No-Load versus Load Mutual Funds
One of the lesser-known marketing battles in America might
be dubbed The Mutual Fund Wars. It is being waged between
the funds sold by brokers (load funds) and those sold direct
via advertising (no-load funds).
We were asked in on behalf of the brokers. Even before we
got to the first meeting, we knew the essence of the brokers’
problem. Simply, they had allowed the terminology of load ver-
sus no-load to be established.
This immediately ceded the moral high ground to the no-
loads.
Defending broker commissions could be interpreted as try-
ing to justify unnecessary or exorbitant fees. That’s not a com-
fortable spot to be ...