Is Xocai a scam? - The Walrus

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Is Xocai a scam?

by The_Walrus ^Pro @ 21 Jul. 2008 – 19:31:58

Well, let me think about that. I left a comment on the Xocai person's blog, that said...

Oh dear, it's another MLM outfit. You are doing the tags wrong.

I was feeling helpful, you see, and they had left the commas out of the dozens of tags, so it was just one huge tag that nothing else would ever match unless an infinite number of monkeys typed for quite a while.

They changed my comment to this...

This is great please tell me more about it as I would like to start a business in my area...I have emailed you my details - thanks!

So, on that basis, I think we can see quite clearly whether or not it is a scam, don't you?

Update: You could also look at the web site of a guy whose main business is not selling chocolate, but who recommends a different brand.
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42 Comments to Is Xocai a scam?

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- faffajane ^Pro
- http://faffajane.blog.co.uk/
- 21 Jul. 2008 @ 19:35:53
Looks like a scam to me lol
- - The_Walrus ^Pro
  - http://www.doctor-dark.co.uk
  - 22 Jul. 2008 @ 08:48:49
  Xocai walks like a duck, quacks like a duck...
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- NotBob ^Pro
- 21 Jul. 2008 @ 22:49:17
That just screams out "SCAAAAAM!"
- - The_Walrus ^Pro
  - http://www.doctor-dark.co.uk
  - 22 Jul. 2008 @ 08:50:44
  It's pretty deafening, isn't it? I notice also, the "Search Engine Optimisation" kiddies have been busy, because if you Google for "Is Xocai a scam?" you get loads of sites of people selling it, who are quite clear that it isn't. Of course not...
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- playwrite27
- http://www.davidtennant.blog.co.uk
- 21 Jul. 2008 @ 23:07:17
Oh, let's all flood the blog with scathing remarks, and make the person have to change them all---he-he, I'm a baaaad girl.
- - The_Walrus ^Pro
  - http://www.doctor-dark.co.uk
  - 22 Jul. 2008 @ 08:53:31
  I can't be bothered, to be honest. They have enough problems selling stuff with cocoa that is NOT organic, and with a huge percentage of sugar. Quite how they can call it healthy is a mystery, but hey, that sort of thing never bothers the Multi Level Marketers.
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- Znethru ^Pro
- http://www.febland.net/
- 21 Jul. 2008 @ 23:41:03
subtle (feel free to change this comment to something else, though!)

The Walrus is a fantastic bloke, mature beyond his rather numerous years, with enviable musical skills on the bouzouki, which when he plays it makes Xocai sound pleasant.

The blog owner changed this comment on 22 Jul. 2008 08:55:08
- - The_Walrus ^Pro
  - http://www.doctor-dark.co.uk
  - 31 Jan. 2009 @ 01:15:02
  We are all missing you mate!
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- SeasideMan ^Pro
- 23 Jul. 2008 @ 09:05:10
I've noticed quite a lot of commercial blogs here recently. I replied to one of them and have had quite a few offers of loans since. I hates them.

Tom.
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- MakatiBoy
- 24 Dec. 2008 @ 10:00:56
For some additional interesting views on Xocai, have a look at this forum.

http://www.4networking.biz/forum/5/25890.htm

Walrus, do get in touch.
- - The_Walrus ^Pro
  - http://www.doctor-dark.co.uk
  - 24 Dec. 2008 @ 10:06:16
  Sorry, too busy doing Christmas!
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- Real Business Does Not Operate Like This (Visitor)
- 19 Jan. 2009 @ 15:24:43
Hi,
Is appears to me that Xocai is the same as a product we already have readily available in the UK called Choxi (available in Tesco). It is made by Presat the Queens chocolatier and I do believe it is meant to be better that Xocai as well. Apparently Xocai is not even organic!! Also Choxi products have higher Orac levels than Xocai and it is cheaper to buy. Xocai contains manufactured sugars which tests have shown are not good for you as well.

And also correct me if i'm wrong but I though the idea of a good business is to have as many customers buying off you and not your competitiors and so it is not a good idea to tell everyone else to be in the same business as you??? :@

This business is probably very lucritive for the founders but I am afraid that the founders have already been established so newsflash everyone else you have already missed the boat! If you were intelligent business minded people you would have come up with your own ideas and founded your own business.

As far as this being called "Healthy Chocolate" well I am sure there is some sort of trading standards issue here!!! I keep having this business shoved down my throat and to me is so plainly a scam but we will see what the launch on 30th Jan brings.

