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Original poster

Mlm's where have they all gone?

65 replies

myusernamewastakenbyme · 21/09/2021 07:31

Just that really...realised the other day they all seem to have vanished from my Facebook newsfeed...have these huns finally woken up to the fact that these are a scam and they will never make any money.

OP posts:
Woodmarsh · 21/09/2021 10:26

Usborne books seems to be popping up on mine a lot which makes me sad they were a quality products don't want them to be an mlm

willrufford · 21/09/2021 10:51

It does catch people who think they can combine business and social and be successful. Wrong! it don't work like that in UK even if it does/did in USA.

willrufford · 21/09/2021 10:53

Usborne will burst into life for Christmas, as will the bloody candles.

Hockeyboysmum · 21/09/2021 11:15

I agrer christmas will see them start again.......... who wouldnt want fake perfume or cheap shit jewellery as a gift...

inpixiehollow · 21/09/2021 11:34

Still got one body shop and one avon but haven't seen any FM/Younique etc for ages!

DontMakeMeShushYou · 21/09/2021 11:40

My Younique hun has been quiet for a whole 10 days. Sadly not long enough to give me hope yet.

evilharpy · 21/09/2021 11:42

I've just heard that l'Occitane of all things has started an MLM. Gutted, I love their products.

LINK HERE

FluffyBlueJumper · 21/09/2021 12:35

I live in the French countryside and they are all over the local Facebook group. It makes me very angry - most of these women are from low-income households. I just hide them now.

WoozySnoozy · 21/09/2021 12:35

@evilharpy

I've just heard that l'Occitane of all things has started an MLM. Gutted, I love their products.

LINK HERE

Oh no!!!!
Hopdathelf · 21/09/2021 14:17

I wonder if the pandemic has done for a lot of MLMs. Suddenly the security of being a worker drone is a lot more attractive and being a boss babe with endless time and resources to make memories with the gawjus famalam.

YouokHun · 22/09/2021 09:00

@saraclara

MLMs thrived under lockdowns. And many women were more desperate for money if partners jobs were vulnerable. Life has opened up now, and they're not just stuck at home with nothing better to do than pester everyone.
MLM is a declining industry and some of the people who made big money in 2015/16 through recruitment (the only way to make money in MLM) are doing considerably less well if they are not already insolvent.

However the pandemic gave MLM a temporary boost and pulled in a lot of people previously unaware of the scam. When this happened during the first Lockdown lots of MLM watchers thought those people would last a few months and that was correct. Most lost money over the summer, then there was Christmas to pin their hopes on but during and since the second lockdown there has been a big exodus and some very sad tales of serious financial loss. The MLMs themselves are delighted in what has been a bumper year for them. They are positioning it as proof they are the new way of working and have led the WFH revolution but really all they have done is manage to trick a new lot of vulnerable people into signing up.

I agree @saraclara that things have opened up enough to change the appeal of MLM. There have also been a few more expose of MLM in the media and an even more active anti MLM movement. There are also some criminal investigations going on because MLM are pyramid schemes hiding behind products and some really have shown their true colours during the pandemic - take Inteletravel, a travel company selling travel (it claims) that has also had a boom during a period when no one can fly… mmm. I wonder what they’re really selling…

definitelynotabot · 22/09/2021 10:04

Agreed @YouokHun (love the username!)

2015/16 were glory days. I had a quick peek at Companies house for FL UK, and 2020 was actually a (small) improvement over 2019 and they didn't make a loss (which they did in 2019). But turnover is 1/4 of what it was in 2015 and I can't see them recovering that. It'll be interesting to see what 2021 figures turn out to be.

I do genuinely think the "stacking" tactics were not common in FL in earlier years - and the business grew. The shape things are in now with what we are aware goes on, reflects that these tactics just don't work long term, hence the decline. The low amounts of Chairman's bonus, low numbers of promotions, it looks bad.

I do think Covid has been the final nail in the coffin.

IWantT0BreakFree · 22/09/2021 10:15

@evilharpy

I've just heard that l'Occitane of all things has started an MLM. Gutted, I love their products.

LINK HERE

Well that's disappointing. Immediately I just feel that the brand is cheapened. I would never pay premium prices for products from a business with an MLM element. Body Shop used to be fab (90s/00s) but that has the air of bargain basement at relatively high prices now too.
Returnoftheowl · 22/09/2021 10:24

I've had someone I don't know (one mutual friend) try and add me on Facebook. A quick look at her page shows she's trying to flood a mom weight loss scheme. Imagine having the self confidence to add strangers, tell them they're fat and try and sell them a heap of rubbish!

Annoyedanddissapointed · 22/09/2021 12:19

The best time for body shop bots was last year when they were selling left over Christmas hand creams as "I will donate them to NHS❤️❤️❤️"
There was a uni nearby who promoted it to their staff and students. I assume the comms person was that rep...

Can't believe some peoppe actually believed the reps didn't make profit on that

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