Author Topic: No, I won't buy into your MLM  (Read 639038 times)

Joel

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #650 on: November 17, 2017, 11:21:22 PM »
I got suckered into one of these many many years ago.  I was young and dumb but don't regret it because I learned a valuable lesson! Anyway, I was following Dave Ramsey at the time and desperately trying to get my debts paid off, I was making decent money but wanted to make as much as I could to ramp things up faster.  I was told it was a very different type of company.  I don't remember the name of it anymore (maybe someone else on here will recognize it).  Anyway, it's a company where you sign people up for services that they are already using, but when they sign up through you then you get a small percentage each time they pay their monthly bill.  Services like cell phones, cable tv, internet, even some electricity.  It was 100% an MLM as you also had to sign people up to start working under you  and also get people to sign up, and so on.  My friend that got me involved told me it was how he was able to take a year off of work and spend time with his daughter instead.  He gave a good talk so I got involved.

Anyway, my ONE requirement when I signed up was that I would NOT for ANY reason bug family/friends.  I would offer it to them if they wanted but I would not pressure anyone.  I told them they had to show me different ways to gain customers or I would not be involved.  They promised it would be easy to find customers because most people have cell phones, electricity, cable, satellite tv, etc...

Within days of signing up my "mentor" tried to force me into giving him the phone numbers of everyone in my family/friends list so he could call them all and pester them.  When I refused he got upset and tried to tell me it was required.  He drove me nuts for weeks, I started completely ignoring his messages and when I would listen to his voicemails they always sounded like he was talking to me like a little kid and I needed to do what the "grownup" told me to do. (Not really of course, but that's how it felt).

I called and cancelled my "membership" and never spoke to him again.

Awhile later the friend of mine who talked me into signing up admitted that it was all a scam and he never really made any money off of it.

ACN

When I was going to college, I worked for the forest service and my entire station (about 15 people) got hooked into this. From day one, when they asked me to join, I told them it was a damn pyramid scheme and they were all idiots for getting suckered into it. I actually did one of their taxes for several years after. He made a couple hundred dollars in total but shelled out thousands attending conferences and training. It took about four years before he finally acknowledged it was a scam.

KodeBlue

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #651 on: November 19, 2017, 10:15:16 PM »
By that comparison, panhandling is downright lucrative and much less stressful.
And at least panhadlers don't try to recruit others into thier scheme!

economista

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #652 on: November 20, 2017, 08:39:29 AM »
I'm afraid I'm being drawn into another MLM.  I'm facebook friends with a girl I went to grad school with and even though we haven't seen each other in person in the last few years, we still comment on each other's facebook stuff.  She messaged me last night and asked how I've been, and that she saw I finally moved back closer to her.  She said that we need to get coffee and catch up and I said sure, that sounds great.  Then I got a spidey-sense that this interaction seemed suspiciously like an MLM.  I went to her page and saw for the past few days she has been posting her normal craft pictures (she makes all kinds of quilted things and baby clothes to sell on her etsy page) but they all have these doterra essential oils in the pictures as well.  Yup, I'm pretty sure I'm going to get a sales pitch instead of catching up.  I went to her blog and there is a tab at the top now for "essential oils" and it is definitely an MLM.  Ugh.

Chesleygirl

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #653 on: November 20, 2017, 09:26:01 AM »
Just cancel the coffee date, then. It's obvious what's coming.

LifeHappens

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #654 on: November 20, 2017, 11:23:09 AM »
Just cancel the coffee date, then. It's obvious what's coming.
Or tell her you'd be happy to have coffee, but have no interest in essential oils. That might lead her to cancel, but then you'll know.

robartsd

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #655 on: November 20, 2017, 12:05:04 PM »
Yup, I'm pretty sure I'm going to get a sales pitch instead of catching up.
I'd give the friend the benefit of the doubt. I'm sure she'll bring up her essential oils; but if you're polite but firm that you're not interested, she might be smart enough just spend a little time catching up and keep a friendship. If not, you'll know that she only sees you as a potential client/downline.

Travis

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #656 on: November 20, 2017, 01:42:11 PM »
My roommate was telling me yesterday that he had a friend being suckered into an MLM, but one that seemed "less bad" than most. I gave him a deeply skeptical look, but he insisted most people don't actually lose money even though most people don't make much either.

The company is Rodan & Fields; I've already unfollowed people on facebook who won't shut up about it. I'm assuming his being suckered means they've just done some excellent marketing, but out of curiosity, can anyone here confirm or deny?

Confirm that's it's an MLM? You betcha. It's mentioned in this thread a couple times.  One of my friends just joined them, but considering she has a massive Etsy side-hustle already going I expect she'll be one of the few who can actually make some money at it (not nearly enough to live off of though). 

Meowmalade

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #657 on: November 20, 2017, 01:52:19 PM »
The company is Rodan & Fields; I've already unfollowed people on facebook who won't shut up about it. I'm assuming his being suckered means they've just done some excellent marketing, but out of curiosity, can anyone here confirm or deny?

