Product: Wake Up Now
Price: $99.95 Platinum, $64.95 Gold, $24.95 Silver (monthly pricing)
Website: wakupnow.com
Rank: 10/100
What is Wake Up Now?
Wake Up Now is a MLM (multi-level marketing) program which promotes a product called the “HUB”. This is essentially an online portal that gives access to discounts on all sorts of things like online shopping, travel, energy drinks, groceries, eating out and more. They also provide langauage learning, tax and finance software. There are three different membership levels and each has varying access to these benefits. However I want to take a few minutes of your time to address my Wake Up Now complaints and why this system most likely isn’t a good product or “opportunity” for you.
The problem with Wake Up Now is not only that it sells a useless product (at least for the majority of people), but nobody can make money from selling their “WUN HUB”. It pretty much requires you to build a downline in order to make money… and that is essentially a pyramid scheme, not legitimate MLM!
How does it work?
You can choose to either become a Wake up Now IBO (Independent Business Owner), or a retail customer. As a customer, you will have access to the online HUB that provides discounts. Depending on your chosen membership you’ll get varying degrees of the provided benefits. As an IBO you will have access to member benefits, plus will have the ability to sell the product to others. However in order to become an IBO you need to first pay a $99.95 fee. You actually need to pay for the ability to sell their product. (This is typical MLM policy).
What is included within Wake up Now?
You have to purchase their platinum membership if you want full access, and that will run you nearly $100 per month. In addition to that, you’ll need to pay $89 just to enter their vacation club to recieve vacation discounts. You can also choose the Gold or Silver packages for $64.95 and $24.95 respectively. If you choose the lower package option, you’ll need to buy additional products from the company before you’re elegible to become an IBO and promote the product to others. (IBOs must achieve a PV of 90 to become eligible, and that level is automatically acheived when one purchases a platinum package so of course they recommend choosing that option).
What’s the advantage to joining WUN?
In my opinion, there is really no advantage. They claim you’ll save tons of money with their products, but the question remains… are you saving money if you spend money to access discounts that are available elsewhere for free? Joining at the Platinum level will cost you $100 per month, plus an $89 activation fee if you want access to the travel discounts. Over the course of a year that’s nearly $1,300.
Let’s take a look at the things Wake Up Now offers and compare them to what you can get in the real world
Travel Club – Claim you can get amazing deals on vacations… but you can find great vacation deals for free online at sites like Travelocity, Kayak or Priceline.
Grocery Coupons – Why would you pay for access to grocery coupons? The Sunday paper comes packed full of them, and the internet has tons of websites that provide coupons for entirely free.
Discounts on dining out – Again, you can find discounts and coupons for restaruants in your Sunday paper or various places online.
Shopping discounts – You can find deals online all the time for free. If you ever shop online, you’ll notice retail stores are constantly offering online discounts – ALL THE TIME! It’s very common for stores to offer 25-30-40% their online merchandise, plus provide free shipping. There’s also places like Ebay or Amazon you can always find great deals.
If you really wanted to save, you could try shopping at a discount store in the first place. (The HUB gives you access to discounts at expensive stores like Nike or other fancy brand name merchandise…)
Have you heard of RetailMeNot? You can find coupons and deals on essentially anything you’d buy online…(and it’s free to access)
Cash back on puchases – They say “up to 40% cash back” but most of the options you’d only get around 1% cash back. You can get cash back for free in various ways. For example, I can get cash back with my Discover card every time I use it to buy gas, eat out or puchase retail items. If you use a program like Swagbucks, you can shop within their store selection and earn points, which essentially equates to cash back…. and I’m sure there are LOTS of other cash back offers out there for FREE!
Energy drinks – Not sure the advantage to this – they’re nearly $50 a pack. If you’re wanting to save money you probably shouldn’t be spending it on energy drinks.
Cell phone discount on AT&T or Verizon – Well, these are the most expensive phone companies to begin with, so if you really wanted to discount your phone bill, why don’t you switch to a different service provider? (Unless you have a large family plan, companies like this may be the cheapest way to go). However, if you’re an individual really looking to save money on a phone you could switch to a prepaid plan like Boost Mobile, Metro PCS or Tracfone and save a LOT.
Tax Bot – May be useful if you’re in need of a Tax software program, but if that’s all you need it isn’t really cost effective to purchase a membership with WUN. You can use Turbo Tax for free if you make under a certian amount of money, and their basic software package is a lot less than $100 a month.
Finance Software – Useful if you actually need it, but if that’s all you want you can find better software for cheaper and that isn’t connected with WUN. They also have programs like Mint.com anyone can access for free.
Language learning software – Perhaps it would be cool to have access to a language learning software program, but in order to get this perk you need to purchase the Platinum membership for a $100 monthly fee. You can pick up language learning software for around $30 bucks!
So let’s see… you’re paying $1,300 per year for access to what? Things that you could have gotten for free or for a whole lot less money? It doesn’t make sense to me why anyone would want this.
Unless…. you are joining for the opportunity to recruit others and make money.
Just take a look at their income disclosure…
This is the income disclosure that’s provided directly from Wake Up Now. It’s actually downright embarrassing if you ask me. Nobody is making money just simply selling this product. In order to make any kind of money whatsoever, you need to achieve at least a founder 4 rank, and that is only possible if you recruit a downline. Even this is only something that less than 1% can seem to master.