Thanks for reading my rant....please respond if you agree or disagree.
- - The_Walrus ^Pro
  - http://www.doctor-dark.co.uk
  - 19 Jan. 2009 @ 15:41:13
  Hi, yes, I recently noticed Tesco had a "me too" product, and the milk chocolate one is really not very good, if you read the small print on the label. As you said, you need to be very near the top of the sales pyramid to get anywhere with these schemes. And if the product was really as good as it is claimed to be, it would be in shops, making more profit for the factory by cutting out the middlemen.
  - - Ace (Visitor)
    - 03 Feb. 2009 @ 17:04:39
    Do you work my beached friend?
    - - The_Walrus ^Pro
      - http://www.doctor-dark.co.uk
      - 03 Feb. 2009 @ 20:33:44
      No, I am broken. Do you know somebody who could mend me?
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  - - jamie le tisser (Visitor)
    - 28 Apr. 2009 @ 15:09:03
    think you lot are so old school... take your blinkers off and look at new business ideas...
    if i had made a good product i would not put it through shops, waste of time... most people put items through shops because the item is not good enough to sell itself and need to have retail promotion ( ********* baffals brains)
    
    direct selling is far better... and you can help any one prepared to get off there but to make money....
    but i would agree with you if you that SOME companies do pay to the top people only not the ones who do the work,,,, ooooo yer look that is the traditional JOB that you probably do ..LOL
    
    The blog owner changed this comment on 28 Apr. 2009 15:47:23
    - - The_Walrus ^Pro
      - http://www.doctor-dark.co.uk
      - 28 Apr. 2009 @ 16:18:46
      There's somebody selling it on eBay, with unusually clear explanations of what the product is.
      
      The X Power Squares are apparently 38.9% sugar, and sugar is NOT good for diabetics.
      
      The price per kilo for this product is £138.89, including postage, and that is rather a lot more than anyone in their right mind would pay for something that is at most 61% cacao.
      
      Nice Mr Tesco has a 100g bar of 90% cacao for less than two pounds, and if you insist on eating acai berries, they have bags of those too.
      
      Please also note that I become impatient with people who fill my blog with mis-spelled gibberish, or think it is clever to insult me, and just delete their comments. If you want to put trash on the internet, do it on your space, not mine. Thank you.
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    - - phil (Visitor)
      - 29 Apr. 2009 @ 13:25:29
      What you have said doesn't make any sense i.e. 'If I had a good product I would not put it through the shops'.
      
      Anyone who says something like this obviously doesn't have a clue how retail marketing works.
      
      And if Xocai are getting away with marketing this as healthy chocolate (and it contains 32% sugar) then I might start selling 'healthy cigarettes'.
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- - MakatiBoy
  - 22 Jan. 2009 @ 22:16:42
  To my knowledge, both Somerset and Taunton Trading Standards are currently investigating both the health claims and the recruiting methods.
  - - The_Walrus ^Pro
    - http://www.doctor-dark.co.uk
    - 22 Jan. 2009 @ 22:31:31
    So they should! There's more than a whiff of suspicion there!
    - - MakatiBoy
      - 23 Jan. 2009 @ 07:14:03
      Sorry, my last comment should have read "Somerset & Kent Trading Standards"
      
      Have you seen this interesting discussion yet? http://www.4networking.biz/forum/72/25890.htm
      - The_Walrus ^Pro
        
        http://www.doctor-dark.co.uk
        
        23 Jan. 2009 @ 07:30:54
        
        I just had a look. They seem to be a bunch of people who know about these ~~scam~~schemes. Nice to see a link to here, too. That should do the Google rating of this page some good...
        
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        MakatiBoy
        
        23 Jan. 2009 @ 08:28:01
        
        It is a long read to get through all 300+ comments, but there is a mass of information on there about the flaws in the commission scheme and health claims. Also has some input from Xocai people showing that they don't have a clue what they are doing, selling or earning. 2 of them have publicly dropped out of Xocai as a result of that thread.
        