I have a friend (who's trying to make a full-time living off it, and might actually do well) who got into Rodan & Fields.  It's definitely an MLM.  As far as I can tell, it's expensive but the products actually work-- maybe that's why it's "not as bad as others"?  I unfollowed her, though!

Beard N Bones

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #658 on: November 20, 2017, 02:01:54 PM »
The company is Rodan & Fields; I've already unfollowed people on facebook who won't shut up about it. I'm assuming his being suckered means they've just done some excellent marketing, but out of curiosity, can anyone here confirm or deny?

I have a friend (who's trying to make a full-time living off it, and might actually do well) who got into Rodan & Fields.  It's definitely an MLM.  As far as I can tell, it's expensive but the products actually work-- maybe that's why it's "not as bad as others"?  I unfollowed her, though!

I guarantee that your friend will not do well with it.  Guarantee.  They may put on the facade that they are doing well, but the math doesn't lie.
Google "John Taylor MLM pdf" and he has some amazing articles that delve into MLM's - which includes the probability of people making money from these schemes.
It is a far greater possibility that a person is: 1. lying about how well they are doing with MLM's or 2. a shill that is pushing the MLM's products.

farfromfire

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #659 on: November 29, 2017, 02:12:05 PM »
Want to laugh at Younique (makeup) "CEOs"? Check out https://www.reddit.com/r/Youniqueamua/

channtheman

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #660 on: November 30, 2017, 02:27:44 AM »
I've got some cousins and old friends who bought into the plexus scam.  My cousin posted about it religiously on facebook and I was so disappointed when the cousin got the old friend (long story short - my cousin married the son of long time family friends) to start posting about it on facebook all the time too.  Same old garbage posts like "I feel great and love being my own boss."  The old friend is not in a financial position to be blowing money on plexus orders (though who really is?).

mrl

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #661 on: November 30, 2017, 07:05:40 AM »

rockstache

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #662 on: November 30, 2017, 07:21:35 AM »

LifeHappens

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merula

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #664 on: November 30, 2017, 08:26:33 AM »
I can't believe I missed this thread.

I have a coworker who is very good at her job. When we worked together, she was THE top performer for 4 years straight, despite being new to the role when others had been there for decades. Our organization is pretty flat, so there aren't a lot of promotions, and the way to get one of the few that exist is to volunteer for side projects to show that you can do things outside of your core job.

Well, she got a new boss who she didn't get along with, and got sucked into Rodan and Fields at around the same time. So she decided that she would stop doing anything extra at her job, just her core responsibilities, to focus on her #girlboss #mompreneur "business".

She almost certainly would have gotten a promotion and a $10-20k raise had she not done that. She makes $70-80k as it is.

Travis

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #665 on: November 30, 2017, 09:25:00 AM »
I'll just drop this right here...

http://www.scarymommy.com/mlm-bossbabe-guide/?utm_source=FB

I never knew hashtags could be this enjoyable.

faithless

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #666 on: November 30, 2017, 02:25:18 PM »
Loved that piece, and the LulaRose one:

http://www.scarymommy.com/thats-enough-lularoe/

Listen, I’m sure the leggings are really comfy. I’m sure angels sing beautiful hymns of praise and glory as you pull those LuLaRoes over your tired mom hips. But, seriously, if they were that amazing, wouldn’t Target carry them? Wouldn’t I be able to buy them on Amazon in the way the good Lord intended — during a Prime and Wine shop-a-thon on my couch?

Rimu05

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #667 on: December 08, 2017, 08:47:28 AM »
I find it surprising that Dave Ramsey, financial guru, doesn't warn people about the risks of getting involved in MLM. He's actually addressed it but in a very low key way, that doesn't get the point across at all, that MLMs are often risky and financially foolish.  Just as bad as someone getting into CC debt or over spending or buying things they can't afford. Yet, he doesn't really aggressively address it.
MLMs are rampant in the conservative Christian world. They are seen as an acceptable way for women to earn some income in cultures where they are discouraged from working outside the home. I suspect Dave doesn't want to alienate this group of people because they are a core part of his demographic.

It's because of probably the risk of being sued. Even the podcast I listen to, he didn't outright name any companies. He had to really use a round about way of saying these are scams. Even John Oliver's MLM video did not name some companies and some aspects he didn't mention. It's funny though that under his video you see people going "why didn't you say this company or that company." I want to be like, he has 20 minutes to pretty much inform you about something. Go to google and research it yourself...

I think that's my one defense for John Oliver. I don't understand criticisms about how he doesn't mention certain things. You should not be expecting a 20 minute video on the key stone pipeline to give you all the information about it. With that said I do skip almost all his political videos in terms of actual political candidates. I prefer to read about American politics on international news because a Swahili or French newspaper does not care about political affiliations. They'll just tell you what happened

I'm a red panda

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #668 on: December 08, 2017, 08:55:09 AM »
One of my friends just started selling for a natural skin care line. I hadn't heard of this one before.

