Article Link NY TIMES article on BeachBody

[KarenP]

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/29/bu...ercise.html?hp

Nothing about bad customer service or their "coaches", though.

[Nuggie's Auntie]

Interesting article, thanks for sharing. I'm surprised they didn't mention the multi-level marketing, though.

I was pretty turned off by the bit at the end, about before-and-after photos of participants being 'undeniable proof.' That is hardly what I would call photographs of strangers whose other lifestyle factors are unknown. Those photos would only be really meaningful to me if the subjects were all eating/training/living in the same controlled environment. But that's just me...

[Joni O]

Good article. Interesting - I read it once and then followed the link again, but I was asked for a passsword the second time.

[fluffydogfan]

Thanks, Karen. Beachbody is on my list of companies I won't buy from on principle. My list is too long, but I'm a small, short girl and the only power I have in this world is in my wallet. I figure that I might as well use it.
I don't like Beachbody for their customer service, pyramid sales practices, bullying of legitimate resellers and less-than-truthful marketing. But what upsets me most is how they force folks to buy shakes and supplements that they don't want or need. In this dangerously overweight nation, any company that forces food on people for selfish profit is just plain indefensible, in my opinion.
Sancho -- who shares my love of high-intensity cardio -- jokes that I'm letting Beachbody win if I deny myself their products based on their poor business practices, but I just can't support them. They are my version of the evil empire.

Katie

[Sue B]

Typical PR fluff, but the best part was where they said exercise DVDs are "one of the few growth spots in an otherwise shrinking DVD market".

[Lucky Star]

Originally Posted by fluffydogfan

Thanks, Karen. Beachbody is on my list of companies I won't buy from on principle. My list is too long, but I'm a small, short girl and the only power I have in this world is in my wallet. I figure that I might as well use it.
I don't like Beachbody for their customer service, pyramid sales practices, bullying of legitimate resellers and less-than-truthful marketing. But what upsets me most is how they force folks to buy shakes and supplements that they don't want or need. In this dangerously overweight nation, any company that forces food on people for selfish profit is just plain indefensible, in my opinion.

Katie I also don't/won't buy BB products and agree with many of your comments, but surely no one is forced to buy their shakes & supplements, are they?

[nyskier]

I was absolutely astounded that the reporter did not cover their multi-level marketing schemes, which seem to provide the basis for the company's growth. They did not even mention the endless "coaches" or Shakeology, supplements, etc.

They also did not talk about BBs quest to stop the pirating of their programs.

Seems like the reporter did not do a very good job!

[fitnessjunkie]

Oh so his gf is the one from X-stretch, Shawna. They look good together!

[Buzzer]

This confused me:
“When I stop eating broccoli, I don’t get headaches,” he said of his aversion to coffee. “If I’m going to cheat, it’s going to be chocolate.”

wha...? how does that explain his aversion to coffee? Interesting article. Although, I agree with fluffydogfan. I'll buy my BB products second hand

[2ndgen]

I think the reporter did a good job with the story as it was just a business profile, not an investigative news story or anything like that.

I dislike the paper's style of calling people Mr. and Ms. so just skimmed it, was ok story, IMO.