What happened to MLM's?

[coulditbeme2323]

What happened to them?

AIBU to miss them? The boss babe quotes, the photos of the white mercs, the CEO of my own life job titles?

Where have they gone, and have they been replaced by anything?

Interesting, what does she think about the main scheme that has been mentioned upthread here? Does it affect her business or reputation if people assume that she’s in the same field?

They're still about. My MIL is in a kitchen ware MLM and gets huffy, if I ever buy something for my kitchen that's not from her "business".

I don't want your expensive, ugly pots and pans though! I want to choose my own things.

I know, I thought the same. She must make her money for the cosmetic work and gym membership somewhere. Not teaching as she's at gym every day I think. I sound like a stalker now, but it does amuse me

I sometimes see posts from a local influencer who is a 'travel consultant'. She just shares holiday pics of her kids (think sunsets, matching clothes, waves) and says dm me if you want to be a travel consultant too....

I don't get how booking and going on your own family holidays makes you a travel consultant?

Any business that you have to do almost secretly - it is always about the dms for more info - and it is not transparent as to your role or who and how money is made - is dodgy.

There's a mum near us who is a full on Tropic bot. It is both weird, and tiresome and slightly concerning.

It’s literally just this.

I think they join up, and they get access to booking travel at a small discount. They go on a family holiday and post about it. They don’t actually sell many holidays to other people, they make money by signing others up to their “lifestyle”. Or probably don’t make very much money, in reality.

Am I right? I’d love to hear from someone who’s actually in this game 😂

I had something similar with betterwear (no idea if I've spelt that right)

I had a rep give me a catalogue and I ordered some window cleaning stuff

It was amazing stuff so ordered some more

Nobody came round to drop it off so I spent the money and forgot all about it

About 18 months later,I had a couple (they claimed to be husband and wife) on my doorstep demanding money

They claimed the old rep and quit and that they'd taken their round-and i owed money (which I didnt have) for the window cleaning stuff id ordered (they did have my order with them so I dont think it was a scam but they where intimidating)

I had to ring the police to get rid of them in the end as they where so aggressive (I was a single parent at the time and the kids where with me)

It was bloody scary at the time

I’ve a friend who’s gone down the Scentsy hole and it’s so cringy. For ages she was all about smoke and soot-free waxes which are SO MUCH BETTER AND SAFER than candles… and now Scentsy are flogging candles.

oh yes, I know one

Yes it annoys the pants off her. People ‘presume’ it’s an MLM but it isn’t, she paid £6,000 for some quite intensive training over quite a period of time and then access to the systems . She specialises in large groups - stag weekends, weddings abroad for large parties etc and does ok - she works hard at it though, attends lots of fairs and stuff.

@WaneyEdge Younique was definitely damaged in the UK by the Elle Beau blog. It used to be available on a website I was involved with mlmtruth.org and I am going to try and see if I can get access to it again because it is still relevant.

The other thing that did damage to Younique was the BBC documentary The Secrets of the Multimillionaires which is still on iPlayer. The writing was already on the wall for MLM in 2019 when it came out but the exposure really hastened things. That documentary’s real challenge was whittling the evidence down to a 60 minute programme and the makers were genuinely shocked by the tactics they saw and the fear they found about speaking out. They could have made a whole series.

Yes I watched that. A series would’ve been very interesting. I was so invested in Elle’s story! I re-read it occasionally and suggest it to anyone I know who is thinking about getting involved with MLMs.

@Crikeyalmighty I know that Travel Counsellors (legitimate) have a real time of it trying to emphasise that they are not part of Inteletravel. I also feel for legitimate coaches with industry experience etc, it’s galling when the term “coaching” is beginning to be shorthand for shilling a scam in many people’s minds. I’m a psychotherapist and have the same problem with the increase in MLM coaches who stray into clinical areas offering made up therapy to “cure” all sorts of psychological problems. They’ve come to that area simply because there is more vulnerability and it’s easier to convince people who are struggling to sign up, prime example: Belief Coding.

Is there such a thing as "real coaching"

That’s who she is with

You can't make it up can you? What really pisses me off about this & the whole MLM thing is it is exploitative to females. Do an MLM & you'll never have to leave your poor baby in nursery or do my coaching course to get back to work you lazy worthless cow! You hope people are smart enough to know it's all crap BUT when you are feeling low/guilty/vulnerable that's when they swoop in!

The worrying thing about MLM’s is my half sister (even though I don’t speak to her now) is most likely a travel one. I wouldn’t put this past her but she’s a uni graduate so why she’s gone down this route I don’t know. She’s a bit of a WAG influencer type though.

Exactly, my sister with her luxe holidays. Because you’re worth it.

A family friend is a careers coach and has a company coaching head teachers and other educational types. She started as a life coach. Was a head teacher. She’s actually very good at what she does.

I have a friend who's done multiple MLMs - Younique, slimming coffee, Scentsy. Thankfully she's never given me the hard sell on any of them. She hasn't posted about it for ages, so I'm not sure if she's still doing any of them.

I had another friend who made a big post about how she was giving up her "9-5" to flog Aloe Vera products on a market stall. Loads of ads for that and then it all went quiet. Another friend, unconnected, mentioned her name, as she'd met her at her workplace. Back in the same job she'd made such a fuss about leaving. It's a shame these people don't confess they've made a mistake and been ripped off, but I guess they are embarrassed.

All the MLM huns I know are now opening their own Instagram ‘travel agencies’…

yes absolutely. A good coach is worth their weight in gold. You won't become a good one though by buying a coaching programme from a MLM scheme for the low price of 997 quid..

Fair enough, I am not sure I see the benefit.

The Christmas gift/craft fairs were peppered with Utility Whorehouse, 'Romans' (air fresheners), and Forever Living hopefuls.

Yeah my sister. I despair. One more reason to avoid her.

Oh what about that jewellery Stella and Dot? So expensive!

and the pampered chef, Jamie Oliver stuff, virgin cosmetics….