Quixtar Ada-tudes: A View from the Top : Quixtar & XS Energy Drinks

Quixtar & XS Energy Drinks

Wednesday, August 22, 2007 by Ray Alexander
Category: Announcements, Products

Our friends over at XS recently drafted a very nice letter about their relationship with Quixtar, which they shared via email and which we've posted on the Quixtar site. I thought the readers of Ada-tudes might also enjoy reading it ...

XS™ Energy Drinks, Quixtar and Quixtar Independent Business Owners continue to set sales records in their exclusive partnership. Both companies remain firmly committed to their marketing and distribution plans, keeping XS Energy Drinks exclusive to Quixtar and their Independent Business Owners.

"We are extremely proud and excited to be exclusive distribution partners with Quixtar in North America for XS Energy Drinks, and we don't plan to change that," says David Vanderveen, XS spokesperson. "Our commitment to this partnership means we will not be supplying an energy drink to any other MLM company.

In fact, AdWeek just ran a cover story last week* on XS's radical breakthroughs with Quixtar IBOs. It was a lot of fun to shake up the strategic creative thinkers at an advertising agency conference by telling them that we focused on generating bonuses for IBOs rather than on media ads. We remain committed to supporting Quixtar and IBOs in developing their businesses."

Over the past 52-week period, XS has sold more than 6.5 million cases of energy drinks in the USA and Canada. Launched in 2002, XS continues to enjoy radical growth with the most current 52-week sales volume up 15 percent in the USA (a much larger and mature market) and over 76 percent in Canada (a younger and accelerating market).

"XS has been a core brand that we promote to the best of our ability alongside our other exclusive brands like NUTRILITE® and ARTISTRY®," says Jim Payne, Managing Director for Quixtar. "XS has been and will continue to be an important offering to IBOs and a key component for growth. We have no plans to alter this successful partnership."

"We move more than 200,000 cans of energy drinks per day which generates more than $134,000 a day or $49 million a year in bonuses to IBOs from the success of our exclusive agreement with XS" says Payne. "We don't plan to change that - in fact, we plan to launch a new flavor of XS Energy Drink this fall."

Comments

Gonna Miss the drinks not the company said: August 22, 2007 8:50 PM | #

Thats to bad, I'm going to miss my 4 energy drinks every day.

I'm sure the other 20 or 30,000 people will miss them to.

Your product was about the only product properly priced.

Wish you continued success working for a company that will use you up and spit you out if you don't do things thier way. .

OOPS is that what happened?

Did you get threatened??

Do you have a 40 year contract you can't get out of?

Who's knows, from what I've heard illegal pyrmids don't stay in business to long. AND then what will you do?

Peter said: August 22, 2007 9:26 PM | #

XS is the very best energy drink out there today. Its a product that can lead into someone looking at opportunity. Nothing compares to it. People always ask me what I am drinking and where I got it. I tell them its from my business and take it from there. Thank you David Vanderveen and thank you Quixtar.

ps I will help increase volume in Canada. Fired Up !

ken shinn said: August 22, 2007 11:49 PM | #

You cannot promote nutrilite nor Atistry because they are not competitive--I tried to get my wife and daughter to buy the artistry and we used to have four monthly customers in double X in the late nineties--but the price has gone up 50% and now I cannot afford to buy them myself--Why? and when will the energy drinks start costing me 2.50 instead of 1.67 per small can-the bigger xs gatorade type drinks are too high ands o are the trim advantage and protein bars.

Lynn Louis said: August 23, 2007 9:06 AM | #

I wonder how XS will feel about Quixtar and their relationship when their numbers plummet.

Shannon in California said: August 23, 2007 9:44 AM | #

XS is in the same boat as the IBO's. Q is changing the deal on THEIR customers, in turn on them, and they are in a tight contract. They will suffer also with the loss of the group who's motto was "sip twice & eat and profit".

darden said: August 23, 2007 11:35 AM | #

XS leaders are waiting to see what happens just like the rest of us are. They see the writing on the wall...Amway/Quixtar and the few they'll have left or the "One Million Strong"...ummmm

larryL said: August 23, 2007 11:39 AM | #

You have to keep in mind that one of the top Quixtar IBO's is now one of the major owners of XS so they will always have a good deal

TWS said: August 23, 2007 4:03 PM | #

XS has no question been a great product for Quixtar and the IBOs. Thats why the company is coming out with 15-20 products that will have the same marketing/selling success.

