To buy from MLM scheme because it’s a friend?

[HoppingHamster]

Inspired by a skincare thread yesterday which got me thinking (sorry if this has been done before).

A friend of mine recently started selling Tropic, she’s loving it and clearly loves the product. Very passionate, but not intrusive, I think she’s doing a really good job of getting the balance right between doing something she loves for her friends and being a salesperson. It works well in our area as we are quite rural so it’s a good journey to nearest department store for a experience with cosmetics, but I think she’s struggling to keep up her sales now that the initial novelty has worn off with family and friends.

However, having seen the reactions to MLM and read a bit more about it, I’m torn. I want to keep supporting her because she’s a good friend (over 20 years) but now I’m worried that it could all end badly for her and knock her confidence.

So AIBU to continue buying as she’s a friend (products nice but 90% of reason I buy is her)?

For those of you who are / have been MLM “ambassadors”, how did you find it? Were you treated well, did you make money, was it flexible, did it cause probs with friends and family, do you think it’s ethical? Are there any which are really good?

I didn’t realise Avon has been an MLM for years! I think the only ones I’ve ever come across really are Tropic and Arbonne, Arbonne I hated as the girl was really pushy. Although maybe Stella and Dot were the same? Also, why is it always targeted at women selling to other women, why don’t men do it?

Sorry for all the questions!

This is part of the reason these companies are still doing what they do, sales via guilt

Sorry , I think you'd be being unreasonable just because these schemes don't work to make you money unless you recruit others into it. The sooner she can realise and get out of it, the better.

Sounds like you’re doing market research OP.

But to answer the question in your subject line - I’d buy it if I wanted the products only.

I have seen a lot of men getting involved in Herbalife, not sure about others.

I was in a similar position to you OP when I knew two friends both selling Body Shop and they knew I used to get things from there. I did buy a bit of each but generally just felt awkward about it

They both lost money on it btw

My fear would be that if I start buying things then she will hound me now that her novelty has worn off.

I think the reason it's mostly women is because they are marketed as being something you can fit in around being a mum. So for some SAHMs it sounds like an easy way to make some money without needing to worry about childcare.

I would wonder if your friend knows about MLMs and how they work. Some people have never heard of these and then think they're on to a great little earner.

It's up to you if you want to buy from her or not if you genuinely like the products . My thought is you would be better supporting your friend in educating her about the danger of MLMs and letting her know that you will be there when it gets to he point where she is buying stock for herself to boost her sales.

Avon has always had this structure, and predates the Internet and social media.

It's still an MLM, but unlike more recent ones, it is quite clear about its structure, only gives 'typical' earnings for those who do not recruit a network (far less pressure to do so) and is open that is about £250 per campaign, and doesn't seem to encourage you to pester.

Yes, guilt sales are a thing.

Do not make guilt purchases. If there are a couple of products you like and think are appropriately priced, then re-buy but only when they have run out

You are not someone who talked her in to this. You can't avert the consequences of whether it goes badly or well

She doesn’t love the products

She loves the idea she might make the fictional £30k from part time work if she pretends to enough people that she loves the products

The sooner people stop buying this shit, the sooner these companies will stop preying on women’s’ insecurities and ripping them off

If you buy products, you are part of the problem

Also I think they can put pressure on to recruit as it's the best way to make money . She might have a "brilliant opportunity" for you soon

@OhSayWhat no it’s not market research, it’s genuinely something I knew of before but hadn’t thought about much as didn’t have any direct contact with it.

@sunnysidegold I think you might have a point there, I’m not sure how much she knows but also worry that it’s a bit intrusive of me to be the one who tells her as she’s enjoying it?

@sunnysidegold an Arbonne person did this once, one of the reasons I don’t buy from them. She was in DEEP.

@GappyValley thing is that Tropic seems like such an ethics focused company (she was the one on the apprentice years go which was where I first saw it), I bought into their ethos and feel very conflicted that maybe this sales model isn’t ethical??

www.talentedladiesclub.com/articles/how-much-can-you-earn-with-mlm-tropic-skincare/#Is-Tropic-a-'different'-MLM?

My husbands cousin does body shop, I buy some things from her because I like some of the products but in general I wouldn't support MLM.

Thank you @KatherineOfGaunt that’s really good to read

[quote HoppingHamster]@GappyValley thing is that Tropic seems like such an ethics focused company (she was the one on the apprentice years go which was where I first saw it), I bought into their ethos and feel very conflicted that maybe this sales model isn’t ethical??[/quote]
If course it’s not ethical. It preys on low income women and makes them fork out for endless starter kits with money they don’t have, before alienating them from their friends and family, and forcing them to give up their free times with all the stupid online seminars and training sessions and whatever other shite they are supposed to do.
All carefully worded so as not to fall under the definition of an actual pyramid scheme, because that would be illegal.

If she was that focussed on selling ethical skinscare, she would have been working for Body Shop her whole working life.

This is just a potential get rich quick scheme for her, which probably overlaps with an area she is interested in and therefore feels slightly more comfortable making relentless sales pitches to her friends and family

Don’t enable her and force her to stay in the murky world longer than she has to
The sooner it bombs, the sooner she will come to her senses

You buying things just sucks her in and costs her more money in the long run
She will be losing money every single month
If she gives up after a few months, she will only lose a bit
If she keeps going for a year, because you keep dangling hope in front of her in the form of a purchase or two, she will lose a lot more

Another fair perspective @GappyValley

Read up on the company and make your own decision based on their ethics.
Tropic are a long way away from many mlms and their code of conduct, plus their products are award winning and industry loved.

Nothing wrong with supporting your friends if there is genuine gain for you, the products, if you don't like them, don't buy them again, even better send them back.

You'd just be giving her false hope.
She's basically going to be relying on pity and guilt from friends and family so she can pretend she is a business woman.

You may as well pick one of her bills and set up a direct debit, cut out the window dressing.

What does 'industry loved' actually mean?

Also, do remember that many of these awards are made by small groups of insiders, and are really not what they seem as they are a marketing tool not a merit badge

Just give her the money. It's more honest. And puts an easy market price on your relationship. She's begging from you. That's how MLM works. They turn your friends and family into your marks and trick you into begging money from them to give to your upstream. Once you've wrung them all dry, the scheme collapses and you are left with debt and no friends.

mlmtruth.org/2018/02/01/why-mlm-will-never-work/

@EdithWeston I’ve never heard that before, surely there’s some degree of merit in it?

So much angst over a bit of face cream. Buy it, don't buy it. Doesn't matter.

I would think my friends are mature and clever enough to make their own decisions about getting involved with these things and not feel personally responsible whether I bought or didn't buy them. Otherwise they wouldn't be a good friend anyway, probably just an acquaintance.

I have been buying tropic for a year or so. Lovely products. The person I buy from is definitely more focused on product sales than recruiting so it does feel different to other MLMs. I would say less than once a month she mentions joining team, and always a post on her page rather than in conversation or DM. Does seem to be selling the products that makes her money.