I was an MLM bot. AMA.

[TheFormerPorpentinaScamander]

As requested by @youvegottenminuteslynn

I fell for the spiel of an MLM bot and briefly became one myself.

Ask away

[quote youvegottenminuteslynn]Thanks so much OP!!

Did you have many friends warning you about it when you mentioned the company to them, or did you feel most people just sort of politely brushed you off?

Have you read Elle Beau's Poonique blog? If you (or anyone else) want to go down the rabbit hole it's fascinating especially as it's a chronological account of getting sucked in and spat out: ellebeaublog.com/poonique/[/quote]
They were quite new in the UK at the time so most people hadn't heard of them which I think 'helped' me because there were no preconceptions about them.

I read some of her blog (or one like it) when I was still "in the cult" and just brushed her off as a disgruntled bad sales person. Then I saw the light

Did you have to post the pre written copy and paste messages to your fb page about how such and such product cured your ibs?

I was told to do that, said no because I don't have IBS and I was removed from the group 😂

When did you see the light that it was all a scam?

Are you still friends with the original bot who recruited you?

@PinGwyn

Two of my best friends are into MLM scams ventures and get quite vicious if you mention that it sounds very much like a pyramid scheme.

Amazing women otherwise but it's like they've been pulled into a cult, Friend1 sells overpriced make up and seems to be venturing around to conferences etc quite a lot - reminds me of Louis Therouxs Scientology documentary.

Looking back, do you feel like you were being brain washed by the whole thing?

I used to think MLM was harmless until I saw the changes in persona online.

I think it has an element of brainwashing about it. But I never fell 100% for it. Again, probably a reason I was so crap at it

It can be quite a nasty "world" though. I did one online 'party' with a friend who sold a different product. Another friend, unknown to me, had also joined younique. Everyone who asked me about a product/expressed an interest in buying it she PMd and offered them discounts if they bought through her. I couldn't afford to do that, but thanks to her high earning DH she could effectively run at a loss to start with whilst she built up a customer base :( She then told me it was my own fault I didnt make any money because I just didn't try hard enough. She definitely fell for the whole shebang more than I did.

I think it can be far from harmless and seems to prey on vulnerable women!

@catnoir1

Did you have to post the pre written copy and paste messages to your fb page about how such and such product cured your ibs?

I was told to do that, said no because I don't have IBS and I was removed from the group 😂

When did you see the light that it was all a scam?

Nope. But im not sure make up could ever claim to cure IBS

I also only ever posted how amazing the products were if I genuinely liked them. So for example I HATE the younique mascara, despite it being their best selling product, so never pushed sales of it. Their foundation otoh I genuinely loved! I've never managed to find anything I like as much!

@cheesecrack

Are you still friends with the original bot who recruited you?

We were only ever Facebook friends and as I'm no longer on FB I'm not in contact with her. I have no issues with her though and would happily still be friends if we ever met.

Did you have to go on about the charity donation side of it?

I may have got that wrong but I seem to recall something about women's aid benefiting from profits? Or something?

Thanks OP, definitely sounds cut throat!

And yes, I bought the mascara to support my friend as she ranted about it so much. It was bloody awful - felt like the fibres went everywhere except where they were supposed to 🤦‍♀️😂

@cheesecrack

Did you have to go on about the charity donation side of it?

I may have got that wrong but I seem to recall something about women's aid benefiting from profits? Or something?

There was some DV womens aid thing but it was quite new just as I left so I kind of missed that bit. I think they have a refuge in the US somewhere that they fund or something. Obviously we were meant to mention it as much as possible. Luckily no one ever questioned me further on that side as it was all a bit hush-hush tbh. We were told that x% went to their charity and that was it. I don't think they expect their bots to question it.

@PinGwyn

Thanks OP, definitely sounds cut throat!

And yes, I bought the mascara to support my friend as she ranted about it so much. It was bloody awful - felt like the fibres went everywhere except where they were supposed to 🤦‍♀️😂

Yea the mascara is completely shit. I think I still have one sealed somewhere!

People would often comment on how good my makeup looked compared to a lot of bots. Most of their reps seem to go for a drag queen look. Mine was more natural and spider leg lashes didn't work with that

I think 'tropic' is a pyrimad scheme - do you? I've seen a friend change from my friend to like dealing with a door to door sales person since she dived into that

@Savourysenorita

I think 'tropic' is a pyrimad scheme - do you? I've seen a friend change from my friend to like dealing with a door to door sales person since she dived into that

I've never heard of tropic but from what you've said it sounds like it could be.

Did you declare you earnings, and are you made aware of registering as self employed.

Also, are there any GDPR considerations?