Its too bad TEAM leadership didn't spend as much time and effort teaching their group how to market/retail the products as they did complaining about the prices and accusing the company of being greedy, selfish and controling.

My upline approached the company with similar concerns, but with people skills, thankful for all Devos and VanAndels have done and giving all of us an awesome opportunity. Others complained, critisized, threatened and demanded THEIR way.

Now one group is scrambling, trying to figure out what the heck the'yre gonna do, while the other much much larger group is excited. focused and ready to charge with new products, new money, and new vision with Quixtar.

PVBV Guy said: August 23, 2007 8:58 PM | #

It seems that a lot of the team guys who blog have a we're all that attitude. I now there are a lot of organizations affiliated with Quixtar and a lot of great leaders in all lines of sponsorship.

I don't know about what was done back and forth between team and Quixtar; that is for the courts to decide. For them to act like the business will collapse is ridiculous. Will a lot of good people get hurt; yes. Did the decision to litigate vs. negotiate hurt a lot of people; absolutely.

I don't think a lot of the team bloggers are helping things by being so arrogant and acting like they're are the only game in town.

Ben said: August 24, 2007 12:24 AM | #

It's too bad that it appears that disgruntled TEAM IBO's have to leave negative comments. I would hope that they would have learned to either leave without trying to kill the dreams of others, or stay and continue to try and build their own dreams.

KS in NC said: August 24, 2007 12:49 AM | #

You do not know that--one line is competetive --Sa8 and loc use to be---just like the democrats who want to raise taxes and not give tax breaks--less volume because of a non-competitive product line or lack of cash flow equals people who do not understand free enterprise---

rdknyvr said: August 24, 2007 2:07 AM | #

Shannon in California, get real. :)

The motto 'sip 2 eat 1' was picked up by TEAM from Greg Duncan/World Wide Dream Builders, it did not originate with TEAM. It is being used by most of the IBO organizations in North America, in addition to the 5-15% of the total North American IBOs who are in TEAM. And most (or many) of the rest of us are also doing DOT 1... Ditto on the first... etc. etc.

Most of us will be genuinely sad if/when some of the TEAM people leave, but we will quickly make up the difference with all the new retail product coming out, including another new flavor of XS this fall!!! The growth in North America has not been coming only from the TEAM organization.

Steve said: August 24, 2007 10:15 AM | #

rdknyvr,

Sorry to tell you but except for non-Anglo organizations (Korean, Chinese, etc.) Team was the main organization that was growing with double digits yearly. Other organizations were basicly flat in growth. Because of this fact is why so many "flat" organizations have tapped into Team...they are doing something right. Over this past week, Team registered 1000 new IBOs as reported in a Michigan newspaper even with all the issues going on. How many did your organization sponsor this week?

XS, Quixtar (oops, I mean Amway) and a lot of IBOs caught in the middle will all suffer to some degree no matter how this plays out.

Luskey Green said: August 24, 2007 11:01 AM | #

The essential 'deal' has not changed. High quality products priced according to quality for a market that appreciates quality over price is what product is all about. People that can't sell quality can't sell products. Why? Is it because they were NOT trained to sell but complain about price. [Creating a situation where pressure is exerted to affect price is a federal crime.] Probably. They were trained to recruit wholesale users of the product like themselves and try to sell to people who say no to the opportunity. (Multil-level wholesale buying schemes are illegal.) An IBO is supposed to be a marketing business marketing products to retail comsumers. Who changed the deal so that 'dreams' are what is sold, with the cost being subscriptions, CD's, expensive seminars and motivational rallies? My path to dream fulfillment cost me $135.00 a month not including major functions until my heart attack and I couldn't payout the money anymore. Sure it was voluntary - but I got no help at all if I didn't volunteer. Who changed the deal into this kind of opportunity? Amway is a high quality organization with high quality products but got stuck with a reputation created by IBOs with greed uncontrolled. There was a change alright. Hello, NOW to get QBI bonuses your 'support system' has to accredited by Q/A which won't happen if deception and/or a scam is taking place. Someone took control and someone sued.

