Wines for Humanity Review: Legitimate MLM Company or a Scam?
As someone who’s spent a lot of time researching work-at-home opportunities, I was intrigued when I came across Wines for Humanity. This company promises to allow you to make money by selling wine, and they even claim to have a charitable component. But is this company legitimate or just another MLM scam? I did some digging to find out. In this Wines for Humanity review, we’ll take a look at how the company works, what it offers its members, and whether or not it’s a good opportunity to make money. By the end of this review, you should have a good idea of whether Wines for Humanity is right for you. So let’s get started.
Who launched Wines for Humanity and when?
Wines for Humanity was founded in 2008 by Anton Steinhart, who is still the CEO today. Since its inception, the company has grown to become one of the most popular MLMs for wine sales. Anton was inspired by his own love of wine and wanted to find a way to make it easier for people to get their hands on different types of wine from around the world.
Wines for Humanity is based in Naperville, Illinois, and currently operates in nine states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, and Wisconsin.
The company’s name was inspired by the fact that it donates 10% of its profits to charitable organizations around the world. The donations are focused on helping those in need, such as cancer patients, victims of natural disasters, homeless people, and hungry children.
What products does Wines for Humanity offer?
Wines for Humanity offers a variety of wines from around the world. The wine selection includes reds, whites, rosés, sparkling wines, and more. They also offer monthly wine clubs that allow members to sample different wines each month.
Wines for Humanity also sells:
- Wine accessories, including decanters, aerators, and corkscrews.
- Gift baskets that include a selection of wines and other items.
- Culinary gifts such as gourmet oils, spices, and cheese boards.
Wines for Humanity gets its products directly from wineries in the countries where the wines are made. The company works with a network of more than 500 artisanal winemakers and vineyards, which allows them to offer a wide variety of high-quality wines at competitive prices.
The company also has partnerships with local distributors who help them bring their wines to market. This ensures that customers can get their favorite bottles delivered right to their door.
What is Wines for Humanity’s business model?
Wines for Humanity operates on a multi-level marketing (MLM) model, which means that members can earn money by selling wine and recruiting new members.
Compensation structure:
- Retail Profit: Members can earn a retail profit when they sell products directly to customers. They receive the difference between the wholesale price and the retail price for each product sold.
- Team Commissions: Wines for Humanity’s team commissions are based on a unilevel structure, which means that members can earn commissions from sales made by their team members, as well as those in their downline.
- Fast Start: Members who join Wines for Humanity and make sales within their first 30 days are eligible to receive a “fast start” bonus.
- Leadership Bonuses: Members who qualify for leadership levels can earn additional bonuses based on their team’s performance.
Wines for Humanity has several different ranks that members can attain. As members sell more products and recruit new members, they move up in rank and unlock additional bonuses and rewards.
The ranks and how they work are as follows:
- Founder Club Member: As a founder club member, you can earn 2% on any sales from your team and 10% on any sales from those in your first two levels.
- Director: A director can earn 3% on their own sales as well as 10% on the sales of those in their first two levels.
- Executive Director: An executive director can earn 4% on their own sales as well as 10% on the sales of those in their first two levels.
- Regional Director: A regional director can earn 5% on their own sales and 10% on the sales of those in their first two levels.
- National Director: A national director can earn 6% on their own sales and 10% on the sales of those in their first two levels.
- Global Director: A global director can earn 7% on their own sales and 10% on the sales of those in their first two levels.
How to join Wines for Humanity as a distributor
If you’re interested in becoming a distributor of Wines for Humanity, the first step is to sign up on their website. After that, you’ll need to purchase your starter kit, which will include all of the materials and products you need to get started.
The basic starter kit costs $49. It includes two bottles of wine, a selection of marketing materials, and access to Wines for Humanity’s online training platform.
Wines for Humanity also offers a Deluxe Starter Kit that includes six bottles of wine, access to the online training platform, and additional marketing materials. The cost of this kit is $99.
Once you’ve purchased your starter kit, you’ll be ready to start selling.
What kind of support does the company offer?
Wines for Humanity’s team of support staff is dedicated to helping members succeed. The company provides access to an online training platform, which includes videos and tutorials on how to market and sell their products.
