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Original poster

To worry about an "Arbonne" friend?

59 replies

phlebasconsidered · 14/12/2014 19:57

A good friend has started to sell this. She is in the beauty trade anyway, and so says this is complimentary, but aibu to worry? I am the sort of person who only ever does make up and hair for work, i'm a quite happy Lidly moisturiser buyer and so on. I worry that since i've seen her and since she's been doing it, we are not the "same", she seems to be selling. I wonder what the facts are about this sort of MLM selling and I would like experiences, if possible.

I love my friend, but she is vulnerable; she has low self esteem and if the right sellers got to her she would believe them. I worry this is what has happened. My last meeting with her, which would normally have been a few glasses of wine and a chat and the kids playing, was more like a sales pitch.

Are Arbonne weird? And if so, what can I do? She's already been to London for a meeting and a big thing about a Mercedes.

I suppose I am saying, once a friend has gone that route, can I help? Should I? I love her, but i'm not getting anywhere.

OP posts:
NoelleHawthorne · 14/12/2014 19:59

Sounds like all of these things
work in my pyjamas
flashy car

annoy your mates

etc

If it was so good WHY IS IT NOT IN THE SHOPS

NoelleHawthorne · 14/12/2014 19:59

and lol a ' been to London for a meeting'

ANYONE can go to a Holiday Inn

bottleofbeer · 14/12/2014 20:07

I've an acquaintance who owned her own beauty salon. Seemed quite successful as she'd owned it for years. Got heavily into Arbonne, constantly going on about it and this white Mercedes etc... Suddenly she doesn't own said salon anymore and is working as a beautician for someone else. I obviously can't be sure she got seriously stung with what is basically a pyramid scheme but it does seem to be the case.

ovaltine · 14/12/2014 20:14

I know a few people who do Arbonne (and I'm an avid product user). How about just supporting her? I think when people first start anything they get excited and don't think about how they might come across.

Fwiw - the products are amazing and the people I know are very successful within the company, it's been lovely to see the changes in them. Ive personally got a lot out of books they have recommended I read. Yes they are super positive. No they aren't a pyramid scheme - they are a 35yr old company (maybe 6 years here?) who use network marketing. You can tell I've been to a few of their meetings :)

Fakebook · 14/12/2014 20:23

I have an old school friend on FB who is an Arbonne rep. It's like she's brainwashed. Always writing about white Mercedes and how she's got meetings in London and what not. Didn't realise this was an "Arbonne" thing. What the hell do they do to them at these meetings? Confused.

RokensWife · 14/12/2014 20:26

Sounds exactly like the Forever Living one too....working in pyjamas, meetings in London / Telford, new car etc

RoastitBubblyJocks · 14/12/2014 20:30

It's a pyramid scheme. She's been had. Don't get involved.

NoelleHawthorne · 14/12/2014 20:31

If it was so good WHY IS IT NOT IN THE SHOPS

Namechangeyetagaintohide · 14/12/2014 20:31

Why do they all have a white Mercedes ?

pinkr · 14/12/2014 20:32

Ha ovaltine. ...you sound just like my friend who has also been brain washed by this 'cult' .
Op. ..If it gets too tirng I'd tell her straight. I have blocked several friends on Facebook already as I'm sick of the stupid posts.

RoastitBubblyJocks · 14/12/2014 20:32

It also seems to permeate weird Christian/churchy folk. Which further cements my opinion on Christians.

divingoffthebalcony · 14/12/2014 20:34

Forever Living, Juice Plus, Arbonne... all scary brainwashing schemes.

pinkr · 14/12/2014 20:34

You get the Mercedes when you have recruited enough idiots into your team etc. However you don't own the car...The pay the monthly payment and as soon as you fail to meet targets etc it's taken off you again.

ovaltine · 14/12/2014 20:35

If it was sold in the shops it would be 4x the price. I pay less for Arbonne than I did for Lancôme/Clarins, plus it actually works and hasn't got all the shit normal off the shelf stuff has.

You get a Merc for reaching a certain level. You don't have to have it though if you don't want it

JohnFarleysRuskin · 14/12/2014 20:37

What's so good about a white Mercedes?
I hate status symbol shit.
I have an acquaintance in 'arbonne' we don't talk about arbonne since the first time she mentioned it.

ovaltine · 14/12/2014 20:37

Pinkr....cult? It does make me laugh when people call all these things a cult just because you perhaps don't understand them.

Fakebook · 14/12/2014 20:39

Gosh. My friend is very Christian...her husband goes on "crusades" to India. She's very devout.
She talks about Arbonne like it's the light of her life.

Musicaltheatremum · 14/12/2014 20:40

My daughter got brainwashed into this. She spent £1000 on the starter kit. I was so upsets he had been talked into this. She was 20 at the time she managed to get her money back very easily fortunately and sent the stuff back. She is normally so sensible and this was so out of character for her. Her "friend" who suggested she did this was not happy.

LittleDonkeyLeftie · 14/12/2014 20:40

I don't use it but I do have a friend who is an Arbonne "rep" and she has done really well out of it. Jets around all over the shop.

She went on an all expenses paid trip to Bermuda with them earlier this year. She had no actual money to invest or anything so hasn't been "had."

Keep an eye on your mate if you think she is vulnerable but I don't think it's a giant con or anything.

Namechangeyetagaintohide · 14/12/2014 20:41

Oh god it's one of those products isn't it ? And there's the obligatory product defender already here. Wonderful.

BlinkAndMiss · 14/12/2014 20:42

My understanding about some of these companies is that the monthly payments for the car don't stop if you don't make your target, you simply become responsible for them. Terrifying. I can understand why these sellers suddenly behave as if they are part of a cult.

bumpthedoor · 14/12/2014 20:46

It's over priced crap that alienates your friends, and gives you spots.

pinkr · 14/12/2014 20:49

Cult. I stand by it. Transforms seemingly sensible people into mouthpieces who rave on about how proud they are and how much other arbonne people inspire them etc. Yawn

RoastitBubblyJocks · 14/12/2014 20:51

It's a total con. It IS a pyramid selling scheme.

itsbetterthanabox · 14/12/2014 21:10

Yeah ovaltine clearly has a vested interest Hmm
She needs to keep away from this. I find it strange people are so susceptible. Just advise show her info on pyramid selling she needs to realise this is not a real job!