Why are people not using their real names? So much for open, transparent dialogue.

Tex said: August 24, 2007 2:06 PM | #

rdknyvr,

There hasn't been much net growth in Quixtar in over a decade.

Steve,

You believe what the newspapers say about the 1,000 new TEAM IBO's?

Luskey,

There are pressures exerted to affect price every day. It's called free enterprise. Which federal law are you talking about?

The deal was changed by Dexter Yager and copied be many others to generate huge tool profits. Rich DeVos complained about this in 1983 but never followed up and took action. Have you read/listened to the "Directly Speaking" recordings?

I don't use my real name for a variety of reasons. You don't know me anyway, so what difference does it make?

bld said: August 24, 2007 2:34 PM | #

Steve, what company were these "new IBO's" registered into, the new MLM your "team" has been been working (uh, sorry, plotting) on for a while, or the company whom you obviously disdain? And if the latter, meaning Quixtar, why in the world would you register people in a company you felt that way about? Is it your honesty, integrity, and love for helping other people, or something else?

Bridgett said: August 24, 2007 2:42 PM | #

Ya know,

If TEAM only knew what they were doing with their negative comments...

TEAM loyalists, newsflash: The more you tell us what CAN'T be done, the more fuel it gives us to GET IT DONE.

Thank you so much for the external motivation.

I am SO looking forward to the new fiscal year!

angryibo said: August 24, 2007 5:05 PM | #

Why is TEAM being raked over the coals for selling motivational tools and told they're competition to Quixtar, yet Dexter Yager and his family have done the same thing for 40 years and it IS a pyramid - no one can ever make more money in his tool system than he does.

Besides, why would IBOs want another bonus that has to be reached by self-consumption, always making excuses for the high prices of SAME brand merchandise and constantly having to replace bodies?

I'd rather they didn't build in so much profit that they have tons left over FOR the bonuses.

KS in NC said: August 24, 2007 5:46 PM | #

In NC I was with Britt-I am now with Team--It is much better to grow a viable business and as long as the XS drinks are competitive I can build it buy selling some to folks who do not want to get in-What can and do you non-team people sell--be honest in the last six years what can you sell competitively--Do not give me that exclusive stuff --Thank God for someone in America standing up to the people who become billionaires off other folks hard work and I am a strong Republican. Building depth was taught by every diamond plugging with Britt even Greg Duncan--Don't give me that stacking mumbo jumbo--you don't even know you are just using talking points like the Associated Press! Most of youdo not know the history--Woodward and Brady and Goetschel are geniuses and great men! Period!

Tex said: August 24, 2007 10:18 PM | #

angryibo,

TEAM wasn't terminated because they were selling tools. Dex has had several groups break off, because these folks wanted a bigger piece of the tool scam action.

At this point, the bonuses are needed to wean the upline off the tool profits. Unfortunate but true.

boogybren said: August 24, 2007 10:22 PM | #

Holy cow! I think we need to get everyone's definition on "competitive". This isn't generic quality stuff we sell. Is Artistry competitive with Revlon? No. But we don't compete with them either. Is SA8 competitive with Tide? Absolutely! I go out fairly often and compare our products with products that are close to our quality all the time. Even with against Wal Mart, which supposedly has these fantastic prices, we still come out on top with most things. Are we always going to have the best price? No. The corp doesn't go and do loss leaders for us like the local stores do. We have the ability as business owners to throw sales if we want. We could do loss leaders also. Would I recommend it? Probably not. But it's YOUR choice as a business owner. To all those who are complaining, I would recommend that you set whatever you have learned about your business aside and be willing to learn how to market. I market just fine as does thousands of other IBO's. If you are getting complaints from customers because the prices are too high, you better check what they are purchasing in the first place. I am willing to bet that they are buying low end products in the first place and would drive all over town to use their $.50 coupon. Serve their customers with what they want to buy. Then go find other customers! The quality of our products are awesome! Do some due diligence and prove it to yourself. For who we compete with, we are very competitive.

rdknyvr said: August 25, 2007 12:46 AM | #

Steve, why are you selectively eliminating the "non-Anglo" organizations in the North American Quixtar environment? So it shapes your data set to better support the argument you want to make? Within the organization I'm affiliated with there have been groups -- the ones who are working it -- who have THREE DIGIT growth this past year (almost 300% in one major EDC group), using appropriate and legal depth and width building practices, within Quixtar rules. I've posted at length on that before, if you've been following these blogs for awhile.

