India is no stranger to corruption scams, with latest being the “Mother of All Scams” – Coalgate scam – resulting in potential losses worth an astronomical Rs. 186,000 crore.
In most cases, these scams stuff the pockets of a select few and result in draining the resources of the country. What about borderline cases of marketing fraud that become instant hits, and (supposedly) help thousands of ordinary people cash in during a short span of time?
I came across yet another case of a company called Swadeshi Marketing, whose business principles straddle the no-man’s land between the ethical and the unethical.
It all started when a “friend” of mine (who I now regret befriending him) recently invited me to a “scientific and business” conference to convince me about the perils of using mobile phones, and find a “revolutionary solution” that not only fixes the problems, but also provides a huge business opportunity for ordinary people.
I was skeptical about this because there is absolutely no evidence to support the widespread claim that millions of mobile phone users are inviting cancer with open arms, but felt I could hear a contrasting viewpoint.
Contents
Tricks of the Trade
The money-spinning affair started right at the entrance door, with Rs. 50 being collected as entry fee. Next, the national anthem was recited with all the attendees, after which the “scientific” talk and demonstration commenced.
A smartly-dressed man, who was introduced as a “science buff”, stood up from the front row and attempted to instill fear in the minds of attendees with claims that mobiles phones drain much of the body’s energy, and that a breakthrough discovery of a certain mineral neutralized its effects.
The mineral, he announced, was packed in a pendant which the company sold. The man called one of the listeners for a demonstration and had him interlock his hands behind his back, after which he exerted pressure on them. The man nearly fell the first time. When the same maneuver was applied after the pendant was hung around his neck and his mobile phoned place several meters away, he stood steady. The entire room roared in applause!
Was the scene real or enacted?
Well, this video that appeared in a skeptics.stackexchange.com thread will let the truth out; it explains what’s wrong with the demonstration and other similar ones that were shown in the same conference.
These are some of the points to note from the video:
1) Random words that appear in science textbooks are lifted to describe the magical, energizing pendant. The video gives an example of “harmonic energy oscillation”, but in our story it was “quantum value pendant (QVP)” and “scalar energy”.
2) The demo man stands steady when the pendant is hung around his neck due to a subtle trick employed by the “science buff”, in which the direction of the force is slightly changed towards the body of the man.
3) The reality behind the bogus pendant is revealed – it tries to use all three tactics of unethical marketing to the fullest extent, the FUD, meaning “fear, uncertainty and doubt” to push unsuspecting listeners into believing they’re being presented scientific truth.
Let’s Talk Business
Immediately after the “scientific talk”, another well-dressed man calling himself a top business leader launched a talk extolling the benefits of multi-level marketing (MLM), and how the pendant can be used to swell their distributors’ bank accounts.
MLM did start its life as a legitimate marketing strategy that aimed to reduce the costs incurred due to high profit margins earned by middlemen. The idea is to enroll every buyer as a distributor who gets more distributors to sign up and sell the company’s products, with distributors earning a commission for every new enrollment.
However, when MLM-based companies push for higher earnings, the system works only when productions costs are very low and selling prices are very high – this is proven by the Quantum Value Pendant, which probably costs very little to manufacture but is sold for a price of Rs. 3000.
Additionally, MLM schemes are known to collapse when the company runs out of distributors. Still, the Swadeshi Marketing leader was confident that they’ll go on forever since awareness levels are low!
This is not the first time a mad rush has been made for MLM schemes – Arun had blogged about the Speak Asia Online craze last year and its associated problems.
Why is it that the masses fall for these schemes?
These are some of the possible explanations I have in mind:
1) Even though India has made great strides in technology and business in the last two decades, many Indians are still illiterate and fail to tell the difference between science and non-science.
2) Many educated Indians make it past college through rote learning & some of those front row leaders at the conference included a science graduate, a bank employee and a high court lawyer.
3) People prioritize material gains over business ethics as a means to make a mark in their lives.
It’s over to you now, readers!
Let us know what do you think of Swadeshi Marketing & the Quantum Pendant…. Genuine or Fraud?
Germanium QVP pahnne se ek dadima ne sapta shringi ki yatra ki jo ghar me chalte balance bhi nahi rakh pati thi.mere ladke ka first exam ka result tha 46% second exam ka 74%
kuchh log kuchh logo ko kuchh samay ullu bana shakte hai
kuchh log jyada logo ko kuchh samay ullu bana shakte hai
jyada log bahut jyaada logo ko bahut jyada samay ullu nahi bana shakte
my dear friend SWADESHI MARKETING successfully work in our INDIA since last 17 years.
[…] In India also we have host of such cases – some of the recent being Speak Asia Online and Swadeshi Marketing […]
QVP of swadedhi marketing is a very good,effective product .Everybody should wear it for better health Because,it really works. I have been using it since last 6 years. There may be very great differance in its price..but product is definately useful.becoz,it is scientifically proven. Product. Be positive always..