OMG- I am ready for her to be less excited about it. It is 90% of my facebook right now.

Just Joe

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #669 on: December 08, 2017, 09:32:00 AM »
I find it surprising that Dave Ramsey, financial guru, doesn't warn people about the risks of getting involved in MLM. He's actually addressed it but in a very low key way, that doesn't get the point across at all, that MLMs are often risky and financially foolish.  Just as bad as someone getting into CC debt or over spending or buying things they can't afford. Yet, he doesn't really aggressively address it.
MLMs are rampant in the conservative Christian world. They are seen as an acceptable way for women to earn some income in cultures where they are discouraged from working outside the home. I suspect Dave doesn't want to alienate this group of people because they are a core part of his demographic.

It's because of probably the risk of being sued. Even the podcast I listen to, he didn't outright name any companies. He had to really use a round about way of saying these are scams. Even John Oliver's MLM video did not name some companies and some aspects he didn't mention. It's funny though that under his video you see people going "why didn't you say this company or that company." I want to be like, he has 20 minutes to pretty much inform you about something. Go to google and research it yourself...

I think that's my one defense for John Oliver. I don't understand criticisms about how he doesn't mention certain things. You should not be expecting a 20 minute video on the key stone pipeline to give you all the information about it. With that said I do skip almost all his political videos in terms of actual political candidates. I prefer to read about American politics on international news because a Swahili or French newspaper does not care about political affiliations. They'll just tell you what happened

Your whole post was spot on, especially about getting the news about the USA from foreign sources. of course some source vetting is important. I gave Russia Today a try once upon a time.

Beard N Bones

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #670 on: December 13, 2017, 09:51:38 AM »
I've been seeing the following "Sponsored" ads on Facebook more often days.  I HATE them with a passion - for many reasons. #itsapyramidscheme  Last night I decided to (waste my time and) further inform myself about what they are all about.
Quote

DO YOU HAVE A 9-5 JOB THAT YOU HATE?......
www.realnameofscammers.com
DO YOU NOT HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO SPEND WITH YOUR FAMILY?.......

ARE YOU STRUGGLING AND NOT MAKING ENOUGH MONEY TO GET AHEAD IN LIFE?.....

If you've said "yes" to any of these then hear me out and I'll point you in the right direction to CHANGE YOUR LIFE. I'll let you know how an uneducated guy with a troubled past has an online business.

I said "yes" to all of those things a few months ago and took the step to changing my life and living the life that I want. First let me tell you about myself.

I grew up with not the best childhood. I was in and out of foster homes growing up, don't have any family support, got into some trouble, and never completed high school. I felt like my life wasn't going anywhere and wasn't going to accomplish much in life.
www.realnameofscammers.com
I've had many health issues. I'm 33 years old and already had heart surgery, have asthma, and have chronic back pain that I have to see a doctor regularly for. This is not the life I want to live being on medication all the time.

I've struggled with paying my bills and constantly in my overdraft. I ended up getting 2 roommates to help out and even with that I was still just getting by, but didn't have any extra funds to enjoy life. My wife and I recently found out we are expecting our first child in March 2017 and this is when I knew I needed to make a change, but how? How is a guy with a troubled past, no education, health issues, and no money able to get ahead in life. Well I'll tell you, my friend.

I came across an ad on Facebook, like you are now. An ad that has now changed my life. It opened my eyes and made me realize I can have a better future for myself and my family. I can quit my construction job and busting my back in a ditch underground, to working from the comfort of my own home. One of the most amazing part is that I finally have support. This team that I have joined is amazing. So much support, positivity, and they want you to succeed.

If you are ready to quit making money for the big guy and being a slave to the old J-O-B and start making your own money then message me or comment and I'll be glad to point you in the right direction. I'm glad I did and so many others are as well. You can also click on the link below to check out the free online workshop. Don't miss out on this great opportunity. What do you have to lose?

www.realnameofscammers.com

Thanks for your time and have a fantastic day!!

I commented that I wanted more info on what this was all about (I was one of 5,475 comments).  He gave me a link to a video.  The 90 min video told me two things: 1. there is money to be made in the internet.  2. people have been quitting their jobs make money doing this "laptop business". 

And all you have to do is pay a one time $99USD membership fee and they will tell you more.  Giving only a bit of info at a time he called "micro-commitments."  I say, "You can F-off and be cursed for trying to scam people in taking their hard earned cash."

What did I learn from all of this?  I hate more than ever, pyramid schemes, MLM's, Network Marketing Companies, or whatever type of name you want to call it!  The business model is predatory.  I hate seeing good people get suckered into such schemes because they fail to use their mind when an "Opportunity" comes their way. 

Thanks for listening, rant over.

Smokystache

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #671 on: December 13, 2017, 10:11:36 AM »

And all you have to do is pay a one time $99USD membership fee and they will tell you more. 