@fromdownwest

Did you declare you earnings, and are you made aware of registering as self employed.

Also, are there any GDPR considerations?

We weren't told anything about how to declare earnings or anything else. But I didn't earn a single penny so didn't need to declare anything anyway. (I did technically earn some money, but couldnt actually access it so never got it). If I had I would have found out what I needed to do to be legal but I think a lot of people don't bother.

I don't think GDPR was a thing then, if it was I don't think it would have affected me in anyway way.

Interesting, thanks OP

Tropic is a MLM too.

Sorry, I’ve got lots of questions!

Is it true OP that Younique is teetering on the brink of collapse in the U.K. with relatively senior bots leaving in droves?

You mention your MH, was this a factor in joining Younique at the time?

At what point did you realise that you were really the customer and that that recruitment was the real agenda?

You say you dismissed the ‘negative people’ like Elle Beau, was there a point where the anti MLM movement started to get to you? Did you watch the BBC documentary on MLM in May 2019 which focussed on Younique and NuSkin? Did you come across other anti MLM content?

What was your lightbulb moment when you knew you couldn’t continue with it and how did your upline and others you knew in Younique react to you stopping?

What’s your opinion of the Younique Foundation and did you feel obliged to support it through purchasing certain products or campaigns or donating yourself?

Have you been tempted to sign up to other MLMs?

YouokHun

Sorry, I’ve got lots of questions!
That's ok. I've reverted to the copy and paste protocol of old so I don't miss any. :)

Is it true OP that Younique is teetering on the brink of collapse in the U.K. with relatively senior bots leaving in droves?
I have absolutely no idea. I haven't been a rep since 2015/16 and have no idea what they even sell anymore.

You mention your MH, was this a factor in joining Younique at the time?
Nope. My mental health was probably at its best at the time.

At what point did you realise that you were really the customer and that that recruitment was the real agenda?
Hmmm. Good question. I'm not sure tbh. I left more because I realised I wasn't any good at selling rather than because I didn't believe in the business model so to speak.

You say you dismissed the ‘negative people’ like Elle Beau, was there a point where the anti MLM movement started to get to you?

Not really no. And while a lot of the anti MLM stuff is true there is also some I don't agree with. There were a lot of videos saying the concealer and foundation only cover as well as claimed because the reps plaster it on. I know that's not true because I used the product and never plastered it on, or used the wrong shades like some people claimed.

Did you watch the BBC documentary on MLM in May 2019 which focussed on Younique and NuSkin? Did you come across other anti MLM content? No I didn't see it, do you know if its still available? I'd be interested to see it. I came across a few anti Younique blogs/vlogs but other than when I've seen links to anti MLM I haven't seen anything. I also haven't looked for it because I don't really care that much tbh

What was your lightbulb moment when you knew you couldn’t continue with it and how did your upline and others you knew in Younique react to you stopping? I didn't really have one. I just realised I wasn't any good at selling and was too lazy to try harder which according to other people was all I needed to do. But as a single parent working 15 hour shifts in a MH setting I had better things to do in my spare time than keep posting and posting and posting and sending PM after PM to people who already said they didn't want to buy anything. I also didn't want to alienate my friends and family by constantly pushing the products. I guess I never fell 100% for it.

What’s your opinion of the Younique Foundation and did you feel obliged to support it through purchasing certain products or campaigns or donating yourself? I don't know much about it, I think it was fairly new when I left. I have got a beautiful limited edition lipstick from when it launched though I never felt particularly obliged to support it, but if it does what it says (i seem to remember it was refuges for abused women?) then it would be a worthy cause. Its US based though and I'd rather support UK based versions.

Have you been tempted to sign up to other MLMs. No. Like I said I'm not good at selling so they aren't for me. (Although I did also join Usbourne books about 13 years ago. I didn't realise that was an MLM though until a few years ago. I only joined because it was free at the time, held one "party" at toddler group to hit my 1st sales target then put the free books I got on the DCs book shelves and never even tried to sell anymore )

It sounds like you've actually come on here to defend MLM and younique. You're actually blaming yourself for "failing" at it. You're not going about a backhanded way of actually trying to promote it are you??

Thanks for taking the time to answer. I’ll declare my hand, I’m an anti MLM person and this is the website I and others run www.MLMtruth.org, so I’m always interested in people’s motivations to join and why they left. Most anti-MLMers aren’t interested in judging the products because the products are only there to legalise the pyramid. Glad it’s behind you now. Younique is so dodgy, I won’t even start to list what I’ve seen.

