Opulence Global Review: Global Wealth Trade beauty & health reboot
Global Wealth Trade launched in 2005 with exclusive Feri fashion ranges spanning jewelry, handbags, watches, wallets and sunglasses.
BehindMLM initially reviewed Global Wealth Trade in 2012, and again in 2013 following a compensation plan update.
In late 2016 Global Wealth Trade expanded their product offering to include the Feri Flawless personal care range.
In early 2018 the company introduced the Fountain of Life nutritional supplement.
This was followed by a complete corporate re-branding, which saw Global Wealth Trade renamed to Opulence Global.
In an interview with Ted Nuyten earlier this month, founder and CEO Ramin Mesgarlou (right) claimed the name-change was due to the company’s expanded focus.
We are different company today than we were in 2005 when we first launched with just high-end jewelry.
As a matter of fact we are a completely a different company today than we were even a year ago before the introduction of our … anti-aging skincare systems and our super antioxidant scientific breakthrough.
Considering our last Global Wealth Trade review was published over five years ago, I felt it was time for an update.
Read on for a full review of the Opulence Global MLM opportunity.
Opulence Global Products
Whereas Global Wealth Trade initially marketed fashion products, in Opulence Global that has been expanded to include beauty and health ranges.
Fashion ranges featured on the Opulence Global website include jewelry and watches, bags and wallets, shoes and accessories.
Opulence Global’s beauty range is named Feri Flawless and includes:
- Dual Action Hydrating Cleanser
- Revive 5 Day Moisturizer
- Quad AG Night Serum
- Dream Lips lip treatment and
- Eternal 5 Eye Serum
The sole product in the health range is Fountain of Life.
This formulation captures the power of the Picea Abies extract from the Norwegian Spruce with its incredible antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
Note that Opulence Global do not provide retail pricing to potential retail customers on their website.
The Opulence Global Compensation Plan
The Opulence Global compensation plan combines retail commissions with residuals paid on a binary team.
Additional performance-based bonuses are available, with a strong focus on signing up as and recruiting Lifestyle Advisors.
Opulence Global Affiliate Ranks
There are nine affiliate ranks within the Opulence Global compensation plan.
Along with their respective qualification criteria they are as follows:
- Retailer – sign up as an Retailer affiliate for $100 and generate 35 PV a month (note does not qualify for MLM commissions)
- Lifestyle Promoter – sign up as a Lifestyle Promoter affiliate for $483 and generate 75 PV a month
- Lifestyle Advisor – sign up as a Lifestyle Advisor affiliate $1394 and generate 150 PV a month
The Lifestyle Director ranks have separate initial qualification and monthly rank maintenance criteria.
Lifestyle Director Initial Qualification Criteria
- Lifestyle Director 1 – maintain 150 PV a month, recruit and maintain two Lifestyle Advisors who each recruit two Lifestyle Advisors, all generating at least 150 PV a month
- Lifestyle Director 2 – maintain 150 PV a month and recruit and maintain two Lifestyle Director 1 or higher ranked affiliates (one on both sides of the binary team)
- Lifestyle Director 3 – maintain 150 PV a month and recruit and maintain two Lifestyle Director 2 or higher ranked affiliates (one on both sides of the binary team)
- Lifestyle Director 4 – maintain 150 PV a month and recruit and maintain two Lifestyle Director 3 or higher ranked affiliates (one on both sides of the binary team)
- Presidential Lifestyle Director – maintain 150 PV a month and recruit and maintain two Lifestyle Director 4 or higher ranked affiliates (one on both sides of the binary team)
- Royal Lifestyle Director – maintain 150 PV a month and recruit and maintain two Presidential Lifestyle or higher ranked affiliates (one on both sides of the binary team)
Lifestyle Director Monthly Maintenance Criteria
- Lifestyle Director 1 – generate $200 in new retail sales volume each month and generate and maintain 1500 GV (min 500 on both sides of the binary team)
- Lifestyle Director 2 – maintain $200 in new retail sales volume each month, generate and maintain 5000 GV (min 1650 on both sides of the binary team) and 750 PGV
- Lifestyle Director 3 – maintain $200 in new retail sales volume each month, generate and maintain 30,000 GV (min 10,000 on both sides of the binary team) and 1000 PGV
- Lifestyle Director 4 – maintain $200 in new retail sales volume each month, generate and maintain 100,000 GV (min 33,000 on both sides of the binary team) and 1500 PGV
- Presidential Lifestyle Director – maintain $200 in new retail sales volume each month, generate and maintain 500,000 GV (min 165,000 on both sides of the binary team) and 3000 PGV
- Royal Lifestyle Director – maintain $200 in new retail sales volume each month, generate and maintain 1,000,000 GV (min 330,000 on both sides of the binary team and 3000 PGV
PV stands for “Personal Volume” and is sales volume generated by retail sales an an affiliate’s own product purchases.
