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MLM Bot Watch 22 - Powered by Yazoo: Tragicomic cultic wampum flogging scamalangadingdongs like Forever Living, Ariix, Herbalife, Younique, Juiceplus, LifeTreeWorld

966 replies

LeafTreeRaker · 12/05/2016 21:26

Still going strong here at bot watch HQ on MN!

Previous thread here

Botwatch on Wordpress and on Facebook

Timeless Vie on Wordpress and on Facebook

Eyespeying's Blog aka #manhun, even if he's been banned by MNHQ

Hommetepreneur on Facebook

We have our own regularly returning bots.

Glossary:

Bots: our affectionate name for victims of the MLM racket

MLM: Multi-level Marketing schemes - essentially pyramid schemes that are just legal because you sell a product. Reliant upon constant recruitment despite there not being enough people in the world to go beyond about 12 levels if everyone recruited 6.

Downline/Upline: the people you recruited and those who recruited you (going up and down the pyramid inverted funnel)

Timeless Vie: Parody of MLM schemes (though you might spot one in particular) that also carries out fearless investigative work

Hommetrepreneur: also excellent parody site focussing on the menz

BotWatch: Rather more serious, keeps an eye on what the Bots are claiming next, particularly in reference to health and income claims. Also fearless.

Inverted Funnel: Timeless Vie is NOT a pyramid - it's an inverted Funnel, OK?

Eyes: Our former member Eyespying who knows LOTS about MLM schemes. He's still our very own #manhun.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
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FelicityLemon · 16/05/2016 14:49

Just caught up on the thread. Thanks to Botwatch and TV for doing so much research for us. I'm sure this book has been mentioned previously but I am about half way through False Profits. It's a very readable account of pyramid schemes particularly how and why people get swept up in them, while the authors came to it via New Age spirituality the ideas are applicable in other settings.

Spongebobette · 16/05/2016 16:34

Blueprint
Gratitude Journal
Gym/meditation/yoga
Listen to CDs
Walk in nature

Which of the above are brainwashing/ self hypnosis

Spongebobette · 16/05/2016 16:38

Sorry meant to add: this is the advice from the Millionaire Mindset training

prettyusefulsometimes · 16/05/2016 16:58

I saw that too Spongbobette - I'm continually fascinated as to what is being "taught" in these webinars. Feck all as it turns out.

If there are bots reading this could someone please reply to the poster from Nigeria on the main bot post about how amazing the Millionaire Mindset webinar was. They are feeling helpless.

You would though wouldn't you when the BIAB costs as much as your country's average monthly wage and instead of advice on how to prepare a business plan you get told to write in your gratitude journal and look at some nature. Shame on you all.

Delurker2016 · 16/05/2016 18:12

Millionaire Mindset training.
Cheat. Bully. Lie.

Have I missed anything?

cozietoesie · 16/05/2016 18:19

Your 'gratitude journal' ?

Delurker2016 · 16/05/2016 18:34

Yes. I'm grateful for what you all did to me. Whoops.

LeafTreeRaker · 16/05/2016 18:39

A gratitude journal? Something like this?

I am grateful for all your bullying as it has taught me how toxic you really are and I will share this with the world, as a sign of my heartfelt gratitude. Here's a picture of a kitten to soften the blow.

Hmm
OP posts:
cozietoesie · 16/05/2016 18:44

If anyone asked me to keep a 'gratitude journal' for something, people would hear the belly laughs all the way to Tierra del Fuego. Grin

Twunk · 16/05/2016 18:46

Now Leaf you missed the picture...

MLM Bot Watch 22 - Powered by Yazoo: Tragicomic cultic wampum flogging scamalangadingdongs like Forever Living, Ariix, Herbalife, Younique, Juiceplus, LifeTreeWorld
LeafTreeRaker · 16/05/2016 18:53

I do apologise, Twunk...

...now ship that gorgeous ball of fluff to me this instant! EnvyGrin

OP posts:
Mrshumblepants · 16/05/2016 19:12

leaftree awww! Kitten! 😂😂😂

Mrshumblepants · 16/05/2016 19:14

Although this may be more fittimg...

MLM Bot Watch 22 - Powered by Yazoo: Tragicomic cultic wampum flogging scamalangadingdongs like Forever Living, Ariix, Herbalife, Younique, Juiceplus, LifeTreeWorld
Mrshumblepants · 16/05/2016 19:15

Fitting! Damn my tiny keyboard! 😂😂

worcestersauce29 · 16/05/2016 19:38

m ust
l ose
m oney

What d'ya think huns?????

Twunk · 16/05/2016 19:51

Must Lose Mates
Must Lose Morals

Seenthelight21 · 16/05/2016 21:18

For those that wanted more info
Here is the official stance on the Forever cc changes

Gutted it wouldn't let me share the video from Bob Parker! As in my opinion he doesn't in anyway look comfortable sharing the news. He smiles but his body language gives it away that he's concerned about having to say it lol

Company Announcement
Forever Business Owner Box, Case Credit Value

From 1st June 2016, the case credit value of the Business Owner Box will be reduced from 2CCs to 1.085CCs. This is to standardise the CC value of the box so that it is in keeping with the rest of the starter packs that are offered across Europe.

Up until now, Forever UK has been selling the Business Owner Box at a discounted rate and offering new Forever Business Owners products that are great value for money. We are now at a stage where Forever needs to regulate the value of these starter packs across the board ensuring that the products offered within the starter pack reflect the true CC value.