TEX, I agree with you on NET growth -- it has been flat for a decade. In a different post a few weeks ago I quoted US Dept. of Labor GDP data that shows Quixtar would have been at $1.34 BILLION since 2000 if all they had done was to track US GDP growth -- US GDP grew 34% from Jan. 2000 to Dec. 2006. However, there has been "internal" growth including TEAM and other systems, and some non-system IBOs, which has offset declines in some groups or within some groups. There has been excellent revenue/product sales growth where concepts like 'sip 2 eat 1" or "sip 2 eat profit" etc. (originating with Greg Duncan/WWDB) have been implemented.

rdknyvr said: August 25, 2007 12:58 AM | #

Steve, regarding how many did our organization "put in" last week, I don't know... don't have access to those numbers for North America. But I can tell you at a meeting after an Open here this past Tuesday, people were reporting 5, 8, 13, other numbers PERSONALLY put in in the past week, and one person reported similar growth in her business in China, Thailand, Indonesia in addition to her North American business. We are actually seeing an explosion of new people coming in, in the particular LOS I'm part of, and wanting to sell, not just "self-consumption and register others to self-consume."

No question that TEAM has enjoyed some great sponsoring growth numbers in recent years, and we applaud that. But TEAM decided to start their own MLM, in addition to not wanting to submit their Training System to new rules designed to ensure FTC compliance. The name change and pricing? Those are smoke screen issues, sorry.

Tex said: August 25, 2007 12:16 PM | #

rdknyvr,

I assume Steve is complaining about the "Anglo" businesses not growing, with the notable and past growth of TEAM being an exception, because he is a white guy.

rdknyvr said: August 25, 2007 5:28 PM | #

Tex, lol. He may have picked that point up from Chuck Goetschel's "Goldilock's" letter (which I'm going to comment on later). And I thought this business was supposed to be blind to ethnic/cultural orgins and how much pigmentation is genetically pre-programmed into our skins. The selective comparison of businesses' growth based on whether they are "Anglo" or not is thus flawed in numerous respects. All of the strong businesses I'm familiar with include a balance/mixture of successful people from different ethnic backgrounds, and we all learn from each other instead of discriminating and whining.

Tex said: August 26, 2007 8:59 AM | #

rdknyvr,

While I agree with you, there will always be racism, because there will always be people like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton running around dividing us. Now someone will think I am anti-African American for using these very visible and constantly error prone names.

There are also cultural trust issues at work here. People of an ethnic class tend to trust those from the same class, although the Anglos probably trust each other least of all. Take a look at the characters in the TEAM disaster. Is there a single non-Anglo involved? How about during the TIF blowup? How about the Morrison, Anderson, Stewart, or Hart bootings?

That's just the way it is, and the awareness of MLM/Quixtar/Amway is higher in the Anglo group than the other groups, and I believe they depend on the internet for information more than the other groups, therefore the other groups have a higher growth rate.

Some people just don't get it. Look at the pictures at the top of this page, do you think they get it? I don't know. They are rightly focused on product volume, but need to see the longer term implications.

The Grand Rapids/Ada territory is a fairly isolated Anglo area, so I don't know how much meaningful thinking goes into this issue.

Christopher said: August 27, 2007 2:18 PM | #

Ok, I was doing some research about the "Team" and why they decide to push the XS product line before I joined. Reading your comments allude to something. Can anyone just spell it out for me? Thanks

Tex said: August 27, 2007 3:48 PM | #

Christopher,

The XS was competitively priced when it came out (it no longer is), and the health/wellness market is huge and growing, so it was a natural fit to generate PV.