Here’s the link to the Ellie Flynn documentary. There was so much they couldn’t show, having to edit hundreds of hours of footage into 60 mins. Secrets of the Multi-Level Millionaires: Ellie Undercover, Secrets of the Multi-Level Millionaires: Ellie Undercover: www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p076n2hg via @bbciplayer

@Savourysenorita

It sounds like you've actually come on here to defend MLM and younique. You're actually blaming yourself for "failing" at it. You're not going about a backhanded way of actually trying to promote it are you??

Erm... I only did the AMA because someone asked me to

The questions have been about why I chose to leave and that's how I felt at the time I chose to leave, that my sales technique was some how lacking. That doesn't mean i agree with the business model, or actually think i would have made millions if I'd been more pushy. But I could, possibly, have made more sales. Who knows.
How I feel 5 years later isn't an answer to how I felt then and therefore is irrelevant to why I left.

If i was trying to promote it I wouldn't have openly said I was never actually able to access my money and therefore didn't make a single penny. I'd be telling you its an easy way to make money! If anyone asked me if I'd recommend joining an MLM I would most definitely say no.

@cheesecrack

Did you have to go on about the charity donation side of it?

I may have got that wrong but I seem to recall something about women's aid benefiting from profits? Or something?

Tax dodge. If you are actually medicated for any psychological illness, if you have the symptoms of trauma, if you state any sort of self harm thoughts (all of which would be understandable if you had suffered childhood SA) then they won’t allow you to attend. So what is the purpose of the Y Foundation?

@YouokHun

Thanks for taking the time to answer. I’ll declare my hand, I’m an anti MLM person and this is the website I and others run www.MLMtruth.org, so I’m always interested in people’s motivations to join and why they left. Most anti-MLMers aren’t interested in judging the products because the products are only there to legalise the pyramid. Glad it’s behind you now. Younique is so dodgy, I won’t even start to list what I’ve seen.

Here’s the link to the Ellie Flynn documentary. There was so much they couldn’t show, having to edit hundreds of hours of footage into 60 mins. Secrets of the Multi-Level Millionaires: Ellie Undercover, Secrets of the Multi-Level Millionaires: Ellie Undercover: www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p076n2hg via @bbciplayer

No problem hun

I'm neither anti or pro MLM these days. They don't really feature on my radar. I can see how people fall for them and why people hate them. I just have other things I'm passionate about, and as I'm not on Facebook I don't see anyone posting about whatever they are selling that week. I have one friend on Instagram who sells scentsy, but she rarely posts about it these days.

I'll have a look at the website and documentary so thanks for the links.

@TheFormerPorpentinaScamander it was interesting what you said about not being able to access your earnings. That isn’t the first time I’ve heard that’s a problem. I do think that the idea you weren’t good at selling was more a case of the products being almost impossible to sell, when you consider what else is available at the same price point. And you’d have to sell in massive volumes on a consistent basis to make even a small amount of money. Most people who sign up buy a shedload of product and that’s when your upline benefits, each time you purchase. So no wonder there is such pressure on Younique sign ups to keep purchasing. It sound like you got out fairly quickly but what I find sad is that people are signing up to these schemes left right and centre and are being told it’s a route out of debt during Covid, but they’ve entered a scam where over 99% lose money :(

Not being on Facebook is a good move!

[quote YouokHun]@TheFormerPorpentinaScamander it was interesting what you said about not being able to access your earnings. That isn’t the first time I’ve heard that’s a problem. I do think that the idea you weren’t good at selling was more a case of the products being almost impossible to sell, when you consider what else is available at the same price point. And you’d have to sell in massive volumes on a consistent basis to make even a small amount of money. Most people who sign up buy a shedload of product and that’s when your upline benefits, each time you purchase. So no wonder there is such pressure on Younique sign ups to keep purchasing. It sound like you got out fairly quickly but what I find sad is that people are signing up to these schemes left right and centre and are being told it’s a route out of debt during Covid, but they’ve entered a scam where over 99% lose money :([/quote]
I can imagine not being able to access money is fairly common. I don't know if other MLMs work the same way (or if its because its an American company) but with younique your earnings go into an account that they send you the card for. In order to validate the card you have to upload proof of identity. Fair enough. BUT the only forms of UK ID they accepted were passport or driving licence. Neither of which I had. Now of course I could have bought either, but actually couldn't afford to so I was stuck. I guess if I had more money in my younique account than the cost of ID I could have borrowed it. But I didn't so would have actually been out of pocket.
My upline did encourage me to post pics of days out/treats I bought and say I bought them with my Y card in order to make people think they could make money. But I'm too honest and refused to lie to my friends and family (which is kind of what I mean when using say I wasn't any good at it, I was too honest)