GV stands for “Group Volume” and is PV generated by an affiliate’s downline.
PGV stands for “Personal Group Volume” and is PV generated by personally recruited affiliates only.
Retail Commissions
Opulence Global affiliates earn retail commissions on sales to retail customers.
The retail commission rate is the 30% difference between the retail and wholesale price of ordered products.
Recruitment Commissions
Opulence Global affiliates are paid to recruit new Lifestyle Promoter and Lifestyle Advisor affiliates.
Retailer and Lifestyle Promoter affiliates earn $35 per Lifestyle Promoter and $105 per Lifestyle Advisor affiliate recruited.
Lifestyle Advisor and higher ranked affiliates earn $50 per Lifestyle Promoter and $130 per Lifstyle Advisor affiliate recruited.
If a recruited Retailer affiliate upgrades to paid Lifestyle Promoter or Lifestyle Advisor affiliate membership within their first thirty days, the recruiting affiliate is paid recruitment commissions as above.
Residual Commissions
Opulence Global pay residual commissions via a binary compensation structure.
A binary compensation structure places an affiliate at the top of a binary team, split into two sides (left and right):
The first level of the binary team houses two positions. The second level of the binary team is generated by splitting these first two positions into another two positions each (4 positions).
Subsequent levels of the binary team are generated as required, with each new level housing twice as many positions as the previous level.
Positions in the binary team are filled via direct and indirect recruitment of affiliates. Note there is no limit to how deep a binary team can grow.
Each Opulence Global product corresponds with a reduced sales volume amount.
Sales volume is calculated as 30% to 60% of a product’s wholesale cost.
Sales volume within the binary team is generated via retail sales, recruitment of new affiliates (Lifestyle Promoter and Lifestyle Advisor) and affiliate product purchases.
Commissionable volume on both sides of the binary team is calculated weekly.
Opulence Global pay residual commissions using a 2:1 or 1:1 ratio match on multiples of 900 GV.
A 2:1 ratio requires a minimum of 600 GV on one side of the binary team matched with 300 GV on the other.
A 1:1 ratio requires a minimum 450 GV on one side of the binary team matched with 450 GV on the other.
Which side has which amount of volume doesn’t matter.
Residual commissions are calculated based on production of 900, 1800, 3600 or 5400 GV as follows:
- Level 1 (900 matched GV) – Lifestyle Promoters and Lifestyle Advisors generating 75 PV a month earn $25, Lifestyle Advisors and higher generating 150 PV a month earn $45
- Level 2 (1800 matched GV) – Lifestyle Promoters and Lifestyle Advisors generating 75 PV a month earn $60, Lifestyle Advisors and higher generating 150 PV a month earn $100
- Level 3 (3600 matched GV) – Lifestyle Promoters and Lifestyle Advisors generating 75 PV a month earn $145, Lifestyle Advisors and higher generating 150 PV a month earn $220
- Level 4 (5400 matched GV) – Lifestyle Promoters and Lifestyle Advisors generating 75 PV a month earn $280, Lifestyle Advisors and higher generating 150 PV a month earn $400
If an affiliate generates over 5400 GV of matched volume in a week, the above 900 GV amounts roll over until there is less than 900 GV in matched volume available.