To another commenter, who said they live in a poor area and buy $2 worth of detergent because they can't afford a bigger $20 box, they probably can't afford to buy drink energy drinks, either. You need a different strategy for these areas, STEP and DOT1 probably won't work, but that was the "one size fits all" mentality of TEAM.

Josh said: August 28, 2007 6:38 PM | #

Tex,

You must be joking when you say XS isn't competitive. I believe you talking about the drinks. Dude, 2 bucks a can, retail is competitive. I see a lot of others for 2.50, 3.00 and even 3.50 in some cases.

They are plenty competitive and offer a great edge over the competition. NO SUGAR, and REAL ENERGY!

Jeffrey said: August 28, 2007 6:47 PM | #

XS is competitive in price. Red Bull sells at regular grocery stores in the Des Moines area for $1.99 a can(Dahl's, Clive, Iowa, 8/27/07). XS is $2.00. I would call that competitive. Red Bull sells for $7.49 for a 4-pack which is $1.87 a can so there is a tiny advantage. Wholesale, ours costs $1.70. Also, if you buy Red Bull at a convenience store (and people do or they wouldn't continue to carry it), Red Bull sells for $2.19 a can. (Quik Trip, Windsor Heights, Iowa, 8/28/07). Does the Red Bull salesman back his truck up to your front door and deliver the stuff? When my Q order comes, it is delivered right to my door. Sometimes when I have had an exceptionally large order, when I answer the door, he brings it in to my living room. Price aside, it doesn't get any better than that. That's why I make sure my driver gets a very nice gift every Christmas. Also, we get PV/BV: 20.40 BV x 15%=$3.06. That makes the cans $1.45 a can. 20.40 BV x 25%=$5.10. Let's see, that makes it $1.28 a can. 4900% of B-12? I don't think I'll ever see a competitor offer that in my lifetime. I've said it before, if people don't think our products are competitive, they just simply are not using them, and of course, they are not selling them. Energy Drinks are taxed in Iowa, but that's because they tax almost everything in Iowa because the state is bankrupt, but that's another story.

Tex said: August 29, 2007 11:25 AM | #

Josh,

I don't argue XS drinks are the best quality, but we were discussing price.

The prices have come down for the other brands, a result of competition. You can still find expensive ones, but you have to go to convenience stores, not grocery and discount stores.

Jeffrey,

I'll do some local pricing comparisons and report back. I understand the PV/BV and delivery convenience factor, but a customer has to be sold on quality and price, including delivery charges (unless you deliver them and give them free or reduced shipping).

Jeffrey said: August 29, 2007 4:51 PM | #

Let's compare head to head: XS Energy has 100% of B-5 and Red Bull has 50%, so you'd have to buy 2 cans of Red Bull to get the XS equivalent. Now, here's the kicker: Red Bull has 80% of B-12 and we all know that XS has 4900%. You would have to buy 61 cans (actually 61.25) of Red Bull to get that much (it would be 4880%). Anyway, your cost for Red Bull would be $121.39. Our XS has 8 calories. Red Bull has 110, probably because of the sugar. 110 times 61 is 6,710 calories vs. 8 calories. So not only will my customers save $119.40 per can, they won't have to spend money on putting a double door on the front of their house so they can get in and out. EOS DWI (End of Story, Deal with It.)

Jeffrey said: August 30, 2007 1:12 AM | #

I didn't mean to be so blunt at the end, but I get tired of people saying our stuff isn't cost competitive. Some is, some isn't. Even Wal-Mart doesn't have the best prices on everything, although they want you to think they do. Hey, if you don't mind walking all over a 100,000 square foot store to save a buck, go for it. For some people, it's probably the only exercise they get. Anyway, I'll keep placing my A/Q orders and sit around on Wednesday afternoons drinking my XS while waiting for my orders to show up.

Tex said: August 30, 2007 4:15 PM | #

Jeffrey,

You're still talking quality and convenience, and I agree with you.

What can't be argued is the prices of the other drinks have come down, XS has not (except for the free shipping, which is a major or minor point with each individual customer).