Hi! Have you seen any scientist invented something which was scientific before the invention? Have you seen a fraud who benefits lots of people for long time.? Scientist needs more then 200 years to proof existence of scalar energy & quantum science since 1800 since James Clerk Maxwell to Nicola Testla to many scientist of NASA to Ion Scalar Energy Program and you understood everything in a few hours. What Swadeshimarketing is hasbeen proven since last 15 year now it’s our term to proof our eligibility to comment .
My dear friends I read your comments on scalar energy. dear I am Msc in physics, pl check your knowledge about. u r not a JEAMS CLEARK MAXWELL, U dont know about a body SCALAR CHAKRA Working. pl dont published such a fullish messages on internet. thank you. KHANDALE from Gadchiroli maharashtra
We are no illiterate bunch of people. This is the only opportunity that can make the Ordinary people into extra Ordinary. May it is your opinion that this does not work. Sometimes jobs too dont work for people, that does not mean that they are bad. Simillarlly for some business does not work, that obviously does not mean that Business is bad. I can just put it this way ” You can fool some people for some time but it is not possible to fool 50 lac families for 14 years” It is high time you decide Who actually are fools, The people who follow or who sit outside and just Yapp. . .
Hi, attitude of slavery never goes , the person who has written such a article on swadeshi marketing is vision less come and see how things r working here, even an doctor take registration fee up to 2000 rs how he pay there and seeing his research on pendant what is that clip reality has he any rigid proof, first see your own life what u r doing tell people what u have achieved then talk of swadeshi marketing. Jo log job mein chappal rag ad the hain boss ke how that people feel time and money freedom, don’t pull legs of people if u can’t do good things for society keep ur mouth closed and do u r routine work or if u have guts come on field show you have nerves. Thanks
I agree with Hitesh Parmar sir……….
Pendant is a Biggest Fraud and is Just a way of MLM Business…..
Hi!
Friends!!!
I do 100% agree about how you feel, same feeling i have had when i saw Quantum Value Pendent 01st time. I know Swadeshi Marketing co. from 2002. When first time Swadeshi marketing introduced Q.V.P. in mumbai i was unable to bilieve on it, but i know Swadeshi Marketing & there ethics. I have participated in demonstrations then i bought it. Still i am not sure, so after i come to home i have done demonstrations on my wife & then i have shown demonstrations to my neighbours. From that point i have gives this Q.V.P. to so many my friends & relatives.
Many people thinks this is something trick. But i can tell you if it is not real or some placebo effect or some psycological effect than i shoud not work wonders for so many high B.P. petients, It must not cure Spine problems of many people who was suffering from more then 05 years from spine, now they are 100% cure.
It works best for joint problems. My dear its proven Science. All ethlits from all over the world accepting it.
About Swadeshi marketing Business Plan: Boss it is 14 year true Network marketing indian Co. 14th year is not a joke. Swadeshi marketing has maximum petented products in whole india & won award from India government of Rs.1,00,000/-.
If it is not real or some sceme than it should not last successfully for 14 years.
Well wait till just INDIA 2020. Actual Network marketing Boom will seen that time. Well my Mission is in Swadeshi marketing:
I AM DIAMOND WITH +06 DIAMOND ON NEXT DIWALI say 31-Oct-2013.
Thanks.
HITESH PARMAR
09223215255
[email protected]
sir thanks for ur massage im in swadeshi marketing fron last 6month n its great work ing with me wife have a back pain from seven years n we done lots of treatment but pain is still but know its no more due to pandent ni agree with u
beware of these frauds.
Lol… I wonder how people actually believe in this stuff. I have seen guys wearing them in Mumbai Local trains, people carrying this thing to gym sessions hoping to have accelerated improvements. Crazy…but true.
People who use these “energy-boosters” and “cure-alls” will swear that they work!
I won’t be surprised if they actually feel a bit of difference in their everyday lives — This can be attributed to a sufficient placebo effect. Otherwise, it is a complete hoax to claim that it stores energy packed in from somewhere and releases it little by little, etc.
I am useing this pandent from last two years ..it gave..me new life..helped me after my brain surgery..iam feeling..active and healthy…i belive in swadeshi pandent…no matter what others say
Interesting article :)
Indian Government need to take serious action against such MLM companies… there are some more like dewsoft, ebiz, etc., Because of huge population illiterate peoples in India lots of such companies are misusing them…
I agree with you that these companies are taking advantage of the ill-informed masses, but I saw some educated people also falling for it.
The typical reaction is “I really saw the cheque, it works!”
Okay, it works because gullible people have signed up to sell that cure-all! I would hate rubbing shoulders with such people.
AHa…yet another ponzi….is it? Who else has attended this Swadeshi marketing seminars? This sure is interesting…