Note that the following weekly hard residual commission caps apply to all Opulence Global affiliates:
- Lifestyle Promoters can earn up to $500 a week
- Lifestyle Advisors can earn up to $1000 a week
- Lifestyle Director 1 affiliates can earn up to $1500 a week
- Lifestyle Director 2 affiliates can earn up to $2500 a week
- Lifestyle Director 3 affiliates can earn up to $5000 a week
- Lifestyle Director 4 affiliates can earn up to $10,000 a week
- Presidential Lifestyle Director affiliates can earn up to $30,000 a week
- Royal Life Director affiliates can earn up to $60,000 a week
Presidential Lifestyle Directors and Royal Lifestyle Directors are able to have up to two additional binary positions, provided their existing position(s) have hit the weekly income cap for eight consecutive weeks.
Finally, each time a Lifestyle Advisors meets Level 4 criteria an additional $60 is set aside for a Convention Pool and Marketing Pool (split $30 for each pool).
The Convention Pool is paid as a lump sum when an Opulence Global affiliate attends the next scheduled company convention.
The Marketing Pool must be put toward “company approved” marketing efforts.
Global Revenue Sharing Pool
The Global Revenue Sharing Pool is made up of an unspecified percentage of Opulence Global’s worldwide sales volume.
Opulence Global affiliates can qualify for shares in the Global Revenue Sharing Pool based on rank:
- Lifestyle Advisor affiliates receive 1 share
- Lifestyle Director 1 affiliates receive 2 shares
- Lifestyle Director 2 and higher ranked affiliates receive 3 shares
Organizational Revenue Sharing
Presidential Lifestyle Directors and Royal Lifestyle Directors receive a bonus percentage on their binary team sales volume.
- Presidential Lifestyle Directors receive a 0.5% bonus capped at $10,000 a month
- Royal Lifestyle Directors receive a 1% bonus (no cap specified)
If an affiliate on the first level of a Presidential Lifestyle Director’s binary team qualifies as a Presidential Lifestyle Director, they cease earning Organizational Revenue Sharing.
If an affiliate on the first level of a Royal Lifestyle Director’s binary team qualifies as a Presidential Lifestyle Director, the Organizational Revenue Sharing percentage is reduced to 0.5%.
If an affiliate on the first level of a Royal Lifestyle Director’s binary team qualifies as a Royal Lifestyle Director, they cease earning Organizational Revenue Sharing.
Car Bonus
Lifestyle Director and Lifestyle Director 2 ranked affiliates receive a monthly Car Bonus when they meet the following qualification criteria:
- Lifestyle Director ($500 a month) – generate 4500 GV a month (min 1500 GV on both sides of the binary team), $300 in new retail sales volume and 300 in BQV
- Lifestyle Director 2 ($750 a month) – generate 7500 GV a month (min 2500 GV on both sides of the binary team), maintain $300 in new retail sales volume and 300 in BQV
- Lifestyle Director 3 ($1000 a month) – generate 30,000 GV a month (min 10,000 GV on both sides of the binary team), generate $400 in new retail sales volume and 400 in BQV
- Lifestyle Director 4 ($1500 a month) – generate 100,000 GV a month (min 33,000 GV on both sides of the binary team), maintain $400 in new retail sales volume and 400 BQV
- Presidential Lifestyle Director ($2000 a month) – generate 500,000 GV a month (min 165,000 GV on both sides of the binary team), generate $500 in new retail sales volume and 500 in BQV
- Royal Lifestyle Director ($4000 a month) – generate 1,000,000 GV a month (min 330,000 GV on both sides of the binary team and maintain $500 in new retail sales volume and 500 in BQV
Travel Incentives
Lifestyle Director 2 and higher ranked Opulence Global affiliates receive the following Travel Incentives:
- Lifestyle Director 2 – “Cruise qualified”
- Lifestyle Director 3 – “Summit qualified”
- Lifestyle Director 4 – “all-inclusive exotic location”
- Presidential Lifestyle Director – “first/business class travel up to $20,000” (subject to corporate approval)
- Royal Lifestyle Director – “private jet travel up to $40,000” (subject to corporate approval)
Royal Lifestyle Directors also receive a Feri President timepiece or Mosh ring valued at $100,000.
