I know what most of you are thinking, I would not only never use their product or service,
but also would never buy their stock.

Right?

And, if you said NO, NO, NO. Then you would have missed out on one of the best producing companies in history.

And most of you should just stop using your computer because the company I have been talking about is: Microsoft.

My point is:

That if you are looking for bad news about any company you will find it. If people are not talking about a company, the company is most likely not growing or doing anything.

People love bad news, bad news sells. It took Microsoft over 15 years to hit
1 Billion in sales annually. YTB is about to do it in 8. Only 90 BBB filings against YTB? In comparison to other similar online agencies listed in Travel Weekly’s top 35, that’s a great track record!

Other BBB top complaint companies:
Expedia.com – The BBB processed a total of 1024 complaints about this company in the last 36 months.

Orbitz – The BBB processed a total of 1729 complaints about this company in the last 36 months

Travelocity – Number of complaints processed by the BBB in the last 36 months: 1528. And in the last 12 months: 533.

Not to mention…American Express (Travel Related Services Co.) – The BBB processed a total of 606 complaints about this company in the last 12 MONTHS.

YTB has been in meetings with California for months over a new proposed law in that state concerning the travel industry and it’s potential impact on our business. The discussions reached a stalemate and California filed suit. This is not the first time YTB has been challenged. When any company is revolutionizing an industry, and growing faster than any other company in the industry, the industry doesn’t like it. In our case, that is the travel industry. It is not a coincidence that last year YTB showed up as #35 on the Power List, and within 3 months we were challenged by IATA, Royal Caribbean, and Rhode Island.

Why do you think that happened?

The industry doesn’t like us.

Now we are #26 on the Power List. This lawsuit is a result of the INDUSTRY putting pressure on the lawmakers, not an issue of whether YTB is in compliance with California law.

We will be challenged. We will be shot at. It has happened to EVERY company that changed an industry. It happend to Microsoft, Walmart, IBM, McDonalds, Amway, Mary Kay, Excel, A.L. Williams, and every other company that revolutionized their industry.
Why do you think we would be different — especially when we are taking over the largest indutry in the world?
This is EXPECTED.

Coach, Scott, and Kim are not rookies to this business. They have fought these battles before and won. The blessing WE have is that we have them running the show, and they have “been there, done that” before and been victorious.

During this time we will lose some weak reps. We know that.
There will be competitors out there trying to steal our people. We know that.
There will be some fear and indecision out there. We know that too.

But there will also be LEADERS that step up.
There will be CHAMPIONS born.
There will be people that just decide that WE ARE READY for a fight.

That’s US.
WE are READY FOR THE FIGHT.
We are READY to STAND UP AND LEAD OUR TEAM THROUGH THIS CHALLENGE.

DON’T YOU EVER DOUBT your company’s commitment to YOU.
DON’T YOU EVER DOUBT that we will win this thing.
DON’T YOU EVER DOUBT that YTB will be the #1 Travel Company in the World — No Matter What We Have To Go Through.

REST ASSURED — YTB is all over this issue.
Our attorneys are already in California working on this.
This WILL BE RESOLVED, and when it is, YTB will be even stronger because of it.

Have faith in Coach, Scott, Kim, and your company to handle this matter. They will handle it. It is just a bump in the road.

By: Scott Key

Scott Key — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 04:08:34 +0000

It’s pretty simple. Sit around and do nothing and you won’t get paid. Work and promote your website and you will make money. Which group do you think is behind the lawsuit? YTB is a business opportunity, what you do with it is up to you. There are two basic ways to get paid. Reps make money by SELLING websites. RTA’s make money by SELLING travel through their websites.

By: Chris Grob

Chris Grob — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 06:58:47 +0000

continuation from my last post:

It works simply like this: Let’s say you buy a shoe store. In your store are countless shoes and other items. However, you get very little profit from your items sold in your stores. Now, let’s also say, you sell an exact copy of your shoe store to a friend who in turn get to sell the same things you do. Only in this case, your reward for selling this replicated shoe store is four times as much as selling items in your store, which would you choose, be honest. I sell travel all the time, but it is hard to get motivated from $10.00 commission on a hotel.

By: Chris Grob

Chris Grob — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 06:53:05 +0000

AG Brown is nothing more than a left wing social liberal who thinks everything in the world should be easy. He complains that only a few people at the top make most of the money. Well, he obviously was not at the convention in St. Louis. Everyone in life whether it be in the military, government, coroporate america, or business starts at the bottom and works their way up. If they are going to sue YTB for only a few making money, then let them sue all the MLM’s. Oh and while they are at it, why don’t they sue the big corporations like Wal Mart who give false impressions to low level workers that if they work in thier stores for 20 plus years they live comfortably on thier pension. What this lawsuit gets down to is simple jealousy. AG Brown and the state of California are in major debt and need to get money anyway they can. 4 years ago, nobody cared about YTB. Now that they are getting successful people want their money. AG Brown has been a life long politician his whole life and has no clue how the business world works. The people of California were morons and idiots for electing him. They go what they deserved. I almost guarantee that he never even looked at YTB’s side. A bunch of cry baby brick and mortal travel agencies of which he owed them politcal favors, went whining to him. Now about the issue of YTB paying more in the marketing/recruiting side than travel. On the travel side, YTB has very little control on how much commission the airlines, cruise lines, hotels and other vendors pay them. YTB then takes 60 percent of this commission and pays it to the agents. I