Jeffrey said: August 30, 2007 6:58 PM | #

Tex: Do some actual cost comparisons with documentation to back it up. The store where you got the price, the brand, the actual cost, the size of the container, the servings per container, and when you did it. That's the only way you can do an actual cost comparison. When I do mine, I document everything so that if a customer thinks that I am lying, they can go check it out for themselves, and I am in compliance with the companies' rules on cost comparisons. Don't just tell me the prices have gone down. I ain't from Missouri, but you've still gotta SHOW ME.

confused said: August 31, 2007 2:19 AM | #

As an ibo in the true north, are the diamonds still with quixtar, or are they withteam?

Tex said: August 31, 2007 12:01 PM | #

Jeffrey,

I already said I would do that, and know how to do a cost comparison, I just haven't done it yet. I don't go to the stores very often :-)

I also view Energy Drinks as a "created" market. I even went to an Open recently where the presenter bragged he never used to drink Energy Drinks until he joined Quixtar, and now he drinks several XS drinks every day. With the wide variety of products Quixtar has available to replace others that we already use, this sounded dumb to me. I buy the gallon jug and drink XS for less than half the cost of the cans, don't have to order them as often, and don't have to carry them around.

confused,

Why don't you ask them?

qstar employee said: August 31, 2007 9:37 PM | #

5 of 6 ibos who achieved emerald level since 2000 have been from TEAM! 5 of 6!

Think about that...

jthompson said: September 1, 2007 2:43 PM | #

qstar employee said:

August 31, 2007 9:37 PM | #

Your 5of6 stat is wrong, think about that!

Tex said:

August 31, 2007 12:01 PM | #

I like your posts... but you have Poverty thinking. You are focused on saving money and discounts... not on investing.

That is great to drink the gallon jug... buy how much xs sales you do carrying around a gallon jug? that is nerdy to me.

Perfect Melancholies... tend to really like saving money and not getting ripped off and beware of salespeople a lot of times... .not always.

They are also intelligent..... but common business sense is needed as well.

Just b/c logically an idea is better.... if it doesn't translate into greater results, it don't work.

Jeffrey said: September 2, 2007 12:51 AM | #

I never drank energy drinks until XS, either. I have yet to even taste Red Bull or any of the others. Well, Monster I have tasted because it's in the pop machine where my wife works. I never even tasted XS until I called a very active downline and asked if I could buy one can of each flavor to see which ones I liked the most. Those are the ones I hand out as samples. And, Tex, what do you mix the gallon jugs with? Or are you a really tough guy and drink it straight? (Just kidding.)

jthompson said: September 4, 2007 12:49 PM | #

SIMPLY NUTRILITE PRODUCT LINE - YESSSS!!

Glory to God!!! Halleujah!!!! jthompson is back in business!!!

Guys/Galas - jthompson loves this business but the biggest challenge he had was he was raised to be a "health nut" (he calls himself "a creator of world-class health and fitness") and he was taught by previous mentors to eat only natural/organic foods b/c his body is natural and organic. jthompson was glad Quixtar had the XS line of products b/c they related to young people but he does not eat "sucralose" and other "man-made" artificial food/sweeteners.

Now jthompson can duplicate his upline by eating and drinking pv....

Thank you Quixtar!

jthompson said: September 4, 2007 1:01 PM | #

Thanks Quixtar for coming out with SIMPLY NUTRILITE product. This makes a BIG difference to the "Whole Foods Market Peoples" that don't eat unnatural products like "sucralose". Now i can duplicate my upline by drinking/eating most of my pv. Thanks Quixtar for listening.

Josh said: September 5, 2007 1:48 PM | #

JT,

Do you find a bit weird to refer to yourself in the third person?

Are you trying out for the WWE? "Yes, Brother, with these huge guns, jthompson is going to own you!! ARRrrrhh!!!!"

Just kidding, but dang funny!!

rdknyvr said: September 5, 2007 3:52 PM | #

qstar, sorry for not replying sooner, I missed your post earlier.

Your 5 out of 6 Emeralds stat comes from Chuck Goetschel's "Goldilocks" letter of a couple weeks ago where he conveniently filters out stats from non-'white boy' organizations. Actually it's under-the-radar racist in my books. Why would one segregate the data to exclude "non-anglo" (to use Chuck's wording) Achievers? Perhaps to attempt to make a case that doesn't hold up quite as strongly if you include all the folks in North America?