Sounds like the new version of the old bulletin board flyers that promised "Make Lots of Money Stuffing Envelopes" -if you just send $$ to an address. And then you get a letter that instructs you to put up your own flyers that say, 'Make Lots of Money Stuffing Envelopes' and then send them these instructions.

Chesleygirl

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #672 on: December 13, 2017, 12:24:17 PM »

And all you have to do is pay a one time $99USD membership fee and they will tell you more. 

Sounds like the new version of the old bulletin board flyers that promised "Make Lots of Money Stuffing Envelopes" -if you just send $$ to an address. And then you get a letter that instructs you to put up your own flyers that say, 'Make Lots of Money Stuffing Envelopes' and then send them these instructions.

I knew someone who fell for that. It attracts people who literally have no skills whatsoever. :(

There are machines that fold letters and insert them envelopes. I've worked with these machines and that's what companies that do mass mailings use.

ohsnap

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #673 on: December 13, 2017, 12:42:55 PM »
...

Within days of signing up my "mentor" tried to force me into giving him the phone numbers of everyone in my family/friends list so he could call them all and pester them.  When I refused he got upset and tried to tell me it was required. ....

Even worse is when a friend gives out your name & number to someone in an MLM!  I assume they do it for a discount. :(  A couple of months ago I got a voice mail from a Cutco salesman saying he'd gotten my # from my friend "Susie" and could I please call him back, he's not trying to sell anything, he just needs to talk to as many people as possible to help him get started in the business.  Ugh. I sent him a text along the lines of "Good luck with your new business.  I'm not interested in hearing about it, so please take me off your list" and didn't hear from him again.

Pizzabrewer

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #674 on: December 24, 2017, 03:42:44 AM »
A new (and ridiculous) one I just heard about is people opening dead oysters on Facebook Live. Said oysters have worthless pearls inside them and people pay good money for them.

sparkytheop

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #675 on: December 24, 2017, 06:10:57 AM »
A new (and ridiculous) one I just heard about is people opening dead oysters on Facebook Live. Said oysters have worthless pearls inside them and people pay good money for them.

I remember people selling the pearl thing at stuff like state fair at least 20 years ago, but it sounds like facebook has made it all go crazy!

https://www.buzzfeed.com/leticiamiranda/pearl-parties-are-taking-over-facebook-live-but-buyer-beware?utm_term=.dgVvmM184#.eo4ne2Pky  (some annoying gifs in this one)

I just love it every time this thread pops up!

sparkytheop

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sparkytheop

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #677 on: January 09, 2018, 07:57:47 AM »

Travis

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #678 on: January 09, 2018, 09:04:11 AM »
Saw this today: https://imgur.com/gallery/5rRzv

She handled that better than a lot of other folks would.  The fact that her upline is telling her to ignore her family and she's just spamming her ads in the conversation rather than actually communicating is why folks accuse MLMs of being cults.

havregryn

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #679 on: January 09, 2018, 02:45:16 PM »
A few months ago I joined a Facebook group someone made for moms in our area. We live in a nice expensive suburb of about 8000 people in total. Not long after joining I got a friend request from a woman in the area. Immediately I could see she was an MLM seller but I accepted just to see. She has not yet made any kind of an attempt to talk to me directly about any of this (I think she may have googled me and realized I had a grown up job that would make it unlikely I would be interested) but now I have the privilege of seeing her in my newsfeed all the time and it is really a fascinating case study into how some of these MLMs work.
I am still not sure if she is some kind of a super deluded victim of some of the people she is constantly thanking as her mentors or is actually a bit higher up in this food chain as she does seem to have a lot of women who worship her.
But either way, I am rather fascinated by how supermanipulative this whole narrative seems to be. She is constantly posting motivational and inspirational bullshit, but I noticed how the common theme for it all is to make sure not to listen to the negative people. It's like they are obviously working really hard to make sure that they can a priori discredit any voice of reason a potential recruit could have in her life.

She also refers to the company she is selling for (Nuskin) as "company I am partnered with" which is something I haven't heard before but I guess is meant to make it sound like more of a legit business she was running completely independently of the people who are running the Nuskin business before they partnered up lol.

I don't know if this is sad or funny.

Travis

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #680 on: January 09, 2018, 04:06:26 PM »
She also refers to the company she is selling for (Nuskin) as "company I am partnered with" which is something I haven't heard before but I guess is meant to make it sound like more of a legit business she was running completely independently of the people who are running the Nuskin business before they partnered up lol.

I don't know if this is sad or funny.

Sad in a "we all know they're getting screwed and can't reason with them.  Funny in a "wow people can really be this deluded?" 

"Partner" is a euphemism for publicly recognizing their business doesn't really exist and they're just a customer of the parent company themselves.

merula

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #681 on: January 09, 2018, 04:37:44 PM »
I am still not sure if she is some kind of a super deluded victim of some of the people she is constantly thanking as her mentors or is actually a bit higher up in this food chain as she does seem to have a lot of women who worship her.

