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Original poster

Friend is hijacking our weekend away with her Body Shop shite

698 replies

Youngatheart00 · 07/11/2021 15:44

In a fortnights time DH and I are going away with some other friends for a weekend away in a cottage. One of my friends has recently joined the Body shop cult at home and has been pushing it any excuse she gets.

She’s now suggested the girls in the group have a ‘pamper evening’ which basically just means her trying to sell to us. Of the 8 of us, 2 have already said ‘great idea can’t wait’ and another ive spoken to isn’t keen on the products but wants to support her. I don’t want to fall out over this but I really don’t want to waste a Saturday night when I don’t agree with MLM and hate what it’s doing to my friend!!

How to approach this tactfully?

OP posts:
DaphneDeloresMoorhead · 08/11/2021 21:54

@NameChanged15729

I have absolutely nothing useful to add but it all reminds me of when I worked for a well known pushy high street brand. It was drummed into us that if a customer didn’t want our assistance (hard sell) we just hadn’t found the right way to approach them Hmm. We were supposed to try again in a different manner or get another sales assistant to try. I hated that place!
Ah, can you mean the place that stinks to high heaven where the letters rearranged spell HUSL ?
Snog · 08/11/2021 21:58

This is not about being unsupportive of a friend's business. This is about a friend exploiting your personal friendship for financial gain.

Tell her it's enough that she is wasting her own time and money on this without wasting yours too.

RedToothBrush · 08/11/2021 21:59

@YouokHun

Also watch this; it features NuSkin and Younique but the failure rate is pretty much the same for them all so it’s entirely relevant for BSAH.

www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p076n2hg

Also, remember that on Planet Mumsnet “No” is a complete sentence but on Planet Pyramid Scheme (sorry “MLM”) “no” means “not right now”, so they are taught to keep trying to sell to you, or even better, recruit you and start creating a downline to put a buffer between them and the losses (which they’re happy for you to incur in the desperate and usually fruitless scrabble to keep their head above water).

Anyone stupid enough to try and recruit me would get four letter words rather than No.

If people are gullible about getting rich quick and get involved in schemes like this, I have little sympathy tbh.

DaphneDeloresMoorhead · 08/11/2021 22:01

The ridiculous thing is you're not being unsupportive of her business. She hasn't got a business. It's not like she's actually making a product herself and you won't buy it.
She just an unpaid sales person and you aren't being supportive of The Body Shop.
It's such nonsense.

DaphneDeloresMoorhead · 08/11/2021 22:03

Indeed she'd be better off as a cashier in a Body Shop. At least she'd get paid by the hour !

Original poster
Youngatheart00 · 08/11/2021 22:06

I’ve just seen this on Instagram!!!!!

Friend is hijacking our weekend away with her Body Shop shite
OP posts:
Itsnotallaboutyoubaby · 08/11/2021 22:19

Grin ha! Post it!

Shallwegoforawalk · 08/11/2021 22:27

@NameChanged15729

I have absolutely nothing useful to add but it all reminds me of when I worked for a well known pushy high street brand. It was drummed into us that if a customer didn’t want our assistance (hard sell) we just hadn’t found the right way to approach them Hmm. We were supposed to try again in a different manner or get another sales assistant to try. I hated that place!
That'll be Thrush, I mean Lush then! Horrible!
frumpety · 08/11/2021 22:37

'Dont forget your wallets Ladies ' Classy !

