Lapre's infomercial claims that "The Greatest Vitamin in the World" contains "all you need for optimal health" and also presents a great financial opportunity. The infomercial claimed that the ingredients, purchased separately would cost from $184/month for low-quality ingredients to $379/month for highest quality ingredients. Along the way, Lapre hinted that taking the product might reduce the odds of getting cancer. For $35, viewers could become "independent advertisers" who, the infomercial promised, would get paid $1,000 or "up to $200 a month for life" every time they got 20 people to try the vitamin. The information stated that "nothing like this has ever been created until now!" and that making money is easy because all anyone had to do is direct people to their Web site, which was designed to persuade them to buy the product.
The numbers presented in the infomercial simply don't add up. The vitamin itself retails for $39.95 plus $8.65 for a 30-day supply. Twenty purchases would add up to about $900.
So...
1.) Can Lapre afford to pay out $1,000 for the privilege of collecting $900 (much of which must cover his expenses)?
2.) Is he banking on most people making fewer sales that would enable him to collect more money that he would pay in commissions?
3.) Is he planning not to pay?
4.) Does he expect to collect many other charges (for Web sites, servicing accounts, etc) as he has done with previous promotions?
5.) Is he counting on all of these factors?
6.) Is it realistic for distributors to expect to make many sales?
Additionally, an Internet search on February 8, "Greatest Vitamin in the World" yielded more than 22,000 "hits" that appear to reflect the efforts of hundreds if not thousands of independent advertisers. A search of eBay the same day found that none of the 20 bottles still offered for sale had received a single bid and that 30 "previously attempted" offerings had resulted in the sale of only three bottles at prices ranging from 1 to 55.
Stiff competition plus weak demand is a formula for business failure.
The Greatest Vitamin in the World is a vitamin product that can be purchased in any drug, or health food store in America for a fraction of Lapre's $39.95 price. There is nothing special about Lapre's new vitamin product. Most of the allegations made by consumers against Lapre, and his many business ventures indicate that Lapre could very well be the very best con-man in history. It would appear that very few people— if any— who have ever purchased any of Lapre's products, services, or get rich quick schemes have made any money. Lapre is the only one who has lined his pockets with millions of dollars in other peoples money.
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