MLM

[pomlife]

Close friend is pestering me to get involved in her MLM business. Her social media is full of her pushing her product and stating how blessed she is to run her own business and be able to spend so much time with her kids. AIBU to think is her husbands 6 figure salary, not her MLM that's affording her that lifestyle ?! Behind closed doors she keeps banging on about how much she wants to leave him, how much she dislikes him, then on social media she cannot sing his praises highly enough. It's all so false ... are they encouraged to portray a happy family to sell more ? It's driving me bonkers, she works so hard at it - Late into the evening and I don't think she is getting much financial reward. AIBU to think she's been totally brainwashed by them? Anyone ever worked for one? Seems pointless to me ....

Run. Just run. There's numerous threads on here and other forums, also check out Elle Beau (think that's the spelling). Ashamed to say I once fell for FL - although luckily not to the extent many did. Encouraged to only ever portray positives - fake it til you make it. Spent a bloody fortune on stuff could have got much cheaper. Spent countless hours listening to "training" podcasts about how to upsell around Christmas, the importance of a "who do you know list..." which I was shit at because it was more a who do I know that I want to fleece money from and lose friendship of. Nobody ever says no, it's just a no for now so diarise to try again in 3 months. If marriage wasn't over before it soon will be if she continues

She's brainwashed. And yes, the lifestyle will be down to her husband's job, she's just faking her "business" success. Question is, how much stock is she really buying and, if she is, how much of that does she hide from her DH.

Which MLM is she in?

Have a look at the Bot Watch threads on the Money Matters boards. We're currently on thread 42.

MLM Bot Watch 42

Arbonne - she is wants me to get involved because I'm all over social media with fitness posts (I'm one of those people ) and she cannot understand why I wouldn't want to make money from it help !

Send her this -
www.talentedladiesclub.com/articles/how-much-money-can-you-really-make-working-for-mlm-arbonne/

She might be in the fug at the moment however so may not listen for her own benefit but it will at least show her why you won't be sucked in and are not a viable prospect.

Remember too that you're not being mean by saying no. You're just not enabling a corrupt and dangerous business model to entrap another victim.

Hi

Its never crossed my mind to sell or even buy from people who see Yiunique/Tropoc etc but I just wanted to know why it is so bad and hif it is bad why seemingly intelligent women sign up..

A couple of my facebook friends sell Younique. I kniw they're only ever supposed to portray the positive sbut one friend-I know her and her family personally- doe really well she has ewrned a lot if money and gone on several free holidays. Her job doesnt pay sifficient for her to pay and pretend this is funded by Younique . So all im interested to know is if it is a scam how has it pais for all this?

Anithet pal who jas started selling it as always been anti capitalist/consumerism and us intelligent and has a responsible job yet now does this... i find it srange.

I've hesrd bad th8ngs but i guess what im saying is... i cant work out how it is all bad. Someone must be buying from them. Please dont jump down my throat gebuinely asking as i dont get it. Thanks x

Most of the sales in MLM are by the reps ('independent business owners' themselves. They have to buy stock to boost their case credits- points they earn to receive bonuses etc. Would you buy a bottle of very ordinary hand soap for £15? No- so hardly any sales are made by real customers except pity purchases. MLMS reward recruitment much more than sales. Most reps end up with a garage full of stock they can't sell. Look at how many airborne products there are on ebay - desperate sellers trying to claw some money back.

Arbonne not airborne!

MLM is all about getting people to sell the shit FOR you not actually selling the stuff. You need (I think the ratio is) 30 selling for you to make money and its a pure numbers game since they know 1% respond so you need to contact 1000's to get sales and more importantly sales agents. As PP said - RUN! (unless you like annoying every single person you have ever met and those you are still to meet).

@TheRealHousewifeofCheshire

There’s a documentary on Netflix answering your question. I can’t remember what it is called. Maybe someone here knows it.

Betting on Zero is the programme on Netflix I think you mean. About Herbalife but these pyramid schemes are pretty much all the same.

God I wou,d be distancing myself from her, telling her yiu will not be involved in any MLM, and send her some articles posted here.

Is Darcey's MLM?
Quick check of the website says yes, Reps, up-lining and get in early - all signs of MLM

Yes Darceys is definitely MLM. BIL's idiot girlfriend sells this along with tropic and usborne books. She used to do forever living as well but she's gone quiet on that lately.

She is always showing her craft stuff too (embarrassingly terrible paintings mainly) and talking about going to fetes etc and it gives people the impression she is doing very well financially to support herself independently. In reality she's only doing okay because BIL earns quite good money as a web developer and the ILs prop them up further with significant financial support.

Basically it's all a charade and the MLM is actually costing her money. She will never admit this though.

Urgh. Arbonne is one of the worst as well. Big sign up fee etc., reps spout pseudo scientific nonsense.

My good friend got sucked in and I cared about her so I told her (fairly gently) what a bad idea it was and now she doesn’t speak to me

Her job doesnt pay sifficient for her to pay and pretend this is funded by Younique . So all im interested to know is if it is a scam how has it pais for all this?

Odds are; Mr. Barclaycard is footing the bill and she's paying him back at the minumum payment each month.

My MLM bot gave up a great job to follow her dream full-time around her family and a couple of years later has recently started working part time, in a job well below her pay grade which she did at 16 before going to uni, etc. She clearly isn't making a living out of it. It's a huge con.

A friend of mine recently started selling Younique and created a Facebook group to do so. As she had added me to the group, but not said what it was, I watched about 10 seconds of her video - sound off! - before clicking off and leaving the group. She did a couple of close up selfie shots to show off the mascara, and my first thought on seeing those was that I would not buy a mascara that left huge clumps on my lashes! This friend is always trying to find ways to make money.

Reading this with interest; has anybody come across Mary Kay? It's one based in the USA which I have so far resisted. These posts seem to confirm my "gut feeling" that all was not as it seemed.....
Sometimes I fret about my (genuinely) sensitive, allergy-prone skin - Clinique is so expensive, dammit! - but I think in this case, it's given me a genuine excuse to dodge a bullet!

I have a old school friend on Facebook, doing Poonique. Its all about rocking her little business, her little business has helped her buy a car, days out etc. Smashing her little business etc. She uses all the typical language of a Poonique bot. Sorry but it is not your business, you are a rep! You do not own Younique, you are making money to line their pockets love, whilst earning very little.

Mary Kay has been going for years - US rival to Avon. I think that's the one where a pink Cadillac was something a consultant could achieve.

I don’t Know if Darcys is a MLM but god the candles stink! Quite a few sets were handed into the schofor our fundraising night last year. I sniffed a few and they smelled very strong and very cheap. They also look a bit cheap and no way worth the cost to buy them at full price. But the gift sets were in nice jute bags aNd they all sold. I’m assuming they were handed in by a rep who couldn’t shift them, but I’m guessing folks bought them for Xmas gifts. I wonder if they will be handed back in to the school this comingNovember again for our next fundraiser 😄

The fitness industry in the whole doesn't like these schemes, @pomlife. What does she want you to do? Post selfies with Arbonne protein shakes claiming it's the only shake that helps you build muscle?

I'd steer very clear from this pyramid scheme.

Arbonne sued for being a pyramid scheme

Reddit thread on why Arbonne is garbage

MN Thread from 6 years ago

The Talented Ladies Club article link upthread is good too.

(Lawsuit got settled)