BQV stands for “Bonus Qualifying Volume” and is made up of sales volume generated by new retail sales each month, Lifestyle Promoter and Lifestyle Advisor affiliate recruitment and 50% of an affiliate’s generated PV.
Joining Opulence Global
Opulence Global basic affiliate membership is $200.
This is referred to as “Retailer” membership and does not provide access to the MLM opportunity.
Participation in the Opulence Global MLM opportunity requires purchase of either a Lifestyle Promoter ($483) or a Lifestyle Advisor ($1394) membership.
The primary difference between the two Lifestyle memberships is bundled Opulence Global products and higher income potential.
Conclusion
When we last looked at Global Wealth Trade the MLM offering was a mixed bag.
Global Wealth Trade did have a strong retail offering, however this was mixed with a strong emphasis on affiliate autoship recruitment.
Opulence Global introduces new products and an updated compensation plan. Unfortunately nothing has been done to address affiliate autoship recruitment.
In researching this review I came across an Opulence Global compensation plan breakdown video by Rene Liaw.
Liaw, ranked Lifestyle Director 4, claims Opulence Global autoship (“SmartBuy”) is for “maintaining commissions”.
For the Lifestyle Advisor, the monthly SmartBuy is, you can basically SmartBuy about one hundred and fifty dollars to maintain your commissions.
For the Promoter, it’s $75 to maintain your commissions.
Under no circumstances should affiliates in any MLM company be purchasing products (on autoship or otherwise) to qualify for commissions.
This detracts from retail sales focus, which isn’t helped by Opulence Global failing to provide retail pricing on their website.
It isn’t until Lifestyle Director ranks that an Opulence Global affiliate has to worry about retail sales.
Personally I’m not a fan of this being a “new retail sales” requirement each month.
I get the idea is to encourage new retail activity, but why equate repeat retail sales with affiliate purchases (including autoship)?
Surely the smart thing to do would be to increase required retail sales volume and reduce the “new” retail volume requirement to a lower minimum initial spend ($50 or so a month)?
To illustrate why the current model is flawed, consider the $200 new retail volume requirement for Lifestyle Director 1.
The Opulence Global compensation plan touts the same rank as paying an annual residual income of “$78,000 + bonuses”.
An MLM company requiring affiliates to only generate $200 in retail volume each month when they’re earning over $78,000 annually is laughable.
Obviously this doesn’t account for repeat retail business, but that’s the problem with only monitoring new retail sales each month.
Scrap the new requirement, adjust the retail volume requirements and apply it to new and repeat retail sales.
The other major compliance issue in the Opulence Global compensation plan is “pay to play”.
When explaining Opulence Global’s recruitment commissions, Liaw states
Just by being the Lifestyle Advisor doing the same effort, you’re basically earning a bit more commissions.
This is a recurring theme throughout the Opulence Global compensation plan, wherein Lifestyle Advisors earn more than Lifestyle Promoter, simply because they paid a higher fee when they signed up.
Why such a glaring compliance issue is present in the compensation plan of a thirteen year old MLM company I have no idea.
By all means pay Lifestyle Promoters higher commission rates – but tie it to retail sales volume, not affiliate membership fees.
As to the new products, they seem to reasonably compliment the fashion lines.
However without provided retail pricing, it’s impossible for potential retail customers to make an informed decision.
Why is it I can’t see product prices on the Opulence Global website, but affiliate membership costs are readily available?
The good news is ascertaining whether your potential Opulence Global upline is focused on autoship recruitment is straight-forward.
Lifestyle Promoters are required to generate 75 PV a month to qualify for MLM commissions. For Lifestyle Advisors it’s 150 PV.
