I experienced a similar situation as the distributor from New York's report. There are at least 20-25 others that have as well. Complaints have been filed with the Attorney General's office in Rhode Island, the BBB, the FTC. Mr. Antonelli has had meetings with the AG's office and the BBB. Now, at least, there is more information on the BBB to warn people to really look at the contract.
My problems lie mostly with the company. While my locator did not do his job, he at least gave me money back and stated that with the costs involved I would not make money at this using them. He offered to help in the future if I decided to try it again.
The web site and the material received is grossly misleading as is what they will tell you verbally. The product is defective, the territory is not protected, the income is grossly overstated, the freight costs are hidden, the product does not move as stated, the guarantee is setup to disqualify 99% of distributors. The references most likely are not real and they refuse to get written premission from those who are "doing very well" so I can speak with them. It fits the FTC's description of a display rack scam.
Mr. Antonelli and others have this worked out very well. They may (and that's giving them alot of undeserved credit) walk just on the inside of the law, but it is not a business to get involved with. I have never come across a business that operates the way they do and be a real business.
Their only advice is to sell you more product to "help" you. There is no addressing of the problems-just the "contract stands" reply. I have proceeded with every suggestion in their "sales manual" only to have spent hours and hours to no gain.
I wish I had known where to go to get more information-although the Country Kitchen Candle department is fairly new and when I checked the Secretary of State, the BBB and FTC, I found nothing. I've borrowed on my house, total about $17,000 to buy into this, set up an office, buy software, advertising, business cards, etc. I am now making payments on my house and can't sell the product.
I do not feel I can, in good conscious, sell the candles to unsuspecting folks because they are defective in that the oil is separating from the wax, leaving a mess inside the boxes on the large ones and dripping through the plastic on the small ones. Some are worse than others, but most are showing the same signs. While they will take the candles back, the shipping is prohibitive and they will take only 72 at a time back. I have around 720 or more left sitting in my basement.
There are many problems I could list, but I hope you get the message. I realize they may threaten some sort of legal action against those of us who write here but the truth is the truth. They have the money to prodeed legally where most of us do not. I truly hope a law firm or consumer group will contact me and others about this and stop this "business".
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