I'm not sure having a lot of women in your comments is any designation on how food chain position. Someone I know had 100+ likes/comments to virtually every MLM social media post within a week or two of signing up. I think part of the "job" is committing to boosting everyone else's social media counts.

faithless

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #682 on: January 10, 2018, 12:32:43 AM »
"Partner" is a euphemism for publicly recognizing their business doesn't really exist and they're just a customer of the parent company themselves.

I thought 'partner' was their way of trying to reconcile their self employed, own business, #bossbabe posts with 'I'm a non-minimum-wage-guaranteed sales rep for X company's tat'

havregryn

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #683 on: January 10, 2018, 06:11:22 AM »
I got the impression she recruited quite a few people in her downline. This is a very affluent area so I am guessing it's fairly easy for new recruits to sell a lot of stuff to their friends and families in the first few weeks of their amazing new business.  She is now posting all about qualifying for some kind of an all-expenses paid trip so it's either all fake (I guess that's likely) or she has drawn in enough of unsuspecting fellow moms to actually be "valuable" to the "partner" company.
I am somehow genuinely curious to know more about these people and the way this all works (I have a degree in psychology) but sadly I don't really have the time to attend one of her parties just for "research" purposes.
I somehow feel sorry for a lot of these women. I can totally get the appeal, I was working in bed yesterday while my son was building lego next to me.  It is so infinitely superior to having to spend most of your day in an office but I have a real job with benefits, not an illusion of one.
That is, I feel sorry for those who get sucked into this with naive dreams, I don't feel so sorry for those who consciously fake it in order to build a downline, hence my desire to study this further in order to really get an idea of this woman. Not that it matters beyond the fact my kids go to public school and this is a small place so there is always some interaction.

Beard N Bones

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #684 on: January 10, 2018, 08:57:46 AM »
I am somehow genuinely curious to know more about these people and the way this all works (I have a degree in psychology)

havregryn, this link may be of interest to you.  http://www.mlm-thetruth.com/what-mlm-is-like/
The most comprehensive read on the topic is the article/ebook written by Jon M Taylor called "Multi-Level Marketing Unmasked."  If you google that, you can find it in PDF format.  There are a few versions of it.  The most comprehensive one is over 400 pages long.  A truly fascinating read. 
Here is the link to that article:  http://www.mlm-thetruth.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/MLMunmasked-5-1-2017-CURRENT-1.pdf
I find this stuff mindblowing/mindboggling.

Travis

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #685 on: January 10, 2018, 09:58:04 AM »
"Partner" is a euphemism for publicly recognizing their business doesn't really exist and they're just a customer of the parent company themselves.

I thought 'partner' was their way of trying to reconcile their self employed, own business, #bossbabe posts with 'I'm a non-minimum-wage-guaranteed sales rep for X company's tat'

I'm sure that's what she thinks it means.  My definition is just reality after the smoke and mirrors are cleared away.

infogoon

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #686 on: January 12, 2018, 01:08:25 PM »
holy goddamn shitsnacks the essential oil voodoo nonsense is taking over my newsfeed

Apple_Tango

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #687 on: January 12, 2018, 01:28:46 PM »
"Partner" is a euphemism for publicly recognizing their business doesn't really exist and they're just a customer of the parent company themselves.

I thought 'partner' was their way of trying to reconcile their self employed, own business, #bossbabe posts with 'I'm a non-minimum-wage-guaranteed sales rep for X company's tat'

I'm sure that's what she thinks it means.  My definition is just reality after the smoke and mirrors are cleared away.

They’re basically trying to equate the business model to a franchise, where you actually buy a business or a business model and get the name recognition of the large company. But there is a big difference between a owning a Subway and stockpiling leggings in your garage.

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #688 on: January 12, 2018, 01:57:26 PM »
I'm afraid I'm being drawn into another MLM.  I'm facebook friends with a girl I went to grad school with and even though we haven't seen each other in person in the last few years, we still comment on each other's facebook stuff.  She messaged me last night and asked how I've been, and that she saw I finally moved back closer to her.  She said that we need to get coffee and catch up and I said sure, that sounds great.  Then I got a spidey-sense that this interaction seemed suspiciously like an MLM.  I went to her page and saw for the past few days she has been posting her normal craft pictures (she makes all kinds of quilted things and baby clothes to sell on her etsy page) but they all have these doterra essential oils in the pictures as well.  Yup, I'm pretty sure I'm going to get a sales pitch instead of catching up.  I went to her blog and there is a tab at the top now for "essential oils" and it is definitely an MLM.  Ugh.


