I have been with SMC for about 3 years now and I actually have had a very good experience with them. I admit the sign up cost was hard at first because I signed up in 2008 just when Bush and Cheney stole the last of my retirement savings and the housing market tanked...both my hubby (who worked construction) and I were out of work with a 1 year old and a ton of bills. I was able to continue to use their services even though it took me another year to pay off my start up. I had them take the initial payment out of my checking account and then I called and offered to make other payments by money order.

This is no scam, most of the people selling SMC products on Amazon are small giftstore companies and people like myself who wholesale through them. I have been able to sale many of their products on amazon and at swapmeets and reniaissance faires and make a profit. With any sort of sales business or business in general you have to spend money to make money and it is never easy. Truth is selling just isn't for everyone...

I am happy to say that I have been able to make a steady $200 - $300 a month to help supplement my income these last 2 years which has been a great help, and not all of their products are cheap looking, I select items that I would purchase for myself, and I check each item to make sure it is intact and in good condition before sending them to my customers, if it's not something I would keep for myself I simply don't sell it, eventually you'll find items that people will purchase from you often and even request things and that is what I sale.

It hasn't been easy but I am keeping my head above water and hopefully when I have some real money to invest in my business I will simply purchase a website that is pre-stocked with their products and add other companies products that I sale. Most of the gifts store websites you'll find on the web and wholesalers are SMC franchisees and many products you find in major gifts shops and store such as Biglots and MacFarlands purchase their products through SMC.

I won't say that your experience may or may not have been bad or good...but mine has definitely been good. So it isn't a scam to me.