AIBU - won party as prize in raffle

[dilemaemma]

Named changed for this in case the neighbours are on Mnet.

Sooooo, won a Pamper and Prosecco party at my daughters christmas play raffle. Chuffed to bits, I never win anything! Got in contact with the prize giver who explained it was a DIY facial for me and a group of friends at my house, with a bottle of prosecco. Fab, I thought, and invited 3 of my lovely neighbours. We get together every other month or so for a few drinks and nibbles and general natter, and take it in turns. My turn to host.

The lady turns up at 7.30 and starts getting out her stuff to set up and it becomes patently clear, very quickly, that she is a bloody MLMer and is going to try to sell us her beauty stuff all night. Not much I could do, apologised to the others as then arrived. We had a fun night but it was pretty awkward and when it became really bloody obvious we weren't going to buy anything she packed up and left. She seemed a bit upset/huffy. But I still kind of felt sorry for her.

Anyway, it certainly wasn't the prize it was made out to be, and I was a bit embarassed in front of my friends.

So, my AIBU .... AIBU to mention this to the organiser? She runs the drama/singing after school club DD attends (hence the play) at about 6 or 7 local schools, and is also a parent at DCs school, so I kind of know her.

I'm just not sure whether I should? I just feel it was a bit of a deceitful prizie tbh and am not sure she should accept them for future raffles?

Sorry, OP, YANBU to tell the club! This is not a prize and it is very deceitful of this MLM company to do it this way.

Definitely tell the school or the organizer. I am sure they will be appalled!

In my experience raffle prize vouchers are never really what they are cracked up to be.

I win a hotel voucher once for a very nice Edinburgh hotel, who made it so incredibly difficult for us to book a room on the voucher that it was never used.

They got their advertising all over the raffle flyers though.

This happened to me at a baby event, I "won" a similar thing but because the lady who ran the stall called me in advance I sussed our she was going to try and sell stuff from the questions I asked.
In the end I declined the prize. I came to the conclusion she probably just rang everyone who entered saying the same thing to try and get business.
It's possible the person running it knew already but I can understand why you felt uncomfortable

I would mention it, definitely.

Used to work for Mary Kay and I can imagine some of the sales staff doing EXACTLY this..

Thanks all, I will definitely mention it to the organiser. It just never even occured to me it would be an MLM sales pitch! Will definitely ask better questions in future (not that I am likely to bloody win anything ever again!)

Can't quite believe how many of you have had similar experiences. What a fucking con!

That's outrageous. Why not tell products that people actually want in the first place? I know not everybody likes Boden clothes but they sell out. Clarins, Estee Lauder and pretty much any other premium brand and I could be tempted.

Not this cheap, nasty stuff. Why do they even bother?

lying one of my neighbours had to take the mask of pretty quick as it was really irritating her skin.

*off

I'd mention it.

Those who mentioned venture I actually did really well out of them!

I got a £25 photo thingy (won it) and then had a party explaining to friends and family they could buy the £25 package and showed them photo they could get and how to get bigger photo. We held lots if parties between us and I have 2 large photos of Ds and 3 small photos and a cd full of pictures - for £50! All people who cane have £300 quid photo and 2 small ones for £50 each!

Dreadful, dilemaemma.

I'm thinking that the schools should perhaps have a friendly Trading Standards Officer's name somewhere on the blurb... just so these chancers know that if there are complaints, they will be traceable and there may well be repercussions for them.

Might results in fewer prizes but at least they'd be actual prizes.

you but were they upfront about what it was from the get go? That's the thing for me. The deceitfulness.

That sounds like a shit prize ANYWAY. Never mind with the MLM crap!

and the fact that she started off by saying she hates seeing all these drugs people take when they're ill, when actually they just need to use these natural products.

As if cleanser, toner and moisturiser would help my husband with his chronic sinusitus and ear infection! ffs.

tenancy I disagree. What she told me it was (pampering facials and prosecco at home with my mates) sounded like a lovely prize. If it had been that I would have been delighted. I don't think there is anything so hideous as someone trying to sell you something you don't want in your own home.

Definitely tell the organisers. It's quite likely that the MLMer didn't let them know that this 'prize' was an opportunity for people to have her attempt to flog them crap. As a PP said, it's unfortunately the sort of thing hunbots are actually encouraged to do by the companies.

Yes they were upfront I suppose. As in I was told voucher was for photo and a small print. They didn't tell me to choose my print I'd have to attend a wanky viewing where they'd try and sell me prints for thousands 😉

I know myself and other Usborne organisers, if asked for a raffle prize, will generally donate a voucher so that people can choose a book (although of course we hope that they'll cough up money for a more expensive one than just using the voucher ) so that it won't cost them anything, it is actually a prize.

Of course, there's nothing wrong with MLMers saying, host a party for me and get a free drink or voucher or whatever, when it's all upfront. Things like Avon and Ann Summers parties have been going for years - they might not be to everyone's tastes but they used to provide a reasonably steady business for party organisers. The new MLM marketing models are much more aggressive and dishonest, and the products generally a lot crappier as well.

I’d mention it but wouldn’t make a song and dance over it, you wouldn’t want it to happen to somebody else next year, I bet it was really embarrassing not buying anything but I wouldn’t of purchased anything either.

I would definitely mention it.

Being pressured to buy junk is not my idea of a 'prize' at all. I mean, some people may enjoy it, but I would bet most would not. The actual facial and that would be great..but minus the intense pressure that MLMers put onto people. They could still use the event to flog some junk, but in a more..if you are interested in any of the products I have used today, have a look through my catalogue/basket/whatever. Not the constant trying to flog stuff

DailyFail it was awkward for my guests, not for me! I think she should be embarassed at the sheer brass neck of it. I wasn't embarrassed at all about not buying anything.

Have emailed the organiser but haven't heard back yet... now really hoping she wasn't in on it!?

When I first read the op I thought how unique, great business to be in and wondered what was wrong. To then see its obviously some mlm skin care company sadly didn't surprise.

I think these people think it's like when you go to a Salon and they use these great products on you and of course kind of nudged towards maybe making a purchase, it's not.
Glad you complained op. Really not on.