I was recently introduced to one of my husband's CW's wife. We really hit it off and exchanged numbers. A few days later I get a text about how she is having a little "get-together" at her salon to discuss some great new products she know I would be interested in. (we had talked about make-up, skin care, etc.. when had met). My "spidey senses tingled" as well and I said I couldn't make it. I got another text a few days ago about how they were having friends over and wanted to know if I could come and hear about some great new products from Melaleuca. I googled it and sure enough it is what I thought it was...supplements, healthcare and home products. I politely told her that I am pretty set in my ways of what I buy for myself and for my home and no thanks but would like to do lunch sometime. She came back with "Oh, I thought you would like to see how you could improve on what you already do"..... um thanks but no thanks. I haven't heard back. I like her but I am not getting sucked in to that stuff. MY time is precious and I am not going to listen about something I have no interest in.

englishteacheralex

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #689 on: January 12, 2018, 02:05:08 PM »
See, the exchange you just explained between you and your husband's CW's wife is a tragedy of our age, in my opinion, @Pioneerw2b.

What in the world is happening to people? When did it become appropriate to co-opt friendship into a business opportunity? Even worse, a horrible, exploitative one that doesn't even work (let's just call it what it is: a SCAM).

Here's a perfectly good budding friendship between two women that could grow into something that would be mutually beneficial to both parties. You enjoy each other's company, and maybe slowly but surely develop into a relationship where you're helping each other out, having each other over for get-togethers, exchanging recipes...one of you has some kind of crisis, the other one is there for you...you know, all the lovely, selfless things that FRIENDSHIPS used to be for.

And this woman totally isolates herself from any of that good stuff by making a budding friendship all about yet another MLM scam. It's bad for society. Now you're going to (rightfully) avoid her and never get to know her, and the husbands are going to feel a little awkward about it at work. It's a crying shame and I hate those companies for ruining the building block of community: friendship.

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #690 on: January 12, 2018, 02:23:10 PM »
I'm afraid I'm being drawn into another MLM.  I'm facebook friends with a girl I went to grad school with and even though we haven't seen each other in person in the last few years, we still comment on each other's facebook stuff.  She messaged me last night and asked how I've been, and that she saw I finally moved back closer to her.  She said that we need to get coffee and catch up and I said sure, that sounds great.  Then I got a spidey-sense that this interaction seemed suspiciously like an MLM.  I went to her page and saw for the past few days she has been posting her normal craft pictures (she makes all kinds of quilted things and baby clothes to sell on her etsy page) but they all have these doterra essential oils in the pictures as well.  Yup, I'm pretty sure I'm going to get a sales pitch instead of catching up.  I went to her blog and there is a tab at the top now for "essential oils" and it is definitely an MLM.  Ugh.


I was recently introduced to one of my husband's CW's wife. We really hit it off and exchanged numbers. A few days later I get a text about how she is having a little "get-together" at her salon to discuss some great new products she know I would be interested in. (we had talked about make-up, skin care, etc.. when had met). My "spidey senses tingled" as well and I said I couldn't make it. I got another text a few days ago about how they were having friends over and wanted to know if I could come and hear about some great new products from Melaleuca. I googled it and sure enough it is what I thought it was...supplements, healthcare and home products. I politely told her that I am pretty set in my ways of what I buy for myself and for my home and no thanks but would like to do lunch sometime. She came back with "Oh, I thought you would like to see how you could improve on what you already do"..... um thanks but no thanks. I haven't heard back. I like her but I am not getting sucked in to that stuff. MY time is precious and I am not going to listen about something I have no interest in.

It's amazing how most MLMs don't come with salesmanship training in their starter kits.  I don't think I've ever known an MLM seller to actually build a relationship before going in for the kill.  Especially with Facebook, it goes from "friend me" to "buy my shit so I can pretend to make your life better" in the space of minutes.  Aside from it being antisocial and rude, it reeks of desperation.

TheWifeHalf

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #691 on: January 12, 2018, 04:56:27 PM »
My Mom sold Avon wen I was in high school for a couple of years. I think it was just to get stuff cheap.  I still buy their lip balm online, when it's 99 cents, free shipping, usually buy 50 -100 at a time

I credit that time for introducing me to good skin care, though I may not buy just Avon now.

Astatine

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #692 on: January 12, 2018, 05:12:33 PM »
PTF out of morbid curiousity.

I'm ok with going to the occasional Tupperware party (I find the quality to be BIFL and we use it all the time). But am ambivalent about the rest. I haven't been friended just to sell MLM to luckily. There are a few makeup and Jamberry consultants in my broader social circles. They're usually pretty good about it and don't sacrifice friendships for their MLM.

kina

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #693 on: January 12, 2018, 06:57:06 PM »
See, the exchange you just explained between you and your husband's CW's wife is a tragedy of our age, in my opinion, @Pioneerw2b.

What in the world is happening to people? When did it become appropriate to co-opt friendship into a business opportunity? Even worse, a horrible, exploitative one that doesn't even work (let's just call it what it is: a SCAM).

