Body Shop MLM

[McDuffy]

Not a massive big deal in terms of other stuff going on at the moment, but one of my NCT friends has signed up as a Body Shop at Home rep.
I've dutifully signed up on social media to support her but with no intention of buying anything after the disgraceful way they treated JK Rowling after her essay. She's now tagged me in something today with a plea to "help me out" and I feel bad. Do I tell her why I'm not buying anything (dual, both MLM and anti-Body Shop) or leave it? I think she'd be on the woke side.

MLMs prey on vulnerable women. Any feminist should be against them to be honest, whether they support, hate, or are indifferent towards JK Rowling. Please try not to feel bad. MLMs thrive on guilt...

Talking of MLM's in general. You have to keep saying No, it will be taken (as per the coaching) to mean "Not yet" so you will have to stay firm. Never try to be kind and give 'fluffy' reasons - lack of money, product not being suitable etc as they will use that as a hook. They are told to do this and everyone they have ever known is a target.

The kindest thing for everyone to do is not to buy anything, buying things just prolongs the agony and the "sunk cost" cycle.

@TheBuffster

Mlms are the devil. I politely declined selling on stuff to a very old and dear friend. I justified it to her by saying it was because I am vegan and the products were (which is only part of the reason as I disagree with exploiting the vulnerable, although obviously I didn't say that). Anyway, said friend ghosted me ever since. Didn't even notice or care when I had a baby. Harsh. I'd say stick with your principles but be prepared for what might happen.

They are very cult-like. Anyone who isn't interested is painted as an unsupportive, selfish meanie who doesn't want you to achieve your dreams. Some even try to get you to cut naysayers out of your life altogether.

There's a whole community of anti MLM YouTube creators, with some real horror stories!

Genuinely the kindest thing to do is to politely say, “no thankyou, I’m not interested.”

Do not try to engage them in a conversation about how it’s a MLM scam. They will not listen, they are so desperate for it to succeed, because often they are struggling financially. The sooner their set up fails the better before a) they waste more money on it in the false hopes their friends will buy more shite and b) before they can enrol another sucker into the scam and put their life in misery too.

I did have a conversation with one of my friends who asked my opinion before she was about to embark on a different MLM after one previously failed for her. I told her what I thought, which is that they are incredibly difficult to make money out of, and put friendships and family relationships under strain. Thankfully my friend didn’t go for it, and went back to college and has retrained and found a new way to make an extra income for herself.

I don’t know why she came to me for advice, or whether or not My advice was the deciding factor, but I was relieved that me not wavering under guilt to buy MLM shite had not affected my friendship.

@McDuffy

Yes fair enough. I really like her and would gladly support any non-MLM enterprise. Is it only women that tend to get sucked into them?

Men seem to get Herbalife or Bitcoin mlm mania. Or some insane stem cell one I was harangued about this week. I know a few men who have been assimilated but they've fallen for the Get Rich Quick element so slightly different angle to the women. Subtly different sell but equally shite

I'd be 'nope'ing the hell out of that one!

Oh good point, yes, I've seen ostensibly sane men going a bit loopy over Bitcoin!

We have about 1000 people in my village and at least 20 bsah sellers. Its crazy. Its turnt into a culture thing. Have to be a bs addict or seller to have friends. It just does not sit right with me at all.

Cult*

@FedNlanders

We have about 1000 people in my village and at least 20 bsah sellers. Its crazy. Its turnt into a culture thing. Have to be a bs addict or seller to have friends. It just does not sit right with me at all.

This! My friend's upline's team is in the top 40 in the region. She lives literally in the middle of nowhere! Top 40 teams so at least 100 bsah 'consultants' in a fairly scarcely populated region. And that's just the top 40. So silly. Tried Guiting my husband into parting with cash for my mothers day present. Honestly, I'd rather just give her the actual tenner and spend 15 quid on a bottle of wine!!!

I spoke to DH about it as he knows her/is fond of her too and he responded with his point of reference Peep Show clip which made me grimace/wince rather than chuckle