BruiserWoods · 08/11/2021 22:39

@DaphneDeloresMoorhead

Indeed she'd be better off as a cashier in a Body Shop. At least she'd get paid by the hour !
So true, suggest that to her
myheartskippedabeat · 08/11/2021 22:50

@Justilou1

Meanwhile, at least you're not likely to be saddled with another useless melon baller.
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
cstaff · 08/11/2021 23:25

The part about this particular one that bothers me most is that it feels like entrapment. It is one thing to invite you to a pamper party at home where you can just say no thanks. It is the way she is using an already planned weekend, having not seen each other for ages to try and inflict this shite on her so-called friends. It really is despicable carry on.

cstaff · 08/11/2021 23:28

Also I would love you to post your Instagram pic on your WhatsApp group. That might just get the message across 😆

JingsMahBucket · 08/11/2021 23:36

@DaphneDeloresMoorhead

Indeed she'd be better off as a cashier in a Body Shop. At least she'd get paid by the hour !
TRUE! She’s wasting her time otherwise.
ThumbWitchesAbroad · 09/11/2021 00:43

@NameChanged15729

I have absolutely nothing useful to add but it all reminds me of when I worked for a well known pushy high street brand. It was drummed into us that if a customer didn’t want our assistance (hard sell) we just hadn’t found the right way to approach them Hmm. We were supposed to try again in a different manner or get another sales assistant to try. I hated that place!
Back in the dim and distant, I had a schoolfriend who had a Saturday job at Freeman Hardy Willis shoes. They also had it drummed into them that they had to "upsell" stuff, like shoe trees, leather protectors, shoebags etc and if they didn't then they'd get into trouble. You could see customers being irritated by it - and also by being approached within seconds of being in the shop, before you've even really had a chance to look round! (That still annoys me - give me a couple of minutes at least!)

I KNOW everyone wants to maximise their sales opportunities and profits, but being pushy is not the way to do it for most people!

Werehamster · 09/11/2021 01:00

I knew a guy who used to cold sell insurance back in the day. He told me that anything that isn't a direct no is a maybe! So whenever you give an excuse, that's just leaving the door open for them.

Is it rude and blunt to just say no, but it's very effective.

I hope the weekend away isn't ruined by this. The saleswoman has behaved poorly. I'm sure in years to come, she will look back and cringe at the whole thing. At least I hope so!!

beachtosunset · 09/11/2021 01:03

'No, it's a weekend away from it all including this shite however you try and dress it up. Clear?!''

hth Wink

laurenGame · 09/11/2021 01:40

Her husband calling it 'her little business' and her an 'entrepreneur' is possibly the cringiest thing I've ever read. They actually sound insufferable.
No way I'd go, I would most likely go do things with DH.

Nanasueathome · 09/11/2021 06:50

@laurenGame

Her husband calling it 'her little business' and her an 'entrepreneur' is possibly the cringiest thing I've ever read. They actually sound insufferable. No way I'd go, I would most likely go do things with DH.
That’s why they all need to drill into their DH’s that they do not want BS products for Christmas I can imagine the DH’s also being targeted if she gets no luck with the wives.
Ritasueandbobtoo9 · 09/11/2021 06:54

Just keeping pouring wine and upping the music until pamper turns to pissed.

Mybalconyiscracking · 09/11/2021 06:55

Bodyshop is far too everyday for a pamper experience! You might as well pamper yourself with a bar of Imperial Leather and a bottle of Head and Shoulders.
I wonder what Anita Roddick would make of this MLM shite? I’m not sure it’s what she had in mind when she started the company.

BruiserWoods · 09/11/2021 06:57

I agree with PP so completely, to both parts.
Would Anita R have wanted people pressured in to buying body shop products. Thinking no.

NotJustACigar · 09/11/2021 07:08

Not just that they don't want BS for Christmas but that no one on their Christmas list does either, not colleagues or aunties or teachers- no one, and they mustn't buy any no matter what!

Justilou1 · 09/11/2021 07:38

That’s why they all need to drill into their DH’s that they do not want BS products for Christmas

* THIS SQUARED
BS friend’s DH sounds like a patronizing twat too

FallonCarringtonWannabe · 09/11/2021 07:42

@BruiserWoods

I agree with PP so completely, to both parts. Would Anita R have wanted people pressured in to buying body shop products. Thinking no.
Didn't she sell out to Nestlé before she died?