Both the Sponsor and new FBO will receive 1.085ccs when signed into the business with a Business Owner Box. The new FBO will also still reach the position of Assistant Supervisor and will be able to buy products at wholesale price.

Changes to web platforms and literature will be made in due course.

Thank you for your understanding and we hope that you can see that this change strengthens the relationship between Forever UK and the rest of the Forever world.
To help with further clarification of this change, we are grateful to leading Forever Business Owner, Andy Waring, who has published this useful guidance below:

Questions and answers

Why has Forever made this change?
In the UK, we have a law that states that anyone joining a Network Marketing company can only purchase a maximum of £200 in their first 7 days. This law was created in the 1970s to enable the legal system to differentiate between pyramid schemes (which were rampant at the time) and legitimate Network Marketing companies. At the time of its introduction, £200 was a substantial amount of money (equivalent to around £1,500 in today’s money).

At the same time, Forever’s Marketing Plan has always encouraged people to join the company as an Assistant Supervisor with 2CCs worth of product. In most of the world, this 2CCs is conveniently packaged in a Combi Pack and costs around £400 at Novus Prices.

Over the years, inflation has meant that in order to comply with the £200 limit, Forever UK has included less product in the starter pack in comparison with other Forever countries. At first, this was only marginally less and so 2CCs were still offered. Each time there has been a price increase, Forever UK has kept the pack at 2CCs. The combined effect of these small changes over the years has resulted in FBOs receiving almost twice as many CCs when FBOs sponsor as when FBOs retail compared to the actual number of CCs of product moved.

This has meant that FBOs in the UK have had a distinct advantage when it comes to qualifying for global incentives over the rest of the world and the decision has now been taken to create a level playing field globally.

So what exactly are the changes?
From 1st June, a Business Owner Box will bring 1.085CCs. A Business Owner Box will still be the best way for someone to join Forever UK as the new FBO will still be promoted to Assistant Supervisor and will receive the 35% discount on their next orders. Anyone joining with any other product than a Business Owner Box will still need to do 2CCs to qualify as an Assistant Supervisor.

What will be the impact of this change?
Your Sponsoring Bonus will stay exactly the same as all bonuses are based on SRP not on CCs.
Your Team Leading and Leadership Bonuses will remain exactly the same. All of your bonuses will remain the same as all bonuses are based on SRP.

Retailing activity will now be rewarded in exactly the same way as sponsoring activity when it comes to bonus and incentives.

In the medium to long term, the change will be highly beneficial and will improve retention and productivity.

The artificially high case credits we get for sponsoring has tended (in some groups) to make the focus entirely on sponsoring, and not really following through with coaching on how to build a business. This leads to a high level of ‘revolving-door’ syndrome where people join and quickly flounder. This is not good for the person who joins or the long-term stability of your business.
The new rules will mean that sponsors will be more mindful of coaching their new people in retailing and customer care which in turn will increase retention and productivity. This in turn will actually increase our bonus payments because we will be building real businesses which actually move product into the hands and homes of consumers.

The change will encourage FBOs to focus not just on sponsoring someone, but on sponsoring and helping them to do 4CCs which will result in more people moving through the Marketing Plan and more people qualifying for the incentives.

Twunk · 16/05/2016 21:23

And in other news - turkeys vote for Christmas!

Delurker2016 · 16/05/2016 21:43

I think you'll find there is one person responsible for this change. Their constant gloating of how many people they sponsor in a year trying to prove that in order to be successful you must recruit hundreds as it's a numbers game.
Not that she would care as she's already at super bot status. What she has done is made is distinctively harder for everyone else. So as a sapphire you need 9 managers, she sponsored 80 something. I think the term used was 'revolving door'. She doesn't grow or develop anyone, she luckily out of 80 odd people found some who worked, well apart from the 3 that are her family of course.

cozietoesie · 16/05/2016 22:02

Blah, Blah, Blah, Numbers, Numbers, Numbers, Blah, Blah, Blah.

As I suspected. They're leaving the UK in a 'ticking-over' situation and changing focus to the less developed markets. They've just got to do it in such a way as not to frighten the horses. (Family relations and the Internet making the world a much smaller place these days.)

I feel for all those poor people who have gone into an MLM organisation recently. (Any UK MLM set up because they'll all follow a lead here. They have no choice, commercially. )

DoTheMLMHustle · 16/05/2016 22:19

It's going to make the bullying much worse isn't it, because someone is going to have to actually sell something to someone. All those customers are now FBO's so who is going to buy it?

cozietoesie · 16/05/2016 23:46

International contacts and 'opportunities' will be utilised fully, I would guess. Wink

Toobusytowee · 17/05/2016 00:24

'Increase productivity' = buy more gloop.

cozietoesie · 17/05/2016 00:34

Well it's difficult to see how any more time could be squeezed out of a 24 hour day right enough.

That may be the only option.

lastuseraccount123 · 17/05/2016 00:41

hey, love the awareness idea. not sure about #mlmaware and #mlmrescue only because they could be hijacked by the opposition. (MLMs can rescue you from your terrible job! or they do counter info about how great MLMs are for #mlmaware). if they CAN hijack they will, guaranteed.

i think we need a hashtag that makes it very very clear we are raising awareness for how bad MLMs really are. Something like #sayNOtoMLMs or something like that.

i know some of you want to reach the people inside MLMs but if we want to make change we're going to have to take the risk of offending some people inside to save many from joining in the first place.

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