They also provide customer service and technical support to help members with any questions or issues they may have. Finally, the company organ
You can promote your business both online and offline. The company suggests that you use social media as a way to spread the word about your business and connect with potential customers. You can also attend events, such as wine tastings and fundraisers, to promote your business in person.
In addition, Wines for Humanity offers a rewards program that gives members access to discounts on products, exclusive deals, and special offers. Members can also take part in contests and giveaways for the chance to win prizes.
Is Wines for Humanity a pyramid scheme?
No, Wines for Humanity is not a pyramid scheme. The company does have a unilevel structure that allows members to earn commissions from their team’s sales and those in their downline. However, the primary focus of the company is selling wine and other products, not recruiting new members. As such, it does not qualify as a pyramid scheme.
How about complaints or lawsuits?
Updated (2024) – At the time of writing we had noted that Wines for Humanity has been involved in a few complaints and lawsuits. These are no longer able to be verified, so we have taken them down.
In doing further research, however, we noted that Wines for Humanity did receive a notice in 2021 from the FTC. They are included in the FTC’s publication “List of October 2021 Recipients of the FTC’s Notices of Penalty Offenses Concerning Money-Making Opportunities and Concerning Deceptive or Unfair Conduct Around Endorsements and Testimonials.” (1)
Despite this notice, Wines for Humanity is still in business today and continues to offer its distributors a chance to earn money selling their products and is well-respected within the industry. It has changed its practices and policies in order to become compliant with applicable laws.
What we like about Wines for Humanity
- They offer a great opportunity for people to start their own business and earn money selling wine.
- The starter kits are reasonably priced and include all of the materials needed to get started.
- The company provides access to an online training platform with helpful videos and tutorials.
- They offer rewards programs, exclusive deals, and contests for members.
- The company has changed its practices to become compliant with applicable laws.
- They provide customer service and technical support for their members
What we don’t like about Wines for Humanity
- The company has been involved in a few complaints and lawsuits.
- The earning potential may be limited for some members.
- Members have to invest time, money, and resources into their business.
- It may take a while to start seeing returns on your investment.
Are there alternatives to Wines for Humanity?
Yes, there are several other direct sales companies that focus on selling wine and spirits that you can consider instead of Wines for Humanity. Examples include OneHope Wine and WineShop at Home.
Our verdict on Wines for Humanity
Wines for Humanity is a legitimate direct sales company that offers members the opportunity to start their own business and earn money selling wine. They provide helpful resources, such as training videos and tutorials, as well as rewards programs, exclusive deals, and contests.
However, the company has been involved in some FTC complaints in the past regarding their practices and policies. It may also take some time to start seeing returns on your investment, so you’ll need to be patient and diligent with your business. Ultimately, the decision is up to you if Wines for Humanity is the right choice for you. If you’re looking for an opportunity to earn money selling wine or spirits, then this could be a great way to get started.
As always, we recommend that you thoroughly research an potential multi-level marketing opportunity before joining. I Buy I Review is one of your best sources of information on MLM companies and other money-making online courses and programs that claim they’ll make you rich. With our honest and unbiased reviews, you can make an informed decision.
References:
- FTC.gov, List of October 2021 Recipients of the FTC’s Notices of Penalty Offenses Concerning […], https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/attachments/penalty-offenses-concerning-money-making-opportunities/list-recipients-mmo_notice_0.pdf
I buy and review courses so you don’t have to. Sometimes, I even find courses that are legitimate and worthwhile; and that’s how I accidentally came across one that led me to building a 6-figure business in a little under 5 years. Now, I still review courses because it’s my favorite hobby. 🙂 Learn more about me here.
Hello again !
I hope you had a wonderful holiday weekend and more to come .o
i am surprised that you have not responded to my e-mail. You do know well enough that these information is bogus and needs an apology and needs to be taken down where ever it was published. It has done harm already as it was brought to our attention by someone that wanted to join us and decided against it. There is such a thing as truth in reporting , marketing and advertising and you know that you either just copied and pasted from another company or you purposely reported damaging information about us . I do expect to hear back from you before we consider other options
Hi Anton! Thanks for reaching out. As you said, we could not verify the information on the lawsuits so I apologize for that and have removed it from the article. However, I did find direct information from the FTC that Wines for Humanity received a notice in 2021 regarding “Deceptive or Unfair Conduct Around Endorsements and Testimonials” so have added that information to our readers. Thank you!