Hmmm... think about that!!!

rdknyvr said: September 5, 2007 6:51 PM | #

qstar, similar comment to what I posted for UplineDad.

The actual stat that Chuck G was trying to construct was for FOUNDERS Emeralds or above... so not only is he cutting out all the "non-Anglo" groups achievers', but he's cutting out ALL the new Emeralds.

Should there be more? Yes.

Have others of us pointed out the relatively flat net growth profile of the past 6 years, long before TEAM leadership tried to grab the issue? Yes.

Has it in fact been a key point of concern and action on the part of Quixtar executives and leaders for the past two years YES, YES, YES. That's what the Transformation is all about, that you don't want to participate in.

Josh said: September 6, 2007 1:16 AM | #

Tex,

I have to agree with Jeffrey. I have seen many different stores, supermarkets, etc. sell the Red Sugar Water Bull for 2.15 a can. When bought in a four pack, price is 7.85 at one store and 7.99 at another.

I actually asked the store manager how they were able to buy it and sell it at that price. He said they buy cases and cases of it. However, the price they pay doesn't drop very much per can. They are trying to sell more volume to increase their profits. They also advertise it in a big sign on their store front.

That is competitive in my book. I also have looked at many of the other energy drinks and they contains nothing. Just amped up soda.

What is even worse is the diet Red Bull. No one that I know has said it gives them a boost. Why? Because it isn't 27g of sugar.

jthompson said: September 6, 2007 10:37 AM | #

jthompson referring to himself in the 3rd person?

Yes - i confess my blogging email has got to big. My inspiration comes from orrinwoodward.com blogs where he continually refers to himself in the 3rd person. I decided if it works for him, it may work for me.

Worlds most powerful blogger!

jthompson said: September 10, 2007 2:59 PM | #

I meant my blogging ego, not email, has got big :)

____

TEAM - good luck in getting exclusive rights to market EXCLUSIVELY products in an mlm business.

Orrin and other have ZERO experience in operating a mlm Corporation. But they are experts enough to tell Quixtar how to do it!

___

Amway started with Rich and Jay inventing LOC in bathtub (?).... it takes products to run mlm corporation.

Its like criticizing Kobe Bryant for shooting too much after he scores 81 points and leads his team to come-from-behind victory.

Quixtar/Amway understand that to be at the top of the mlm mountain for 50 years, they are the most visible company in their industry, and b/c they are the most visible, their imperfections are seen as well as their strengths.

James Wilcox said: September 25, 2007 1:49 AM | #

I always see the comparison between Red Bull and XS...and nobody ever mentions the most important thing. Flavor! Taste!

(...) Red Bull (...) tastes like the picture it depticts on the can. No thanks. I'll take the diet cola flavor and throw in a splash of Bacardi rum to spice it up. And now XS has a new flavor? I'm all over that diet cherry cola! Are you kidding me?

If I weren't constricted by the IBO code, this beverage would be all over my local korean convenience store and I would be turning a huge profit.

Bottom line, taste always trumps fashion/popularity in my book.

Editor's Note posted by Katie Pearsall:
This comment has been edited to adhere to our civil discourse policy.

Tex said: September 25, 2007 10:53 AM | #

jthompson,

I think the more accurate story is Rich and Jay purchased the rights to the LOC formula from another person, then first mixed up the ingredients in a bathtub.

James,

Flavor/taste is the most important thing to you. Some people value cost, others favor convenience, others the short term buzz, etc. Red Bull is #1 even though it tastes bad for a multitude of reasons.

no scam said: October 4, 2007 5:01 AM | #

Only 8 calories and filled with artificial sweeteners. Sounds like a good health food to me.

Just as a wholesale comparison. I buy red bull for around $1 a can. I can double my money on every can I sell. You cant do that with XS.

And to everyone who says red bull tastes bad, well its still hugely popular so a lot of people out there must like it.

(...) Quixtar/Amway always have a new line of people chanting the same lines. The people at the very top get rich and the rest are blinded by the idea of fortunes they will never see. (...)

Editor's Note by Katie Pearsall:
This comment has been edited in order to adhere to our civil discourse policy.

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