Here's a perfectly good budding friendship between two women that could grow into something that would be mutually beneficial to both parties. You enjoy each other's company, and maybe slowly but surely develop into a relationship where you're helping each other out, having each other over for get-togethers, exchanging recipes...one of you has some kind of crisis, the other one is there for you...you know, all the lovely, selfless things that FRIENDSHIPS used to be for.

And this woman totally isolates herself from any of that good stuff by making a budding friendship all about yet another MLM scam. It's bad for society. Now you're going to (rightfully) avoid her and never get to know her, and the husbands are going to feel a little awkward about it at work. It's a crying shame and I hate those companies for ruining the building block of community: friendship.

Quoting so I won't have to search to find it again. This needs to be repeated everywhere.

TheGrimSqueaker

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #694 on: January 12, 2018, 08:16:30 PM »
See, the exchange you just explained between you and your husband's CW's wife is a tragedy of our age, in my opinion, @Pioneerw2b.

What in the world is happening to people? When did it become appropriate to co-opt friendship into a business opportunity? Even worse, a horrible, exploitative one that doesn't even work (let's just call it what it is: a SCAM).

Here's a perfectly good budding friendship between two women that could grow into something that would be mutually beneficial to both parties. You enjoy each other's company, and maybe slowly but surely develop into a relationship where you're helping each other out, having each other over for get-togethers, exchanging recipes...one of you has some kind of crisis, the other one is there for you...you know, all the lovely, selfless things that FRIENDSHIPS used to be for.

And this woman totally isolates herself from any of that good stuff by making a budding friendship all about yet another MLM scam. It's bad for society. Now you're going to (rightfully) avoid her and never get to know her, and the husbands are going to feel a little awkward about it at work. It's a crying shame and I hate those companies for ruining the building block of community: friendship.

They promote the notion that "financial good for me" is far better than "long-term emotional good for both of us".

In order to be successful at MLM, people either have to either buy into that way of thinking, or sell a flaming metric ton of product because they have vast frienships networks where it's a relatively new, untapped market and where people actualy think the products are cool and want to buy them. The latter situation is extremely rare.

englishteacheralex

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #695 on: January 12, 2018, 10:18:21 PM »
Warning: about to derail this thread.

See, the exchange you just explained between you and your husband's CW's wife is a tragedy of our age, in my opinion, @Pioneerw2b.

What in the world is happening to people? When did it become appropriate to co-opt friendship into a business opportunity? Even worse, a horrible, exploitative one that doesn't even work (let's just call it what it is: a SCAM).

Here's a perfectly good budding friendship between two women that could grow into something that would be mutually beneficial to both parties. You enjoy each other's company, and maybe slowly but surely develop into a relationship where you're helping each other out, having each other over for get-togethers, exchanging recipes...one of you has some kind of crisis, the other one is there for you...you know, all the lovely, selfless things that FRIENDSHIPS used to be for.

And this woman totally isolates herself from any of that good stuff by making a budding friendship all about yet another MLM scam. It's bad for society. Now you're going to (rightfully) avoid her and never get to know her, and the husbands are going to feel a little awkward about it at work. It's a crying shame and I hate those companies for ruining the building block of community: friendship.

They promote the notion that "financial good for me" is far better than "long-term emotional good for both of us".

In order to be successful at MLM, people either have to either buy into that way of thinking, or sell a flaming metric ton of product because they have vast frienships networks where it's a relatively new, untapped market and where people actualy think the products are cool and want to buy them. The latter situation is extremely rare.

"Financial good for me is far better than long-term emotional good for both of us" is utterly ridiculous logic. Not that you are arguing for that, @TheGrimSqueaker, but I'm getting a little wound up about the horribly misguided thinking that the statement represents on the part of MLM people.

Here's what they don't understand: good long-term friendships actually have enormous economic value. It's crass to think of friendship in economic terms, but it's the truth. A good network of friends has helped me out of so many jams and done me so many favors. I've done the same for them, of course. When I had my first baby, at least fifteen people brought us meals over a two month period. Same for my second. We swap babysitting with friends. Potluck meals all the time. Mental health in the form of feeling like there are people close by who know me and care about me. Our kids play together...

To trade all that in order to try to recruit a bunch of suckers to be your "downline" while you ostensibly sell them a couple of shrink wrap nails or some face cream ...it completely blows my mind. It's awful. How are people that dumb?

TheGrimSqueaker

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #696 on: January 12, 2018, 10:47:38 PM »
Warning: about to derail this thread.

See, the exchange you just explained between you and your husband's CW's wife is a tragedy of our age, in my opinion, @Pioneerw2b.

What in the world is happening to people? When did it become appropriate to co-opt friendship into a business opportunity? Even worse, a horrible, exploitative one that doesn't even work (let's just call it what it is: a SCAM).

Here's a perfectly good budding friendship between two women that could grow into something that would be mutually beneficial to both parties. You enjoy each other's company, and maybe slowly but surely develop into a relationship where you're helping each other out, having each other over for get-togethers, exchanging recipes...one of you has some kind of crisis, the other one is there for you...you know, all the lovely, selfless things that FRIENDSHIPS used to be for.

