Why Bio Globe Singapore is a legal and legitimate business in Singapore.

 

In this article, we will be debunking myths about MLM / Pyramid schemes, with facts and sources gotten from the Ministry of Trade and Industry Singapore:

https://www.mti.gov.sg/Legislation/Legislation/Multi-level-Marketing-and-Pyramid-Selling

 

What is Multi-Level Marketing (MLM and Pyramid Selling?)

 

A Multi-Level Marketing or Pyramid Selling scheme will typically require participants to pay an upfront charge. In return, the participants are promised financial rewards for each additional participant recruited, as well as all new participants who are in turn brought in by their recruits – hence the pyramid-like structure.

As more salespersons are recruited, participants hope to recover their upfront charges and earn sizeable profits. However, such a pyramid schemes will eventually collapse when they run out of new recruits, resulting in those salespersons at the bottom of the pyramid losing all their upfront charges.

In the interest of consumer protection, the Government’s regulation effort is targeted at preventing the proliferation of such high-risk schemes.

 

What does Bio Globe stand for then?

At Bio Globe, we ensure that our company stands and competes at international level, with the company’s professionalism as its main priority. This is achieved by having strong product lines, such as our exclusive line of BMag Sleeptech Magnetic mattresses and Biolytes Smart Water Enhancer Systems.

Coupled with this, we too provide professional trainings for our members. Unlike other direct selling companies, our basic trainings require no fee for all distributors to attend.

These basic trainings include product trainings, as well as soft skills such as customer relations, sales skills and presentation skills – all of which would be beneficial in the long run.

Other direct selling companies may encourage their distributors to purchase and stock up on product, at BioGlobe however, we do not have such mandatory practices/policies. We absolutely:

  • Do not require any investmentsfrom distributors to get started.
  • Do not require any initial membership or recruitment feesthat most direct selling companies are known for.
  • We also provide basic trainings for members, that do not require any cost to distributors.

 

All in all, it is important to take note of several red flags that would be present in a pyramid scheme. These includes (but not limited to): prior investments in a product to get started, pressure from managers and or peers to purchase products, substantial recruitment / membership fees.

These are indicators of an illegitimate pyramid scheme, which is what we at BioGlobe steer clear off, maintaining our mission to deliver the highest level of professionalism.

 

The legal definition of MLM & Pyramid business models in Singapore.

 

Based on the Ministry of Trade and Industry Singapore (https://www.mti.gov.sg/Legislation/Legislation/Multi-level-Marketing-and-Pyramid-Selling).

 

In Singapore, MLM activities in Singapore are governed by the Multi-level Marketing and Pyramid Selling(Prohibition) Act. The Ministry of Trade and Industry administers the Act. And the following business operating models are not legal.

  • MLM (pyramid)
  • MLM (ponzi)

Some businesses however, such as Bio Globe Singapore Pte Ltd, are perfectly legal and legitimate businesses in Singapore as defined by the Ministry of Trade and Industry Singapore.

The original Multi-Level Marketing and Pyramid Selling (Prohibition) Act was first passed in 1973.

In June 2000, Parliament approved an amendment to the Act to widen the definition of pyramid selling to catch all business schemes that were multi-level in nature.However, as not all multi-level marketing techniques are undesirable, the Government concurrently enacted the Multi-Level Marketing and Pyramid Selling (Excluded Schemes and Arrangements) Order (hereafter, referred to as the “Exclusion Order’) to exclude legitimate businesses from the Act, such as insurance companies, master franchises, and direct selling companies which fulfill certain criteria. This Exclusion Order was also implemented in June 2000.

 

Under this Exclusion Order:

Not all multi-level marketing techniques are undesirable. There are legitimate businesses using innovative sales tactics, and should not be lumped together with pyramid schemes. Hence, the Exclusion Order was enacted to exempt legitimate businesses from the Act. The following categories of businesses were exempted:

(1) Insurance businesses that are registered, approved or licensed under the Insurance Act, the Insurance Intermediaries Act 1999 and the regulations made thereunder;

(2) Master franchise schemes and direct selling schemes which satisfy the following conditions:

  • The benefit received by any promoter or participant is as a result of the sale, lease, license or other distribution of a commodity and not as a result of the recruitment of additional participants;
  • The promoter of the scheme shall not knowingly make false or misleading representation or omission relating to the scheme or the commodity;
  • The promoter shall not make any representation on the benefits other than those allowed; There should be a clearly stated policy on refund or buy-back guarantee.

Source: https://www.mti.gov.sg/Legislation/Legislation/Multi-level-Marketing-and-Pyramid-Selling

 

Conclusion: Why Bio Globe Singapore is defined as a legal and legitimate business? 

Therefore, based on these criterias above as defined by Ministry of Trade and Industry Singapore, the system of having a pyramid tiered is technically legal (assuming they meet the criterias mentioned aboved).

Bio Globe Singapore is not aligned with any pyramid / ponzi schemes. And on top of this, we do not even require an upfront fee to join or compulsory purchase of demonstration kits or fees to join in trainings. We also do not require distributors to do unneccessy ‘stock up’ of products like many other businesses do. To make purchase of product from Bio Globe Singapore you are not required to join and participate in the business system.

In conclusion, by definition, Bio Globe Singapore Pte Ltd is a legal business, with legal and legitimate operations, and is excluded from the Multi-Level Marketing and Pyramid Selling (Prohibition) Act as defined by the Ministry of Trade and Industry Singapore.

(https://www.mti.gov.sg/Legislation/Legislation/Multi-level-Marketing-and-Pyramid-Selling)

 

A word of caution:

As some people might have friends / family or perhaps themselves, approached by other companies claiming to be legal and have an legitimate operating model in Singapore, here are some tell tale signs which help spot red flags:

– Beware of some companies that promise you a get rich quick scheme.

– Might have friends / family who joined and was encouraged to buy / invest in the products.

– If you have been approached by someone promoting an idea of easy money without hard work, beware that it might be a pyramid scheme.

– If the company encourages you to ‘stock up’ or purchase large amount of products upon joining. Or perhaps investment ‘stockup’ disguise as ‘starter kits’ as sometimes products are also bundled into the starter kit.

– If the primary focus seems to be focusing only on recruiting new members to invest in products to participate in the business system and not on the sales of product to consumers.