What you want to find out is first which rank your potential upline is, and whether they’re satisfying this requirement with retail sales or their own purchase.
I did come across the “buy products and resell them as retail” nonsense in Opulence Global marketing, so be sure you don’t fall for that.
Your potential upline should have no problems providing you with specific retail order volume each month. And ask to see receipts if you’re not convinced.
Owing to the age of the company there’s obviously a somewhat successful core business behind Opulence Global, it’s just a shame the company hasn’t addressed ongoing compliance issues over the years.
Approach with caution.
As usual you are once again publishing materials that is false. Misusing the words “pay to play” or requirement to buy etc to (Ozedit: derail attempts removed)
There are just too many falsities in your so called review to address but (Ozedit: more derail removed). If you are genuine about your “reviews” before you post them, send the review to the company FIRST to correct your assumptions or mistakes before posting.
P.s. One of the many falsities that you use to paint a false picture of non-compliance is requirement to purchase goods for commissions.
In our company NO ONE needs to purchase to protect their commissions. There is a requirement of gathering $35, $75, $150 in PV (Personal Volume) that can come from retail sales to retail customers or personal usage to qualify for commission, which is among the easiest to qualify in the whole industry.
Every company (100%) has this monthly activity requirement or commissions will have to be paid for nothing to everyone, which kills the whole compensation plan and there will not be any opportunity for the serious entrepreneurs.
If this is non-compliance, than MLM as an industry is in non-compliance because I challenge you to name ONE legit and reputable company that has been in business for a decade or more that doesn’t have a similar monthly activity requirement of selling or buying products.
If you are truly interested to learn the compensation plan feel free to reach out but (Ozedit: even more derail removed).
You did say one fact and that is we have a 13-year success track record with A+ BBB rating and AAA+ MLM rating serving clients in 206 countries that trumps any review a one man show websites for profit like your can post.
Have a Great Day!
Mike Goode
Compliance Officer
Opulence Global
Hi Mike, thanks for stopping by.
I get that when it comes to MLM coverage, Opulence Global is used to paying off Ted Nuyten for a bit of spin every few months – but that’s not how we do things here.
BehindMLM prides itself on providing completely independent research and coverage of the MLM industry. That said, companies are more than welcome to address our reviews after publication – as you’ve done.
Unfortunately you’ve read what you wanted to read to fit your derail narrative, instead of what was actually published.
Capping commissions based on how much an Opulence Global spends when they sign up is pay to play. That is the only context we used pay to play with respect to Opulence Global and we’re entirely correct in doing so (we even provided evidence).
Anything beyond that regarding pay to play you read into yourself and I can’t help you with.
As for requirements to buy, we never claimed or stated that. Again, you’ve read into the review what you want to read instead of what was actually published.
Our review never stated otherwise.
What we did do however is provide a real-world example of one of your affiliates claiming affiliate autoship is there to “maintain commissions”. This suggests rather than retail sales, at least one of your top ranked affiliates is encouraging affiliate autoship recruitment (at the expense of retail).
Out of curiosity have you addressed this compliance issue with Rene Liaw, since y’know… that appears to be your job?
Instead of skimming a review and wasting both our time pointing out errors that don’t exist, perhaps next time you’ll actually take the time to read what we publish.
I promise, our content isn’t half as boring as the swill you pay Nuyten to publish.
The real question is… why this 13 years old company’s retention ratio is so low and how come they never release their annual revenue numbers?
This 13 years old company got a size of less than 3000 active people. You can see in the size of their 2018 annual convention.
Years ago their CEO published many official videos and articles criticizing the nutrition and health industry while he was claiming his company (GWT with jewelry) had 70% ratio. And today you can’t find many of their main leaders at the time, president cup winners anywhere anymore.
Very good point about compliance. As we know many of those people who initially got started with GWT and build large teams either lost their income with the new payplan or got suspended with no proper explanation or they left because the company compliance is not handling situations.
