MLM in full force

[locketpol]

I feel since covid MLM has ramped up even more so alongside home" businesses "

Lots of people now operating catering services from home ie brownies , afternoon tea etc but no appropriate qualifications held or registered business.

Also lots of people now claiming to be a stylist and charging £££ to pick some outfits out for you

Pick n mix sweets £10 for a box of sweets that someone has opened up bags from a bargain store and placed in an box.

I appreciate that we all need to be more inventive and imaginative with job cuts however I feel a lot of us are just getting ripped off for pure crap.

I'm not sure you know what an MLM is.

Yes fake perfume shakes etc

Home businesses selling baked goods, sweet cones etc aren’t MLM.

So don't buy from any of them then if you feel you're being ripped off?!

What's a perfume shake?

There is definitely an increase in the number of people being sucked into MLM's. My Facebook timeline is full of them lately.

Just don't buy it then. I don't blame people for trying to boost their earnings, but haven't seen any of the type you are suggesting. But if someone wants to buy that stuff so what? And I don't see MLM businesses in your examples.

@notanotherlasagne

I personally will only buy genuine perfume shakes

Sorry I will clarify I am seeing increases in both

1. MLM- so lots more people coming on social media to show the world their skin routine with 10 plus products plus a gadget alone that costs £400 ( but don't worry they can offer you finance )

1. Unregistered businesses that are offering cocktails ( that they just pour into a cup for you) and drop to your door or brownies etc

MLMs are people selling sweets or trying to be stylists. At least, I don't think so. MLMs are the ones that start sharing inspirational quotes, cryptic messages about amazing business opportunities and start calling you hun. Then they PM you about the amazing business opportunity, which is actually a glorified pyramid scheme, and there's sadly a 99% chance this will fail. In the meantime they will lose friends and alienate people.
Yes. Sadly, there's an increase amongst my social media cohort. I just decline any invite, politely refuse if asked directly, then block if they are persistent

I get you! Not sure why pp don't. It's cringey.

There was also an increase of somewhat incomprehensible OPs online.

Horrible times we live in.

You're right OP, my FB is full of MLM new converts - the perfume ones appear to be particularly prolific which amuses me, now that I have nowhere to go, my perfume collection is growing dusty! The weight loss and fitness ones are everywhere too. People are sadly desperate to earn, i get that, but MLMs are the wrong way to go about it. They're dishonest, based on smoke and mirrors and you are extremely unlikely to make a profit.

Tbf I would be happy to buy cakes from friends if a little bit helps. Not stylist services though, unless they can advise me on the comfiest work from home outfit

I think the perfumes are more common now because they are fairly new? Everyone knows younique, forever, etc. now. I hope!

@ColourMeExhausted I nearly got sucked in with the stylist services. I paid £115 I told my DH his response was " so you don't actually get any clothes ?" Not even " some money off the clothes" then the penny dropped I had almost been taken in.

I have noticed this, I have had to unfollow a few people who have been sucked in to body shop and FM world. There seems to be 2 body shop reps to every resident in our town (possibly a slight exaggeration ) I don't know how they think they will make any money when the market is saturated.

I have seen a few posts on local sites advertising food items by people who haven't got a registered food business.

It's a very sad sign of the times that people's options are so limited that they are resorting to these schemes.

The OP does state in the first post that MLM has ramped up ALONGSIDE other home based businesses, which she goes on to give examples of.

I've definitely been invited to more MLM "parties"/groups by FB friends in the last 6 months than in my entire life up till now. Lots of Body Shop at Home, couple of Younique, Tropic, Arbonne etc. It's understandable why, given I know several of the women (always women) involved have either been made redundant or long-term furloughed with no imminent prospect of return. But it makes me so angry that these companies are profiting off others' financial hardships.

Haven't seen many of my friends starting cake businesses etc, but local FB pages are full of them. Makes for a change from the dog poo posts!

MLM is everywhere at the moment, perfume and travel businesses seem to be the most common. Very tempting to join tbh, but common sense says it's too risky even though I would earn thousands, have regular holidays and a brand new car...

I have someone on my Facebook who advertised herself for the following services :

• cleaning
• one to one personal training
• group workouts in her garden
• entertainment - so will sing for you ( socially distancing )

-body shop

• childminding
• hair cutting

I don't understand how someone can do all of the above in a safe and qualified manner

Thank you @LittleRa

I struggle to take the above person seriously in regards to the multiple services

I have read this entire thread and have no clue what you lot are on about.

Yes, loads of folk I know are suddenly doing Body Shop. One woman is selling Usborne Books and keeps trying to recruit me, I’ve politely declined! It’s really sad, it’s been a tough year financially and I can see why some people get sucked into the MLMs.