And this woman totally isolates herself from any of that good stuff by making a budding friendship all about yet another MLM scam. It's bad for society. Now you're going to (rightfully) avoid her and never get to know her, and the husbands are going to feel a little awkward about it at work. It's a crying shame and I hate those companies for ruining the building block of community: friendship.

They promote the notion that "financial good for me" is far better than "long-term emotional good for both of us".

In order to be successful at MLM, people either have to either buy into that way of thinking, or sell a flaming metric ton of product because they have vast frienships networks where it's a relatively new, untapped market and where people actualy think the products are cool and want to buy them. The latter situation is extremely rare.

"Financial good for me is far better than long-term emotional good for both of us" is utterly ridiculous logic. Not that you are arguing for that, @TheGrimSqueaker, but I'm getting a little wound up about the horribly misguided thinking that the statement represents on the part of MLM people.

Here's what they don't understand: good long-term friendships actually have enormous economic value. It's crass to think of friendship in economic terms, but it's the truth. A good network of friends has helped me out of so many jams and done me so many favors. I've done the same for them, of course. When I had my first baby, at least fifteen people brought us meals over a two month period. Same for my second. We swap babysitting with friends. Potluck meals all the time. Mental health in the form of feeling like there are people close by who know me and care about me. Our kids play together...

To trade all that in order to try to recruit a bunch of suckers to be your "downline" while you ostensibly sell them a couple of shrink wrap nails or some face cream ...it completely blows my mind. It's awful. How are people that dumb?

People are that dumb because they have a lower level of maturity and social awareness. They also don't understand social capital.

The interdependence you so eloquently describe is possible only in a community of people who share, take turns, and give to one another knowing that, in their time of need, they will be similarly taken care of. You and your friends have enormous social capital with one another and a great deal of trust and respect. Yet it didn't develop overnight. A new person joining your network will most likely be welcomed, but will not necessarily be given to at the same level as someone such as yourself without proving his or her willingness to contribute.

Babies and small children begin in a state of dependence: "feed me!" is how they operate because they aren't yet able to fend for themselves. As a child ages, they become more independent and seek to feed themselves. But a still higher level of human development comes when people realize-- as you and your friends have done-- that they gain more by cooperating with reliable members of their community than they do by going it alone. And yes, you're completely right about the goods and services exchanged sometimes having a high dollar value particularly over the long term. But in order to attain that benefit, human beings must be intellectually and emotionally developed enough to recognize that life isn't a zero-sum game. Not everyone reaches that level of development. Some get stuck at "independent" and go it alone, at least for a while, and others get stuck at "feed me, Seymour!"

Someone who believes what I mentioned above-- that short-term financial benefit outweighs the benefits of a long-term mutually agreeable friendship-- is stuck at a very low level of emotional development. This is a parasitic creature, possibly destined for the entitlement class, and usually lacking in logic skills also. Such people frequently make a living on the benefit of other people's doubt and are prone to self-destructive habits that keep them in an artificial state of financial dependence on others.

Shared activities, favors done, gifts exchanged, and hospitality reciprocated are things that build social capital between people. It is not entirely a matter of social debt, so much as a combination of respect and goodwill. Now, social capital can be converted into money: charities do it all the time through fund raising. But it works for direct marketing too. Many a set of Cutco knives or fake nails have been sold to people simply because a close friend of family member asks them to buy. Yet social capital is renewable but finite. It can be lost, lent to others, and exchanged for money, but I use the analogy of an artesian well when I think about social capital. If you take more out of a relationship than you give to it, the well eventually runs dry. The relationship may be permanently damaged by asking too much from somebody, and the damage isn't always repairable. If you take more out of a community than the community generates by itself, the aquifer that feeds all the wells in the community is depleted and cannot always replenish itself. That's the concept that MLM devotees just don't understand. By trying to constantly monetize relationships, especially before the relationships are well established, they destroy not just their relationships with individuals but the stability of the community itself.

(See? The thread didn't actually derail.)

jinga nation

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #697 on: January 15, 2018, 09:22:56 AM »
Maybe not MLM, but celebrities hyping health shit is what I hate. I love what Ozzy does in this clip:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEkWlXGdWKA

Just Joe

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #698 on: January 18, 2018, 02:17:51 PM »
So much of daily life here in the USA is IMHO poisoned by marketing and this kind of capitalism. I swear it either stunts some people's development or reverses the maturation process. Cut the cord! Kill off that kind of social media.

jinga nation

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #699 on: January 18, 2018, 07:45:07 PM »
During my kids' soccer practice today, some mum told my wife that she was selling natural beauty products on the side. Her primary occupation is a nurse.
Seriously WTF! She was trying to rope-a-dope my wife into her MLM. Thankfully Mrs. JingaNation does not require this stuff due to her low maintenance.