By the way Ten Nytun website is the only website publishing about them. And that’s because he get paid to promote them and he has a position in the CEO brother’s team that generate him income.
Other than Ted you really don’t see any other industry leader, resource, publication promote or collaborate with this company. That’s majorly because of their lack of ethics, bashing nutrition, health and telecommunication companies in the industry, not handling situations with proper compliance, hurting many people with over priced, made in china jewelry which is why they had to change the name of their company and re-brand.
Almost every single person who built teams after their bad experience with this company left the industry. And this is how this company not only hurting people, families, high achiever networkers but also hurting the industry. And none of the major respectful industry leaders, resources do not support them.
It has since changed again. It is now $200 to join as a retailer instead of $100, and the retail commission went from 30% to 20%.
With the new $200 plan they give you two bottles of fountain of life.
Charge more, pay out less. #logic
The thing is if they are a *retailer* and not eligible to participate in the mlm compensation plan at least give them a decent retail % to earn on, as they are a *retailer*.
When it was GWT the retail profit was 70% and higher and they bragged about their high profit margins versus other mlms. At least if you were a good sales person you could make good money retailing without recruiting.
That has all changed, and 20% profit as a retailer is a pretty poor profit margin!!
OZ ..
You are repeating the same nonsense and completely ignoring my question, which is name ONE (Ozedit: If you want to discuss other MLM companies, do it elsewhere.)
Now MLM laws have evolved since the Vemma case where you get all your MLM law info from the law was applied differently and some changes is being made IN THE USA that companies based there are making but this is too complex for you to understand nor do I expect you to know the difference. After all what makes you such and expert?
(Ozedit: Offtopic derail attempts removed)
You also said that I read things wrong but in reality its you that whether deliberately or by pure negligence do not understand the term “pay to play”. (Ozedit: Offtopic derail attempts removed)
Enough said on that.
Lastly as far as accolades, (Ozedit: marketing spam removed)
FYI .. just in case you are interested ..
(Ozedit: unsubstantiated claims about other readers removed)
That is it for me on this site as I do have a real job and need to allocate my time to the 85,000 great Partners and VIP Shoppers in 200 + countries.
Have a good day.
Michael
Michael, this is an Opulence Global review. If you wish to specifically discuss another MLM company we have plenty of other reviews and articles for you to comment on.
If you just want to waffle on about MLM companies in general, do it somewhere else.
Oh has it now? Please provide documented evidence of this claim.
Before you ask, here’s the FTC on the importance of retail sales in MLM (Jan 2017) – https://behindmlm.com/companies/latest-ftc-guidance-to-mlm-industry-emphasizes-retail-sales/
Opulence Global affiliates who pay more when they sign up earn a higher “max weekly residual commission” rate. That’s pay to play.
We provided a documented example of this in our review. If you wish to discuss other forms of pay to play, do it elsewhere.
And please don’t waste my time with marketing spam.
First of all legitimacy via association doesn’t work. Secondly Ted Nuyten has you covered for that in any case.
I’m only bringing this up because your boast doesn’t sync with reality:
Opulence Global’s Alexa ranking peaked in August and then tanked.
You’re being kept in business by Singapore (~83% of traffic), outside of which there doesn’t appear to be anything much happening.
The price was raised yet again.
It is now $270.00 to join as a retailer.
So it went from $99.00 to $199.00 to $270.00 in a short time span.
The other package prices have been raised as well.
There seems to be no stability in ever changing management decisions, and distributors cannot get on solid footing with all the prices, products and comp plan constantly being changed! The little guy suffers.
Perhaps they are having money problems and bleeding internally which would explain the constant changes.
I know someone who has been with this company for over 2 years. My question was to him was when will you see some green cash money. The money you INVEST should produce a return.
He said he get points and after he gets to a certain level will actually start to see cash. In the meantime he sell their products for points to buy more products.
It sounds like either a hustle or a pyramid scheme. Either way he’s not made a return on his INVESTMENT!
If you’re in an MLM company, selling products to retail customers and not earning anything… time to accept you’ve been scammed and get out.