Also note that 80% of Wake up Now IBOs are making LESS THAN 54 CENTS anually… and another 16% are making only around $1,200 per year. It’s only the top 1% making all the money. This so called product is a joke. It’s just a front for what it really is – a pryamid scheme.
If you don’t believe me, here’s a quote directly from the Federal Trade Commission -
“One sign of a pyramid scheme is if distributors sell more product to other distributors than to the public — or if they make more money from recruiting than they do from selling.”
…that is exactly what is going on within Wake Up Now. People aren’t making ANY money selling the WUN HUB to others – they’re making money building downlines. This is pretty apparent by just looking at their income disclaimer.
My final thoughts
They seem to try to convince you with their advertising that “saving money is making money”. Well, it’s not. Saving money is spending less money so you can keep more money. With Wake Up Now, you’re spending money to “save money” on products and services that you can find for free elsewhere or at least for cheaper!
This program is essentially useless for most people. A very small percentage of people are making any sort of income from it – and they are the ones at the top. If you want to keep this pyramid going, then by all means join. However if you’re just looking for a discount portal, try Google – it’s free.
Wendy, you cannot say one thing then try and justify it with a lame reasoning. You were told that all you have to do is sell the products and you can become a IBO if you wish to. you then say, well yeah but the easiest way is just to purchase the package. That’s a cop out answer. . the correct answer is Yes, that is one way but most folks are just purchasing the package cause it faster that way or they chose to build the business. If you chose to build the business then yes, you are going to seek customers and others who will like to have a home base business also. wake up now does not say, saving money is making money. who started that. It was not wake up now. wake up now goal is to Save you money. period. help people manage their money, period and then make you money, money. its not written anywhere on their corporate material saving money is making money. if so please leave a link. There is a difference in the two statements. If they are operating like a PS then the FTC will be at them soon also. please provide intelligent reasons for the reason one may not need the products, yours were elementary or senseless. No i’m not in wUN. I dont like to read things that are not 100% correct either.
Stating that the “correct” answer is that one way to become a IBO is to sell products, but that most people choose to purchase the package because it’s faster isn’t any different than the “cope out” answer I gave. I’m really not quite sure what you’re accusing me of here.
Wake Up Now sucks people into paying for a monthly package bundle of savings and software packages that you can either:
A.) Find for 100% free (like on Google), or
B.) Purhase elsewhere without buying into a monthly subscription
How are these reasons senseless? It makes sense to me that I would want to avoid paying for something I can get for free.
The point of me stating that “saving money is not making money” was that for a business opportunity that claims such high profit potential, there certainly doesn’t seem to be anybody using/selling the products that is making money. The sales pitch makes it seem like saving money is the secret to success and ONLY possible through their hub… but simply having access to their savings hub and selling the products to others isn’t making anybody money… it’s selling the opportunity that is the profit maker and therefore the reason why this is a type of pyramid program.
I hope the FTC does come after them, but unfortunately the system isn’t perfect. Take a look at Amway… they’ve been around for 50+ years and have had multiple investigations with the federal trade commission. These resulted in regulations and huge fines, but ultimately they remain in business.
This person that wrote this article has no clue what so ever how to make money with this product. Do your own research. Go on youtube. Learn how you PROFIT off of this. The savings is just a FEATURE on the HUB. Its Not how you Make money.
You obviously did not read the article. I fully understand how people make money with WUN, and that is why I believe it’s a pyramid scheme.
You can pick and choose how you teach your 90 volume. You can also line up people who sign up under you, either as an ibo or preferred customer. I had 12 preferred customers that bought a variety of service and products to reach my personal volume. I am a director 3 making 600$ a month with the company.
If you look closely at the income disclosure there is a line that sys the amount of time dedicated to the company. Most of the people not making any money aren’t putting in the time to promote the products and services.
Yes I do explain there are multiple ways to reach the 90 volume within the review. Yes people who dedicate more time will see better results, but when there’s a jump from averaging pennies by selling the products to 5-6 figures by selling the opportunity, I think it’s pretty clear where the money is (no matter how hard you’re working). I’m glad that you are happy with the way it’s working out for you and which you the best of luck.
Thank you for this!
I have several friends who have been suckered into this nonsense and now I have this lovely page to validate my look of disdain when the subject inevitably comes up.
Well done.
You’re welcome, Jen. Glad I could help.
You do realize that WakeUpNow is also FREE to join, right?! And, on top of that, the website even tells you that you don’t have to pay a penny to become an IBO. Not a lot of people will tell you this, but I like to do my research and I do it well!!! If nobody buys or purchases a product, you won’t get anywhere with WakeUpNow, but if someone buys a $65 product and someone purchased the $25 product, you’re already approaching that $99 or $100 mark with just those two. Although, finding those people seem to be the most difficult part, but there are people who are joining teams everyday! I see it all the time on Facebook LOL
I don’t know and am not a WUN IBO, but I just like for people to know EVERYTHING about a company like MCA and WUN, not just the cons. Oh, and, nice article by the way.
Yeah well you have to reach a volume of 90 in order to become an IBO and the easiest way is to just purchase the platinum package. Yes you can sell it to others to reach the 90 volume… but like you said finding others to sell to is difficult. If you’re trying to sell something you’re not even willing to purchase yourself, you’ll probably have a really hard time convincing others to buy it, don’t you think?