QNET is a victim of endless media accusations, speculations, and baseless complaints. Although more than 5 million customers worldwide have purchased products from QNET in the past 23 years, a lack of understanding is often to blame for people mistaking the legitimate direct selling company for a scam. The truth is that QNET is one of Asia’s leading direct selling companies. It offers a wide range of health, wellness, and lifestyle products to help customers and direct sellers live their best lives. The QNET business model empowers millions of entrepreneurs in more than 100 countries worldwide. People who believe that QNET is a scam or pyramid scheme have been misled and misinformed, which is why QNET executives are speaking out against these baseless allegations.
Beware of imposters
As QNET has expanded in size and scope, predatory business owners have sneakily resorted to posing as the e-commerce giant. In August, QNET fought back against companies in Ghana who illegally opened businesses under the QNET name by aligning with the local Attorney General’s efforts to dissolve the companies. “We are aware that certain individuals have managed to incorporate their companies using our company’s name,” read a statement from QNET via a company press release. “Our company, QNET International Ltd., has not incorporated any subsidiary. The companies incorporated in Ghana using our name are QNET Limited and Quest Net Limited. We do not have any affiliation with these companies.”
Respect local laws
QNET has been so successful in its outreach because it prioritizes following the local laws in the countries in which it operates. “QNET is not an investment company, Ponzi scheme, or B2B and does not support any get-rich-quick schemes. Instead, QNET is an e-commerce-based direct selling company that sells a wide range of our own products and operates in about 25 countries worldwide. QNET abides by the laws in any country within which we operate,” continued the statement from QNET, which addressed the Ghanian trademark breach.
Smart business practices
Despite the company strongly refuting claims that QNET is a scam, rumors have, unfortunately, stubbornly persisted across QNET’s vast network, and QNET’s Regional Director of South Asia Rishi Chandiok recently addressed how baseless those rumors are. “The people who call QNET a scam don’t understand the direct selling business model. Most conflate direct selling with pyramid schemes, in which the only way to make money is to increase membership. But QNET operates on commission. Our distributors only make money based on the products they sell, not the number of people they encourage to sign up with QNET,” explains Chandiok. “The fact of the matter is that QNET is a legal business with customers in nearly 100 countries and local operations in about 25 countries. We are a member of the Direct Selling Association in Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Indonesia. All DSA members are also members of the World Federation of Direct Selling Associations. These DSAs, and the WFDSA, are self-regulating authorities with stringent requirements for membership. We could not operate as a member of the DSAs if QNET were a scam.”
Operate with integrity
In June, the company weathered a double whammy of scam claims and allegations of its distributors engaging in human trafficking in Liberia. QNET didn’t hesitate to address the misinformation head-on. “We outrightly deny this allegation and aver that we are in no manner connected to this,” said Biram Fall, QNET’s regional managing director for sub-Saharan Africa, in response to the trafficking allegations. Currently, QNET is not yet registered to operate in Liberia, but that didn’t stop unsavory business owners from illegally using the QNET name, sparking new scam allegations. QNET’s Public Relations Manager for sub-Saharan Africa, Maxime Peti, shot down the allegations—and encouraged local authorities to take swift action.
Agents of positive change
In continuing to address the Liberian media, Peti also reinforced the positive and lasting impact QNET has on entrepreneurs and local economies alike. “Direct selling companies the world over find that they are competing with the influx of flashy new businesses that offer side hustles,” said Peti in a statement. “QNET recognizes this and focuses on continuously innovating and improving its product offerings, customer experience, marketing, sales strategies, and compensation plan to help people build a lasting business. The QNET business is not just about earning an income, but about building a community and effecting positive change in people’s lives and their local communities.”
Obey a strict code of conduct
In India, QNET defended itself against rumors that distributors were actively recruiting school-aged children. It was yet another falsehood spread against the company: The act would directly violate the terms and conditions that govern QNET’s network of distributors. “The minimum age to become a QNET distributor in India is 18. Therefore, we do not allow distributors to join the QNET business who lack the basic educational background to understand the quality or efficacy of the products they purchase,” said Chandiok in an April statement.
Victim of a corporate raid
After a customer filed a complaint in Bangalore, India QNET came under fire with local authorities. QNET decided to fight back in court and the High Court of Karnataka state absolved QNET from all wrongdoing in the matter. In a lengthy statement, the Indian court called the charges against QNET “unsustainable” and that they “deserve to be quashed.”