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- - jamie le tisser (Visitor)
  - 28 Apr. 2009 @ 14:58:10
  just food for thought...
  how much does tesco's pay you back for buying it from them or for refering others to purchase it... especially on a going basis???????
  and you are wrong about your idea of competitors buying... you obviously don't understand the concept properly...
  it is NOT a sales business, but a referal business, i will let you try to understand the differnce for yourself...
  no piont i me wasting time unless i know you are looking to learn and listen with a open mind!!!!
  - - The_Walrus ^Pro
    - http://www.doctor-dark.co.uk
    - 28 Apr. 2009 @ 15:45:39
    Well that was ever so coherent, wasn't it?
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- Dom (Visitor)
- 22 Jan. 2009 @ 23:58:20
I just wanted to say that I run a chocolate blog where we review chocolate every day and I've just been sent some Xocai samples by a US reseller (accompanied by a lovely letter, handwritten in crayon).

I've not reviewed it yet, but I've always regarded Xocai as a scam. The point is that *any* good quality dark chocolate is good for you - you certainly don't need to buy it from a pyramid scheme.
- - The_Walrus ^Pro
  - http://www.doctor-dark.co.uk
  - 23 Jan. 2009 @ 07:26:19
  Xocai comes from a firm whose products won't sell if they are just put on a shelf in a shop. They apparently have to be "marketed" just to make them sell. Products people actually want are more likely to be available via normal channels, and don't need these ~~scam~~schemes.
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- Dawn (Visitor)
- http://removedbywalrus
- 14 Feb. 2009 @ 15:16:08
I don't think it is. I just got involved with the company a couple of months ago. And while each person is different, I have personally noticed some positive affects.

What people really need to be paying attention to are the studies out there on the health benefits of cocoa itself. I have been doing a lot of research on the scientific studies done on cocoa and it is quite impressive. Also, I have been researching the field of MLM and it is not a pyramid scheme.

The blog owner changed this comment on 14 Feb. 2009 16:45:40
- - MakatiBoy
  - 14 Feb. 2009 @ 21:19:20
  Not a pyramid? Welcome to the UK! Try researching OUR definition of pyramid schemes before applying Wisconsin standards.
  
  Funny, this is the 2nd place I have seen you bleating about how unfair it is to criticize your beloved Xocai. Guess us cynical Brits must really be on the radar in the US now. Hope it isn't waking up the gullible gene among potential marks.
  
  Shame the Walrus deleted your url. I thought it was hilarious to see that you have added fitness to the list of unsubstantiated claims for this snake oil. Wouldn't it be great to eat a load of chocolate unstead of 30min on the treadmill!
  - - The_Walrus ^Pro
    - http://www.doctor-dark.co.uk
    - 14 Feb. 2009 @ 23:39:20
    I had to laugh at the idea that multi-level marketing was something different from a pyramid scheme.
    
    Have you seen http://thisiswhyyourefat.com yet? Beyond gross!
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- Kaitian (Visitor)
- 15 Feb. 2009 @ 23:01:15
When I was at a bar with friends, this guy was trying to pitch this crap on me by giving me the story of Larry King's cancer which got treated but in the process shot his liver. So he took this xocai chocolate and now is "better". Today he texts me if I was interested in this chocolate business so I looked it up first online then bam sign up fee needed first. Sorry but I ain't falling for this shut like all scams before it.
- - The_Walrus ^Pro
  - http://www.doctor-dark.co.uk
  - 16 Feb. 2009 @ 01:07:24
  You're not wrong! And, as I continue to point out, this chocolate is NOT organic, and has a LOT of sugar in it, so it is BAD for diabetics. Cote d'Or 86% from Tesco has to better just because it has so much less sugar...
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- Kevin (Visitor)
- 16 Mar. 2009 @ 16:36:26
I was recently at One Life exhibition at Olympia in London, and guess who was there?

We chatted, 'he'was peddling this stuff like no tomorrow.
I questioned about Fair Trade and Organic produce. This fell on deaf ears and was quickly turned around in conversation, definitely ignoring the issue. I tasted it, it was good. But's let's be honest, it's all complete bolloxs isn't it?
How can this have health benefits when it's probably laiden with obscure E-numbers?
Chocolate, or more correctly cacao only becomes un-healthy when man tampers with it, ie adds sugar and milk. However try selling a cocoa pod wrapped in sexy packaging.

Nah, me not convinced, however it was an amusing sales pitch, and I was offered an employment opportunity!
- - The_Walrus ^Pro
  - http://www.doctor-dark.co.uk
  - 16 Mar. 2009 @ 16:42:25
  Hi Kevin! If you really want to upset those guys, you can either ask them how much sugar is in it, and why they claim all that sugar is good for diabetics, or to get a really nasty reply, you can ask them why the Tesco product with similar name and composition costs so much less....
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- Kevin (Visitor)
- 16 Mar. 2009 @ 16:49:33
I'll see what I can do....

