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Original poster

Buying from an MLM

28 replies

Namechangeymcnamechange11 · 30/04/2020 16:32

Where do you stand on buying from an MLM? Just wondering really. I've never been into any of the make up brands so never even considered it before. Also no one I know has ever been involved in it. I've read the unique blog by the lady who got drawn in and does the campaigning and have always had a negative view of them since that.
However I've recently learned that the usborne books home sales is one too which surprised me. I've ordered a book through a friend of a friend who is doing it. I've paid for it, but have realised that it's probably pretty unethical. It was a decent price, but am now wonder whether I should call it a day after that book only. It's a shame as I generally try and support local businesses etc... Plus my DC love books and the selection available seems right up their street.
Where do you stand on it?

OP posts:
honeybeetheoneandonly · 30/04/2020 17:03

I kind of like it. Not everything. But a friend went through a few (she didn't make any money but didn't lose any either) and I actually quite enjoyed when she organised taster evenings where you could try things. I realised I actually liked quite a lot of the stuff. If it wasn't so overpriced it would probably sell well. The mlm model sucks the products can be ok.

honeybeetheoneandonly · 30/04/2020 17:13

Sorry, to answer your question, I wouldn't buy something just to support a friend but i wouldn't NOT buy something I liked just because it's a mlm. If you like the books (or whatever) and the price is right why wouldn't you buy them?

mencken · 30/04/2020 17:17

sucker-bait. All the stuff is wildly overpriced .

plenty of Usborne stuff on ebay from those who have been left with stock when they saw the light.

WickedlyPetite · 30/04/2020 17:20

I'd really genuinely like to try Tropic skincare but I just can't bring myself to knowingly buy into any MLM.

donquixotedelamancha · 30/04/2020 17:49

I wouldn't want to support an MLM.

myusernamewastakenbyme · 30/04/2020 18:26

I would never buy from an mlm....if everybody stopped buying from them these scams would cease to exist....i've known too many people get sucked in and then lose money....

Hoppinggreen · 30/04/2020 18:29

I like a few things from Tropic, plus it is vegan and cruelty free.
I message the woman and she drops it off, she knows I will never have a party or be involved in any way. If she asks me then I won’t order from her again

fantasmasgoria1 · 30/04/2020 18:30

I have recently been invited to purchase a younique mascara but at £25 I'll give it a miss. I read some reviews and it's apparently not very good.

radiall · 30/04/2020 18:33

Is body shop home a MLM?

myusernamewastakenbyme · 30/04/2020 18:35

Yes it is @radiall

thenightsky · 30/04/2020 18:44

I once bought a mascara from Amway. It was dried up and useless. I suspect it had been sat around in a warehouse or someone's garage for many years. I complained and got given another, which was exactly the same. I only bought it as a friend was giving me the big sell about how fab the products were.

Thirtyysomething · 30/04/2020 18:46

One of my friends is in MLM, albeit a very discreet one, thankfully. I had a few samples and I loved one of products, so I bought it. Similar to @Hoppinggreen, if she pestered me I wouldn’t buy again but I will probably re-order if she doesn’t!

HailHydra · 30/04/2020 18:46

Agree that it's unethical.

acatcalledjohn · 30/04/2020 18:47

Absolutely no way would I buy something from an MLM as it keeps a highly unethical business going for longer than it should. And by buying from reps you feed in to the false hope that they could perhaps succeed.

The products are vastly overpriced for what they are.

BlackCatsRule88 · 30/04/2020 18:54

But it’s not really a “local” business - the money flows back to a huge firm, usually based in America. I can’t see that the products are typically good - if they were so good wouldn’t they be on sale more widely? Also, are they good value for money? Most I’ve seen really really aren’t.

EatingIsMyHobby · 30/04/2020 18:58

My friend has done very well from Arbonne; I buy skincare from her and I really like the products.

JaniceBattersby · 30/04/2020 19:01

Absolutely no way would I ever buy from an MLM. They deliberately target and exploit vulnerable women and sell an impossible dream. If nobody bought from them, they’d not be able to operate here.

MissCharleyP · 30/04/2020 19:18

A friend does Temple Spa and I have bought something from her - mainly because I can’t get to Harrods which is the only physical place that I can buy their products from AFAIK. I was very surprised that a high end brand would go for this business model though. I am sick of seeing her ‘inspirational’ posts though and I hate how a post about ANYTHING is just an advert for her ‘business’.

Another old school friend does Younique and I unfollowed her as I was fed up to the back teeth of her spamming FB constantly and posting videos. And I haven’t heard good things about their products, while Temple Spa at least sell decent stuff (or the stuff I’ve tried anyway).

StopMakingATitOfUrselfNPissOff · 30/04/2020 19:19

No way in hell. I actually like some body shop products but can't even bring myself to buy from their website now they are an MLM

cacaca · 30/04/2020 19:21

I have an old friend that does Scentsy. I’m generally not bothered by any of the other mlm posting but there’s just something that bothers me about Scentsy. It’s beyond cheesy.

CodenameVillanelle · 30/04/2020 19:23

I'd never buy a MLM product. It's an exploitative and unethical 'business' model that relies on people, mostly women, investing time and money for very little reward in order to prop up the bank accounts of some very wealthy Mormons.

louise5754 · 30/04/2020 19:23

I've sold for 2 for 3 years now. I don't recruit though.

I can't work though.

Overthinker1988 · 30/04/2020 22:47

Someone mentioned Tropic...I bought some products from Tropic a while ago, I didn't know it was an MLM though.
A colleague invited a load of us to a girls' night at her home, she mentioned a friend of hers would be there doing a pamper session to promote her new "skincare business". It sounded fun and like we'd be supporting a local business, so I went along.
At the time I didn't really know much about how MLMs worked and to be fair it was a good night, the woman wasn't pushy and the products seemed good. Everyone else ordered stuff so I got a face wash and a moisturiser.
They smelled lovely but the face wash didn't take my make up off properly, even with scrubbing (and I only wear light make up), and even when I used it on days when I hadn't had any make up on it always left an unpleasant greasy residue that wasn't there before. The products were around £15-£20...I'd pay that for a decent product but I've used better quality stuff from Boots for a quarter of the price.

Overthinker1988 · 30/04/2020 22:55

Btw was Oriflame ever a thing in the UK? It was big in Europe in the 90s, similar to Avon. A friend's mum used to do it and constantly pestered my mum to buy stuff. My poor mum would go to play dates with gritted teeth for my sake and would always rage about this woman afterwards. A teacher at my school also flogged the products to pupils from a catalogue under her desk (I'm guessing without the knowledge of the head or the parents), I remember buying my first (massively overpriced) deodorant from her and was so pleased with myself.

YouokHun · 30/04/2020 23:46

I agree with everyone who would never buy MLM. It’s not supporting a friend, it’s just perpetuating a massive scam and handing money to a big American shark infested company. It’s a scam that dresses itself up as female friendly and empowering but it’s just a manipulative cult. These companies are not about products, the products are overpriced and meh. They exist purely to bring the recruiting pyramid scheme within the law. It’s incredibly rare that someone makes good money or breaks even, more than 90% of sign ups lose money and much more besides. The people who do make money never do it by selling product but by recruiting huge downlines who are tricked into believing it’s a viable business. None of these companies deserve a penny.

Have a look at mlmtruth.org for people’s experiences at the hands of all of the above mentioned companies.

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