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!

My friend does FM world. I told her I am totally against MLMs

I did buy as fragrances are quiet good but feel crap for encouraging

[quote Bubbles1st]@ThursdayWeld I am no where near invested in this thread, Tropic or feeding into the haters to send you links.

All I can say is you're not looking very hard. Just this issue Glamour magazine were raving about a product, the independent newspaper listed sun cream as their Best Buy. Numerous celebrities rate their products in their routine, if you want to find it you will, if you don't you won't bother looking. [/quote]
But you just said, @Bubbles1st, that nobody in the industry mentioned Tropic because that would be advertising. But now they are mentioning them?!

I must say, @Bubbles1st, for someone who isn't invested in this thread, or Tropic, you do seem to know quite a lot about them - down to where they've been mentioned?

@ThursdayWeldI follow them on social media, everything I see is shared from there.

Just like those who chose to follow other brands. It's each to their own. I am not going to apologise for caring about the products I put on my skin and where they originate and making sure I'm making sustainable choices which fall in line with my life style and preferences. Opinion on MLM doesn't even come into for the benefits my skin has felt.

The final point I'll respond to is that I was referring to people endorsing it for payment and that I've never seen Tropic paying for advertising in magazines or on any other platform other than social media. So for ME that speaks volumes and is important to ME, I don't care what anyone else thinks.

Why they keep posting ME in capitals is bizzare

MLMs don't pay for advertising because reps do it for free (or pay for it out of their own pocket in the hope it will lead to more sales). Another reason why the model is great for the owner of the overall company but not really something to be admired.

That poster @Bubbles1st has repeatedly advertised, I mean recommended, Tropic products on many threads here.

S/he also spends a lot of time arguing that it is not a MLM.

I know that it's blatantly obvious that her posts are not, shall we say, disinterested, but just thought I'd confirm.

You can use advanced search to see all the hits for Tropic under that username.

Well done @LeopardHawk for using a site feature.

Isn't the point of MN that you join threads that you have an interest in, when people have posted about Tropic i have occasionally replied. My love for a product doesn't make it advertising, just for some people's blatant bashing of SAHM or MLMs is other people's interests. I'm not sure what your point is.

My final word on this thread is unless you have physically tried ANY product from ANY company then your opinion is mute to me anyway so I don't care what you think of MLMs, Tropic or other, I enjoy the products, I don't sell them nor have I eluded to on this or any other thread.

Next time though I'll name change like you recently did so that any previous post isn't held against me.

Thanks @Bubbles1st for confirming to everyone that you'll be using a different username in future when you pretend unconvincingly that you have no vested interest in Tropic.

You just happen to have a comprehensive list of all of their media mentions and awards, recommend their products on multiple threads and hang around all day on threads that criticise them to post very, very thinly-veiled boilerplate promo blah.

You'll need to do a little more than change name, though.

😂 😂 😂 😂 😂 😂 😂 😂 😂 @LeopardHawk

Tropic is a very sore subject.

I got called a troll by Bubbles1st for challenging the statement “it’s social selling not MLM. Get educated about the difference”.

MN is hostile to MLM and rightly so. It means that stealth shilling is called out. Good.

Why would you bother your backside ordering from a rep when you can just go to their website?

Yes there's a minimum spend of £30 for free delivery, but when a basic shower gel is a tenner, spending £30 is fairly straightforward.....

10 quid for shower gel I can get a few bars of vegan, ethical, locally made soap from an actual independent business owner for that.

Tropic seems almpst cult like.

I've tried a few bits and find them substandard tbh.

I love tropic products, my skin has never looked better and I've always had problem skin. I wouldn't sell it though because of the bad rep MLMs have and tbh if someone tries to sell me something I tend to think it'll be utter shite unless I have some proof. My friend sells it but I'm not on social media so I don't know if she posts much about it, but she has her own beauty salon and does well out of selling it from there. I just started buying it because she has had issues with her skin in the past and I could see the difference the products had made.