Incidently my friendly Xocai man is available at;

[snipped out by blog owner, sorry!]

(hotmail?!). Feel free to pester....

Regards.

The blog owner changed this comment on 16 Mar. 2009 17:37:08
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- Jonny (Visitor)
- 18 Mar. 2009 @ 15:58:35
I had a pitch by someone for this last night - I don't really eat much chocolate - let alone dark chocolate - so seem to be somewhat reluctant to part with the bets part of $200 for 100 units of the stuff and place a 'standing order' for a further 100 units every month thereafter, am I missing something here?
- - The_Walrus ^Pro
  - http://www.doctor-dark.co.uk
  - 18 Mar. 2009 @ 16:10:12
  Reluctance seems sensible!
  
  How many people do they think you could recruit under you, to add to their revenue stream? That will be their main interest. Typical pyramid marketing scheme for a product that costs a lot more than the Tesco equivalent.
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- Dainosnore (Visitor)
- 23 Mar. 2009 @ 11:19:09
I took a look at Xocai and did some 'due diligence' and then decided to get involved i.e. bought some Xocai chocolate. I then attended the UK Launch and then went on to do some more 'due diligence'. Then I decided it was not for me. Thats the background.

Initially I saw this as a groundfloor opportunity as the company was just setting up the UK market and we all know that in any MLM/Network Marketing/Pyramid scheme the only ones to benefit are those in at the start. With regard to the UK development virtually all benefits are fed directly back to the company founders in the States so at the UK end it was not really a groundfloor opportunity for anyone joining here.

No-one in the company - USA or UK - was able to give a satisfactory explanation of what the Americans call The Compensation Plan i.e. how anyone can earn some money. I call it a 'Smoke and Mirrors Plan' designed to mislead and confuse.

When even the US leaders could not explain the plan they simply said 'keep bringing in new people and the money will follow'. I could say more on this topic but the only clear part is that the Xocai Chocolate Millionaires are always likely to be based in Reno, Nevada!

The Xocai scheme relies upon people joining and then buying and eating the product. That might be fine if the product was reasonably priced but as has been shown elsewhere this is not the case. My research identified not only good equivalent products with Tesco and Green&Blacks but also at Thornton's where there is a dark chocolate based on Acticoa. Broadly speaking the 'wholesale' price of Xocai is around 10 times the 'retail' price of these alternative brands. Hence my view that the product is massively overpriced. 50% of the cost goes back to the MXI Corporation in the States and, allegedly, 50% is divided up as 'commission payments' to distributors but, of course, a good proportion of that would finish up with the 'leaders' in the US.

I think that this is enough to be going on with but would finish with a statement issued by MXI on its website that says ' It is illegal for a promoter or a participant in a trading scheme to persuade anyone to make a payment by promising benefits from getting others to join the scheme' but that is exactly what MXI/Xocai is doing.
- - The_Walrus ^Pro
  - http://www.doctor-dark.co.uk
  - 23 Mar. 2009 @ 12:47:48
  Many thanks for that!
  
  I would call that the final nail in the coffin, even if the stuff didn't have so much sugar that it was actually not "good for diabetics" as is claimed.
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- csfelts2007 (Visitor)
- 08 Apr. 2009 @ 18:03:08
Hi,
Thank you for all your information. As a cancer patient I need to work from home and was considering selling this. However, I could not get my questions answered. I live in the United States,figures I had to leave the old USA to get a straight answer! Being organic, Fair Trade, bad sugars, and ethical are all important to me. As a Nutritional Consultant for over 20 years, I was hoping to find something that would help me to get healthy and earn a living, and that I could share with others. I guess I'll keep looking!
Thank you again,
Suzanne
- - The_Walrus ^Pro
  - http://www.doctor-dark.co.uk
  - 19 Apr. 2009 @ 01:10:23
  I'm glad to have helped!
  
  Good luck with your search, The Walrus.
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- The_Walrus ^Pro
- http://www.doctor-dark.co.uk
- 29 Apr. 2009 @ 22:44:50
I have turned comments on this post off.

It's because it keeps getting long, boring, very badly spelled comments from people who attempt to justify their belief in pyramid schemes, but just show themselves to be illiterate. I'm not interested in correcting their spelling, unless they will pay me to do it.

Sugar is bad for everyone, especially diabetics. OK?
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