Information and Alerts

Service Area

• USA

Important Information

This business is BBB Accredited.

Additional Info

INFORMATION FOR STUDENTS & PARENTS:

Students are interviewed and recruited by Southwestern Advantage Sales Leaders and local student leaders during the fall and spring. If selected for the program, the students may begin initial training to know what to expect, and informal product training. Students, although legally classified as adults, are endorsed into the program by their parents through a parental support letter.



The students attend a five-day training course in Nashville that covers business management, product knowledge, sales presentations, success principles, safety and ethics among other things critical to running a successful business. Similar to other direct selling companies students are independent contractors, NOT employees of Southwestern Advantage. After training they are provided a suggested sales area in which to work. They typically live with a host family and 1 to 3 other student representatives of the same gender. Housing is not guaranteed, but students receive training and advice from the company. Housing is part of the set-up of their business. Many host families do house year-to-year and consist of both alumni and non-alumni. Students are financially responsible for their lodging, food and travel expenses during the training and summer time. The company does subsidize their hotel stay during training in Nashville.



Southwestern Advantage suggests students bring approximately $500 with them to sales training. The total expenses incurred throughout the summer vary according to the individual, but range from $1,500 to $3,000. Students generally pay their expenses from down payments collected from sales of product and remit the rest to the company where it is recorded on their company account to cover the wholesale cost of the products.



The most successful student dealers work a rigorous schedule of 72 or more hours a week, Monday through Saturday, typically 8 am to 9 pm. The students talk to families in their homes through cold calls and referrals. Although students work independently during the day, a student leader is close by to mentor, support, answer questions and even follow or be followed to offer advice from his/her previous experience. Student leaders meet with the students each Sunday and someone from Southwestern Advantage calls each host home at night to collect stats for inventory and make sure the students returned safely.



There are no sales quotas set by Southwestern Advantage, as the representative is an independent contractor running a single-level direct sales business. At the end of the summer, students deliver the product to their customers, collect the balances due and return to Nashville to reconcile their accounts. They remit the remaining money, return left over product for full credit, and receive a check for their credit balance.



INFORMATION FOR CUSTOMERS:

By Federal law, customers who purchase Southwestern Advantage products from the independent student representatives have three days from the date of purchase to cancel their order. Saturday is included by Federal law as a business day. Southwestern Advantage is a third party to the contract between the students and customer and can only act on the student's behalf within the three-day cooling off period. The website and app subscriptions are month-to-month and are cancelled when the consumer contacts the company and requests the subscription to end.



After ordering products, be sure to keep the sales receipt given to you by the student or sent via email. It is a binding contract with the student of your intentions to purchase the product. If in the event you do not receive the product you ordered, Southwestern Advantage guarantees delivery if you have a valid receipt. Call the Southwestern Advantage Customer Contact Center at 888-551-5901 or e-mail at [email protected].

Customer Complaint

INFORMATION FOR CONSUMERS:

Cancellations for subscription website/app products: If a purchase was made through an independent student representative for websites/apps (Global Academy & LEAD products), please note this is a month-to-month subscription. Monthly subscriptions can be cancelled anytime by request of the consumer who made the purchase by contacting the company and requesting the subscription to end. The subscription begins immediately with the input of the order. Customer Service: [email protected]

 

Book purchases: By Federal law (FTC Title 16, Chapter 1, Part 429, Sections 1 and 2), consumers who purchase Southwestern Advantage books from an independent student representative has THREE (3) days from the date of purchase to cancel the order. Saturday is included by Federal law as a business day. Customer Service: [email protected]

 

Delivery of Product: The delivery of product may be delivered at the time of sale, at the end of the summer, drop-shipped if paid for, or drop-shipped after all payments set up with an independent representative are made.

 

After ordering products, be sure to keep the sales receipt given to you by the independent student representative or sent via email. It is a binding contract with the student of your intentions to purchase the product. If in rare the event you do not receive the product you ordered, Southwestern Advantage guarantees delivery of the product, reach out to the Customer Service team at [email protected].

 

Please note, Southwestern Advantage is a third party to the contract between the independent student representative and the consumer. Southwestern Advantage offers the services of a Customer Service department to provide product information, verify independent student dealers, and answer questions. Southwestern Advantage can only act on the student's behalf within the Federal three-day cooling-off period for purchases of books.

 

 

INFORMATION FOR STUDENTS & PARENTS:

Students are interviewed and recruited by Southwestern Advantage Sales Leaders and local student leaders during the fall and spring. If selected for the program, the students may begin initial training to know what to expect, and informal product training on products and the cycle of selling. Students, although legally classified as adults, are typically endorsed into the program by their parents through a parental support letter.



The students attend a five-day training course in Nashville, Tennessee that covers business management, product knowledge, sales presentations, success principles, safety, and ethics among other things critical to running a successful business. Utilizing a direct selling business model, students are independent contractors, NOT employees of Southwestern Advantage. After training they are provided with a suggested sales area from which to operate their business. They typically live with a host family and 1 to 3 other independent student representatives of the same gender. While Southwestern Advantage employs a Host Family Coordinator that maintains and sets up host homes throughout the year, housing is not guaranteed. As independent contractors, the students do not have to live at recommended host family homes. Students receive continual training and advice from the company. Many host families do house year-to-year and consist of both alumni and non-alumni. Students are financially responsible for their lodging, food, and travel expenses during the training and summertime. The company does subsidize their hotel stay during training in Nashville and sales kits and training materials are provided for free.



Southwestern Advantage suggests students bring approximately $500 with them to sales training. The total expenses incurred throughout the summer vary according to the individual, but range from $1,500 to $3,000. Students generally pay their expenses from down payments collected from sales of products and remit the rest to the company where it is recorded on their company account to cover the wholesale cost of the products.



The most successful student dealers work a rigorous schedule of 72 or more hours a week, Monday through Saturday, typically 8 am to 9 pm. The students talk to families in their homes through cold calls and referrals. Although students work independently during the day, a student leader is close by to mentor, support, answer questions and even follow or be followed to offer advice from his/her previous experience. Student leaders meet with the students each Sunday and someone from Southwestern Advantage calls each host home at night to collect stats for inventory and make sure the students return safely.



There are no sales quotas set by Southwestern Advantage, as the representative is an independent contractor running their own business. At the end of the summer, students deliver the product to their customers, collect the balances due and return to Nashville to reconcile their accounts. They remit the remaining money, return leftover product for full credit, and receive their credit balance.

 

Due to the volume of complaints filed against this business, BBB only publishes the details for 40% of the total complaints filed.