[Speed Gibson,
Thursday January 17, 2008 at 6:09pm]
L A Weight Loss goes belly up
For those of us competing in the Anti-Strib Biggest Loser contest, per Junk Food Science there is one less strategy available.
For one thing, you should always beware of getting into anything with big money up front. In this case, L.A. Weight Loss was already famous for very high pressure sales for very high prepaid expenses. So why did it work before? And why did it fail now?
The failure resulted from running out of gullible customers. I'm sorry if I'm blunt. I remember all kinds of marketing they did this past year, and I'll bet their marketing costs were rising rapidly trying to prop up the falling sales. It rather resembles a Ponzi scheme, as all that prepaid money was apparently not escrowed.
People were willing to try it because their basic message was that we (L. A. Weight Loss) can take off the weight. It's our problem, not yours. People love hearing that it's not their fault, that those prepackaged portions are as sumptuous and satisfying as portrayed, and that their supplement pills will bring modern science to bear.
Contrast that to Weight Watchers, which is pay as you go, about $40 a month in my case. They have snacks, scales, cookbooks, and other aids, but all that's optional. They have two plans and weekly meetings, but otherwise make it very clear that only you can make it work. Follow their plan and you will lose weight. Don't and you won't. (I'm a client, not an employee or stockholder.)
And don't think you can do what they do on NBC's Biggest Loser, either, losing 2-3 percent of your weight a week. It's high stress, especially for older bones, and requires constant medical supervision. Lose just 1 pound a week and you'll be over 50 pounds lighter in just a year.
... Pure Weight Loss, Inc. (formerly LA Weight Loss Centers) based in Horsham, Pennsylvania, went out of business on January 4th — shutting down all 400 corporate centers across the country — and leaving countless numbers of consumers high and dry. Unsuspecting customers had prepaid unfathomable amounts of money for expensive weight loss products, diet bars and “nutrition” supplements... money they aren’t likely to ever see.While I have some sympathy for the victims, this is a teachable moment.
For one thing, you should always beware of getting into anything with big money up front. In this case, L.A. Weight Loss was already famous for very high pressure sales for very high prepaid expenses. So why did it work before? And why did it fail now?
The failure resulted from running out of gullible customers. I'm sorry if I'm blunt. I remember all kinds of marketing they did this past year, and I'll bet their marketing costs were rising rapidly trying to prop up the falling sales. It rather resembles a Ponzi scheme, as all that prepaid money was apparently not escrowed.
People were willing to try it because their basic message was that we (L. A. Weight Loss) can take off the weight. It's our problem, not yours. People love hearing that it's not their fault, that those prepackaged portions are as sumptuous and satisfying as portrayed, and that their supplement pills will bring modern science to bear.
Contrast that to Weight Watchers, which is pay as you go, about $40 a month in my case. They have snacks, scales, cookbooks, and other aids, but all that's optional. They have two plans and weekly meetings, but otherwise make it very clear that only you can make it work. Follow their plan and you will lose weight. Don't and you won't. (I'm a client, not an employee or stockholder.)
And don't think you can do what they do on NBC's Biggest Loser, either, losing 2-3 percent of your weight a week. It's high stress, especially for older bones, and requires constant medical supervision. Lose just 1 pound a week and you'll be over 50 pounds lighter in just a year.